London Mayor Johnson to recite Olympic ode in ancient Greek

London, July 23 (ANI): Mayor Boris Johnson is all set to recite an Olympic ode in ancient Greek that he commissioned for the 2012 London Olympics.

Johnson, who studied classics at Oxford University, will read the poem in both ancient Greek and English at a gala for the International Olympic Committee.

He asked Oxford academic Armand D'Angour to compose the ode and gave him some tips on what to put in it.

It includes references to athletes, including sprinter Usain Bolt, the BBC reports.

Dr D'Angour wrote the ode in ancient Greek with modern lyrics, and said he translated the six verses into "fun English rhyming couplets".

The English version includes puns on athletes' names such as "lightning bolt"-a reference to Usain Bolt, an idea suggested by the mayor himself.

British diver Tom Daley and volleyball captain Ben Pipes feature in the poem, as does the London 2012 chairman Lord Coe.

The poem in English begins: "This new Olympic flame behold, that once burned bright in Greece of old; with happy hearts receive once more these Games revived on London's shore."

The ode has been engraved on a plaque which will have a permanent home in the Olympic Park.

The words are in ancient Greek with the official, formal translation, rather than the modern one shown here.

It is the second time the Oxford academic has written an Olympic ode. The first time was for the Athens Olympics of 2004. (ANI)