Book 5
45
All this, then, we have said about the catalogue of the ships, not beginning with the Bœotians,This is an allusion to the first line of Homer's Catalogue— βοιωτῶν μὲν πηνέλεως καὶ λήϊτος ἦρχον. but with the shows and processions exhibited at public assemblies. And since I know that my excellent friend Ulpian will attack s again, and ask what that thing is which Callixenus calls ἐγγυθήκη, we tell him that there is a speech which is attributed to Lysias the orator, written about the ἐγγυθήκη, which begins with these words—If, O judges, Lysimanes had said anything reasonable or moderate. And going on a little, he proceeds to say—I should not have been eager to plead in an action about this chest (ἐγγυθήκη), which is not worth thirty drachmæ. And presently he tells us that the chest was a brazen one—But when I wished last year to repair it I gave it to a brazier; for it is well put together, and has the faces of Satyrs and large heads of oxen carved upon it. There is also another coffer of the same size; for the same workman made many such articles of the same size, and alike in many particulars. In these words Lysias, having said that the chest was made of brass, shows plainly enough, as Callixenus also said, that they were things that might be used as stands for kettles. For so Polemo Periegetes said, in the third of those books of his which are addressed to Adæus and Antigonus, where he explains the subject of the picture which is at Phlius, in the portico of the polemarchs, painted by Sillax the Rhegian, who is mentioned by Epicharmus and Simonides. And his words are— Ἐγγυθήκη, and a large goblet on it. And Hegesander the Delphian, in his book entitled a Commentary on Statues and Images, says that the pedestal dedicated by Glaucus the Chian at Delphi is like an iron ἐγγυθήκη, the gift of Alyattes. And that is mentioned by Herodotus, who calls it ὑποκρητηρίδιον (a stand for a goblet). And Hegesander uses the same expression. And we ourselves have seen that lying at Delphi, a thing really worth looking at, on account of the figures of animals which are carved upon it, and of other insects, and living things, and plants. . . . . . . . can be put upon it, and goblets, and other furniture.
