[57] Cf. 453. It is pretty clear from the context that the ‘robe of stone’ indicates public execution by stoning, such as the Chorus fear for Aias, “πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη” in Soph. Aj. 253.The phrase itself is precisely similar to one which is common in later poetry, but only as a euphemism for burial; e.g. Pind. Nem. xi. 16 “γᾶν ἐπιεσσόμενος”, Ap. Rhod.i. 691 “γαῖαν ἐφέσσεσθαι” . But the two ideas come to the same, because the heap of stones by which the malefactor is slain forms his tomb as well (Studniczka Beitr. p. 62). Cf. —
“ τρισώματός τἂν Γηρυὼν ὁ δεύτεροςπολλὴν ἄνωθεν, τὴν κάτω γὰρ οὐ λέγω,
χθονὸς τρίμοιρον χλαῖναν ἐξηύχει λαβών,
ἅπαξ ἑκάστωι κατθανὼν μορφώματι
”. Ag. 870-3. （“ϝ”）“έσσο”, plpf. without reduplication, H. G. § 23. 5. To save the digamma Bentley conj. “λάων” for “λάϊνον”.
