Page:Odes of Pindar (Myers).djvu/163

VIII.] Manifold are the uses of friends, chiefest truly amid the press of toil, yet doth joy also desire to behold his own assurance.

Ah Meges, to bring back thy spirit to earth is to me impossible, and of empty hopes the end is naught. Yet for thy house and the clan of Chariadai I can upraise a lofty column of song in honour of these two pairs of fortunate feet.

I have joy to utter praise meet for the act, for by such charms of song doth a man make even labour a painless thing. Yet surely was there a Komos-song even of old time, yea before strife began between Adrastos and the sons of Kadmos.