PYTHIAN ODES. ODE i. 79. "For each art, The tongue all-eloquent, the vigorous hand; Is thine, weak Mortal, but at heaven's command." V. 77. ODE ii. 89. "The power of Jove unbounded flies The dolphins that like lightning spring "Forget not to confess with grateful breast, NEMEAN ODES. QDE A 44. Nor will I, like the unsocial soul, Watch, while secreted hoards on hoards increasing roll: Which shares the golden gifts of fortune with his friends: Our mutual hopes, in mutual need." V. 47. ODE viii. 54. "For, ever odious is the art Of fawning speech, with malice in the heart, To raise and gloss th' unsound, but basely stain the bright. Truth, o'er my simple paths of life still shine! So shall my memory ever-vernal bloom, And o'er my sons breathe from the tomb The fragrance of untainted fame. Wealth, land, I ask not; but a name Blest with my country's smile, And a free voice, to praise the good, and boldly lash the vile." Which more than mortal man the champion grace? Which points him to admiring eyes? Mortality's vain covering fades away, Soon must those vigorous limbs take their last robe of clay." ISTHMIAN ODES. ODE iii. V. 1. "If with the golden smile of Fortune blest, Wealth's powerful tide and glory buoy the breast, Well may thy country bless thy name, And hail thee worthy of immortal fame." V. 1. V. 20. These specimens of Pindaric morals will warrant a sugges• tion, submitted for the consideration of Masters, that their scholars would find much utility and improvement, if they translated the "Delectus Sententiarum ;" and if, by comparing them with thoughts similar in the Odes of Horace, (the zealous admirer, and imitator of Pindar, in the introduction of yvapas) or with resemblances in other authors, poetical or prosaic, they thus illustrated the sentiments of Pindar. The exercise of translating imprints the subject on the memory. Comparison of passage with passage in different authors, elucidates what is immediately under notice; habituates the mind to analogy; opens a wide field for observation; enlarges the view; and from that which is directly present, extends it through a range of wide compass. As the powers of the moral sense are much anterior to the penetration of critical judgment, young men would be competent to feel the force of Pindar's morals, long before they would be qualified for pointing out the beauties of his highly figurative, bold, and ardent poetry. From a note, inserted in the 545th page of his Pindar and Lexicon, it appears the Editor was fartlier enabled to enrich his publication, through the kindness of a gentleman, whose character stands eminent in the literary world, and to whom many classical scholars are indebted for communication. With his nsual promptitude to aid literature, from his κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ 9, Dr. Parr selected and contributed a Dissertation, delivered by Mr. Barford, on the first Pythian Ode of Pindar. This Dissertation, inserted between the Odes and Lexicon, is analytic and explanatory. And as it is written in a style of pure latinity, it may safely and well be proposed to young men, as a model of criticism in the best manner. It was no part of the Editor's plan to treat of the Pindaric Qde, either in its general structure, or in its particular measures. On On those points, therefore, nothing is said; nor indeed was any thing necessary. The volume is published "in usum TIRONUM;" who, from the Masters which teach, and from the tutors which lecture, will hear such remarks as may give them more correct ideas, than the opinions too often and too hastily entertained, concerning Pindaric versification. True indeed it is, and HERMAN confesses it: "Non admodùm multa metra, quæ certam ac stabilem formam haberent, in Pindaro inveniri; in iisque esse quædam, quæ alibi nusquam animadvertissem." (Hermanni Commentatio de Metris Pindari, in Vol. iii. of Heyne's Pindar, p. 180.) "Neque verò pauci in ipso Pindaro loci sunt, in quibus dubium videtur, quo gcnere Metri usus est." (Ibid.) But it is no less true, that in very many of Pindar's Odes, the Strophe and Antistrophe correspond with each other, if not in exact similarity, yet in proportionate æquipollency of feet. Masters and tutors will undoubtedly also refer their scholars and students to the edition of Hephaestion, completed by the erudition and industry of Mr. Professor Gaisford; and to the "Tentamen de Metris," a work of equal labour, perspicacity, and precision, by Dr. C. Burney. The first, in p. 123. 186. 361. will shew the nature of the Strophe, Anti-strophe, and Epode. The second will exhibit metrical description, which from verses in Eschylus, they may apply to similar verses in Pindar, and thus rightly denominate such in each Pindaric, as correspond with any similar lines in the Eschylean stanza, Those who recollect the very distinguished credit which Dr. Maltby acquired at the University of Cambridge, hope that he also, like the Horatian Titius (1 Epist. iii. 9.) is "brevi venturus in ora," not only with a new edition of Morell's "Thesaurus," but more particularly with a large "auctarium' Morell's" Prosodia." Most desirable and weighty will be Dr. Maltby's opinion on many subtile points of Greek metre; which, notwithstanding the investigation of many excellent critics and scholars, still remain disputable. to In the Greek language, prosodiacal quantity is found to vary as the dialect varies. For the purpose of metrical direction, as well as for copiousness of etymological explanation, the editor judged properly in taking care that his Lexicon should notice the dialect, which gives to Pindar's style a marked character. Until Joannes Grammaticus, Corinthus, Zuingerus, and Mattaire can be consulted on the minute peculiarities of the different dialects; reference may be made, with advantage, to the Greek grammars composed and published either by Dr. Valpy of Reading, or by Mr. Evans of Gloucester. Each work is duly calculated calculated for giving general information to Greek learners: Mr. Evans's contains tables of the dialects, constructed on the authority of Mattaire in his "Græcæ Lingua Dialecti." The prevailing dialect of Pindar is the doric. The poet will not, on that account, experience in this country the same unfavourable prejudice, by which in his early years he was mortified among his own fellow-citizens. Pindar five times contended with Corinna, for superior excellence in lyric poetry. On each occasion, the Thebaus adjudged victory to Corinna. Olearius, in his dissertation De Poetriis Græcis," intimates that Pausanias imputed failure of success, partly to the dialect used by Pindar. Linguæ potiùs quàm poeticæ facultatis eas victorias fuisse Pausanias ait: eâ cnim Æolicâ usam Corinnam, Doricâ loquente Pindaro, quam ægrè assequi audientes potuerint." (Poetriarum Octo, &c. by Wolfius in 1734. p. 146.) If the olic strains of Corinna were inharmonious as those of Sappho, Elian was warranted in the epithet which he applied to Pindar's judges : “ 'Αμάθεσι περιπεσὼν ̓Ακροάταις.” V. H. Lib. 13. 25. Happily for the present and rising generation, happily for the credit and morals of Great Britain, this island abounds with schools, conducted by Masters deep in learning, correct in taste, wise in discipline, sound in principles, and exemplary in conduct. From many therefore the editor might have selected a patron. But being himself a Fellow of Winchester College (see title-page) there was singular propriety in his dedicating a book, designed "in usum Tironum," to the Master of that college. The work accordingly comes before the public under the sanction of Dr. Gabell, who like his unwearied (and what should not be, his still unrewarded) predecessor Dr. Goddard, is "Literarum Humaniorum Cultor Felicissimus." (See page dedicatory.) In their predilection for Pindar, the Masters of our principal schools, through different counties, give evident proof that their minds are replete with classic fore, their sentiments raised to a height of dignified elevation, their judgment formed on the most approved standards of sublime writing in lyric poetry. Every one, who understands Pindar, admires him. ""Exxsos κρίνει καλῶς ἃ γινώσκει, καὶ τέτων ἐςιν ἀγαθὸς κριτής, is an Aristotelian maxim." (See Hix. Nixoμ. p. 6. édit. Oxford. 1716.) After a lapse of ages and in a distant country, it is impossible that modern readers should enter fully into all the local and historical circumstances, to which rather by a quick glance, than by pointed notice, Pindar alludes. Confessedly therefore, in many passages the odes of Pindar are obscure. And obscure also would be the two finest odes in the English language, viz. Dryden's "Second Ode for St. Cecilia's Day," and (peace to the Manes of Dr. Johnson) Gray's "Bard," to any one not acquainted acquainted with Grecian and English history. It is one thing for a poem to be uniformily obscure, (as are the works of Lycophron and Persius;) another, to be obscure only in occasional places. For the former case no defence can be made; in the latter, it is but the appearance of a thin cloud, interposing itself between our eye and the sun's orb; which at length breaks away, and leaves to us the renewed enjoyment of effulgence, With limitation of the remark to such compositions, as are intrinsically fine, it must be incontrovertible that although des fective understanding in the reader will render a poem to him less valuable, yet ignorance on his part cannot lessen the degree of excellence, which the poetry possesses in itself, and which competent judges can duly appreciate. Whatever may be urged against difficulties in Pindar, certain it is they are not greater, than what occurs in the choral odes of the Greek tragedies, Yet no Master, who felt confidence in his own literary strength, and who knew how important it is that young men should be iaured to patient perseverance in research, and to the habitual usage of combining words, ideas, sentences, and thence eliciting consistent meaning; no such Master was ever so weak and so injudicious as to exempt his scholars from the task of interpret ing the choral odes, merely because they are difficult of exposi tion. The points for consideration are, whether the matter be of sufficient weight, to deserve attention; the language of suffcient richness, to command admiration; whether "Thoughts that breathe, and Words that burn" (Gray's Progress of Poetry) are entitled to the notice of a poetical reader; and whether only a shallow knowledge of Pindar be compatible with the preten sions of any one, who laudably wishes to merit and to establish the reputation of being extensively and thoroughly acquainted with the best Greek writers, poetical and prosaic. If the ore, deeply deposited in its caverns, is of precious metal, the labour of breaking through the superincumbent earth, though stubborn in soil, is compensated by the attainment of treasure. That such is the ore in the Pindaric nine; in other words, that Pindar has been always holden in the highest estimation, and therefore is worthy of all the exertions which can be made, for the purpose either of producing or of obtaining familiar acquaint ance with his writings, shall now be shewn by appeal to the sen timents of authors themselves commendable, and to the endeavours used by men of the highest character, with, the view of recommending Pindar for general reading, It would be superfluous to repeat, in this place, whatever has been collected by Benedict and Heyne, in praise of Pindar. That Heyne should not have introduced, from the works of 1 critic |