60

Αισχρά (fr. 6)

242; Hunter 1983 on Eub. fr. 106 (107 K); Nesselrath 1990. 263-6 (riddles as
dithyrambic parody); Schultz 1914 (99-101 for the riddle in comedy); Ohlert
1912; Schultz 1909-1912.
Text Despite claims such as Dupreel 1922. 203 n. 2 ‘ce fragment est tout
en dorien’, δια- (as opposed to διη-) is the correct Attic form; cf. Threatte
1980 1.132; Mahlow 1926.173-5; Moer. δ 36 διανεκεϊ λόγω, ώς Πλάτων Ιππία,
Άττικώς. διηνεκεϊ Έλληνικώς. It is possible, however, that Anaxandrides
is accurately quoting Timotheus, so διηνεκή should be read in 1 (see, e. g.,
Kugelmeier 1996. 23-7 for the ‘normalization’ of dialect forms).
έν πυρικτίτοισι γης in 2 has been much doubted, and Kock’s περικτίτω
στέγα (van Herwerden’s στέγη is necessary; cf. above on διανεκή) is often
accepted by editors, including Page and Wilamowitz in their editions of
Timotheus. Parallels for the emendation are difficult to find, although στέγη
is used of a kiln at Antiph. fr. 55.3. The received text, while difficult, is not
impossible; cf. Schulze 1892. 503. The genitive can be explained as of material
(Kuhner-Gerth 1898-1904 1.333); the plural πυρικτίτοισι is more difficult to
account for. Dobree’s γαϊς solves nothing, since the plural of γη, although it
can be paralleled, is very rare.
Interpretation As 3 makes clear, 1-2 are a direct quotation of the fifth/
fourth-century dithyrambic poet Timotheus of Miletus (fr. 22, PMG 798). In
its original context, the lines were presumably part of a self-consciously poetic
description of a feast or similar occasion. The use of compounds, high-flown
language and overly poetic metaphors is typical of Timotheus; cf. Stanford
1936. 133-4; Wilamowitz 1903. 43-55. In comedy, such elaborate language
is often associated with cooks, and one may have been the speaker here; cf.
Wilkins 2000. 380-1; Nesselrath 1990. 249, 298-9; Handley 1965 on Men. Dysc.
946-53. For quotation of Timotheus, Antiph. fr. 110 (= Tim. fr. 21, PMG 797);
Macho fr. 9.81-84 (= Tim. fr. 10, PMG 786); cf. Theopomp. com fr. 4 (quotation
ofTelest. fr. 7, PMG 811); Nesselrath 1990. 248-9. For another riddling descrip-
tion of a chytra, Antiph. fr. 55.1-6.
1-2 Both are perfect tetrameter lines.
1 διηρτάμηκε The verb occurs elsewhere only at [A.] PV 1023 διαρ-
ταμήσει σώματος μέγα ράκος (‘it will butcher the great strip of your body’);
διαρταμώντες, cited by ESJ as a conjecture at Ph. 2.564 (= Leg. Gaium 131
[6.179 Cohn-Wendland]) ,is not to be accepted). The simplex is slightly more
common (e.g. E. Ale. 494; El. 816; fr. 612) and seems to be tragic vocabu-
lary, although cognates are prosaic (e.g. IG VII 2426.15 άρτάμησις; X. Cyr.
2.2.4 άρταμος). The word may originally have been a quasi-technical term
from cooking or butchery (used metaphorically in A.; cf. S. fr. 1025); cf. EM