15 AUGUST 1903, Page 18

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR, —"*ApItITOF d ais vamp

are the opening words of Pindar's first Olympian ode, and are referred to by Plato in the "Euthyde- mus,"—r8 of addp eipmrom is, riffs gOrl IliAepoc. It was an ancient Greek proverb, the import of which in the present passage has been commonly misunderstood. Pindar is not praising water in comparison with wine ; what he says is that water is a most excellent thing, but the golden glory of wealth, such as Hiero's (whose fame he is celebrating), out- shines and excels all. The mention of " water " is explained by the fact that the worship of Poseidon, the Water-god, was hereditary in the Royal family to which Hiero belonged.—I