Falkener, Edward: Ephesus and the temple of Diana (London, 1862)

334 TEMPLE OF DIANA.

being sacred to the goddess: for, from this im-
provement in lier worship, our city shall receive
additional lustre, and be permanent in her pros-
perity for ever." The person who obtained this
decree appointed games for the month, augmented
the prizes of the contenders, and erected statues of
those who conquered. The hymns to Diana were
called JJpingi} From the prizes mentioned in the
preceding inscription, it is probable that these
hymns were always composed for the occasion.
They were celebrated every year,3 and, like the
Secular Hymn at Rome, they were sung by choirs
of youths3 and virgins. "We can scarcely imagine
a scene of greater interest than was presented on
these occasions. The finest, largest, and richest
temple ever reared; the multitude of persons, the
noble songs, the magnificence of the ceremonies ;
but above all the choirs of the most beautiful
youths, and the most lovely maidens, clothed in
white, singing responsively the praises of their pro-
tecting deity. This antiphonal, or alternate form
of song, is so captivating, and Horace's Secular Ode
so beautiful, that I should be tempted to insert it,
were it in any less known author, especially as the

1 A then, p. G19 b.

2 Xen. Eph. da Amor. Anth. at Abroc. i. 2.

3 In the secular hymn to Diana, by Catullus, the choir was
composed of youths as well as virgins ; and it was a choir of
youths who sung the praises of Isis.—(Xen. Eph. da Amor. Anth.
at Abroc. i. 2.)