Thomas W. Allen, E. E. Sikes, Commentary on the Homeric Hymns

[162] κρεμβαλιαστύν: the alternative “βαμβαλιαστύν” is not elsewhere found, but it can hardly be a graphical corruption, and may be justified by “βαμβαίνων Κ 375, βαμβαλύζω” schol. ad loc., and other forms: see J. H. S. xv. p. 301. It would mean “rattling,” and so be an equivalent of “κρεμβαλιαστύς”, “playing on castanets.” The sense of the passage is evidently that the Delian singers reproduced the speech and the musical accompaniment of the various pilgrims; but there is no other reference to this curious mimicry of (apparently) different dialects. “κρεμβαλιαστύν” cannot mean “dancing,” as some suppose; but there was no doubt a dance during the song, in the “hyporchematic manner.” See Smyth Melic Poets p. lxix f. The hyporcheme was properly sacred to Apollo, and was kept up in Delos in the time of Lucian (de salt. 16 “παίδων χοροὶ συνελθόντες ὑπ᾽ αὐλῷ καὶ κιθάρᾳ οἱ μὲν ἐχόρευον, ὑπωρχοῦντο δὲ οἱ ἄριστοι προκριθέντες ἐξ αὐτῶν”). It is impossible to say whether this chorus of boys took the place of an older chorus of women, or whether Lucian is only describing one out of several kinds of Delian “ὑπορχήματα” existing in his day; as there were numerous festivals at Delos (see on 157) the latter explanation is more probable.