Pindar I: Olympian Odes. Pythian Odes (Loeb Classical Library) (English and Greek Edition)

Race's 2 volume loeb set is a most useful tool for any reader of Pindar. The introduction in Vol. 1 is clear, concise, and gives a decent overview of the textual transmission. Race also gives a good summary of some Epinician conventions to facilitate Pindar's highly artificial language.Each ode gets some brief introductory comments as regards date of composition, summary of contents, and theme of the poem, which is immensely helpful when trying to set these occasional poems in their context(s).The translations are neither too literal nor too lose, and will surely be useful to a first-time undergraduate reader, as well as any graduate student. The real standout are the translations of the fragments in Vol. 2, of which Paean 6 is the finest example.

Great addition to my Loeb collection. Book arrived quickly, well padded, and in excellent condition as described by the seller. Thanks!

These are great odes with a good translation. I highly recommend this scholarly edition of these immortal classics of world literature.

Great book, delivered quickly and packaged carefully.

Great book. It be better if I could get it in leather.

The first volume of Pindar illustrates his poetic odes as celebratory to the victors of Olympian & Pynthia Games. Increasingly difficult in comprehension, Pindar's use of eloquent verse of legends combined with metaphors of those whom the odes are dedicated leave one's mind in an imaginary state between the reality of Greek life and myth. Could one aspire to write as Pindar did? To learn how to weave metaphors with colloquialisms where words are relinquished to the ides of the immortality? Themes of limitations of men, dependence upon the god (s), and the brevity of life's joys, Pindar exemplies classic 6th century greek prose. Pindar's style has been emulated by many successors but to avail, he is in a class of his own and has been followed with great reverence that even Alexander the Great worshipped him as a poet of the Gods. "As for men's hopes, they often rise, while at other times they roll down as they voyage across vain falsehoods. No human has yet found a sure sign of impending action; their plans for future events lie hidden from view. Many things happen to men which counter their judgement--at times to reverse of their delight, but then some who have encountered grievous storms exchange their pain for great good in a short space of time." Olympian Ode 12.