Von der Naturanlage zur Spitzenleistung

Pindar sings of successful athletes in his victory odes. But what part does the poet ascribe to people themselves in their success, but also in their failure? This book examines the role played in Pindar's view of man by factors such as natural disposition, the willingness to learn, one's own attitude and, last but not least, divine help. Comparisons with and recourse to Aristotle's reflections on dynamis and energeia prove to be particularly revealing and productive. On the one hand, this makes it possible to reveal factual connections and distinctions in Pindar's poetry, for which Aristotle first developed the terms. This reveals that the Songs of Victory are based on a performance ethic that makes Pindar an astonishingly contemporary poet. On the other hand, it can be shown in this context how the archaic poet Pindar and the classical philosopher Aristotle draw on common, widespread insights and models of thought and convey and develop these in accordance with the demands of their specific art form.