ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν and several other lines; Soph. O. T. 4, El. 5, Trach. 3 and 6, Antig. 2 and 7 (XXX); Euripides, Tro. 10, Hec. 2, Phoen. 7, Hclid, 1 and 4, Her. 9, Hel. 4, El, 10, I. A. 54 ( = 6), and I. T. 2, quoted here. Thus all three tragedians have such passages in the opening of about half their extant plays, and the "monotony," if such it be, belongs rather to the style of the tragic prologue than to Euripides.
A third allusion seems to have been felt by the ancient writers on rhetoric. Δήκυθος and ληκύθιον (Synesius, p. 55), in the sense of "paint-flask" (Latin ampulla), were cant terms for "ornament in diction." Euripides' tragic heroes, with their plain style of speech, seem to have lost their paints. I do not think Aristophanes meant this.
P. 88, l. 1206, Aegyptus, &c.]—The first words, it is said, of the Archelaus, though Aristarchus, the famous Alexandrian scholar, says that the Archelaus as published in his time had a different prologue without these words. Apparently there were two alternative prologues; cf. the Iphigenia in Aulis.
P. 89, l. 1211, Dionysus, &c.]—Opening of the Hypsipylê. It went on: "amid the Delphian maids."
P. 89, l. 1217, No man hath bliss, &c.]—Opening of the Stheneboea. It went on: "Rich acres holds to plough."
P. 90, l. 1225, Cadmus long since]—"his way to Thêbê won." Opening of the Phrixus.
P. 90, l. 1232, Pelops the Great]—"a royal bride had won." Opening of the Iphigenia in Tauris, still extant.
P. 91, l. 1238, Oineus from earth.]—From the
