[214] Nicias, the famous Athenian general.—The siege of Melos in 417 B.C., or two years previous to the production of 'The Birds,' had especially done him great credit. He was joint commander of the Sicilian expedition.
[215] Procné, the daughter of Pandion, King of Athens.
[216] A space beyond the walls of Athens which contained the gardens of the Academy and the graves of citizens who had died for their country.
[217] A town in Western Argolis, where the Athenians had been recently defeated. The somewhat similar word in Greek, [Greek: ornithes], signifies birds.
[218] Epops is addressing the two slaves, no doubt Xanthias and Manes, who are mentioned later on.
[219] It was customary, when speaking in public and also at feasts, to wear a chaplet; hence the question Euelpides puts. The guests wore chaplets of flowers, herbs, and leaves, which had the property of being refreshing.
[220] A deme of Attica. In Greek the word ([Greek: kephalai]) also means heads, and hence the pun.
[221] One of Darius' best generals. After his expedition against the Scythians, this prince gave him the command of the army which he left in Europe. Megabyzus took Perinthos (afterwards called Heraclea) and conquered Thrace.
[222] All Persians wore the tiara, but always on one side; the Great King alone wore it straight on his head.
[223] Noted as the birthplace of Thucydides, a deme of Attica of the tribe of Leontis. Demosthenes tells us it was thirty-five stadia from Athens.