LASSICAL scholars when faced with passages in ancient authors referring to technical or scientific matters such as medicine, botany, zoology, or chemistry often consult experts in those subjects to help them to arrive at a correct interpretation of the Greek or Latin text. In dealing with some technical matters, however, especially textiles, they seem to scorn such assistance and attempt to solve the problems before them in the light of their own knowledge, usually all too limited, of the matter in hand. One of their greatest delusions is that practically the only means of decorating a textile is by embroidery. They are apparently accustomed to seeing their own womenfolk working at embroidery, Berlin woolwork, petit point chair seats, and the like, and they assume that the women of the ancients acted likewise. It is not surprising therefore that misunderstandings and mistranslations have resulted from this singular lack of scholarship in approaching the passages of ancient authors, where textiles are mentioned. The assumption that embroidery was the usual method is apparent in Jebb's' statement, "A female slave, skilled in embroidery, is worth four oxen." He gives no reference, but obviously is referring to the second prize in the wrestling match at the funeral games of Patroclus. Homer2 says: