until in 1892 a papyrus yielded twenty poems, many almost complete. Its fourteen victory songs can be
confronted with those of Pindar (active c. 500-446 B.C.) to reveal common elements of the genre and
each poet's individuality. Praise of the patron is naturally prominent - not only his recent victory, but other
marks of excellence, including the now enhanced distinction of family and city. Equally mandatory was a
myth, found in all but the shortest songs. Its bearing upon the victory varies: it brings victor and audience
into the world of gods and heroes, but it can also underline man's limitations and constant risk of grief and
pain. To emphasize such messages the poet plays the moral teacher, studding his composition with
maxims, and since their worth and that of the whole song depends upon the poet's own distinction, he
highlights his part in its creation and his poetic superiority.
In Bacchylides the relation between these elements is clearer and narrative of myth more straightforward
than in Pindar. Language flows lucidly, metre is simpler. Aspects of the difference emerge from two
songs for the victory of Hiero, tyrant of Syracuse, in the horse race at Olympia in 476 B.C.
Bacchylides' Ode 5 opens with an address to Hiero, complimenting his literary taste and stating the poet's
wish to praise him (1-16). An eagle, unfettered by 'the peaks of the mighty earth or the craggy waves of
the tireless sea' (16-30) stands for the poet who has countless ways to praise Hiero (31-6). The horse
Pherenicus has won, at Olympia as at Delphi - never yet, the poet swears, has he been defeated. Then a
maxim: 'Blessed he to whom god has given a share of fine things, and to live a life of wealth with
enviable fortune: for no one among earth-dwellers has been happy in all things' (50-5, cf. Alcman, quoted
above). Now the myth: unconquered Heracles, braving the underworld to fetch Cerberus, 'encountered the
souls of wretched mortals ... like the leaves that the clear-blowing wind ripples on the sheep-grazed ridges
of Ida'. Amazed by Meleager's might, Heracles asks how he died: Meleager tells how the Achaeans at last
vanquished the boar sent by a wrathful Artemis to ravage Calydon of the fair choruses, but how then he,
embattled over the spoils with his mother's kin, died when she burned the magic log embodying his life
(56-154). Then only Heracles wept, saying 'Best for mortals not to be born, nor to see the light of the sun;
but since nothing is achieved by lamenting this tale, have you a sister alive whom I might wed?' Meleager
names Deianeira; there Bacchylides leaves his myth (175) and we understand that Heracles (to be killed
unintentionally by over-loving Deianeira) exemplifies, like Meleager, an unhappy end. Briefly
Bacchylides hymns Zeus and Olympia, and, quoting Hesiod, defends unenvious praise of success (176-
200).
Pindar opens Olympian 1 more obliquely. 'Best is water, and gold shines out like a blazing fire in the
night beyond any proud wealth: and if you wish to sing of prizes, dear heart, seek no other bright star that
is hotter in the day than the sun in the empty sky, nor shall we name a contest better than Olympia.' Thus
Pindar introduces praise of Olympian Zeus for Hiero who 'picking the crown of all the virtues' glories in
music (1-17). Pherenicus' renown in the Peloponnese leads to the myth - Poseidon's love for Pelops.
Disparaging false tales and insisting that a mortal utter fair things about the gods, Pindar explains Pelops'
disappearance as a Ganymede-like visit to an immortal lover, and tales of Tantalus stewing and serving
him to the gods as a jealous neighbour's invention (18-51). 'But for me there is no way I could call any of
the blessed ones belly-mad. I recoil. Loss has time and again been the portion of ill-speakers' (52-3).
Tantalus, however, honoured by the gods, 'could not digest his great prosperity' and blindly stole divine
food and drink to entertain his friends: 'if any man hopes to do something without god's notice, he is