Note 286 — Chapter XXIII

Iliad, XXIII. 262-270 (cf. vv. 612-616). The passage furnishes other striking parallels to Dr. Schliemann’s discoveries. The tripod with ears containing 22 measures, which is added to the woman for the first prize (καὶ τρίποδ’ ὠτώεντα δυωκαιεικοσίμετρον) calls to mind the vessel from the Trojan stratum, No. 199, p. 285. The fifth prize is a double-handled flat cup (or dish) untouched by fire, i. e. wrought with the hammer (ἀμφίθετον φιάλην ἀπύρωτον ἔθηκεν). The metal is not specified, but its coming next to the two gold talents suggests silver, and Dr. Schliemann found silver φιάλαι with side-rings in the Treasure and the Palace. The passage seems to confirm Schliemann’s interpretation of δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον, for what sort of a vessel can we conceive of as a double dish joined bottom to bottom? We know side-dishes with their covers can be used as two dishes, but what would be the use of joining them? Aristarchus, indeed, explained ἀμφίθετος as double, i.e. standing on both ends, after the supposed analogy of ἀμφικύπελλον, but Eustathius interpreted it as with handles on both sides, after the sounder analogy of ἀμφιφορεύς. These cumulative analogies between Hissarlik and Homer, gathered incidentally to a climax at the end of each work, are very striking.—[Ed.]