DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4263#0058
»od inserted •
its i-
ms exbibited at tll
usica^ Perform^,
)lemnity- In 0rder'
lonraoi-e effect^
Public view duruj
INEID V., VERSE 140.
b, or more "
■al of Patroclus, into
by the charioteers ail
heir excellence intfe
ig the discus; audit
hey had won in fa
,vhich were solemnize!
from his competitor]
;e these tripods to sot
> of some consecrated
place, and were secw
:en esteemed an acts
on; so that itbecai
n who had obtained I
pie of Athens on tk!
we find these kind I
Ihoragic tripods. *
IS disbursed then*)
,ias which is still e*^
ndainong others,^
the curiosity of some-e*
.asArchon/sayshe,
ntcdaChoragus.^.
nded30mmasJ rfi,
5 the chorus of men
m for PFh* V
U^er the sa^
ided a chorus »f » ■ m
irgeofcouseCrat.n0 eB#
he sustained durmB
OF THE CHORAGIC MONUMENT OF LYSICRATES. 5/
for the entertainment he exhibited, but the victor was moreover at the charge of consecrating the tri-
pod he had won; and sometimes, also, of building the temple on which it was placed*.
There were formerly many edifices or temples of this sort in Athens": one of them as Plutarch
informs us, was built by Nicias within the place consecrated to Bacchus0; and Pausanias says, that
there was a street leading from the Prytaneum, which took its name from the number of tripods in it".
He tells us, they were placed on temples, that they were of brass indeed, but, on account of the
workmanship, they merited our attention.
That the building usually called the lanthorn of Demosthenes was of this sort, the particulars
already recited seem to evince. The three principal projections, which give a triangular form to the
upper surface of the flower, and the number and disposition of the cavities in it, which seem so aptly
suited to receive the feet of a tripod, must immediately suggest this opinion to any one who recollects,
that tripods were sometimes placed on temples. The tripods represented on all the pannels which are
not destroyed; and the inscription, so exactly like those which were inscribed on Choragic tripods %
do greatly confirm this opinion: besides all which, we may add, that as this building was entirely
closed all round, it seems that no other use can with any shew of probability be assigned to it.
We may therefore conclude, that this building supported the choragic tripod of Lysicrates;
and we may suppose that the sculpture on it, represents the subject of the theatric or musical enter-
tainment, which was exhibited at his expence by the chorus of boys. If we further suppose, that
these games were celebrated during the Dionysia, or festivals in honour of Bacchus, both the subject of
the sculpture, and the custom of giving tripods particularly to the victors in those gamesf, will con-
cur to support the conjecture.
years that he commanded the Triremes, or ships of war: and
says, that presently after he returned home, Jie was elected a
Gymnasiarch in the Promethean Games; in this he was victor,
and spent 12 minas, &c.' Lysias, page 183.
This proves, that musical and theatric entertainments were
given by the Choragus, and athletic games, by the Gymnasiarch:
a particular, which was observed in the beginning of this chapter.
Note b page 53.
It also explains the passage in Julius Pollux, where the Cho-
ragus and the Gymnasiarch are enumerated among those who
spend money in the service of the public. Jul. Poll. Onomasticon,
Vol. I. page 299.
An Attic drachm weighed about 6J grains of fine silver; and
one ounce of fine silver is worth at present 6*. 2d. But if we
estimate the attic silver at only 6s. an ounce, and the attic drachm
at somewhat less than 67 grains, that drachm will then be worth
lOd. English".
a El<77r,y„Et ds kcc) rw avc^fja-ruv avrou ?ca9' VfJ.a.q tote ITaAAa^ov !y
CCKPOTTOXtl, TJ)V ^pVClllO'tV 0-T?oQEto XnXOC. XCf.\ 0 To7f ^OPflytXoTf TPilTOIJiV
v7Coxufj.ivoq ev A(o*fo~ou vew?. lyiKnct yap 7ro?*Aaxi? %opvyyo~ac. c Of his
religious offerings there remained, even to our time, in the Acro-
polis, the statue of Minerva which has lost its gilding; and, in
the place consecrated to Bacchus, the temple which supports the
Choragic Tripods, for he won the prize many times being a Cho-
ragus.' Plutarch in the life of Nicias.
b The church of the Panagia Spiliutissa, or our Lady of the
Grotto, was originally a Choragic monument, as appears evidently
from the inscriptions on it; the two columns which stand over it
have triangular capitals, and on the abacus of each capital are the
vestiges of a tripod which it formerly sustained. The other
Choragic inscriptions which are still extant at Athens, are on
pieces of marble which have been architraves or friezes in Choragic
1 We extract the following from the researches of a learned topographical wri-
ter on Greece : on the subject of the cost of the works of Pericles, he observes,
" but, reckoning the cost of the works of Pericles in corn, the result will be very
different."—"According to this scale of comparison the Attic drachma was seven
shillings and two-pence of our present currency." We refer the reader to the
excellent work of Col. Leake. [ed.]
8 The above passage interpreted thus: " but there is a way from the Prytaneum
which they call Tripodes, from which the quarter is named, in which are large tem-
ples of the gods where tripods are dedicated. They are of brass, and have about
them works of art which especially merit to be recorded, for here is a satyr, in
which Praxiteles is said to have greatly gloried." It ispvobable as Col. Leake sug-
monuments; that, for instance, which is introduced in the Plate
of Vignettes, PI. XXII. Fig. I., lias the guttse of the Doric
architrave on it. Spon, who is of opinion that these inscriptions
refer to theatrical games, and who has supposed that this build-
ing is a monument erected in honour of the victors, has likewise
very justly observed, that all the inscriptions of this kind which
he found at Athens, are either on friezes or other stones which
have been part of some edifice. Spoil's Voyage, Tome II. page
174.
c See Note a above.
d "EcrTi li\ b^bg a/irb tov rTpuT<xvE;ou xa.Xovfj.svv T^(7rodEf. ct<p' Oil d\ XCC-
XoZo-i to ^w^tov, va.o\ Sewv ej tovto fj.iya.XoL, xa\ crty'to-iv \Qio"TV]Ka.o-l T^iTrodr;
Xa.Xxo7 jj.iv, fj.vyfj.y\s ds a-^ia. fj.aXio~rcc 7TE£Ie;£ovtes dpya.o~fj.sva.. jZarvpoq yccg
eoTtvsip w n^almA^s Ksysrai tp^ovr^ca [j,sya.z. There is probably an
error in this passage of Pausanias, where the copies read, vom 9e2»
e; toJto fj.iyi.Xoi, for it is not easily conceived that any number
of great temples were built in one street; or that Pausanias, who
is so minute a describer, should not have distinguished such tem-
ples by their names: if these brazen tripods were curiously
wrought, it is plain that the beauty of their' work would be lost,
if they were placed upon great temples.
e 'Ot( v\xv]~ oc.va.Qrifj.aTa. -y-opvyty.ov- Tpi-rooxo Iv Atovvo-ou KccTsXtTrsv,
ot y.at jiafl hiJ.a.~ Ihiy.vvvTo, roiavrriv l7rtypa(pr,v dia.vii'QovT'', ANTI0XI2
ENIKA APIZTEIAH2 EXOPHrEI APXE2TPATOX EAIAA2KE.
" That he left behind him offerings for victory, Choragic tripfids,
dedicated in the temple of Bacchus, which are shown even in
our time, with this inscription on them, the tribe of antio-
CHIS OBTAINED THE VICTORY, ARISTIDES WAS CHORAGUS, AR-
chestratus composed the piece. Plut. in Aristides.
f Kai to vixyryptov h Aiovvo-ov Tq'i-rovc;. - And a tripod is the
victor's prize in the festivals of Bacchus'. Athenreus Deipnos.
Page 22.
gests, that the negative adverb ou was introduced in the original text; therefore in-
stead of if rovro fttyccXoi the reading would be Is rovro OT fnyuXoi, according with
a usual turn of expression used by Pausanias when he describes small buildings,
mountains, &c. This emendation will enable us to designate this as one of the
temples described by Pausanias supporting tripods; indeed, for the reasons pre-
viously mentioned, we cannot suppose so costly an edifice erected without some
reference to the worship of the Athenians, and the certain degree of attention de-
voted to the finish of the interior of the circular part, in contradistinction to the
rude vacancy of the quadrangular basement of the building, may possibly warrant
us in imagining that it may have enclosed some known object of veneration.
[KD.]
its i-
ms exbibited at tll
usica^ Perform^,
)lemnity- In 0rder'
lonraoi-e effect^
Public view duruj
INEID V., VERSE 140.
b, or more "
■al of Patroclus, into
by the charioteers ail
heir excellence intfe
ig the discus; audit
hey had won in fa
,vhich were solemnize!
from his competitor]
;e these tripods to sot
> of some consecrated
place, and were secw
:en esteemed an acts
on; so that itbecai
n who had obtained I
pie of Athens on tk!
we find these kind I
Ihoragic tripods. *
IS disbursed then*)
,ias which is still e*^
ndainong others,^
the curiosity of some-e*
.asArchon/sayshe,
ntcdaChoragus.^.
nded30mmasJ rfi,
5 the chorus of men
m for PFh* V
U^er the sa^
ided a chorus »f » ■ m
irgeofcouseCrat.n0 eB#
he sustained durmB
OF THE CHORAGIC MONUMENT OF LYSICRATES. 5/
for the entertainment he exhibited, but the victor was moreover at the charge of consecrating the tri-
pod he had won; and sometimes, also, of building the temple on which it was placed*.
There were formerly many edifices or temples of this sort in Athens": one of them as Plutarch
informs us, was built by Nicias within the place consecrated to Bacchus0; and Pausanias says, that
there was a street leading from the Prytaneum, which took its name from the number of tripods in it".
He tells us, they were placed on temples, that they were of brass indeed, but, on account of the
workmanship, they merited our attention.
That the building usually called the lanthorn of Demosthenes was of this sort, the particulars
already recited seem to evince. The three principal projections, which give a triangular form to the
upper surface of the flower, and the number and disposition of the cavities in it, which seem so aptly
suited to receive the feet of a tripod, must immediately suggest this opinion to any one who recollects,
that tripods were sometimes placed on temples. The tripods represented on all the pannels which are
not destroyed; and the inscription, so exactly like those which were inscribed on Choragic tripods %
do greatly confirm this opinion: besides all which, we may add, that as this building was entirely
closed all round, it seems that no other use can with any shew of probability be assigned to it.
We may therefore conclude, that this building supported the choragic tripod of Lysicrates;
and we may suppose that the sculpture on it, represents the subject of the theatric or musical enter-
tainment, which was exhibited at his expence by the chorus of boys. If we further suppose, that
these games were celebrated during the Dionysia, or festivals in honour of Bacchus, both the subject of
the sculpture, and the custom of giving tripods particularly to the victors in those gamesf, will con-
cur to support the conjecture.
years that he commanded the Triremes, or ships of war: and
says, that presently after he returned home, Jie was elected a
Gymnasiarch in the Promethean Games; in this he was victor,
and spent 12 minas, &c.' Lysias, page 183.
This proves, that musical and theatric entertainments were
given by the Choragus, and athletic games, by the Gymnasiarch:
a particular, which was observed in the beginning of this chapter.
Note b page 53.
It also explains the passage in Julius Pollux, where the Cho-
ragus and the Gymnasiarch are enumerated among those who
spend money in the service of the public. Jul. Poll. Onomasticon,
Vol. I. page 299.
An Attic drachm weighed about 6J grains of fine silver; and
one ounce of fine silver is worth at present 6*. 2d. But if we
estimate the attic silver at only 6s. an ounce, and the attic drachm
at somewhat less than 67 grains, that drachm will then be worth
lOd. English".
a El<77r,y„Et ds kcc) rw avc^fja-ruv avrou ?ca9' VfJ.a.q tote ITaAAa^ov !y
CCKPOTTOXtl, TJ)V ^pVClllO'tV 0-T?oQEto XnXOC. XCf.\ 0 To7f ^OPflytXoTf TPilTOIJiV
v7Coxufj.ivoq ev A(o*fo~ou vew?. lyiKnct yap 7ro?*Aaxi? %opvyyo~ac. c Of his
religious offerings there remained, even to our time, in the Acro-
polis, the statue of Minerva which has lost its gilding; and, in
the place consecrated to Bacchus, the temple which supports the
Choragic Tripods, for he won the prize many times being a Cho-
ragus.' Plutarch in the life of Nicias.
b The church of the Panagia Spiliutissa, or our Lady of the
Grotto, was originally a Choragic monument, as appears evidently
from the inscriptions on it; the two columns which stand over it
have triangular capitals, and on the abacus of each capital are the
vestiges of a tripod which it formerly sustained. The other
Choragic inscriptions which are still extant at Athens, are on
pieces of marble which have been architraves or friezes in Choragic
1 We extract the following from the researches of a learned topographical wri-
ter on Greece : on the subject of the cost of the works of Pericles, he observes,
" but, reckoning the cost of the works of Pericles in corn, the result will be very
different."—"According to this scale of comparison the Attic drachma was seven
shillings and two-pence of our present currency." We refer the reader to the
excellent work of Col. Leake. [ed.]
8 The above passage interpreted thus: " but there is a way from the Prytaneum
which they call Tripodes, from which the quarter is named, in which are large tem-
ples of the gods where tripods are dedicated. They are of brass, and have about
them works of art which especially merit to be recorded, for here is a satyr, in
which Praxiteles is said to have greatly gloried." It ispvobable as Col. Leake sug-
monuments; that, for instance, which is introduced in the Plate
of Vignettes, PI. XXII. Fig. I., lias the guttse of the Doric
architrave on it. Spon, who is of opinion that these inscriptions
refer to theatrical games, and who has supposed that this build-
ing is a monument erected in honour of the victors, has likewise
very justly observed, that all the inscriptions of this kind which
he found at Athens, are either on friezes or other stones which
have been part of some edifice. Spoil's Voyage, Tome II. page
174.
c See Note a above.
d "EcrTi li\ b^bg a/irb tov rTpuT<xvE;ou xa.Xovfj.svv T^(7rodEf. ct<p' Oil d\ XCC-
XoZo-i to ^w^tov, va.o\ Sewv ej tovto fj.iya.XoL, xa\ crty'to-iv \Qio"TV]Ka.o-l T^iTrodr;
Xa.Xxo7 jj.iv, fj.vyfj.y\s ds a-^ia. fj.aXio~rcc 7TE£Ie;£ovtes dpya.o~fj.sva.. jZarvpoq yccg
eoTtvsip w n^almA^s Ksysrai tp^ovr^ca [j,sya.z. There is probably an
error in this passage of Pausanias, where the copies read, vom 9e2»
e; toJto fj.iyi.Xoi, for it is not easily conceived that any number
of great temples were built in one street; or that Pausanias, who
is so minute a describer, should not have distinguished such tem-
ples by their names: if these brazen tripods were curiously
wrought, it is plain that the beauty of their' work would be lost,
if they were placed upon great temples.
e 'Ot( v\xv]~ oc.va.Qrifj.aTa. -y-opvyty.ov- Tpi-rooxo Iv Atovvo-ou KccTsXtTrsv,
ot y.at jiafl hiJ.a.~ Ihiy.vvvTo, roiavrriv l7rtypa(pr,v dia.vii'QovT'', ANTI0XI2
ENIKA APIZTEIAH2 EXOPHrEI APXE2TPATOX EAIAA2KE.
" That he left behind him offerings for victory, Choragic tripfids,
dedicated in the temple of Bacchus, which are shown even in
our time, with this inscription on them, the tribe of antio-
CHIS OBTAINED THE VICTORY, ARISTIDES WAS CHORAGUS, AR-
chestratus composed the piece. Plut. in Aristides.
f Kai to vixyryptov h Aiovvo-ov Tq'i-rovc;. - And a tripod is the
victor's prize in the festivals of Bacchus'. Athenreus Deipnos.
Page 22.
gests, that the negative adverb ou was introduced in the original text; therefore in-
stead of if rovro fttyccXoi the reading would be Is rovro OT fnyuXoi, according with
a usual turn of expression used by Pausanias when he describes small buildings,
mountains, &c. This emendation will enable us to designate this as one of the
temples described by Pausanias supporting tripods; indeed, for the reasons pre-
viously mentioned, we cannot suppose so costly an edifice erected without some
reference to the worship of the Athenians, and the certain degree of attention de-
voted to the finish of the interior of the circular part, in contradistinction to the
rude vacancy of the quadrangular basement of the building, may possibly warrant
us in imagining that it may have enclosed some known object of veneration.
[KD.]