ALCAEUS

ring and rub with dainty hands the flesh of their
fair thighs, taking and pouring the gentle water

over themselves even as an unguent .. .}

18 To Poverry
Stobaeus athelogy: From the poet Alcacus :
O Poverty, thou grievous and resistless ill, who
with thy sister Helplessness overwhelmest a great

people...

Book II
WAR-SONGS

196

Athenaeus Ζ)ορέογβ αἱ Dinner [on music]: In ancient times
music was used as an incitement to courage. For instance,
the poet Aleaeus, who was a very great musician, became
over-warlike and puts the claims of courage before those of
poetry, and therefore prides himself on things of war in the
tollowing words:

The great house is all agleam with bronze, War
has bedecked the whole roof with bright helmets,
from which hang waving horse-hair plumes to make
adornment for the heads of men; the pegs are

1 for bathing as a sign of warmer weather, οἷν Long. Piast.

3. 24 5 ef. Eust. 71. 1319. 67
333