Note 182 — Chapter III

The few following facts are, perhaps, worth recording. Thus, an oar cost 5 drachmæ (Andoc. p. 81); and Lucian, Dial. de Mort. 4, charges the anchor for Charon’s boat at 3 dr. The tropoter cost 2 obols; a needle for sewing the sail, 3 obols; and the pitch, wax, nails, &c., 2 drachmæ more. Again, Demosthenes speaks of a bottomry bond of 3000 drachmæ; and Polyænus states, generally, that a ship cost a talent. Usually the State found the hull, and the trierarch the fittings. In the naval service the pay and the provisions were generally joined together: 20 minæ was good pay for a month, and the complement of a trireme about 200 men; the proportion of sailors, rowers, and fighting men varying considerably at different times. The thranitæ got the best pay (Arnold’s note, Thucyd. vi. 43). The whole equipment of shipping (for war) was under the control of trierarchs (Böckh, Publ. Economy of Athens, bk. iv. c. 11).