The first of the twelve jurymen rises and drops his voting-ballot into one of the urns, and is followed by another at the end of each of the short two-line speeches in the dialogue that follows. The two urns of acquittal and condemnation stand in front of them. The plan of voting with different coloured balls (black and white) in the same urn, was a later usage. Footnote 532: Compare note on v. 419. Footnote 533: In the legend of Admetos son of Pheres, and king of Pheræ in Thessalia, Apollo is represented as having first given wine to the Destinies, and then persuaded them to allow Admetos, whenever the hour of death should come, to be redeemed from Hades, if father, or mother, or wife were willing to die for him. The self-surrender of his wife, Alkestis, for this purpose, forms the subject of the noblest of the tragedies of Euripides. Footnote 534: Partly as setting at nought the power of Erinnyes and the Destinies, partly as giving wine to those whose libations were wineless.—Comp. Sophocles, _Œd. Col._ v. 100. Footnote 535: The practice of the Areopagos is accurately reproduced. When the votes of the judges were equal a casting vote was given in favour of the accused, and was known as that of Athena. Footnote 536: Another reading gives— “By spurting from your throats those venom drops.” Footnote 537: The conservative poet enters his protest through the Erinnyes against the innovating spirit that looked with contempt upon the principles of a past age. Footnote 538: Cock-fighting took its place among the recognised sports of the Athenians. Once a year there was a public performance in the theatre. Footnote 539: The Temple of the Eumenides or Semnæ (“venerable ones”) stood near the Areopagos. Footnote 540: Some two or three lines have probably been lost here. Footnote 541: Probably an allusion to the silver-mine at Laureion, which about the time formed a large element of the revenues of Athens, and of which a tithe was consecrated to Athena. Footnote 542: Reference is made to another local sanctuary, the temple on the Areopagos dedicated to the Olympian Zeus. Footnote 543: The figure of Athena, as identical with Victory, and so the tutelary Goddess of Athens, was sculptured with out-spread wings. Footnote 544: Cranaos, the son of Kecrops, the mythical founder of Athens. Footnote 545: The sanctuaries of the Eumenides were crypt-like chapels, where they were worshipped by the light of lamps or torches. Footnote 546: Perhaps, “Children of Night, yourselves all childless left.” FRAGMENTS 38 APHRODITE _loquitur_