[236] The Dithyramb was an ancient Bacchanalian performance, as early at least as Archilochus, who says "he knows how to lead off the dithyramb, the beautiful song of Dionysus, when his mind is inflamed with wine" (Frag. _ap._ Athen. XIV. p. 628). It seems to have been a hymn sung by one or more members of a κῶμος, or irregular band of revellers, to the music of the flute. Arion, at Corinth, first gave a regular choral or antistrophic form to the dithyramb (Herodot. I. 24; Pindar, _Olymp._ XIII. 18-25). The choruses, which ordinarily consisted of fifty men or youths, danced in a ring round the altar of Dionysus. Hence they were termed _cyclic choruses_ (κίκλιοι χοροί), and dithyrambic poets were understood by the term κυκλιοδιδάσκαλοι. [237] _Il._ I. 58, 68, 101; II. 53, 96, 99. [238] _Oed. Tyr._ 161: ῎Αρτεμιν ἃ κυκλόεντ' ἀγορᾶς θρόνον εὐκλέα θάσσει. "Artemis who sits on the Agora's glorious circular seat." [239] This rock has now partially fallen, in consequence of the excavation of the third and fourth tombs, which it overhangs. [240] _Orest._ 919. [241] See Appendix A. [242] Thucyd. III. 74: τὰς οἰκίας τὰς ἐν κύκλω τῆς ἀγορᾶς. [243] Paus. I. 43, § 4: βουλεντήριον ἐνταῦθα ᾠκυδόμησαν, ἵνα σφίσιν ὁ ταφος των ἡρώων ἐντὸς τοῦ βουλεντηρίου γένηται. [244] Paus. I. 43, § 8: Κοροίβῳ δί ἐστι τάφος ἐν τῇ Μεγαρέων ἀγορᾷ. [245] Paus. II. 15, § 4: ἐνταῦθά ἐστι μὶν ᾽Οφέλτου τάφος περὶ δὲ αὐτὸν θρίγκος λίθων, καὶ ἐντὸς του περιβίλου βωμοί· ἔστι δὶ χῶμα γῆς Λυκούργου μνῆμα τοῦ ᾽Οφόλτου πατρός. [246] Paus. II. 15, § 2; Apollod. I. 9, § 14; III. 6, § 4; Hyg. _Fab._ 74; Stat. _Theb._ V. 296. [247] Translation of the Odes of Pindar by F. A. Paley, M.A. [248] Paus. V. 8, § 3; VIII. 26, § 2; Strabo, VIII. 355. [249] See the coloured Plate C, fig. k. [250] See No. 115. [251] See No. 107. [252] See No. 126, p. 76. [253] See No. 175, p. 112. [254] _Iliad_, XVIII. 478-608. [255] _Od._ XIX. 224-231. [256] _Il._ XI. 632-635. [257] Like those shown under No. 126, p. 76. [258] See Appendix B, for an ingenious suggestion as to the nature of these objects. [259] Literally, 'a spear casting a very long shadow.' [260] See for example, _Il._ XVII. 297:-- ἐγκέφαλος δὲ παρ' αὺλὸν ἀνέδραμεν ἐξ ὠτειλῆς. "And the brain ran out from the wound on the tube of the lance." [261] _Il._ III. 361-362:-- ᾽Ατρείδης δὲ ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον, πλῆξεν ἀνασχόμενος κόρυθος φάλον. "Drawing his silver-studded sword and lifting up his arm, Atreides struck the φάλος off the helmet." [262] The following passage of the _Iliad_, XIX. 379-383, can leave no doubt on this point:-- ὥς ἀπ᾽ ᾽Αχιλλῆος σάκεος σέλας αἰθέρ᾽ ἵκανε καλοῦ, δαιδαλέου· περὶ δὲ τρυϕάλειαν ἀείρας κρατὶ θέτο βριαρήν· ἡ δ᾽, ἀστὴρ ὣς ἀπέλαμπεν ἵππουρις τρυϕάλεια· περισσείοντο δ᾽ ἔθειραι χρύσεαι, ἃς ῞Ἡϕαιστος ἵει λόϕον ἀμϕὶ θαμειάς.