As they do in a banquet of men when the revelry runneth high, + 

So do we mingle a second bowl of the Song-queen’s strain. + 

Unto Tampon’s athlete-seed do we render honour thereby. + 

Our first was outpoured to thee, Zeus, in the day that saw us gain + 

The crown of all crowns at Nemea; the second this day pour we + 

To the Lord of the Isthmus and Nereus’ fifty Maids of the Sea + 

For the House’s youngest scion Phylakidas’ victory. + 

Oh may we make ready a third for the Saviour Olympus’ Lord! + 

So may a libation of honey-sweet songs on Aegina be poured! + 

For if one of the sons of men who exults in the cost and the toil + 

Attain to achievement that shall like a god-built tower stand, + 

And with Heaven’s help plant the seed of renown in a fruitful soil, + 

God-honoured he casteth his anchor on Fortune’s farthest strand. + 

Unto such desires to attain this son of Kleonymus prays + 

Or ever he cometh with death or with hoar hairs face to face. + 

And of Klotho enthroned on high this day I implore her grace, + 

Praying her and her sister Fates propitiously now to draw near + 

To the heavenward-ringing petition of him that I hold so dear. + 

And you, O Aiakus’ sons, upon golden chariots mounted, + 

I deem it a sacred ordinance laid most clearly on me, + 

Whensoe’er I set foot on your isle, to shower on you praise; for uncounted + 

Highways of five-score feet stretch farther than eye can see + 

For your noble achievements: they pass to southward beyond Nile’s fountains, + 

And away to the land lying north of where Boreas leaps from his mountains. + 

No city there is so uncouth of speech, but hath heard the story + 

Of the blest one, spouse of a Goddess, of hero Peleus’ glory, + 

And hath heard of Aias Telamon’s scion, and Aias’ sire. + 

Him did Alkmena’s son, to requite Laomedon’s lie, + 

Lead with his warriors of Tiryns, an ally whose soul was afire + 

For the joy of the harness of battle, in galleys led him to Troy, + 

To the land of heroes’ travail. So Pergamus-city was laid + 

In the dust by Heracles’ might. Thereafter, with Telamon’s aid, + 

The tribes of the Meropes slew he, against him in battle arrayed, + 

And the herdman huge as a mountain, Alkyoneus, whom he found + 

In Phlegra, and spared not his bowstring’s thunder-clanging rebound. + 

But when Heracles came to bid to the voyaging Aiakus’ son, + 

Him with his company feasting he found, and as there he stood + 

In the lion-skin, Telamon called on the son of Amphitryon + 

The first libation to pour of the cluster’s nectar-blood; + 

And the chalice rough with the gold embossed with the word did he place + 

Wine-brimming in Heracles’ hands. Thereupon did the hero raise + 

His hands, the invincible hands, in prayer to the firmament’s space; + 

And he lifted his voice: “If ever, O Zeus Allfather, thou + 

Hast hearkened with willing soul unto prayer of mine, O now + 

“With heavenward-soaring prayers unto thee do I make my petition + 

To perfect in Eriboia’s womb for the man at my side + 

A valiant son, who shall aye be my friend by Fate’s decision, + 

One of thews invincibly stalwart, hard as the lion’s hide + 

That at Nemea, first of my labours, I slew, this fell enfolding + 

My shoulders, and may his courage be worthy his frame’s strong moulding!” + 

He spake, and a mighty eagle the God sent down from his heaven, + 

Monarch of birds; and with rapture thrilled for the omen given + 

Heracles lifted his voice, and he spake as speaketh a seer: + 

“Lo, thou shalt have the son thou desirest, Telamon; + 

And after the name of the bird that thou sawest but now appear, + 

So shalt thou name him, Aias, a world-famed mighty one, + 

In the battle-toils of thy people a warrior deadly strong.” + 

So spake he, and sat him down. But for me it were all too long + 

Of all their achievements to tell. I came, O Queen of Song, + 

For Phylakidas, Pytheas, Euthymenes, the march to array + 

Of the triumph-procession, and brief, after Argive wont, be the lay. + 

In Isthmian pankration victories three did they win by their might, + 

And from leaf-shadowed Nemea yet more triumphs, those glorious boys, + 

And their mother’s brother. How fair a portion of song to the light + 

Did they bring! And with brightest dews of refreshing did they rejoice + 

The Clan of the Psalychidae; and now have they raised to renown + 

By their prowess the House of Themistius; yea, and in this good town + 

Do they dwell, whereon the Gods with loving eyes look down. + 

And, honouring Hesiod’s words⁠—“Whatsoever he findeth to do,” + 

That Lampon “doth with his might,” and exhorteth his sons thereto. + 

So he brings to his city glory, the weal of the whole state serving. + 

He is loved for his kindness to strangers: the golden mean alway + 

In purpose, the golden mean in action he follows unswerving. + 

His tongue is at one with his thoughts. Amid athletes he is, thou canst say, + 

As the Naxian stone that in grinding of bronze all other excelleth. + 

I will give him to drink of Dirke’s taintless spring that upwelleth + 

By the stately-rampired gates of the city of Kadmus, whose waters + 

Were caused to leap to the light by Memory’s deep-zoned daughters. + 