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Cf. the foreboding of Hector as to Andromache (Il. vi. 456 sq.) and Lord Leighton's picture.


For the seven royal judges (Pers. Dâtabara = θεσμοφόρος) cf. App. VI. 2 and c. 31. Their office was as dangerous as it was honourable (v. 25; vii. 194). They are to be distinguished from the seven ‘princes of Persia’ (cf. iii. 70 n.), though the number (like ‘twelve’ in the various juries of mediaeval England) constantly recurs, e. g. Cyrus (Xen. Anab. i. 6. 4) summons a court of the seven noblest Persians to try the traitor Orontas.

As the Mytilenaean trireme had a crew of 200 (cf. vii. 184. 1) the number of Egyptians executed was 2,000 (200 x 10).


ἐπὶ γήραος οὐδῷ is probably an intentional echo of the words of Priam (Il. xxii. 60).

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