The interaction and interrelation between religion and poetics in Pindar's epinician odes constitute a rich field of inquiry among scholars that reveals the profound cultural, historical and cultic underpinnings of Greek society of the fifth century bce (e.g. S. Goldhill, L. Athanassaki, B. Kowalzig etc.). Pindaric victory odes commemorate athletic victories and invoke divine favour, thereby intertwining the realms of human achievement and religious devotion. Within this context M.'s work offers an insightful and thorough contribution to Pindaric scholarship, delving further into foundational and pivotal aspects of Pindar's poetry, such as the ‘enunciative framework’ (p. vi, namely the ‘poetic I’), the religious and performative elements, as well as a reconsideration of the Theban poet's religious Panhellenism. M. aims to show that the expressive modes and the literary tropes are intertwined with the poet's communication with the divine in such a way that Pindaric songs are the literary means to express the worship of the divine (cultic poems) or to celebrate an athletic victory (in the epinician odes).

M.'s work re-examines the ‘hybrid’ character of the epinician genre, religious and the anachronistic – as M. claims – term ‘secular’, and explores its possible performative settings, which may form the potential religious aspects of the song (p. 178). M. demonstrates that poetics and religious elements in Pindaric epinician odes not only underscore the cultural, social and historical significance of athletic competition in the classical period but also reflect the poet's engagement with the divine, suggesting an enduring quest for meaning in the human experience. As such, Pindar's epinician odes exemplify a unique convergence of poetry and religiosity, illuminating the moral and aesthetic values of Greek thought. Religion constitutes a pivotal cultural part of ancient Greek society and shows the way in which a community perceived the social and, more broadly, the cosmic order (p. 1, e.g. C. Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures [1973], pp. 87–125). M. argues that Pindar not only narrates religious traditions, but formalises them, and myth plays a crucial role as the key element in the formation since it is connected with the aetiology of rituals in various cult places, reinforcing their Panhellenic spectrum (p. 2).

Chapter 1 focuses on Pindaric modes of expression and literary tropes in the epinician odes that require further elucidation, regarding their generic character as lyric songs and especially as publicly performed poetry. M. examines two prominent key terms, κῶμος and ὕμνος, for identifying the generic identity of Pindar's victory odes. The first term indicates a celebration with a ‘marked communal aspect’ (p. 31). It alludes to a wider participation in the festival, especially in cases where the victor needs to be ‘reintegrated’ into society and be accepted among peers (cf. Nem. 2, Isthm. 3 and relative vocabulary, such as κωμάξατε, ἐξάρχετε, χρὴ δὲ κωμάζοντ᾽ … etc.). The latter has as a primary referential point the highest god and reveals the deeper religious perspectives of the epinician odes, since, as M. argues, ὕμνος stems ‘from the very sanctuary where the games are held’ (p. 33, cf. also Ol. 1, Nem. 1), thus insinuating a complete and elevated notion of laudatory poetry. M. also marks the importance of the ‘poetic I’ in the singular and suggests that the poetic persona could be ‘the creator, the craftsman of song, or the leader of the entire celebration’ (p. 48). Thus, the ‘poetic I’ may or may not be identified with the ‘choral I’ depending on the context of the ode.

Chapter 2 re-evaluates the concept of ‘poetic inspiration’, particularly the relationship between the divine and the act of creating poetry. The Muses are integral to the epinician odes, and Pindar's invocation of them reflects a pronounced sense of reliance on the divine. The poet attempts to beseech their presence as guides or assistants through prayer, emphasising the true worth of the laudandus (p. 65; cf. Isthm. 8.5: αἰτέομαι … καλέσαι Μοῖσαν, Nem. 3.1–3: λίσσομαι … ἵκεο etc.). Furthermore, M. underscores the poet's role as a ‘craftsman’ – the architect of the song – and argues that the terminology associated with craftsmanship (cf. Isthm. 1.14–16: τεύχων, Isthm. 2.44–6: ἐργασάμαν etc.) serves as a metaphor for the song's construction as an ongoing process rather than a finished artefact (pp. 68–9). M. concludes that there exists a ‘dynamic’ interaction between the Muses’ inspiration and Pindar's role as the creator of the song. This interaction can take various forms, and, as M. convincingly posits, it is difficult to delineate distinct ‘areas’ pertaining to the roles of the poet and the goddesses (p. 85).

Chapter 3 delves further into the relationship between the Theban poet and the Muses in a broader system of relations with the divine; M. goes beyond the ‘conventional’ reading of the invocations to the Muses and reassesses how the poet's relationship to them is embedded in his poetic communication with the whole divine world. Justice and truth are the eminent principles upon which the epinician praise is established. M. rightly argues that the ‘offering of praise’ to a victor in Pindar is presented as an act of justice, a feature of both the laudandus and the poet, who are connected through the ‘notion of truth’ (p. 106, cf. Nem. 7.63: κλέος ἐτύτημον). These principles are also pivotal in Pindar's revision of the myth, where the poet could easily ignore or avoid moral issues not related directly to the laudandus; at this point M. examines the Pindaric truth in comparison with the Hesiodic truth and offers the epinician examples of Ol. 1.28ff. and 9.35ff. to conclude that ‘Pindar's concern regarding the validity of myth’ indicates his understanding of the epinician as a ‘celebration’ of both mortals and gods (p. 120).

Chapter 4 focuses on Pindaric religious Panhellenism and the positioning of city cults within a wider ‘Greek religious cosmos’. M. aims to show how Pindaric epinician and cultic songs may reflect or even ‘promote’ a broader religious perspective (p. 131). Pindaric poetry alludes to a conceptual form of religious system where the divine is elevated above local cults and beyond – as M. rightly argues – any sense of ‘local exclusivity’ (p. 157). M. explores Paean 6 as an example par excellence of this conceptual aspect of religious Panhellenism in Pindar, arguing that a Panhellenic community is implicitly presented through the ‘integration of geographically remote places of worship’ (Delphi and Aegina, p. 158). Thus, M. convincingly concludes that Pindaric religious Panhellenism should not be projected in contrast with polis religion; the Theban poet addresses a Panhellenic community, and its members are invited to think in such ‘universal’ terms of religious practice across the Greek world (pp. 158–9, see also words with Panhellenic nuance, such as μέδω, ναίω, δῶμα, τέμενος etc.).

M.'s work makes a significant and thought-provoking contribution to the study of Pindaric victory odes, particularly through its compelling examples illuminating the relationship between the ‘poetic I’ and divine interaction. The study provides a thorough exploration of Pindar's poetic modes of expression, the performative context, and the poet's role as a mediator between the audience and the divine. This comprehensive analysis allows readers to engage more deeply with the Pindaric world. The argument develops from a discussion of the generic characteristics of the epinician odes to a nuanced examination of Pindar's engagement with the Muses and the broader divine realm, ultimately addressing the conceptual dimensions of religious Panhellenism. M.'s methodology is coherent and rigorous, significantly enriching the reader's experience. This work serves as a valuable resource not only for scholars and students but also for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of Pindaric poetics and themes related to religion.