CRĬTES (κριτής), a judge, was the name applied by the Greeks to any
person who did not judge of a thing like a δικαστής, according to
positive laws, but according to his own sense of justice and equity.
But at Athens a number of κριταί was chosen by ballot from a number
of selected candidates at every celebration of the Dionysia: they
were called οἱ κριταί, κατ’ ἐξοχήν. Their office was to judge of the
merit of the different choruses and dramatic poems, and to award the
prizes to the victors. Their number was five for comedy and the same
number for tragedy, one being taken from every tribe.