History of the Peloponnesian War

During the same winter the Athenians purified Delos in compliance with a certain oracle. It had been purified before by Peisistratus the tyrant,[*](First tyranny 560 B.C.; death 527 B.C.) not indeed the whole of the island but that portion of it which was visible from the temple; but at this time the whole of it was purified, and in the following manner.

All the sepulchres of the dead that were in Delos they removed, and proclaimed that thereafter no one should either die or give birth to a child on the island, but should first be carried over to Rheneia. For Rheneia is so short a distance from Delos that Polycrates the tyrant of Samos, who for some time was powerful on the sea and not only gained control of the other islands[*](The Cyclades.) but also seized Rheneia, dedicated this island to the Delian Apollo, and bound it with a chain to Delos.[*](“As a symbolical expression of indissoluble union” (Curtius).) It was at this time, after the purification, that the Athenians first celebrated their penteteric[*](ie. celebrated every fifth year.) festival in Delos.

There had indeed in ancient times been a great gathering at Delos of the Ionians and the inhabitants of the neighbouring islands; and they used to resort to the festival with their wives and children, as the lonians now do to the Ephesian games; and a contest was formerly held there, both gymnastic and musical, and choruses were sent thither by the cities.

The best evidence that the festival was of this character is given by Homer[*](Homer is clearly regarded by Thucydides as the author of the hymn here cited. How definite a personality he was to Thucydides is shown by the words “in which he also mentions himself.”) in the following verses, which are from the hymn to Apollo:[*](προοίμιον,proem or introduction. In connection with epic poems the hymns were called προοίμια, because they were sung before other poems, ie. by the rhapsodists as preludes to their rhapsodies. Schol ἐξ ὕμνου τοὺς γὰρ ὕμνους. προοίμια ἐκάλουν The question has been raised whether the hymn was a prelude to the rhapsodies or was, as e.g. here, in itself a rhapsody. The citations here made by Thucydides are from the Hymn to the Dclian Apollo, 146 ff. and 165 ff.)“At other times, Phoebus, Delos is dearest to thy heart, where the lonians in trailing robes are gathered together with their wives and children in thy street;

there they delight thee with boxing and dancing and song, making mention of thy name, whenever they ordain the contest.” And that there was a musical contest also to which men resorted as competitors Homer once more makes clear in the following verses from the same hymn. After commemorating the Delian chorus of women he ends his praise of them with the following verses, in which he also mentions himself:

Come now, let Apollo be gracious and Artemis likewise, and farewell, all ye maidens. Yet remember me even in after times, whenever some other toil-enduring man, a dweller upon the earth, shall visit this isle and ask: 'O maidens, what man is the sweetest of minstrels to you of all who wander hither, and in whom do you take most delight? Do you make answer, all with one accord, in gentle words, 'The blind man who dwells in rugged Chios.'

Such is Homer's testimony, showing that in ancient times also there was a great concourse and festival in Delos. And in later times the people of the islands and the Athenians continued to send their choruses with sacrifices, but the contests, and indeed most of the ceremonies, fell into disuse in consequence, probably, of calamities, until the Athenians, at the time of which we now speak, restored the contests and added horse-races, of which there had been none before.