Theoxenos of Tenedos

     Theoxenos of Tenedos

A happy legend sets his [Pindar’s] death in the theatre,

in the arms of Theoxenos of Tenedos, for whom he had

written a dazzling, unambiguously erotic encomium.[….]

Pindar was eighty, dry kindling.  The flame of desire burst

forth and burnt him through.

~ Michael Schmidt, The First Poets, p. 301

Xρῆν μὲν κατὰ κιαρὸν ἐρώ-
των δρέπεαθαι, θυμέ, σὺν ἁλικίᾳ ·
τὰς δὲ Θεοξένου ἀκτῖνας πρὸς ὂσσων
μαρμαρυζοίσας δρακείς
ὃς μὴ πόθῳ κυμαίνεται, ἐξ ἀδάμαντος
ἢ σιδάρου κεχάλκευται μέλαναν καρδίαν
ψυζρᾷ φλογί, πρὸς δ᾽ Ἀφροδί-
τας ἀτιμασθεὶς ἑλικογλεφάρου
ἢ περὶ χρήμασι μοχθίζει βιαίως
ἢ γυναικείῳ θράσει
ψυχράν φορεῖται πᾶσαν ὁδὸν θεραπεύων.
Ἀλλ᾽ ἐ’γὼ τὰς ἕκατι κηρὸς ὥς δαχθεὶς ἕλᾳ
ἱρᾶν μελισσᾶν τάκομαι, εὖτ᾽ ἂν ἲδω
παίσων νεόγυιον ἐς ἣβαν ·
ἐν δ᾽ ἂρα καὶ Tενέδῳ
Πειθώ τ᾽ ἒναιεν καὶ Xάρις
υἱὸν Ἁγηςίλα.

At the right time, in youth, one should,
my spirit, pluck one’s loves ;
but whoever, when he has seen the rays flashing bright
from Theoxenos’ eyes,
is not overcome by waves of desire, has a black heart
hard bronzed from adamant or steel
with a cold flame, and dishonoured
by Aphrodite of the bright eyes
may toil compulsively for wealth,
or in service to the boldness
of women may journey only down a cold road.
I at least, for Aphrodite’s sake, melt like the wax
of sacred bees bitten by the sun, whenever I gaze
on the fresh-limbed youth of boys.
It is true then that in Tenedos too
Peitho and Charis live
in the son of Hagesilas.
(Pindar, Fr. 123.

The poet Pindar had two wives, sired two

Κορίτσια, and one male child. We assume

He knew the ins and outs of love, that true

Love, family love.  And yet his final doom

Was greater, almost legendary in

Finality and force. He fell in love

With utter beauty, with a beardless chin.

Theoxenos rose perfectly above

All other passions, like a phoenix made

To set its legendary self on fire—

But searing Pindar’s ribs. He was that blade

Of white hot pain men name blameless desire.

..This poet died upon the stage in arms

    So lovely they embraced with fatal charms.