And that the thericlean cup belongs to the class κύλιξ is plainly stated by Theophrastus, in his History of Plants. For speaking of the turpentine-tree, be says—“And thericlean cups (κύλικες θηρίκλειοι) are turned of this wood, in such a manner that no one can distinguish them from earthenware ones." And Thericles the Corinthian is said to have been the first maker of this kind of cup, and he was a potter originally, and it is after him that they have their name; and he lived about the same time as Aristophanes the comic poet. And Theopompus speaks of this cup, in his Nemea, where he says—
A. Come hither you, you faithful child of Thericles,
You noble shape, and what name shall we give you
Are you a looking-glass of nature? If
You were but full, then I could wish for nothing
Beyond your presence. Come then—
B. How I hate you,
You old Theolyta.
A. Old dost thou call me, friend?
B. What can I call you else? but hither come,
Let me embrace you; come to your fellow-servant:
Is it not so?
A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . you try me.
B. See here I pledge you in fair friendship's cup.
A. And when you've drunk your fill, then hand the cup
Over to me the first.
But Cleanthes, in his treatise on Interpretation, says—"And as for all these inventions, and whatever others there are of the same kind, such as the thericlean cup, the deinias, the iphicratis, it is quite plain that these, by their very names, indicate their inventors. And the same appears to be the case even now. And if they fail to do so, the name must have changed its meaning a little. But, as has been said before, one cannot in every case trust to a name." But others state that the thericlean cup has its name from the skins of wild beasts (θηρίων) being carved on it. And Pamphilus of Alexandria says that it is so called from the fact of Bacchus disturbing the beasts (τοὺς θῆρας) by pouring libations out of these cups over them.
DRINKING-CUPS.
42. And Antiphanes mentions this kind of cup, in his Similitudes, saying—
And when they had done supper, (for I wish
To put all things that happen'd in the interval
Together,) then the thericlean cup
Of Jove the Saviour was introduced,
Full of the luscious drops which o'er the sea
Came from the isle of the delicious drinks,
The sea-girt Lesbos, full, and foaming up,
And each one in his right hand gladly seized it.
And Eubulus, in his Dolon, says—
I never drain'd a cup more carefully,
For I did make the earthen cask more clean
Than Thericles did make his well-turn'd cups
E'en in his youth.
And, in his Dice-players, he says—
And then they drain'd the valiant cup yclept
The thericlean; foaming o'er the brim,
With Lacedæmonian lip, loud sounding
As if 'twere full of pebbles, dark in colour,
A beauteous circle, with a narrow bottom,
Sparkling and brilliant, beautifully wash'd,
All crown'd with ivy; and the while they call'd
On the great name of Jove the Saviour.