A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

An Olympic Victory 147
and gave his body ungoaded in
the course, and brought
victory to his master, the Syracusans' king, who delighteth
in horses. . . .
Now the good that cometh of to-day is ever sovereign Hieron a
unto every man. My part it
subject for
is to crown Hieron with an song.
equestrian strain in ^EoUan mood; and sure I am that no
host among men that are now shall I ever glorify in sounding
labyrinths of song more learned in the learning of
honor and withal with more might to work thereto. A
god hath guard over thy hopes, O Hieron, and taketh care
for them with a peculiar care; and if he fail thee not, I
trust that I shall again proclaim in song a sweeter glory
yet, and find thereto in words a ready way, when to the
fair-shining hili of Cronos I am come. Her strongestwinged
dart my Muse hath yet in store.
Of many kinds is the greatness of men; but the highest
is to be achieved by kings. Look not thou for more than
this. May it be thine to walk loftily all thy life, and mine
to be the friend of winners in the games, winning honor
for my art among Hellenes everywhere.
fit
The hill of
Cronos
overlooks the
stadium
at Olympia.
In this poem
Hieron is
called a king.
VI. Thales
He asserted that water was the principle of all things. The first
Greek
and that the world had life, and was full of spirits: they scientist.
say, too, that he was the original definer of the seasons Diogenes
To f^rf ] 1 1 c
of the year, and that it was he who divided the year mto x/iaies, 6.
three hundred and sixty-five days. And he never had
any teacher except during the time that he was in Egypt,
and associated with the priests. Hieronymus also says Greece, q4 f.,-
that he measured the Pyramids; watching their shadows, WoHd, 154 f.
and calculating when they were of the same size as those
were. ...