They were certain monies [held] in common, collected from the revenues of the city; they were previously kept safe for the needs of war and were called generals-payments[1], but later they were paid into public projects and distributions to the citizens. The previously-agreed rate was a drachma per spectacle, which gave rise to its name, spectacle-payments.[2] But Philinus maintains that this was the reason they were called theorika: because, when the Dionysia [festival] was imminent, Eubulus distributed [them] for the sacrifice, so that everyone could celebrate the festival and nobody would be excluded through lack of spending-money.[3] But elsewhere what was given for the spectacles and the sacrifices and the festivals was differently defined. It was not permitted for those abroad to draw a theoric-payment. There was also a certain office connected with the theoric-payment, as Aeschines shows in the [speech] Against Ktesiphon.[4]