Celox
（
κέλης, κελήτιον), from
κέλλω,
cello, “to urge on.” A swift
boat. This peculiar build of boat is said to have been invented by the Rhodians (
Plin. H. N. vii. 208). It was much used by
pirates, but was more especially employed as attendant on the fleet, either for bringing news
or negotiating with the enemy. Further, each State appears to have had such boats for various
official purposes, just as we hear of
δημοσίαι ἄκατοι at
Athens (cf. Plaut.
Capt. iv. 2.93). Built for swiftness, they were necessarily narrow, and
Appian calls one
ὀξύ. They had no decks, and only one bench
of oars (Polyb. v. 62, 3).
