The ancient riddles seem to have been generally of a descriptive character, and not to have turned upon quibbles of words, like those of the present day.  They more corresponded to our enigmas—­being emblematic—­and in general were small tests of ingenuity, some being very simple, others obscure from requiring special knowledge or from being a mere vague description of things.  Of the learned kind were doubtless those hard questions with which the Queen of Sheba proved Solomon, and those with which, on the authority of Dius and Menander, Josephus states Solomon to have contended with Hiram.  The riddle of Samson also required special information; and the same characteristics which marked the early riddles of Asia, where the conceit seems to have originated, is also found in those of Greece.  Who could have guessed the following “Griphus” from Simonides of Ceos, without local knowledge, or with it, could have failed,

  “I say that he who does not like to win
   The grasshopper’s prize, will give a mighty feast,
   To the Panopeiadean Epeus.”

This means, we are told, that when Simonides was at Carthea he used to train choruses, and there was an ass to fetch water for them.  He called the ass “Epeus,” after the water-carrier of the Atridae; and if any member of the chorus was not present to sing, i.e., to win the grasshopper’s prize, he was to give a choenix of barley to the ass.  Well might Clearchus say “the investigation of riddles is not unconnected with philosophy, for the ancients used to display their erudition in such things.”

Somewhat of the same character is found in the following from Aristophanes.

     People. How is a trireme a “dog fox?”

     Sausage Seller. Because the trireme and the dog are swift.

     People. But why fox?

     Sausage Seller. The soldiers are little foxes, for they eat up
     the grapes in the farms.

The simplicity of some of the ancient riddles may be conjectured from the fact that the same word “griphus” included such conceits as verses beginning and ending with a certain letter or syllable.

An instance of the emblematic character of early riddles is seen in that proposed by the Sphinx to OEdipus.  “What is that which goes on four legs in the morning, on two in the middle of the day, and on three in the evening?” And in the riddle of Cleobulus, one of the seven wise men: 

“There was a father, and he had twelve daughters; each of his daughters had thirty children; some were white and others black, and though immortal they all taste of death.”

Also in the following griphi, which are capable of receiving more than one answer.

The first two are respectively by Eubulus and Alexis—­writers of the “New Comedy”—­who flourished in the first half of the 4th century, B.C.

  “I know a thing, which while it’s young is heavy,
   But when it’s old, though void of wings, can fly,
   With lightest motion out of sight of earth.