Epode 3
φίλα ψυχά: P. is addressing himself and swinging back to his theme. “Asklepios sought to rescue a man fordone. We must seek only what is meet, see what is before us, what are the limits of our fate. Seek not the life of the immortals, my soul; do the work of the day, play thy humble part to the end. And yet, would that I could bring the double delight of health and poesy; would that my song had power to charm Cheiron! Then the unreal would be achieved by the real, health which I cannot bring by poesy which I do.” φίλα ψυχά of Hieron would be too sweet. It is more likely that P. is taking a lesson to himself.βίον ἀθάνατον = τὸ ἐξομοιοῦσθαι τοῖς θεοῖς (Schol.).
