izein to
prooimiazein]: And Hesychius, [Greek: Amphianakta, arche nomou
Kitharodikou]. Much the same is told us in the Scholia upon the passage
above from Aristophanes: [777][Greek: Mimeitai de (Aristophanes) ton
Dithurambon ta prooimia; sunechos gar chrontai tautei lexei; dio
amphianaktas autous kalousi]. However, none of these writers inform us why
this word was so particularly used; nor tell us what was its purport. In
the short hymns ascribed to Homer this term is industriously retained; and
the persons who composed them have endeavoured to make sense of it, by
adopting it according to the common acceptation.

[Greek: Amphi moi Ermeiao philon gonon ennepe, Mousa.]
[Greek: Amphi Dioskouron helikopides espete, Mousai.]
[Greek: Amphi Dionusou Semeles erikudeos huion]
[778][Greek: Mnesomai.]

These hymns were of late date, long after Homer; and were introduced in
Ionia, and also in Cyprus and Phenicia, when the Grecians were in
possession of those parts. They were used in the room of the antient hymns,
which were not understood by the new inhabitants. One of them is
confessedly addressed to the Goddess called Venus Ourania, in Cyprus; and
was designed to be sung by the priest of that Goddess upon the stated
festivals at Salamis.

[779] [Greek: Chaire, Thea, Salaminos euektimenes medeousa,]
[Greek: Kai pases Kuprou; dos d' himeroessan aoiden,]
[Greek: Autar ego ken seio kai alles mnesom' aoides.]

We may perceive, from what has been said, that the word Amphi was a term of
long standing, the sense of which was no longer understood: yet the sound
was retained by the Greeks, and used for a customary exclamation. In
respect to the more antient exordia above quoted, especially that of
Terpander, I take the words to be an imitation, rather than a translation,
of a hymn sung at Delphi in the antient Amonian language; the sound of
which has been copied, rather than the sense, and adapted to modern terms
of a different meaning. I make no doubt but that there were many antient
hymns preserved in those oracular temples, which were for a long time
retained, and sung, when their meaning was very imperfectly known. They
were, for the most part, composed in praise of Ham, or the Sun; and were
sung by the Homeridae, and Iaemidae. They were called after his titles, Ad,
Athyr, Amphi, which the Grecians expressed Dithyrambi. They were strains of
joy and exultation, attended with grand processions: and from the same
term,