Un epinicio di Simonide per gli Spartani (Simonide frr. 34 e 76 Poltera = 519 fr. 132 PMG/S 319 e S 363 SLG)

It is commonly assumed that no epinician song was ever composed for the Spartans, apart from Ibycus’ fr. S 166, which Barron persuasively considers an epinician for the victory of a Spartan athlete at the Sicyonian games. A new analysis of Simonides’ fr. 34 Poltera (= 519 fr. 132 PMG/S 319) contradicts this assumption, because the fragment was probably part of an epinician ode composed to celebrate a member of the eurypontid family, Zeuxidamos II or his father Leotychidas. The exaltation of their military deeds, together with the mention of their most illustrious ancestors, served to legitimate their right to rule over Sparta, after the coup d’etat enacted by Leotychidas against his relative and former king Damaratus. Another fragment from the same papyrus (fr. 76 Poltera = S 363 SLG) possibly belonged to the same ode and, with its mythological content, suggests that the epinician contained a long genealogical section about the origins of the eurypontid family. The careful examination of the historical data concerning Leotychidas and his son leads to date the ode between 494 and 488 BC, thus adding a new chapter in the history of Simonides’ career, which sees a strong relationships with Spartan leaders, well before Pausanias’ commitment of Plataea’s elegy in 479 BC.