Meerwaldt. Cleanthea I

L’Antiquité Classique
Echoes of Earlier Drama in Sositheus' Daphnis and Lycophron's Menedemus

Author(s): Georgia Xanthakis-karamanos
Source: L’Antiquité Classique, T. 66 (1997), pp. 121-143
Published by: L’Antiquité Classique
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41659302 .
Accessed: 22/05/2014 17:30
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
L’Antiquité Classique is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to L’Antiquité
Classique.
http://www.jstor.org
This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Echoes of Earlier Drama in Sositheus' Daphnis
and Lycophron's Menedemus*
I. The Daphnis or Lityerses of Sositheus1
fr. 2
xoúxcoKeXatvai naxpíç,, àpxaía nóXtç

MíSou yépovxoç, oaxxç <öx' e%covövot»
líyaaae Kai vo') v cpooxòçeí)f|0ov)çayav.
4 ouxoç 8' èxelvov) naíç napánXaoxoç vóGoç,
jxt|xpòç 8' ÓJtoíaçri xekoíkt' èjtíaxaxat,
ëaÔei |j.èv apxouç, xpeíç oXox>qkocvOtiXíouç,
xpiç xfjçppa%eíaç t||a,épaç-rcívei8', eva
8 KaXwv (iexprixf|vxòv 8eKáji<popov níGov.
èpyáÇexat 8' ÈÀatppànpòç xà aixía
•
oynov GepíÇcov xf| |xiâ 8' èv fi|iépa
f 8atvv>aíx' ë|i7criçoDvxíGriaiveiç xéXoç.
1 Tovtq)]oiixeoi : Nauck II 3 eúeiõoúç : ArnaudII 4 jtapájtX.. Tz., jtepírcA..

anon.,
jtatpiTiXaaxòçHerm.II 6 apxouçAth. C(?), anon., Tz., aùtovç Ath. A, aúxòç E,
ãpxcovCasaub. I 'úXovqAth. A, Tz., ôvouç Ath. CE, anon.; ad kocv0t|À.íovç cf.
Preisigke,Woerterb.3, 357 sqq. vv. k<x|¿t|Xiov Ká(it|X,oç,
ovoç,«popxíov II7 xpiçxfjç
Ath.,anon., . xfiç8' Tz. I 8' eva Ath., 0' ã|xa anon., Tz. II 8 kotXtòvanon., Tz.,
KaXòvAth.I 8ck.anon.,Tz., 8è Kapnoipópov Ath.I Ael. v.h. I, 27 interàSrupáyouç
comm. Atxuépaav(jtixvpea: Scheff.)tòv OpúyaII9 aixía anon., cpopxíaTz. II 10
GepíÇeiv: Hermann1111ôiáaxax' ejutaçLatte,Spáyvuaít' è'njrnç t' eiç
ctuvtí0t|oí
xéyoçWalker
12 xókav xtç êívoç r' nape^íp,

tpayeîvx' eSíokev eù f içàjiexópxaaev
Kai xoû Ttoxoî)jcpoìSxeivev<bçãv èv Gépet
nXéov• (pGoveîvyàp xoíç 0avov>névoiç òkveí.
* Thepaperwas presented as a communication in the10thFIEC Congress(Québec

23-27August1994).
The textsare accordingto B. Snell, TragicorumGraecorumFragmenta2,
1986,p. 270 ff.Sourceof fr.2-3 : Mythogr.
Göttingen, anon.,p. 346, 11 ff.Westerm.
(cod.archet.
Laur.56, 1 ed. C. Landi,inS.I.F.C.,3 (1895)546 f.Partsoffr.2 havealso
beenpreserved: v. 4-9 in Tzetz. Chil.,II, 40,595 f;v. 6-8inAth.,X, 415 b.

122 ECHOESOF EARLIERDRAMAINSOSITHEUSAND LYCOPHRON
16 èítioxaxcòvt o'iôt|<xMaiávôpou poaîç

Kaprceunaxcovàpôewà 8<x'|/iXeînox©
xòv àvôpo|4.r|KT|nvpòv f|kovri|iévp
•
apîtp GepíÇex xòv Çévov ôè ôpáyjxaxi
20 aòxâ> KoXovaaq Kpaxòç òpcpavòv (pépei
yeX&vGepiaxrivàç avouv t|píaxxaev
13 eua Hermann, eú0i) SteffenI Kai nex-: evia (fia Meineke) Kàne^ópiriaev
Hermann;ev kcxAä;ť èxópxaaevNauck II 15 wkveiI postv. 15 lac. stat.Jahn(cf. F
2a) II 16 «teu' 'áymeiç A,f'aNauck (prob. Headlam v. 13 rcpórca
restituiiubens),
ÈTciaxaTMv 6è Xfja Latte II 20 KvÂ,ia<xç
: SchrammII 21 yépov ... fipiaxriaev :
Casaub.
fr. 3
0avà>v |ièv ouv MaíavSpov èppí(pt| Ttoôòç

•
oóXoç xiç WCTTtep{ôiaKoç} t|v ô' ô ÔtaKCÓaaç àvrip
t ÎIV0XO-xiç yàp àv0' 'HpaKA-éonç;
3 1 oîv] eiç: EichstaedtII 2 oóXoç] oo<póç: corr.et glossema eiecit Casaub. Il 3

(àvf|p-.) <B. -tiç8ri;A.> jtvGoi'(revöoioapogr.Marc.) <&v>: Hermann,op. 1, 59;
TipúvGióç <xiç> Nauck,unde TipúvGióç xiçaXXoqàvG' 'Hp. Wecklein.
1. 1. Action - Thematic Motifs
The Daphnis or Lityerses of Sositheus represents the most

extensive specimen preserved from this Hellenistic poet's dramatic
work. The play seems to involve a fusion of two distinctlynew stories,
providing singular titles in the history of dramatic poetry : the myth of
Midas and Lityerses2, and that of Daphnis3 and the nymph Thaleia. The
love of the bucolic hero for this nymph- an exclusively Hellenistic motif
- provided the
spur to the action.
The main core of the storyis attested by SERVIUS in VERG., Bue.,
8, 684 e Sch. Theocr. : the nymph Thaleia or Pimplea was carried off
2 On Lityerses, W. Mannhardt,Mythologische Forschungen, Straßburg, 1884,

p. 1-57.
3 For A.S.F. Gow, Theocritus2, II (Cambridge,
Daphnis,see extensively 1952),
p. f.;G. WOJACZEK,
1 Daphnis, inBeiträgezur klassischen
Philologie, 34 (1969),p. 5-
21.
4 Quam (sc. Pimpleam)cuma praedonibusraptamDaphnisper totumorbem
invenit
quaerisset, in PhrygiaapudLityersem regemservientem,qui hac legein advenas
saeviebat,ut cummultassegeteshaberetperegrinos advenientessecummeierefaceret
victosqueiuberetoccidi.Sed HeraclesmiseratusDaphnidisvenitad regiamet audita
condicionecertaminisfalcemad metendum aeeepiteaque regi<ierali sopitometendi

G. XANTHAKIS-KARAMANOS 123
by pirates. Daphnis searching all over the world found her in Phrygia
enslaved at the court of Lityerses, King Midas' illegitimate son. The
cruel Lityerses forced whoever came to his countryto reap with him in a
kind of harvest contest and when defeated killed him ( victosque iuberet
occidi). Heracles feeling pity for Daphnis cut off Lityerses' head with
the very same reaping scythe he used to kill his victims. Finally, the hero
threw Lityerses' body into the river (as is known from fr.3 Sn.) and
delivered Daphnis and Thaleia5.
The plot, as drawn from the evidence in Servius and the extant
fragments,echoes both pastoral and satyricthemes as well as tragicomic
motifs. The latter recall the romantic plays of Euripides, esp. the
Alcestis. The adaptation of themes found in earlier drama to the new
literary trends of pastoral poetry accords with the typically literary
phenomenon of fusion which manifests itself in the deliberate
transgressing of the boundaries between genres by the writers of the
period6.
The echoes of earlier drama are distinctlyshown in the use of both
the satyric and the tragicomic, romantic themes.
The coincidences with fifth-centurysatyric treatments, such as
the Cyclops, the Busiris, the Syleus, the Sciron and especially the
Theristae of Euripides, are remarkable : the ogre, the molestation of the
wayfarers, the abuse of hospitality, the grim contest, the advent of the
hero, the final contest, the defeat of the ogre, and the release of his
captives, in an exotically alien setting,in the countryside7.The Theristae
particularly seems to have dealt with the same mythological storyof the
cruel Lityerses and may have involved many of these thematic motifs,
though what is known of this satyrplay is only the title8.
The Lityerses appears to provide the typical 'hero and monster'
plot involving the victory of the civilized idea (Heracles) over the evil
power, an expression of the traditional struggle of Greek heroes against
carmine>caputamputavit. Ita Daphnina periculoliberavit et ei Pimpleam , quamalii

Thaliam reddidit:
dicunt, auïbusdotisnomine aulamauoaueregiam condonavit.
5 Sch. TheocR.,8, 93 a : iaxopovoiv
(Daphnin)útcóxivoçàya7cri0fìvai r'v
N'>|icpr|ç,
EcoaíGeoç0áÀ,eiavKaXeí.Sch. THEOCR., 8 arg.b : Zcoaí0eoçÔèAóupviv (...) yevóîevov, -ocp'
o') viKt|0fjvai
Mevátacav aôovxaIlavóç [Kaì Nujjxpcòv]Kpívavxoç, õè avxcp(mi
Ya|j/n0TÍvai
Nt>m>r|v)0áÀ,£iav.
6 On fusionsee : W. Schmid-O.Stählin, Gesch.d.
griech.Literarur , II, 1,p. 8 f.;
C. A. van Rooy,Studiesin ClassicalSatireand RelatedLiterary Theory , Leiden,1965,
p. 127; TheCambridge History of ClassicalLiterature, Cambridge, 1985,p. 543; cf.also
G. Zanker,RealisminAlexandrian Poetry , London/Sydney, 1987,p. 7 ff.,andpassim.
7 D. F. Sutton, TheGreek
SatyrPlay, Meisenheim amGlan,1980(= Beiträgezur
klassischenPhilologie, 90), p. 146, 148.
Aristophanes'Arg. to Euripides'Medea : ... xpíxoçEùpirciÔTiç ... Gepioxaîç
The thematic
...aaxúpoiç. coincidence of theTheristaeandtheDaphnisorLityerses was
widelysuggested : firstby Härtung,EuripidesRestitutus , I (1843),p. 374; forfurther
references
bibliographical see myarticlein A.C. 63 (1994),p. 244,n. 47.

barbarian inhumanity. Interestingly, the 'hero and monster' plot is

familiar from early comedy as well, especially Epicharmus. Titles of
plays such as Busiris, Cyclops, Sirens, Sciron etc. point to a
confrontationof a Greek hero with an outlandish giant or monster9.
The mockery of Lityerses, providing a distinctlysatyricand comic
element, is twofold : a) to deride gluttony (v. 6-8), modelled on the
depiction of gluttonous mythological heroes in Euripidean satyr plays
and also in Old and esp. in Middle Comedy. Regarding Lityerses the
evidence given in the text (v. 12-15) is also attested by the Scholia in
THEOC., 10, 42 that toùç napióvxaç xcovÇévcove i) to x © v t|váyKaÇe
OepíÇeiv net' aùxoû, «he forced the foreigners to reap with him after
having shared with them a rich meal». The action is similar in Euripides'
Busiris on the basis of DIO CHRYS., 8, 32 : xòv 8è Bovxripiv eúpròv
návo èrci|AeÂ,û)çàôXoûvxa Kal 8ť oÀ/nç fmépaç èaGíovxa Kai
(ppovoûvta (léyiotov èitì itáXr', ôiéppriÇev (s.c. Heracles) èrcìxrçvyrjv
Kaxaßataov. Middle Comedy provides adequate material of ridicule of
àôr|(páyoi as an expression of mythological burlesque : e.g. EUBULUS'
Dolon, fr. 29-30 K.-A.; ANTIPHANES' Oenomaus or Pelops, fr. 170
K.-A.; Heracles in ALEXIS' Linus (fr. 140 K.-A.) chose a cookery book
from Linus' very rich library10,b) Lityerses is also ridiculed for his
stupid barbaric violence (v. 16-21) in the account of the reapers' murder.
Satyr plays of Euripides seem to provide the model : the Cyclops, the
Syleus and the Busiris. The motif of the villain's mockery is a basic
constituent of the 'hero and monster' plot leading to the defeat of an
inhuman barbarian at the hands of a Greek hero11 (Odysseus, Heracles
respectively).
While the mockery of the mythological figure of Lityerses and
some other satyric elements, such as the ogre, the molestation of
wayfarers, the abuse of hospitality and the murder of the reapers, are
mainly shown by the preserved text, the tragicomic and romantic
featuresof the action are deduced fromthe evidence of Servius.
The action of the Daphnis, as drawn from Servius' account, points
to the typical plot - construction of Euripidean romances : the couple of
lovers is separated and undergoes many adventures enslaved by cruel
Lityerses, until Heracles successfully intervenes and saves them from all
dangers. The separation and the final rescue of beloved persons
9 See TheCambridge History ofClassicalLiterature, p. 350.

10 Formockery of gluttonyandgreedy heroesin latercomedy: T. B. L. Webster,
Studiesin LaterGreekComedy2 (S.L.G.C.2), Manchester and New York,1970,p. 85,
W.G. Arnott, in G. & /?.,2, 19 (1972), G. Xanthakis-Karamanos, Parallel
Developments in Post-classicalTragedyand Comedy 2, Athens,1991,p. 37 f., H.-G.
Nesselrath, Die AttischeMittlere Komödie , Berlin/New York,1990(= Untersuchungen
zurantiken Literatur
undGeschichte , 36),p. 220 f.,227,228 f.,309 ff.,andpassim.
11 Sutton,op. cit.,p. 145f.,andpassim.

in an atmosphere of both appearance and realityis a distinctlytragicomic

type of plot found in the Alcestis, the Helen, the Ion and the Iphigeneia
in Tauris. Moreover, the main themes of the barbarian Lityerses, the
molesting villain, and the escape from bondage have close parallels in
the Helen, the Iphigeneia in Tauris and the Alcestis with Theoclymenus
and Thoas as blustering barbarians accustomed to killing Greek
wayfarers,and with Thanatos as an ogre12.
Regarding the conjunction of satyric and romantic features, the
case of the Alcestis adapting satyric themes to a romantic play may have
provided a model to Sositheus' Daphnis or Lityerses. Both plays,
having no satyrs13,display common satyric stereotypes : hospitality,
banquet - scenes, gluttony, Heracles as the benevolent saviour,
discomfiture of the ogre by Heracles in a contest, rescue from bondage
and reunion of the happy couple thanks to the interventionof Heracles14.
I. 2. Similarities in structure
In the longer fragmentfrom the Daphnis or Lityerses of Sositheus

F
(99 2) the text points to a Euripidean structuralstereotype : a narrative
monologue as the firstpart of the prologue, addressed to the audience.
On the model of Euripides' explanatory monologues there is an accurate
reference to the topography of the play (v. 1-2 xoùxœ KeÀmvaí Jtaxpíç,
appaia nóX.tç/ Míôoti yépovxoç, oaxiç ...) from the very beginning, as
in E., El., 1-2 "Apyoç (or apyoç ), 'Iváxcvu poaí, ö0ev ..., Suppl., 1-2
Àr)|xr|xepè<moû%' 'EXeuaîvoç %Qovóq/ TÍ'aô', oï te ... Hel., 1-2 NeíXou
|ièv aïôe K<xÀA.i7táp0evoi poaí, / oç ..., Ba., 1-2 "Hkco Aiòç rcaíç xrivôe
©rißaicov X0ÓVCXAióvuaoç, ov ... In such instances a relative clause
/
follows the reference to the setting15.
12 Cf.A. M. Dale,
EuripidesAlcestis,Oxford, repr.1978,pointedout(p. xxi) the
depiction ofDeath«as a potentially satyric element». Death«is ... theogreishcreature of
popularfancy, a monster likeso manyadversaries oftheHero».Cf.also D. J.Conacher,
EuripidesAlcestis , London,1988,p. 33; Sutton,op. cit.,p. 181.
13
Oddly,theDaphnisorLityerses , indisputably regarded as a satyr
play,so faras our
evidencegoes,lacksof Silenusand satyrsbothas dramatic characters (cf. Lycophron's
Menedemus) andas thechorusoftheplay.Xanthakis-Karamanos(inA.C. 63 [1994],
p. 242-250),castsdoubtson thepurelysatyriccharacter of theplay,on thebasis of
language,metre,themeand action,the absenceof satyrsand the silenceof relevant
sources.
14 See Xanthakis-Karamanos, op. cit.,p. 249.
15 The is indicatedlaterin thetextof thenarrative in : H.
play'ssetting monologue
F., 4-5 oç xáaôe0f|Paçëa%ov, evö'ó ynyevriç /arcapxcov axáxuçeßXaaxev, ... 'Tro., 4-5 èÇ
cmyapàjjxpìxr|vôe TpcoiKt^vx^óva/ Ooïpoçxe myco...; Hec.,7-9 ... rcpòç8œ|Lia 0pflKÍo')
Çévoi),/ oç xt|v(S'>àpíaxriv Xepaovt|aíav 7eà,<xkcx
/ arceípei,,
... Hipp., 12 ixóvoçrcoXixcov
xíiaÔeyfjçTpoÇr|víaç ..., Ion., 8-10 ... 'EAArivoov tcóîç,/ xfjçxPvao^óyxou ritx>Aá5oç
/ o') ...,Andr.,16-17O0íaç ôè xflaôeKai TióXecoç
K£KXri|iévr|, OapaaÂÁaç / avyxopxa vaíco
'
Iv ....
TceÔí',

In accordance with this type of narrativemonologue thatEuripides

uses most, Sositheus centres his interest on the origin and manners of
the main hero, the ogre Lityerses : v. ... 4 ff. oSxoç S'èiceivou (sc.
Mí8ou) naîç jtapánXaoxoç vó0oç, ... . This is the formula Euripides
adopted in plays such as the Helen (esp. v. 15 ff.), the Medea (v. 6 ff.),
the Hippolytus (v. 10 ff.), and the Ion (v. 15 ff.).
The other main character of the play, Daphnis, a typically bucolic
figure, seems to speak the prologue16 on the model of the Orestes,
Iphigeneia in Tauris and Bacchae. In all these cases, one of the two main
dramatic figures addresses the monologue, Electra, Iphigeneia, and
Dionysus respectively. Daphnis appears to set forth the story to
Heracles17, the new visitor and captive in Lityerses' country. Such a
suggestion is reinforced by Servius attesting sed Herculus miseratus
Daphnidis venit ad regiam et audita condicione certaminis
falcem ad metendumaccepit...
Euripidean also is the delay in identifyingthe prologue speaker to
the audience. Sositheus may have had as models the Electra, the Orestes,
the Phoenissae, the Helen, and the Heracleidae 18.
Many of these features of Euripidean narrative monologues are
also found in the text of Ezekiel's Exagoge which represents the most
extensive remains of Hellenistic tragedy19.Moses, the main hero, is the
speaker of the prologue (v. 1-59), as Daphnis seems to have been in
Sositheus. The two basic explanatory elements observed in the prologue
of his play are seen in the Exagoge : the historical, with the origin of the
main hero, Moses, from Jacob, and the geographical, with the settingof
the play20. As in the play of Sositheus and in his Euripidean
precedents21, in the Exagoge Moses is to be identified quite after the
beginning (v. 14 ff., explicitly in v. 30 ). The model of such a self-
naming is again Euripidean22.
16 AlreadyO. Jahn,Satura,inHermes3 (1869),p. 181,regarded Daphnisas the
speakerofthefragment.
17 Cf.Jahn,loc. cit.;Webster,Hellenistic PoetryandArt, London,1964,p. 129.
18 The identification occursin : El., 34 f.; Or., 23 ff.;Phoen.,10 ff.,Hel.,16 ff.,
esp.22; Hrcl., 26 ff.,esp.30.
19 Editionwithcommentary byH. Jacobson,Cambridge, 1983.Theechoesoffifth-
centurytragedy, esp.ofEuripides, in boththelanguageandthestructure oftheExagoge,
arecitedibid.,p. 23 ff.,andin thecommentary.
20 JacobleftChanaanandtravelled to Egypt.Forsuchsituations ofmoving from one
placetoanother, Jacobson(p. 69) compares theTroades Bacchae,Heracles,
, Phoenissae,
Hecuba,Archelaus andPhrixus.
21 See n. 18.
22 E.g. Phoen., 12; Or., 23; Hel., 22. Jacobson (op.cit., p. 69 ff.),citesfurther
Euripideanprologue elements in thenarrativemonologue oftheExagoge,suchas Moses'
recountinghisownbirth(14 ff.;cf.Ion,Bacchae,Orestes,Helen),theuse of etymology
forMoses' name(30-31;cf.thenameofThoasin I.T., 32-33,ofOedipusin Phoen.,25-
27,andofTheonoeinHel., 13-14),theexposure ofthebabybyhismother (Exagoge,14-

G. XANTHAHS-KARAMANOS 127
1. 3. Reminiscences of language and imagery
The main and indisputable echoes of earlier drama which are not
recorded in literature earlier than the fifth-centurydramatic poetry are
remarkable. The lexical innovations introduced by Sositheus are also
noted.
fr. 2 Sn.
v. 1 àpxaía nóXiç : the traditional connotation of rcóXiç

ápxaía, 'ancient, old, legendary, revered'. The adjective is abundantly
used in Hellenistic poetry to connect an account with the legendary past :
CALL., H., 4. 308 Kvmpiôoç àpxaíriç, ibid., 256 vópxpai At|Â,iáôeç,
jtoxa|ioî> yévoç àpxoúoio, 5, 60 ... Kai àpxoùœv eut' èiù ©eajtiécov, 2,
15 èatfiêiv 8è tò xeîxoç kn' àpxaíoiai 0eni0À,oiç (= èn' àpxaíoiç
0e|xeÀíoiç23), Ep., 59, 1 Pfeifferàpxaîoç 'Opéaxîiç; THEOC., Id., 11, 8
àpxaîoç IloXvtpaîoç, NIC., Th., 487 àpxaíri Mexáveipa, NONN., 19,
84 àpxaíp Mexaveípp. The origin of the adjective is traced only from
fifth-centuryliterature, esp. dramatic poetry (Aeschylus, Euripides,
Aristophanes and mainly Sophocles) : HDT., I, 75, V, 88, VII, 160,
Pl., fr. 215 (a), 6 Sn. naxpíô' àpxaíav..., A., Ag., 579 8ó(xoiç ènao-
aáXeva av àpxaíov yévoç, Eu., 728 à. 0eaí, A., fr. 235 Radt ...
até<pavov, àpxaíov atétpoç, E., El., 287 naiòaymybç à., 853 yépovtoç
à.. Its use in Aristophanes is derogatory: Nu., 984, 1357, 1469
(meaning 'old-fashioned, antiquated'), ib. 915 ('simple, silly'). In
Sophocles' O. C. it is astonishingly frequent : 106 m yivKelai naîôeç
àpxaíov Ikóxov, said of the Furies, 684 vápKiaaoç, ixeyaXaiv 0eaîv /
àpxaíov CTTe(páv(o|o.', «associated with the cult of Demeter and Kore
from the very beginning»24; 1382 Aíkt| Çúveôpoç Zrjvòç àpxaíoiç
vó|aoxç, 1632 ôóç (i.01 x^pòç afiç jtícttiv àpxaíav tékvok;, where
àpxaíav, thought to be corrupt (Jebb), is accepted in editions.25
Schramm (ad loc.) quoted from Sophocles : Aj., 1292 àpxaíov övta
néXoíca..., El., 893 naxpòç àpxaíov xátpov.
The depiction of Midas with ass's ears26 (v. 2) has a dramatic
precedent in Aristophanes'' Pl., 287 vt| toùç 0eo'>ç Míôaiç |j.èv oův, iív
obx'övou X.0ßiixe.The Scholia ad loc. refer to the various explanations
17),a distinctlyEuripideanmotif also exploited

in theMiddleandNewComedy(cf.Ion,
15-21,Men.,Epitrepontes, Synaristosae andHiereia: Webster,Studiesin Menander2 ,
Manchester, 1960, p. 172).
23 See Pfeiffer, ad loc.
24 Cf.Jebb,ad loc.
25 Lloyd-Jones & Wilson;cf.Fraenkel,onAe., 579.
26 The variousstoriesof Midas and Silenus,Midas,
Apolloand Pan in a musical
contestandMidas'obtaining ass's earsaresummarized byP. Grimal,Dictionnaire de la
Mythologie grecqueet romaine4, Paris,1969,s.v.,also citingthetextualevidence.On the
subjectsee R. Lehmann-Nitsche, KönigMidashatEselohren, inZ. E. 1936,p. 281-303.

of Midas' obtaining such ears, and tend to accept as the most probable
reason that Midas had many àxaKcuaxéç to know what was said and
what was done in the country.
v. 6 eaGei jièv âpxouç xpeîç ôXouç icavOriXíouç, «he eats
loaves, three full large baskets». A closely similar collocation is that in
SA, O. R., 1136-1137 xpeîç oà,odç / ... èicn/rivouçxpóvovç27. "Apxoç
ovXoq, «a whole loaf», occurs in Od., 17, 343. The whole verse eaGei
... Kav0r|À,ío'uç,in view of the tragic occurrence xpeîç oXovq... in S., O.
R., loc. cit., creates paratragic effect. The assonance of xpeîç ... xpíç (v.
7 xpíç xfjçßpaxeiaq ri|i.épaç,«three times in one brief day») strengthens
bottithe emphasis on Lityerses' gluttonyand the paratragic effect.
There is no need to correct the reading âpxouç given by the
majority of ancient sources (Ath. C. [= epitome ms], anon., Tz.) to
Casaubon's apxtov, printed by Schramm and Nauck1 (ëaGei ixevapxtov
xpeîç ovodç KavOíiXíovç). The accusatives apxouç, ... oA,ouç
Kav0r|X,ío')ç are well balanced, and xpeîç ... icavGriÀiouç is an
explanatory parenthetical clause to ãpxovç.
Kav0T)Xíouç, Kav0r|X,xoç, ó, «pack ass», adds comic tones
and is firsttraced in fifth-centurycomedy : AR., Lys., 290 (lyr.) xòkooç
Ttox'èâ|X7rpet)CTon.ev / xoûx' aveu KavGrjXiow,«how are we ever going
to haul / this lot up without a donkey» (Sommerstein); Hermipp., fr. 7,
3 K.-A. övov K(xv0r|À,iov; LYSIPP., fr. 8, 2-3 K. - A. ovoç / ...
KavOiíXioç (metaph.). Later occurrences : LUC., Pseudol., 3; P.Oxy.,
1733, 4 (III A. D.); X., Cyr., VII, 5, 11; Pl., Smp., 221 e, PLB., VIII,
38, 1 etc.; metaph. «ass, blockhead», LUC., J.Tr., 31; A. P., XI, 383, 5
etc.; Sud., k313 (Adler) KavOrjXxoçPpaôùç vofjaai ìì à(pt>r|ç. ovoç
ixéyaç, HSCH., s.v. àp.óç : ^copóç, õvoç28.
Kav0r|A,ia,xá, the «panniers at the sides of a pack-saddle», is first
found, and in a similar context, in Ar., V., 170 xòv övov aytovaùxoîai
xoîç kocvGtiXíoiç, «and sell the donkey along with its panniers»; cf. D.
MCDOWELL, Oxford, 1971, ad loc. The difference between Kav0f|X,ioç
and K<xv0T|Xiais noted by the Schol. R ad loc. <öxi Kav0r|X.ioçó ovoç
Kal xà èjtixiGéneva avx© KavGt|A,ia.Hence in later literature Kav6r|A,ia
denotes any large baskets (ARTEM., IV, 5; HSCH.; PLB., VIII, 38, 1)
and generally, pack-saddle, KavGt|A,xaxaixriXiKa prob, in P.Goodsp.
Cair. 30, 34, 18 (II A. D.).
v. 8 Iva / KaXœv jiexp^xiiv xòv 5eKáp.<|>opov níGov,
«calling a liquid measure the ten-amphoralarge wine-jar».
27 WithKamerbeek notingad loc.thenicesyntacticalbalanceoftheaccusativeatthe

endwiththeotherterms.
28 On k(xv0t|Modç
cf.Preisigke,Wörterb. III, 357 ff.s.v. Ka^riXiov,
Ká^Xoç, ovoç,
(poptíov.

õeicáiupopoç, «holding ten amphoras», is said of jcíGoç here, and

of Kpaxrip,«a bowl for the mixing of wine and water'» in E., Cyc., 388
Kpaxfjpa 8' è^éjtXriaev róç Ô£Ká(i<popov,in Odysseus' long account of
-
Polyphemus (382 436). These are the unique recorded instances of the
adjective in Greek texts, and in view of the coincidence in imagery,
situation and character (Lityerses, Polyphemus), Sositheus' dependence
on Euripides here cannot be disputed.
JIÍ0OV,«large wine - jar» (II., XXIV, 527; Od., II, 340; XXIII,
305; RES., Erg., 98, 368 etc.), is the biggest of both amphora and
Kpaxrip29. Lityerses drinks a 0eK<x|A<popovtcí0ov of wine a day. The
exaggeration, coupled with that involved in the previous verses (6-7)
etröei - fi|iépaç, appropriately adds to the mockery of the gluttonous
ogre.
v. 13 èftexópxaoev, èjcixopxáÇto is unique in Sositheus.
Nevertheless, xoPTáÇeiv»-3CopTáÇea0ai, though first occurring in
HesIOD (Erg., 452 %. ëXiKaç ßoaq ëvôov eóvxaç), is a distinctly comic
word, properly used of feeding cattle; applied to persons it means «fill
with food» : Ar., rripvxáôriç, fr. 162 K.-A., ap. ATH., Ill, 99 f
Gepájceue Kai xópxaÇe xtòv |iov<x>ôiâ>v(metaphorical), where similar
instances of the verb are cited, such as S., fr. 666 R. aixoiai
Tcayxópxoioiv èêvíÇonev, (náyxopxoç, «all-satiating»); EUB., Dolori,
fr. 29, 1 K.-A èyò Kexópxaanai piv, ... où k(xk<ôç,/ àXX' eí|xt JtXfipriç,
... (literal), SOPHIL., fr. 7, 2 K.-A. ... xopxaa0f|aop.ai, metaphorical
as in AMPI!., fr. 28 K.-A. xopôcÇóneva / nâaiv àya0oíç; MEN.,
Trophonius, fr. 465 K. xopxaaõeíç, Dysc., 424 èyò) ae xopTá^©- In
POLL., VI, 43 many forms of xopxáÇeiv are quoted from comic texts :
xò ôè xopxáÇeiv 'Apiaxotpávriç e'ipt|Ke(Pax, 139 Kai 17630 xopxáato),
Kai xò xopxáÇeaôai 'Apapróç (fr. 21 K.-A.), 'Avaâvôpíôriç ôè (fr. 79
K.-A.) ... Kai xopxaa(AÓv. In all these instances xopxáÇeiv is literally
used. The verb, abundantly used in comedy, is also found in its literal
'
meaning in CRATIN., Oõvoafjç , fr,. 149., 1 ... xopxaÇó|ievoi yáka
XeDKÓv; NlCOSTR., 19, 2 K.-A. ÍKavójç Kexópxaaâv; PL., Rep., II,
372 d úcòv jróXxv ... xí av avxàç aXXo ii xawxa èxópxaÇeç; Later
occurrences, both literally and metaphorically, in : Thphr., C.P., IV,
9, 1 xoPTa°0Évxa nvpœv, ARR., Epict., I, 9, 19 xopxao0f|xe,
Athenaeus, Plutarchus, Scholia, ecclesiastic writers etc. In Hellenistic
dramatic poetry : EZEKIEL, Exagoge, 253 ... 0pé|x|xaaiv xopxáaixaxa.
v. 17 Kapnev)iát(ov, Kapjteuna, -axoç, «fruit'» unique in
Sositheus, is more poetical than the common Kapnóç. It is modelled on
neuter nouns in -|xa which, differinglittle in meaning from the nouns
29 R. Seaford notesatE., Cyc.,388 «.. an is smaller

thana itíôoçbutlarger
amphora
involumethana icpcmíp»,
andcompares Hdt.,I, 51,2.
30 In Ar.,Pax, 176xopxáacoxóvK<xv0apov, thebeetleis comically
treated
as a horse.

from which they are derived, are fairly common in earlier tragedy,
mainly SOPHOCLES31 (e.g. ùrcTipéxrmaEl., 1358; x«payjia Ph., 267;
arcápayna Ant., 1081; rcX-fiyna Tr., 522; Ant., 1283), and Euripides
(e.g. áye|AÓveti|i.aPh., 1492; Oepárcevna Hyps., fr. I, 2, 12 Bond; H.
F., 633; Ph., 1549; oiKovptma Heracl., 700; Hipp., 787; Or., 928).
Two such formations in dramatic poetry, occurring only in Euripides,
are also found in fourth - century tragedy : èpú0íin,a (E., Ph., 1488;
CHAEREM., Alphesiboea, fr. 1, 4 Sn.), ti0r|vîin.a, a vox euripidea
(Hyps., fr. 60, 1, 10 Bond; CHAEREM., Odysseus, fr. 13, 2 Sn.). The
predilection of Euripides for -pia nouns caused the wit Aristophanic
parody (Ach., 426, 432 rcercX,ó>|xaxa,paicrónaxa).
v. 16-17 ... MatávSpov ¿oaîç / Kaprceunâxœv àpôeuxà
SayiXet jcoxtp,«watered by abuňdent water in Meander's stream». A
remarkably close image of a river watering fields is that in A., Pers.,
487 o'> / Enepxeióç ap8ei neôíov eùjieveî rcoxto.
fr. 3 Sn.
v. 1 èppíçri, a second form of past passive éppí<p0riv,occurs only

in later texts from Euripides onwards : E., Hec., 335 pKpévxeç,
Melanippe, fr. 489 N. àjwpì ßoü<; picpévxa BoxcoxòvKaÀeîv (probably
also from a narrative passage)32; PL., Lg., XII, 944 b ... Kprurvcòv
pitpévxeçàncoretrav örcÄ,a,poetic in A. P., XII, 234, 2 épí<pt|.èppíçti
rcoôóç (without preposition), instead of arcò rcoôóçèppí(pr|.A precedent
is traced in A., Th., 326-328 xâç ôè Kexeipa>|xévaç ayeaöai / ... /
ijcjniôòv 7tX.oKá|xo)v(captive women were dragged by the hair like
horses)33, where arcò tcÄ0k<x|a<dv would be expected; arcó denotes place
and more specifically motion (L.S.J.9, s.v. 1, 1); cf. èk denoting motion,
e.g. èie xetpóç ßaXXeiv or rcaíeiv (L.S.J.9 s.v. I, 1).
v. 3 xíç yàp àv0' 'HpaK^éovç : xíç yàp <&XXoç) övö'
'H.; was added by Wecklein. The construction is again Sophoclean : Ai.,
518 xíç ôfjx' è|i.oí yévoix' av àvxi aoí» rcaxpíç; «What home, then, could I
find if I lost you?» The exceptional character of the person implied
('HpaicÃiovç ,ctov) is effectively stressed in both texts. Jr., 576-577 ...
¿Saxe |xt|xiv'eioiôàv / axépÇei yuvaÎKa keîvoç àvxì ooîi34 nXéov, «so that
31 A. A. Long,Languageand Thought inSophocles.A StudyofAbstract Nounsand
PoeticTechnique, London,1968,p. 35 ff.
32 WEBSTER, The Tragediesof Euripides,London,1967,p. 150, 155,assumesa
prjoiçex machina ora narrative
prologue.
33 Hutchinson(inA.,Th.,ad loc.)notessimilar scenesofwomendragged bythehair
in E., I. A.,790-792,Andr.,402, and in archaeological monuments. Cf. H. J. Rose's
commentary (Amsterdam,1957)at Th.,328.
34 'Avtìaoí) forthesimpleooûafterthecomparative : see JEBB,ad loc. Thereis
mixture of two different
expressions : outivaoxépÇei aoî>
àvtì aoû andoìSxivacrtépljei
jtXéov : see M. Davies notead loc. (Oxford,1991,p. 162).

he shall never look upon any woman to love here more than you». The
exceptional feeling of love is strengthenedby the comparative (nXáov).
II. THE MENEDEMUS OF LYCOPHRON35
fr. 2 Sn.
ZIA. jtaîôeç Kpatíatou rcaxpòç èÇcoÀiaxaxoi,

èyà) |xèvú|iív, àç ópaxe, axpt|vi(ò-
ôeutvov yàp oiíť èv Kapía, (xà xoùç 0eoúç,
4 oik' êv 'PóÔq) xoioûxov oiíť èv Auôía
•
Kaxéxû) ôeÔeiJtvriKcóç"AjcoM,ov, ©ç KaXóv
àXkà kdA-Íkiov
•oôapèç ó Jtaîç JtepifÌYe xoû jtevxcoßoXov),
8 •
àxpé|Kx 7tapeêaxr|KÓç ö x' àX,ixr|pioç
Kai ôti|j.ókoivoç ènexópeue 8a'|/iMiq
0ép|i.oç, jceviíxtovKai xpiKXívov <xujutóxT|ç.
2 1 jcatpòç] naiôòç : Canter; cf. Soph. lehn. 147 -toioûôeTtaxpòça» mielata

0ilpí(ovII 3 et 5 carentcaesuris quod in satyrisfort,agnoscendum,cf. longa et
aneipitia soluta, zeugma Porsonianumneglectum(2, 2 et 10) II 5 Katéxto=
nénvTinai,ex® Nauck I icaÀ.óvironice II 9 Stiixóvikoç ((ievéôr|(ioçE) Ath. 420,
SrinÓKpiToç id. 55 : Casaub. I èjiexópeuce Ath. 55, Ath. ènextópevae420 A,
èêxópewe ib. CE II 10 -ícAávov
Ath.55, -kXívovçid. 420.
fr. 3 Sn.
ojç èK Ppaxeíaç ôavxòç ri ßata kóXiÇ

aûxoîç KOKÀ,etxainpòç |iéxpov, xpáynixa ôè
ó aôMppoviaxrjçJtâatv èv |oiaq) Xóyoç
3 2 6è Diog. L., yàp Ath. II 3 Ttâaivèv (léacoAth., xoíç <piXr|KÓoiç

Diog. L.; cf.
Antiphan.fr. 207, 1-4 (2, 101) K. et Plut., VII sap. conv. 156 D ai Moûaax
Ka0ájcepKpa-tripa èv néacpjtpo0é|ievaitòv Xóyov.
vr|<páÂ,iov
fr. 4 Sn.
jcoXÀáKiç
awóvxaç aùxoùç
èrtiitXeîovó opviçKaTEâ|i.ßavE
35 Thetextsare toSnell, Tragicorum Graecorum

according p. 276-277.
Fragmenta2,
Sourceof fr.2-4 : Antigonus Caryst., in Ath., X, 420 b. Partshave also been
: fr.2, 8-10in Ath.,II, 55 c (Epitome),
preserved fr.3 inD. L. II, 139.

xriveco KaXœv
( X- u - X) xotai 8' oùÔénco KÓpoç
4 2 ó rpve©KaXœvKaxeX«ßev opviç-tovoi... MeinekeII 3 gallus auroram'evocať,

'provocai',Ov., Met. II, 598; Fast. I, 458.
IL 1. Action - thematic motifs
While in Sositheus the object of the caricature is a mythological

figure, in Lycophron the personality of a contemporary philosopher
seems to provide excellent material for burlesque. His satyr play
Menedemus appears to have been a unique piece which amusingly dealt
with the modest living and high thinkingof the Eretrianphilosopher.
The parody of Menedemus is inevitably connected with the much-
disputed question of the character of the play. DIOGENES LAERTIUS in
his Life of Menedemus (H, 140) attests that Lycophron' s satyr play was
composed as a tribute (éyKcóîov) to Menedemus. On the other hand, in
the Epitome of Athenaeus (II, 55 c-d) the play is said to have been
writtenetcìKatancoicnaei, in ridicule of the philosopher.
This discrepancy in the two main sources has divided modern
scholars who have expressed agreement either with Diogenes36 or with
Athenaeus37.
A careful examination of the fragments and the context in which
the sources (both Athenaeus and Diogenes) quote from the play
convincingly suggest, in my opinion, that Lycophron parodied his friend
Menedemus using a kind of subtle irony and mild satirical treatment
which conform with the újtóvoia or allusion of Middle Comedy as
opposed to the aiaxpoXoyia or abuse of Old Comedy38.
Though criticism of contemporaries is absent from fifth-century
satyr plays and characterizes the Old and Middle Comedy, it is worth
noting that the very few remnants of Hellenistic satyr plays suggest that
personal attack on living famous contemporaries, esp. philosophers, is a
main thematic feature of this era's satyric drama. The fact provides a
36 An èyKœjnov wasthought tobe by: e.g.V. Steffen,De Lycophronis Menedemo,

inCharisteria T. Sinko, Varsaviae1951,331-337.
37 A ridicule by: I. Wikarjak,De Menedemo Lycophroneinfabulasatyrica , in
irriso
Eos , 43 (1948-1949),p. 127-137; van Rooy, op. cit., p. 127 ff.,aptlyconcludes
(p. 134) : «Lycophroninfluencedby the parodyand mockeryof philosophers...
particularlyin Comedy, wrotethisplayin a mocking tribute
fashionas a paradoxical to
thephilosopher.» (For referencesto further on thequestion,ibid.,p. 141,n.
literature
25).
38 Ar., E. N. IV, 1128 a 22; cf. also Sch. D. T., XVIII a, 37 ff.Koster... xpeîç
ôiOKpopàç eôoÇevexeivi' Kco^(p8ía- Kai ti ¿lèvKaÀ,eÎT<xi
rcaXaiá,i' èÇ àpxíiççavepôç
zXéyxovaa, tiôè néonfiaiviyiiaxœôâç, ... .

further indication that satyr play was approaching Comedy in this

period.
Mockery of Menedemus' meagre fare is cleverly implied in fr. 2,
v. 3-5, when his dinners are thought to be superior to the proverbially
luxurious Carian, Lydian and Rhodian feasts. The specific details of the
offered drinks and dishes are explicitly ridiculed in v. 6-10 : the wine
has been mixed with too much water (ûôapéç) and was sour, «having
turned slightly» (àtpé|o.a napd;eaxT|KÓç). The damnable plebeian lupin
came dancing on in lavish abundance : ö x' àXixripioç/ Kai ôrmÓKovvoç
èjtexópeve òa''f'Xr'q / 0ép(ioç. The far-fetchedextension of metaphorical
usage involved in the unusual association of àX,irnpioçand 8thiókoivoç
with Bépôç, «the lupin», is indicative of Lycophron's lexical and
stylisticpeculiarities.
Exaggerations in imagery and mock-solemnity, a kind of tò
anovôaioyéXoiov39, are used to parody Menedemus' talkativeness and
pomposity in fr. 4, plausibly reconstructed40 from Athenaeus, X
420c : iaxopeíxai ôè Kai on jroXX-áKiçauvóvtaç aùxoùç eici jcX.eîovó
opviç KaxeXafißave xrçv eco KaX&v, xoîai 5è oùSéna) KÓpoç, «it is
recorded also that often, when the company stayed ratherlong, the bird
that announces the dawn overtook them, but they were not yet sated»41.
The pun implied in KÓpoç seems to concern both the intellectual
discource and the insufficientquantityof the fare42.
The similarityof settingwith that at the end of Plato's Symposium
is remarkable43.
Interestingly, the mockery at this point coincides with
Menedemus' parody and satire by his contemporaries. As we know
from DIOGENES' Vita of Menedemus (II, 140), in his earlier years the
philosopher was despised by the Eretrians who called him a Xfjpoç,
«idle talker, silly, a humbug», while Crates and Timon ( ap . D.L. II,
126) satirized his pompousness by calling him «the Eretrian bull» and «a
puffingsupercilious purveyor of humbug».
The subtle parody of Menedemus' modest living is certainly very
differentin scale from the aggressiveness of personal attacks of Old
Comedy. It obviously recalls the allusive mocking fashion of treating
living philosophers' manners in Middle Comedy, such as those of Plato
and his Academicians (Alexis, fr. 1, 151; Aristophon, fr. 8;
AMPHIS, fr. 13; EPICRATES, fr. 10; EPHIPPUS, fr. 14 K.-A.)44.
39 See van Rooy, on itsmeaning.

40 By Steffen, passim,
cit.,p. 335,in Eos, 63 (1975),p. 12 f.
41 In op.
general,
according to theLoebtranslation at Ath.,X, 420 c.
42 Thus van Rooy, p. 132.
43 Cf.R. Kannicht,Musa , p. 298,n.7.
44 For allusionsto Tragica
philosophers in Middle Comedy,see Webster, S.L.G.C.2,
p. 37 ff.,esp. 50 ff.;Arnott, op. cit.,p. 70 f.; Xanthakis-Karamanos, Parallel

Though personal attack on contemporaries was not treated in fifth-

century satyric drama, it is important for the development of satiric
motifsto remember thatregardingpersonal mockery the Menedemus had
two precedents in fourth-centurysatyr plays : the Agen of Python and
the Ikarioi <I<xxx)pox>of Timocles.
91 Python F l45
ArHN SATYPIKOZ
ecrnv 5' ornou|i.èv ó KáXaixoç nétpxjx'Ö8e

t <péxa>|i'aopvov, ox)Ç àpxaxepâç 8' oôe
7tópvr|çó kXeivòç vaóç, ov ôf| naX,Xí8riç
4 xetiâç Kaxéyvco8xà xò np&yfi'amor» <px)yr|v.
èvxaúÕa 8r' x<ovßapßapoov xivèç (íáyoi
ópwvxeç aùxòv jtayKáKcoçôiaKeí|ievov
è'icEiaav <bçaÇoxjax xrjv'|/x)xiivavto
8 xrivHo0iovíkt|ç ...
8a ... ÈK|ia0eív 8é aox) jioGcò
(laKpàv cotoxkôv íceíGev, 'Ax0í8a xôóva
xíveç xúxax fKaXovaxv ìì npáxxoxxjxx(.
( B ) öxe |xèv e<paoKov SovXov èKxfjoGaxßiov,
91 1 sq. oô' ècpéxconaopvov FiorilloII 2 atóncon'Erbse coll. Aesch. Pers.

: distinxit
877 II 3 Xaóç,: Casaub. coll. Soph. El. 7 oi)i; àpioxepâç S' oôe "Hpaç ó Kêivóç
vaóç II5 ôií vûv ? II 6 jtayKáXcoç: JacobsII 7 : àÇioáiai : Casaub. II 10 xpaxowoiv
Kaibel,icpaivovmv Steffen
12 úcavòv èôeÍTWouv• vxjv 8è xòv xéôpojca (xóvov

Kaì xòv |i.ápa0ov eaOovox, jtx)pox>ç8' ov iiáXa.
( A ) Kal (niv ùkoxxo |a.upxá8aç xòv "ApjiaX,ov

aùxoxax xcòv 'Ayrivoçox)k èÀáxxovaç
16 aíxox) 8xaíté|i'|/axKaì itoÀxxr|v
yeyovévax.
( B ) rX,x)KÉpaçò axxoç oxjxoçrjv, eaxax 8' 'íomç
aùxoìaxv òAiGpou kox>xexaípaç appaßcav
12 xeöpcüTiavá>|iòv: PorsonII 13 tòv napaGcov': Musur.II 15 èXáaa. Ath.596 B II

586 D II 17 eaxai Ath.586 D, «m 596 B II
Ath.596 B, 7iapané|x'|r<xi
16 Sia7ié(iV)/ai
18 aùxoîçAth.586 D.
Developments inPost-classicalTragedy 2,p. 56 ff.,93 ff.;H. G. Nesselrath,

and Comedy
op. cit.,p. 226 f.,228,295 andpassim.
45 Ap.Ath.,Xm, 595 d-596b(v. 1-18),586 d (v. 14-18);cf.Epit.,n, 50 f.The text
follows thatprinted Graecorum
bySnell, Tragicorum Fragmenta2, p. 260.

Timocles46
17 (15)
TÓv x' ixOuóppouv Jtoxa|i.òv'Yjiepeíôr|v jtépa,

oç tiJiíaiç(pcovaÎCTivëfitppovoçXóyov
ko(iTioiç jta(pA,áÇ(ovt tijcîoiç t Jťuicvcó(xaai
Ttpòçnav u - G - u - ôuaaç ë%ei
5 (iiaÔcoTÒçap8ei neôia toû SeôcoKÓxoç
Athen.VIII p. 342 A (post fr.4) Kai èv 'IicapíoiçÔè ó aúiòç tcoitittiç qynai(Kai

àM,axo$- CE). TÓvxe - ôeô.
1. úrcepeíôiivA : -pí5r|vCE I rcépaJacobs apud Schweigh.: rcépaaovA, -áaov
CE : rcepaiçFiorilloObs. in Athen,p. 5 II 2 oç CE (om. v. 2-4) : om. A I f|7ciaiç
Jacobs: at|7cíaiçA : inrcíaiçHermannOpuse. I p. 50 (coll. Ar. Ran. 821. 924) II 3
A : koma|/òç
ko|I7eoiç Dobree Adv. II p. 318 : ßoîßeiKock : Kourceî
Headlam CIR 13
(1899) 7 I fircíoiç
A (cf. 2) : vrirc-
Hermann: ai^ôiç Dobree : bnxíoxq Kaibel II 4
rcpoçíiavÔDoaç è%eiA : rcpòç7tav(tò(;oatiç xPV(Jòv èv)ôt)aaç exr|i Hermann :
Ttpòçnãv (ànavccòvK^fjiBp'oxav) A,t>aaçe^rji Kaibel (Xvoaç iam Kock in
supplemento prorsusdiverso)
We should distinguish from the very beginning the difference in
aggressive tone marking out the parody of Harpalus and Hypereides in
these two satyrplays respectively and the mild mockery of Menedemus
by Lycophron.
Both the Agen and the Ikarioi point to a new development of the
satyric drama as a genre and involve strongpersonal attack mpdelled on
the iambic idea of Old Comedy47. In these two earlier satiric treatments
and the Menedemus there is a clear tendency to a realistic depiction of
contemporaries, which is typical of the Old and esp. the Middle
Comedy. The looseness of the iambics is a furthercommon feature of
the Agen4*, the Menedemus and Comedy.
Lycophron' s innovation in the treatmentof the subject consists in
his diminishing the explicit aggressiveness of the personal parody which
characterizes these two fourth-century satyr plays. Like Sositheus,
following the Hellenistic literarytrends,he achieved a fusion of typical
features of Middle Comedy and fifth-centurysatyric drama: employing
Thetextis according toR. Kassel-C. Austin,PoetaeComiciGraeci,VII (Berolini

et Novi Eboraci,1989),p. 768.
47 Hypereides is described(fr.17 K.-A.,ap. Ath.,VIII, 342 a) as «readyforhire,
wateringthefieldsofthebriber» (accordingto theLoeb translation
ofAthenaeus ad loc.).
Harpalus is saidtohavesenttheAthenians ofcornandtohavebeenmadea
largequantities
honorary citizen(v. 14-16).He «is reallyonlyintenton procuringa beautiful
hetairafrom
Athens» : Snell, ScenesfromGreekDrama, Berkelev/Los Angeles,1964,p. 110.
48 On theversification of theAgen: Snell, op. cit.,p. 101-103.

an anachronism, he introduced the mild personal mockery of a

contemporary philosopher in a purely mythological environment with
Silenus and the satyrs49.
Both Silenus as a main dramatis persona addressing the chorus of
satyrs and the reference to a banquet-scene are typical features of the
mythological fifth-centurysatyr plays, such as the Cyclops, the Syleus
of Euripides and Ion's Omphale50.
II. 2. ECHOES OF LANGUAGE AND IMAGERY
The Menedemus of Lycophron involves remarkable lexical and

stylisticechoes of earlier dramatic poetry,togetherwith new formations
(e^coXeaxaxoi), new connotations attributedto common formations (e.g.
àxpéna, àXitripioç), new metaphorical usages (<xÂ,ixr|pioç Kai
ôrifAÓKotvoçOépixoç) and unusual associations of words (kuXíkiov
Ú8apéç ... àxpéîa jrapeÇeaxriKÓç,Jtevrixtov Kai xpiKÂávou av>(xjtóxrjç).
This poet's learned background is convincingly shown by the
remarkable affinitieswith tragedy in paratragic usages and particularly
by the coincidences in language and imagery with Old and Middle
Comedy. The many learned allusions to comic texts point to his
scholarly education and especially to his revision (ôiópGcoaiç) of Attic
Comedy51.
The style, quite plain and vigorous, differs remarkably from the
extreme and deliberate obscurityof the Alexandra.
In the extant fragments, all preserved, as has been said,52 in a
unity in the tenth book of Athenaeus, Silenus, the old satyr, speaks to
the young satyrsin a traditionallysatyric setting.
fr. 2 Sn.
The firstfragmentis full of comic colloquialisms and vulgarisms.

v. 1 naîôeç lepaxíoTOD naxpòç ¿ÇcoXéoxaToi : Both
language and imagery distinctly echo Silenus addressing the chorus of
49 Cf.L. Campo,I drammi satireschidella Greciaantica,Milano,1940,p. 89. The

referenceto thechorusof satyrs, playedOrientalsorcerers, seemsto be impliedin the
Agen: Snell, op. cit.,p. 106 f.
50 On thebanquet-motif dramasee N. Chourmouziades,
in satyric larvpiKá,Athens,
1974,p. 139 ff.
51 Accordingto Tzetzes' Prolegomena , 'Iaxéovöxi 'AÀiÇavôpoçó AixœXôç Kai
AuKÓ<ppcDvó XaX,KiÔe')çuno IlxoXenaíou xoû OiA,aÔáA,<poi) xàç GKTjviKÔtç
rcpoxparcévxeç
Ôiœp0(ooavpípÔDç, AuKÓíppoov|ièvxàç xf'çKcajicpôíaç, Sè xàç xfjçxpayípôíaç,
'A^éÇavôpoç
àXkaÔtjKal xàçoaxDpimç : see R. Pfeiffer,Historyof ClassicalScholarship , Oxford,
1968,p. 105 ff.,aptlyinterpretingÔiopôoûv as «toputin theright order».
52 Aboven. 35.

G. XANTHAK3S-KARAMANOS 137
satyrs in S., Ich., 147 (153 Radt) xoioû[8]e naxpóç53, © icáiciaxa

0T|pí(ov. The Sophoclean verse convincingly confirms Canter's
correction rcaxpòç for the obvious dittography maiôòç (naîSeç ...
jiaxôòç). Since Canter, and later Casaubon, naxpòç has been widely
accepted54.
Silenus addresses his traditional sons, the satyrs, as young men.
Such a reference, alluded in HOR., A. P., 239 custos famulusque dei
Silenus alumni, esp. 246 (Fauni) iuvenentur55,is fairlycommon in fifth-
century satyric drama, where the satyrs are thus contrasted with their
father Papposilenus : S., Ich., Al (53 Radt) naîôaç ô' èn[oú]ç, 147-
148 (153-154 Radt) xoioû[ô]e maxpòç ... / ot> jtóÀA,'ê<p' tfßrighvtuaccx'
ávôpeíaç vno, E., Cyc., 13, 16, 27-28 (Silenus speaks the prologue)
(èyò)) ... avv tékvoigi vavaxoXS), naîôeç, naîôeç ... / ... véoi JtetpDKÓxeç
/
èyròde ..., 100-10156, where Odysseus is the speaker : laxúpcov ... /
Xaípeiv Tcpooeîna Ttpôxa xòv yepaíxaxov. In the previous scene (v. 82)
aiyriaax', & xéicv', Silenus addresses the satyrs who are asking him (v.
84) àxàp ôf| xíva, náxep, onovòr'v ëxeiç; He is constantly referredto as
their rcaxrip(v. 272, 431, 597).
éÇtoÃiaxaxoi, the superlative unlisted in L.S.J.9 51and probably
not attestedbefore Lycophron, appears to have two comic occurrences in
incert. fr. 387 K., in a proverb Auôoi novripoí, ôevxepox ô' Aiyúnxioi, /
xpíxoi Sè jcávxcovKapeç è^coXéaxaxoi58 and in fr. 774 K., ap. PLUT., de
garr., 510 b xòv KaKiaxov ooxiç èoxì Kaì xòv è^toAiaxaxov59. Found in
later prose (Plut., Clem.Al., Joseph., Orígenes etc.), in passive meaning
it seems to denote 'the utterly destroyed, pernicious, ruined' (active
meaning : 'utterly destructive'). Derived from èÇó>A.-eia, 'utter
eç, the superlative èôoÀiaxaxoi conveys
destruction', oMa>|ii, è^ó>X,-riç,
strongexaggeration of meaning which adds to the satyric,mocking tone.
In its many comic occurrences in the comparative, it is usually part
of a formula aiming at classifying a group of persons, a certain type,
profession, trade, race, tribe of men (yévoç, ëôvoç, xe%víov etc.
è^caXécxepov); cf. 'damned' in English; éÇtoXéaxepovis said either - and
more frequently - as a conclusion at the end of a prjcnç (Antiph., fr.
157, Anaxil., fr. 22 K.-A.) or at its beginning followed by the
53 «ad ToioûSeTtcxtpóç
potiusovxeçsubaudias»notesRadt.Cf. ibid. v. 147 Radt:
KÓcKicrca
0T)pcovov0[..lv.
54 Withthe
exceptionof Wikarjak, op. cit., 127 ff.,esp. 129, who keptand
defended
thereading ofthemssnaiòòç.
55 Cf.C. O. Brink's(Cambridge, 1971)n. ad loc. (p. 287, 292).
56 See R. Seaford,EuripidesCyclops, Oxford, 1984,notead loc. (p. 122).
AlsonotcitedbyR. Renehan,GreekLexicographical Notes, Göttingen,1975(=
Hypomnemata , 45).
58 Diogenian, VI, 24; Apost.,X, 100C.P.G. (I, p. 274,II, p. 514).
59 «Themostabandoned man»according to theLoebtranslation.

explanation of such an execration of that particular group (DlPHIL., fr.

87 K.-A.). For the persistence of the formula in later comedy, it is worth
noting that,recorded in ARISTOPHANES' embryonic products of Middle
Comedy (Pl., 442-44360 Ilevía yáp èaxiv, a> nóvnp', f)ç oùôaôû /
oi>8èv jtétpuKeÇqjov èÇioÂiaxepov, «the most destructive pest» ..., and
Ec., 1053, 1070, in identical phrasing xoûxo ... èkeívou [xoúxou at
1070) to KaKÒv é^œAiaxepov], it is frequent in fourth-centurycomic
texts : Antiph., fr. 157, 10-12 K.-A. ap. ATH., VI, 226 c., ANAXIL.,
fr. 22, 30-31 K.- A. ap. ATH., XIII, 558 a-e, DIPHILUS fr. 87, 1-2 K.-
A. ap. Ath., II, 55 d (immediately following LYC., Menedemus, fr. 2,
9-10 Sn.).
The firstverse involves in a bold contrast Silenus' commendation
of his own bravery (tcpaxíoxou naxpóç) and his strong censure of the
satyrs' worthlessness (èÇtoÀiaxaxoi). From the very beginning the
language distinctly echoes both typical satyric elements and comic
colloquialisms (è^œXéaxaxoi)), together with the Hellenistic trend of
introducinglexical variants to common formulas.
v. 2 èyò> ... oxpriviâ) : axpTiviáco, «run riot, wax wanton»
renders L.S.J.9, ài aicxto is read in Sud. (a 1201 Adler), while F.
Schramm61explains it gestire, i.e. «to exult, to be joyful, cheerful». The
verb, not found in fifth- centurydramatic poetry and earlier literature,is
remarkably frequent in later, especially comic, texts from the fourth
century onwards, for the common xputpáco, and denotes «to be
p£u<á|ie0a / xaîoiv
licentious, run riot» (cf. e.g. AR., Lys., 405 Çv>h.jcovti
yvvaiÇi Kai ôiôáaKO)|i£v xptxpâv). The partiality for the formation,
particularly in Middle Comedy, is explicitly attested by PHRYNICHUS,
eel., 358 K.-A. axprjvi&v- xoúxto éxpriaavxo oi xtíç |xéar|ç (var. lect.
véaç) K(0|j.cpôíaçrcouixaí, © ov>ô' av ixaveíç xiç xpâixo, rcapòv Xeyeiv
xptxpâv. The evidence is confirmed by a number of instances from
Middle Comedy, where abundant feasts are approved or mocked, as in
Lycophron : SOPHIL., fr. 7 K.-A. ap. ATH., Ill, 100 a, ANTIPH., fr. 82
K.-A. ap. Ath., Ill, 127 d. In New Comedy DlPHIL., incert. fr. 133 K.-
A. may provide a remarkable source for the colloquial use of the term :
ap. ANTIATT., p. 113, 25 axprivmv koc0' ot> ó ßio<; ('h.e. communis
loquendi usus' Meineke) xáaaei AúpiXoç.Ixprjvi© is thus a most evident
instance of the many comic colloquialisms used by Lycophron62.
60 Cf.vanLeeuwen'snotead loc.
61 Tragicorum graecorum hellenisticaequae dicituraetatisfragmenta, Münster, 1929,
p. 35.
62 AlreadyK. Latte, in Hermes, 60 (1925), p. 9, n. 1, enumerated it in the
vulgarisms of Lycophron's text,together withKaxéxco ôeôeinvíiKÓç(v. 5), TtapeÇeaxTiKÓç
(v. 8), andnpòçnéxpov (= êxpiax;)(fr.3. 2). Relativeformationsof axpîiviœin comic
texts: axpiivóv codd.)inNiCOSTR.,
(oxpfìvov fr.38 K.-A.,ap. Phot., p. 543, 13,axpfjvoç
in Men.,Sententiae , 18,3, 7,axptivóqxovoç, «rough- or loud - voiced»,in thefifth-

G. XANTHAKLS-KARAMANOS 139
v. 5 "AnoWov, œç k<xA,óv. After the ironical, mocking

comparison of the Eretrian philosopher's trivial dinners to the
proverbially luxurious Carian, Rhodian and Lydian feasts (v. 3-5),
Silenus' admiration for the fine quality of Menedemus' meal reaches its
climax in this final exclamation.63 The address to a god ("ArcoXXov),
usually Zeus,, to express admiration is distinctly comic : AR., Av., 667,
Eq., 1390 (© Zeû noXimuriö'). In New Comedy, in Damoxenus'
satyric account of the philosophizing cook (fr. 2, 52 K.-A.), the same
exclamation "AnoXkov is said of admiration for the cook's Epicurean -
like philosophical thinking. The collocation "AnoXXov,róçkocXóvhas a
close parallel of both phrasing and structure (address to a god + <bç
kccàóv) in AR., Av. ,667, where Peisetaerus exclaims co Zeû
7toX')TÍp,ri0',œç kocÀ-Óv
xovpvíGiov, / <bç ô' ànaXóv, ©ç ôè ÀeuKÓv.In a
differentcontext it is found in Eq., 1390 © Zev 7totamnr|0', róç KaXaí
(KaXaí conveying a twofold implication)64.
Lycophron transposed the literal meaning of the Aristophanic
exclamation to a distinctlyironical connotation to create a clever parody
of Menedemus' dinner.
v. 6-8 àXXá ... icapeÇeoTTjieóç : ûôapéç (úÔapriç, eç).
« watery», grammatically associated with kuàíktov, obviously refers to
the wine (oívoç) contained in kuXíkiov. The mockery expressed by this
peculiar association of words is clear : the wine has been mixed with too
much water65.
tot) TcevxooßoXou, genitive of value (0ßoÄ,<$<;), «worth five
obols», occurs from fifth-centurycomedy onwards : Ar., Eq., 798
(with Scholia ad loc.) ... rcevxcoßoXov riXiáaaaGcu (jtevTtoßoX.o'o
Küster), «to sit in the Heiiaea at five obols a day»66, cf. TlMOCL., fr.
20, 3-4 K.-A. ( ap . ATH., VI, 240 d-e) xcov <xv' oktco xoüßoAmj /
0ép|iovç naÀáÇaç-67 Prob, in Hellenistic age : AGLAIAS (4 B.C.-l
A.D.) fr. 18, 9 Suppl. Hell., has avGouç jxèv %ccXkoûTtevtcoßoÄov.
Inscriptional and later occurrences : tókoç n. I.G., XI 2, 146 B 17
(Delos, IV/III B.C.), 8pax|j.<xv 8vo 7ievxcoß0X,ovib., IV2 1, 109 123
(Epid.), EUST., Comm. ad Homeri Iliadem, I, 208, 22 v.d. Valk, Sch.
century poetCallias, fr.37 K.-A.,ap. POLL.,II, 112 (cf.Hsch.ctprivéç, axprjvovßoav).

Lateroccurrences fromtheHellenistic age onwards
: oxpîivriç,
éç (A.R.,II, 323 withSch.;
A.P., VII, 287,3), axpf|voç
(Lyc.,Alex.,438;A.P.,VII, 686,6 [Pall.]; Rhian.,fr.716,1
Suppl.Hell.,ecclesiasticwriters, etc.).
63 Cf.van Rooy,
op. cit.,p. 131.
See A.H. Sommerstein, The Comediesof Aristophanes, vol.II Knights,1981,
noteat v. 1391,p. 219.
65 van Rooy,loc. cit.
Suda n 985 Adlerexplains: icevTcoßoXov riA,iáaao0ai... A,a(j.ßavovrajiia0òv
7cevTö>ßoXov,àXK'où ipicoBoXov.Kai 7ceu.7C(üßoA,ov.
67 Cf. v. 10 0ép|ioç.On and its cognates,G. A. Gerhard, Phoinix von
òpoA,óç
Kolophon,LeipzigundBerlin,1909,p. 137 f.

in Iliadem I, 463, 1 Erbse jcE|i.jc(oßoA,a8ià xò iati <rujj.jteaeîv xq>

jtevTtößoXov.
àxpéjia napeêaxiiKÓç, «slightly sour», refers, as úôapéç, to
the wine contained in kvXîkiov. As for úôapéç, the mockery of the
drinks offered in Menedemus' dinners is here wittly and explicitly
expressed.
v. 8-10 ò x' àX'xf|pioç ... cunítóxiiç : After the drink, the food
offeredfor dinner provides the object for mockery and satire. The verses
contain strong and far - fetched metaphors for disapproving the main
dish, the 0ép|xoç, «lupin».
èrcexópeue, «danced forth». In using this verb, Lycophron
adopted a typically comic formula. The compound, recorded in Ar.,
Pax, 1317 Kàrcixopeúeiv (v.l. KàrciKeXeúeiv) and X., Symp., 9, 4
ènixopevaaç, «dance in honour», «come dancing toward», is fairly
common in later comedy on dishes brought to table, i.e. in contexts
similar to that in Lycophron : DIPHIL., fr. 43, 1 K.-A., ap. ATH., VI,
230 f apiaxov èjtexópevaev ¿KêXeyjAevov .. / òaxpécov yévri /
Ttavxoôowtá,..., DIPHIL., fr. 64, 4 K.-A., ap. ATH., IV, 156 f (said of a
large sea-perch that «came dancing» into the guests during a little but
splendid dinner) : xò ôeircvápiov àvOripòv fiv, ... / eiç xò piaov
èrcexópeuae aajcépôriç ixéyaç. Probably in C.G.F.P., 292, 20 ßoXßo£
(ßoXßoq ) èjtixopeútexai Page, èjrexópeua' ap.a Koerte.
Similar formations in such contexts are frequent in comic texts :
èîteiaénXeiis said of «opulent pieces of baked tunnies» in EUB., fr. 36, 1
K.-A. ap. ATH., VII, 300 c ... 0t>vvcov ixeyaXÓJtXoDx'èiteiaéjtA.ei /
únoyáaxpia òtcxôv - emfiye is used of «a heap of broiled meats rushing
...» in DIPHIL., fr. 43, 4 K.-A. ... ònxóàv ènf|ye atopòç àrcò xov
xriyávov - èjie8óvei of «a lot of melted cheeze sizzling over ...» in
ANTIPH., fr. 183, 3 K.-A. ap. ATH., Ill, 96 b è<p0óç xwpòç èneôóvei
jtoÀúç - e7ußaK%euaax<ö is said of fish-slice in NlCOSTR., fr. 5, 1 K.-
A. ap. ATH., Ill, 118 e BuÇávxióv (xe> xéjxaxoç eTtißaKxewaax®.
Accordingly, in thatcase Lycophron seems to have merely adopted
an established and effectivecomic metaphor, suitable to the satirical tone
of Silenus' narrative.
6ép(ioç, the kernel of the parody, «the lupin, Lupinus albus», is
frequent in later texts from the 4th century onwards (e.g. THPHR., H.P.,
VIII, 11, 2; DSC., II, 170; A.P., XI, 413), and also occurs in Middle
Comedy, with reference to poor meals, parasites and starvation :
TlMOCL., fr. 20, 4 K.-A. ap. ATH., VI, 240 d-e (with coincidences in
phraseology and imagery) ó yàp TiGúnaÀloç68 oiSxcoçaveßito / koîStì
xe0vt|K<í>ç,x(Dv àv' òkxw xoi)ßoA.ot>0ép(iot)ç |xaX.áâç ..., «Tithymallus
68 A notorious
parasite: TlMOCL.,fr.21 K.-A.TiGvjiaXXov
oròtòv
Kal jcapáaxtov
withthenotebyKasselandAustin.
àitoKaXmv

completely dead, came to life first by chewing some lupins ...». In

ALEXIS, fr. 167, 9-11 K.-A. ap. Ath., n, 54 f., a poor woman says
referringto her family's poverty ... tá |xépr|8' f||icov/ %r'oúvaîç toî»
ßiov) èatlv / kíkxuoç, 0ép(j.oç, Xá%avov .... A similar scene of lupins
offered to somebody starving himself to death is vividly depicted in D.
L., VI, 94 in reference again to a philosopher : Metrocles of Maroneia,
Theophrastus' pupil.
Lycophron, in focusing his mockery of Menedemus' dinner, on
Gépnoç, most probably points to the traditional association of
philosophers with asceticism and vegetarianism. The theme is a favourite
of Middle Comedy : Antiphanes, fr. 120, 2-4 K.-A. describes «the
thin, starving,figwood sophists at the Lyceum»69, the Pythagoreans are
consistent, dirty vegetarians (ANTIPH., fr. 166; ALEX., fr. 27;
Mnesim., fr. 1; Aristoph., fr. 9 K.-A.) and Plato is censured of
making his pupils extremely thin (ARISTOPH., fr. 8 K.-A.)70. The
Stoics' partialityfor lentils was famous71.
The low living and the satirized indigence displayed in
Menedemus' dinners is eloquently depicted in the personified lupin, the
Gépnoç.
fr. 3 - 4 Sn.
Regarding language, imagery and content the two last fragments

from the Menedemus transportus to an entirely differentfield. If only
these texts had come down to us from Lycophron' s play, we should be
justified to agree with Diogenes Laertius that this satyr drama was
composed as an èyiccóîov,«tribute» on the philosopher. However, the
preceding text and the evidence in Athenaeus as a whole enable us to
find in these verses a tone of mock-seriousness72 which is differentin
scale fromthe explicit parody of the previous fragment.
The effect of seriousness and solemnity, conveyed in the last two
fragments,is created by the choice of serious vocabulary and imagery
which echo the solemnity of philosophic converse and sometimes
involve paratragic usages.
The verses of these two fragments also involve lexical
exaggeration to achieve parodie effect. The object of the mockery is
transposed here from the quality and quantity of Menedemus' dinners to
the solemn converse of the philosophers, contrastingit with the frugality
69 See Webster,S.L.G.C.2,p. 52.

70 Webster,op. cit., 50; Xanthakis-Karamanos, cit., 58, 59.,94 ff.,98;
p. op. p.
Nesselrath, op. cit.,p. 295.
Cf. Ath., IV, 158 a 11 : axcoiKov
ÔèÔóy|o.a
èaxìvöxite návxaeu rcorriaei
ó aocpòç
Kai (paicfjv
(ppovíuGKàpxúaei.
72 Cf.VANROOY, 131f.
p.

of the offered food.73 The tone of mock- solemnity is certainly

compatible with the ajto-uôouoyéÀoxov of the traditional satyric drama.
Probable paratragic expressions echoing the earlier dramatic poetry
are notable :
fr. 3 Sn.
v. 1 ßaia kúA,iÇ : the dependence on S., Aichmalotides, fr. 42

Radt eoTceiaa ßaiaq kúà,ikoç is confirmed by the coincidence in
language and imagery. A similar image is provided by A. P., VI, 190, 8
(GABT.) xtjvKÚXtKoçßaico jtvGnéviKeu0on.évr|v,«lurking in the bottom
of the tinycup».
Paióç, said of number, «few, scanty'», and suggesting a collective
force as in Pl., P., 9, 77, is fairly common in tragedy, esp. in
SOPHOCLES : e.g. O. R., 750-751 jtóxepov éjccópeißaioq74, ìì jcoâAoúç
e%<ův/ avôpaç Xoxíxaç, oí' àvf|p àpxnyéxriçAj., 29275; Ph., 274; A.
Pers., 1023 (in an explicit contrast) ßaia y' àrcò noXk&v, etc.; and
from post-classical tragedy : MOSCHION, Themistocles, fr. 1, 3 ßatcx;
o%À.oç(xvpíaç Xóyxtiç Kpaxeî. In view of the frequency of |3aióç in
tragic texts in comparison to its very few occurrences in comedy (e.g.
Ar., Nu., 1013; Ach., 276; Antiph., fr. 35, 5 K.-A. (ßaia xpárceÇa
corr. Casaubon : ßaia xe néÇa Kock), the paratragic effect achieved by
Silenus' use of the adjective becomes evident.
v. 2 kukXeitgu, «passed round, went round», med. and pass.,
«form a circle round, encompass, encircle» renders L.S.J.9(v. kukàíco
II) omitting the instance from the Menedemus. Not recorded before the
fifthcentury B. C., the verb is also frequent in SOPHOCLES : incert. fr.
871, 1-2 Radt; Ai., 353; El., 1364-1365.
Lycophron seems thus to attribute a distinctly paratragic
connotation to this typically Sophoclean formation. The occurrences of
K')KÀ,eîa0ai in philosophic, esp. Platonic, texts (Tim., 38 a; Rep., X,
617 a; Polit., 270 b) are indicative of the mock - seriousness conveyed
by the expression. The object of the parody achieved by ßaia and
KDKÀeîxai is the small quantity of the wine offered, while in àxpé|o.a
jtapeêaxriKÓçin fr. 2, 8 the mockery concerned its quality.
In conclusion : the fortyverses left from the two plays discussed
of Sositheus and Lycophron are the longest and most importanttexts of
the «Pleiad» of Alexandrian tragic poets. Because, to quote Sir Denys
73 Cf.van Rooy, p. 132.

74 «Paióç identifies
thechiefwithhis retinue»Jebb;«witha scantyfollowing»
Kamerbeek.
75 «Hisanswering wordswerescanty»Stanford.
76 Starkie(repr.Amsterdam1968of the1909Londoned.), notedad loc.,p. 8, the
incomedy.
ofßaicx;
fouroccurrences

Page, «nothing in the history of the transmission of Greek Drama is

much more remarkable than the earliness, totalityand permanence of the
eclipse of Hellenistic Tragedy». Nevertheless, the remarkable echoes of
earlier dramatic poetry observed in these relatively short fragmentary
texts distinctly accord with the Alexandrian pursuits of writing
impressively learned verse.
DepartmentofClassics Georgia Xanthakis-Karamanos

ofAthens
University
Greece


Meerwaldt. Cleanthea I

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Meerwaldt. Cleanthea I

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

L’Antiquité Classique

Echoes of Earlier Drama in Sositheus' Daphnis and Lycophron's Menedemus

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

I. The Daphnis or Lityerses of Sositheus1

xoúxcoKeXatvai naxpíç,, àpxaía nóXtç

1 Tovtq)]oiixeoi : Nauck II 3 eúeiõoúç : ArnaudII 4 jtapájtX.. Tz., jtepírcA..

12 xókav xtç ^eívoç r' nape^íp,

* Thepaperwas presented as a communication in the10thFIEC Congress(Québec

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

16 èítioxaxcòvt o'iôt|<xMaiávôpou poaîç

0avà>v |ièv ouv MaíavSpov èppí(pt| Ttoôòç

3 1 oîv] eiç: EichstaedtII 2 oóXoç] oo<póç: corr.et glossema eiecit Casaub. Il 3

1. 1. Action - Thematic Motifs

The Daphnis or Lityerses of Sositheus represents the most

2 On Lityerses, W. Mannhardt,Mythologische Forschungen, Straßburg, 1884,

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

carmine>caputamputavit. Ita Daphnina periculoliberavit et ei Pimpleam , quamalii

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

barbarian inhumanity. Interestingly, the 'hero and monster' plot is

9 See TheCambridge History ofClassicalLiterature, p. 350.

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

in an atmosphere of both appearance and realityis a distinctlytragicomic

In the longer fragmentfrom the Daphnis or Lityerses of Sositheus

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

In accordance with this type of narrativemonologue thatEuripides

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

1. 3. Reminiscences of language and imagery

v. 1 àpxaía nóXiç : the traditional connotation of rcóXiç

17),a distinctlyEuripideanmotif also exploited

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

27 WithKamerbeek notingad loc.thenicesyntacticalbalanceoftheaccusativeatthe

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

õeicáiupopoç, «holding ten amphoras», is said of jcíGoç here, and

29 R. Seaford notesatE., Cyc.,388 «.. an is smaller

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

v. 1 èppíçri, a second form of past passive éppí<p0riv,occurs only

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

II. THE MENEDEMUS OF LYCOPHRON35

ZIA. jtaîôeç Kpatíatou rcaxpòç èÇcoÀiaxaxoi,

2 1 jcatpòç] naiôòç : Canter; cf. Soph. lehn. 147 -toioûôeTtaxpòça» mielata

ojç èK Ppaxeíaç ôavxòç ri ßata kóXiÇ

3 2 6è Diog. L., yàp Ath. II 3 Ttâaivèv (léacoAth., xoíç <piXr|KÓoiç

35 Thetextsare toSnell, Tragicorum Graecorum

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

4 2 ó rpve©KaXœvKaxeX«ßev opviç-tovoi... MeinekeII 3 gallus auroram'evocať,

IL 1. Action - thematic motifs

While in Sositheus the object of the caricature is a mythological

36 An èyKœjnov wasthought tobe by: e.g.V. Steffen,De Lycophronis Menedemo,

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

further indication that satyr play was approaching Comedy in this

39 See van Rooy, on itsmeaning.

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

Though personal attack on contemporaries was not treated in fifth-

ecrnv 5' ornou|i.èv ó KáXaixoç nétpxjx'Ö8e

91 1 sq. oô' ècpéxconaopvov FiorilloII 2 atóncon'Erbse coll. Aesch. Pers.

12 úcavòv èôeÍTWouv• vxjv 8è xòv xéôpojca (xóvov

( A ) Kal (niv ùkoxxo |a.upxá8aç xòv "ApjiaX,ov

12 xeöpcüTiavá>|iòv: PorsonII 13 tòv napaGcov': Musur.II 15 èXáaa. Ath.596 B II

Developments inPost-classicalTragedy 2,p. 56 ff.,93 ff.;H. G. Nesselrath,

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM

TÓv x' ixOuóppouv Jtoxa|i.òv'Yjiepeíôr|v jtépa,

Athen.VIII p. 342 A (post fr.4) Kai èv 'IicapíoiçÔè ó aúiòç tcoitittiç qynai(Kai

Thetextis according toR. Kassel-C. Austin,PoetaeComiciGraeci,VII (Berolini

This content downloaded from 109.175.155.171 on Thu, 22 May 2014 17:30:57 PM