E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 2

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Τῇ κρήνῃ—S. of the Olympieium, on the Ilissus. The Pisistratids furnished it with nine pipes and beautified it with columns. It was part of the Tyrants' policy to improve their cities and to encourage every form of art.

Καλλιρρόῃ —the name still survives to show the early importance of this spring. See Ruskin, Oxford Lect. on Art, p. 136, Pausanias, I. 14, 1. [

τὰ πλείστου ἄξια]—Thuc. is arguing that in earlier times the spring was in general use.

πρὸ γαμικῶν— for the λουτρὸν γαμικόν, the water being brought from the spring by a maid called ἡ λουτροφόρος. Pollux III. 43, VIII. 66. But Harpoc. says that a boy brought it. ἐς ἄλλα—ἔθος ἦν καὶ τῶν ἀγάμων ἀποθανόντων λουτροφόρον ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα ἐφίστασθαι Harpoc. Cf. Dem. in Leoch. 18, 30. Probably a figure holding a pitcher, which contained water from the spring, was placed on the tomb. Eustathius says the object was to show that the dead had never used the nuptial water.

νομίζεται—‘it is the custom.’ The connection between the λουτρὸν γαμικὸν and the λουτρὸν τῶν ἀποθανόντων is as familiar as utraque taeda. In Eur. Hec. 612, the bringing of the water to wash the dead body of Polyxena snggests to Hecuba the λουτρὸν γαμικόν.