λέβητας. Beating a bronze cauldron would keep off evil spirits, the original meaning of the ‘passing bell’. Cf. A. B. Cook, J. H. S. xxii. 14 f.
καταμιαίνεσθαι. Such extravagant signs of mourning (μιασμοί) as tearing the hair, rending the garments, and throwing dust on the head and clothing, were at Athens restricted by Solon (Plut. ch. 12; cf. Thuc. ii. 45), and at Sparta forbidden by Lycurgus for private persons (Plut. Lyc. 27, Mor. 238 D). They are a survival from barbarism (cf. viii. 99; ix. 24) or from heroic times (cf. Il. xviii. 23 f.). So Xen. Rep. Lac. xv. 9 αἳ δὲ τελευτήσαντι τιμαὶ βασιλεῖ δέδονται, τῇδε βούλονται δηλοῦν οἱ Λυκούργου νόμοι, ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἥρωας τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλεῖς προτετιμήκασιν. Cf. Xen. Hell. iii. 3. 1.
