{BDEGQ}Written for Megakles of Athens who won the 25th Pythiad in the four-horse chariot race. And this is not the one who won the Olympic games, but the other. Pindar attributes that man's victory to this one, as is his habit. That Megakles is recorded as having won the 27th Olympiad, while the other, sharing his name, won the 86th.
{DEGQ}In another way, the ode was written for Megakles of Athens who traced his lineage to Alkmaion who was extremely wealthy. For they say he went to Croesus and he consented to him dressing himself as he wished and taking up clothing such as he preferred, and so he went into the place and the treasury to take up as much gold as he wanted. Then he strapped on buskins––i.e. Dionysian boots––and put on actor's folded robes and sewed the gold into them. Even then he tied it in his hair and threw it in his mouth as well. Because of the weight he lurched forward violently. Croesus then broke down and laughed at him, because of appearance and thrift, and gave him another helping. This is the reason why he was the most conspicious man in Attica, as he was by far the wealthiest. Those called the Alkmaionidai descend from him, and these men also dissolved the tyranny of the Peisistratidai.
{BDEGQ}Written for Megakles of Athens who won the 25th Pythiad in the four-horse chariot race. And this is not the one who won the Olympic games, but the other. Pindar attributes that man's victory to this one, as is his habit. That Megakles is recorded as having won the 27th Olympiad, while the other, sharing his name, won the 86th.
{DEGQ}In another way, the ode was written for Megakles of Athens who traced his lineage to Alkmaion who was extremely wealthy. For they say he went to Croesus and he consented to him dressing himself as he wished and taking up clothing such as he preferred, and so he went into the place and the treasury to take up as much gold as he wanted. Then he strapped on buskins––i.e. Dionysian boots––and put on actor's folded robes and sewed the gold into them. Even then he tied it in his hair and threw it in his mouth as well. Because of the weight he lurched forward violently. Croesus then broke down and laughed at him, because of appearance and thrift, and gave him another helping. This is the reason why he was the most conspicious man in Attica, as he was by far the wealthiest. Those called the Alkmaionidai descend from him, and these men also dissolved the tyranny of the Peisistratidai.
{BDEGQ}Written for Megakles of Athens who won the 25th Pythiad in the four-horse chariot race. And this is not the one who won the Olympic games, but the other. Pindar attributes that man's victory to this one, as is his habit. That Megakles is recorded as having won the 27th Olympiad, while the other, sharing his name, won the 86th.
{DEGQ}In another way, the ode was written for Megakles of Athens who traced his lineage to Alkmaion who was extremely wealthy. For they say he went to Croesus and he consented to him dressing himself as he wished and taking up clothing such as he preferred, and so he went into the place and the treasury to take up as much gold as he wanted. Then he strapped on buskins––i.e. Dionysian boots––and put on actor's folded robes and sewed the gold into them. Even then he tied it in his hair and threw it in his mouth as well. Because of the weight he lurched forward violently. Croesus then broke down and laughed at him, because of appearance and thrift, and gave him another helping. This is the reason why he was the most conspicious man in Attica, as he was by far the wealthiest. Those called the Alkmaionidai descend from him, and these men also dissolved the tyranny of the Peisistratidai.
Pindar, Pythian 7
ed. Callahan
Κάλλιστον αἱ μεγαλοπόλιες Ἀθᾶναι
προοίμιον Ἀλκμανιδᾶν εὐρυσθενεῖ
γενεᾷ κρηπῖδ᾽ἀοιδᾶν ἵπποισι βαλέσθαι.
ἐπεὶ τίνα πάτραν, τίνα οἶκον ναίων ὀνυμάξεαι
ἐπιφανέστερον
Ἑλλάδι πυθέσθαι;
πάσαισι γὰρ πολίεσι λόγος ὁμιλεῖ
Ἐρεχθέος ἀστῶν, Ἄπολλον, οἳ τεόν
δόμον Πυθῶνι δίᾳ θαητὸν ἔτευξαν.
ἄγοντι δέ με πέντε μὲν Ἰσθμοῖ νῖκαι, μία δ᾽ἐκπρεπής
ΣP.7.1a.() Κάλλιστον αἱ μεγαλοπόλιες· 'The most beautiful proem to the strong race of the Alkmaionidai is Athens, and to lay a foundation of songs for their horses', or to put it simply he says, 'The most beautiful proem is Athens' instead of 'It is most beautiful to praise in song a victor from Athens.'
ΣP.7.1b.() The meaning is 'The most beautiful proem of the Alkmaionidae is Athens, so that the honor derived from the fatherlands lays down a foundation of praise.'
ΣP.7.3.() And Pindar says their 'strong race' because Alkmaion was courageous and famous. From him the Alkmaionidai came, who overthrew the tyranny of the Peisistratidai.
ΣP.7.4a.() 'Since what house may I say you inhabit more conspicuously famed in Hellas?'
ΣP.7.4b.() In another way: 'Since what fatherland and what house am I able to say that is more conspicuous than the Alkaionidai?' And he uses 'dwell' [ναίων] according to his own usage, for this reason some write 'dwell' [ναίοντα]. Others write, 'and house give ear' [οἶκόν τ’ ἀΐων], i.e. 'hear'.
ΣP.7.6a.() ναίων ὀνυμάξαι: Some excise the 'ν', writing 'give ear' [ἀίων] instead of 'dwell' [ναίων]. Or 'What house shall I name more conspicuous than theirs?'. But again, others take away the 'ν', and thus carry the pitch, 'age' [αἰῶν’] so that there is a hiatus in place of 'age' [αἰῶνι], and so 'to what age shall I name' or 'to what age shall I entrust'. And Didymos takes it more simply:'I myself dwelling [ναίων] (instead of 'inhabiting' [οἰκῶν]) in Hellas what more conspicuous house may I name?' Not 'having heard by my sense of hearing', but 'when I myself dwell in Hellas, what house shall I name more conspicuous than theirs?'
ΣP.7.6b.() And he says 'dwell' ναίων instead of 'dwell' ναίοντα, as even Homer did Iliad 2.350, For I say the mighty Kronion nodded his head, then a little below, lightening ἀστράπτων on the right instead of lightening ἀστράπτοντα.
ΣP.7.8.() For in all cities the report and rumor circulates about the citizens of Erechtheus, i.e. the Athenians. As if every city marvels at Athens and the manly virtue of the city.
ΣP.7.9a.() Ἄπολλον, οἳ τεόν τε δόμον: Some of whom, the Alkmaionidai, O Apollo, in preeminent Pytho constructed your marvelous dwelling.
ΣP.7.9b.() Some say they made the temple of Apollo more conspicuous because of the hymn and the victory, others according to historical record. Afterall, it is said that the Alkmaionidai exiled by the Peisistratidai undertook the rebuilding of the Pythian temple that was burnt, as some say, by the Peisistratidai, and are believed to have received money and collected power against the Peisistratidai, and when they won along with many other thanks-offerings they rebuilt the precinct for the god, as Philochoros (FHG I p.395) records, '...'.
ΣP.7.11.() ἄγοντι δέ με: instead of 'And the victories of you and your ancestors, O Megakles, move [ἄγουσι] and turn me to song, five were at the Isthmus, one outstanding one in Olympia, and two from Delphi.'
ΣP.7.14.() Διὸς Ὀλυμπιάς: This Megakles did not win the Olympics, but others bearing the same name as this Megakles did. And since this makes him shine more brightly Pindar also adds the ancestral victory to this Megakles.
ΣP.7.18a.() χαίρω τι, τὸ δ’ ἄχνυμαι: Aristarchos says, 'some mischance befell him in this victory, and so Pindar says 'to rejoice', and 'to grieve', with some envy attached to his good deeds. Yet even so their good fortune is steadfast, when they have some mixture even of misfortune.' And it seems this is concerned with the death of Ippokrates which happened around this time, for whom Pindar also wrote a dirge. And Ippokrates was a kinsman of the victor.
ΣP.7.18b.() In another way: 'I rejoice now in your fortunate victor, but grieve over Ippokrates.'
ΣP.7.23.() τὰ καὶ τά: instead of 'good things and bad things'. Pindar says 'your good fortune is secure, even when something bad attends your many good deeds'. This is in Homer (Odyssey 8.63), 'whom the Muse loved greatly, but she gave both good and bad; she deprived him of his eyes, but gave him sweet song.'