In the arrangement of the odes I have adhered to the traditional order. I should much have liked to place them in what must always be the most interesting and rational arrangement of a poet's works, that is, in chronological order. This would have been approximately possible, as we know the dates of the greater part of them. But convenience of reference and of comparison with the Greek text seems to supply a balance of reasons on the other side. Subjoined however is a list of the odes in their probable chronological order so far as it can be obtained.
Pythian 10-------------B.C. 502. " 6------------- " 494. " 12------------- " 494 or 490. " 7------------- " 490. " 3------------- " 486 or 482. Olympian 10 } ---------- " 484. " 11 } ---------- " 484. Isthmian 5 Nemean 5 Isthmian 7 ------------ " 480. Isthmian 3 Pythian 8-------------- " 478. " 9-------------- " 478. " 11-------------- " 478. " 2-------------- " 477. Olympian 14-------------- " 476. " }----------------- " 476. " }----------------- " 476. Pythian 1 Nemean 1--------------- " 473. Olympian 1--------------- " 472. " 12-------------- " 472. Nemean 9 Isthmian 2 Olympian 6-------------- " 468. Pythian 4 }------------- " 466. " 5 } Olympian 7-------------- " 464. " 13-------------- " 464. Nemean 7 " 3 " 4 " 6 " 8 Olympian 9-------------- " 456. Isthmian 6 Olympian 4 }------------ " 452. " 5 }
The Olympic games were held once in four years, in honour of Zeus. The prize was a wreath of wild olive.
The Pythian games were held once in four years, in honour of Apollo. The prize was a wreath of bay.
The Nemean games were held once in two years, in honour of Zeus. The prize was a wreath of wild parsley.
The Isthmian games were held once in two years, in honour of Poseidon. The prize was a wreath of wild parsley or of pine.
[Footnote 1: The importance and interest to a student in Hellenic literature of a collateral study of whatever remains to us of Hellenic plastic art--statues, vases, gems, and coins--can hardly be too strongly insisted on.]
[Footnote 2: In Mr. J.A. Symonds' 'Studies of the Greek Poets' there is an essay on Pindar which dwells with much appreciative eloquence upon the poets literary characteristics.]
[Footnote 3: In thus touching on the obligations of our morality to the Hebrew and to the Hellene respectively, I have insisted more exclusively on the weak points of the former than I should have done in a fuller discussion of the subject: here I am merely concerned to question in passing what seems to be a popular one-sided estimate.]