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.