11-14-2008, 02:59 AM
πι̂λος , ὁ,
A. wool or hair wrought into felt, used as a lining for helmets, Il.10.265 ; for shoes, Hes.Op.542, cf. Pl.Smp.220b, Luc.Rh.Pr.15; but τὴν τω̂ν οἰκείων πίλων γένεσιν, playfully, of the human hair, Pl.Lg. 942e.
II. anything made of felt, esp. close-fitting cap, Hes.Op.546, Arist.GA785a27, AP6.90 (Phil.), etc.; πίλους τιάρας φορέοντες wearing turbans for caps, Hdt.3.12; ἀντὶ τω̂ν π. μιτρηφόροι ἠ̂σαν Id.7.62 , cf. 61,92 ; πι̂λοι τοι̂ς δημοσίοις IG22.1672.70 ; π. λευκός ib.5(1).1390.13 (Andania, i B. C.); of various fashions, π. ̓Αρκαδικός Polyaen.4.14 ; Λακωνικός Poll.1.149 ; Μακεδονικός, = καυσία, Id.10.162 ; π. χαλκου̂ς a brazen cap, i. e. helmet, Ar.Lys.562 ; of the apex worn by Roman flamines, D.H.2.64 (pl.).
2. felt shoe, λευκοὺς ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἔχων π. Cratin.100.
3. felt cloth, used for carpets, mats, tents, etc., Hdt. 4.23,73,75, Hp.Aër.18 (pl.), cf. X.Cyr.5.5.7, Aen.Tact.33.3 (pl.), etc.; for horse-cloths, Plu.Art.11.
4. felt cuirass, jerkin, Th.4.34.
So says the LSJ. So note that when the pilos is mentioned as a helmet, it is brazen (in Lysistrata) line 562. Interesting, because Lys. is roughly contemporary with Thuc. And also note that the LSJ feels that the Pilos in Thuc. is a felt jerkin or armour. Just want to note (without provoking a storm) that examination of all the evidence about the so-called "linothorax" would suggest that the thorax could be of felt.
Leaving such an odd and perhaps wild speculation aside, there's lots of evidence for the use of pilos to denote a Spartan cap or helmet. Appian gives this speech to Ep. after Leuctra,
"οὑ̂τός ἐστιν ὁ περὶ Λευ̂κτρα νικήσας καὶ τὴν πατρίδα, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς οὐχ ὑπομένουσαν, οὐδ' εἴ τις ξένος ἔχοι Λακωνικὸν πι̂λον, ἐπὶ τὴν Σπάρτην αὐτὴν προαγαγών.
A. wool or hair wrought into felt, used as a lining for helmets, Il.10.265 ; for shoes, Hes.Op.542, cf. Pl.Smp.220b, Luc.Rh.Pr.15; but τὴν τω̂ν οἰκείων πίλων γένεσιν, playfully, of the human hair, Pl.Lg. 942e.
II. anything made of felt, esp. close-fitting cap, Hes.Op.546, Arist.GA785a27, AP6.90 (Phil.), etc.; πίλους τιάρας φορέοντες wearing turbans for caps, Hdt.3.12; ἀντὶ τω̂ν π. μιτρηφόροι ἠ̂σαν Id.7.62 , cf. 61,92 ; πι̂λοι τοι̂ς δημοσίοις IG22.1672.70 ; π. λευκός ib.5(1).1390.13 (Andania, i B. C.); of various fashions, π. ̓Αρκαδικός Polyaen.4.14 ; Λακωνικός Poll.1.149 ; Μακεδονικός, = καυσία, Id.10.162 ; π. χαλκου̂ς a brazen cap, i. e. helmet, Ar.Lys.562 ; of the apex worn by Roman flamines, D.H.2.64 (pl.).
2. felt shoe, λευκοὺς ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἔχων π. Cratin.100.
3. felt cloth, used for carpets, mats, tents, etc., Hdt. 4.23,73,75, Hp.Aër.18 (pl.), cf. X.Cyr.5.5.7, Aen.Tact.33.3 (pl.), etc.; for horse-cloths, Plu.Art.11.
4. felt cuirass, jerkin, Th.4.34.
So says the LSJ. So note that when the pilos is mentioned as a helmet, it is brazen (in Lysistrata) line 562. Interesting, because Lys. is roughly contemporary with Thuc. And also note that the LSJ feels that the Pilos in Thuc. is a felt jerkin or armour. Just want to note (without provoking a storm) that examination of all the evidence about the so-called "linothorax" would suggest that the thorax could be of felt.
Leaving such an odd and perhaps wild speculation aside, there's lots of evidence for the use of pilos to denote a Spartan cap or helmet. Appian gives this speech to Ep. after Leuctra,
"οὑ̂τός ἐστιν ὁ περὶ Λευ̂κτρα νικήσας καὶ τὴν πατρίδα, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς οὐχ ὑπομένουσαν, οὐδ' εἴ τις ξένος ἔχοι Λακωνικὸν πι̂λον, ἐπὶ τὴν Σπάρτην αὐτὴν προαγαγών.
Qui plus fait, miex vault.
