Μελίλωτος (fr. 29)

141

first could suggest wasteful living, possibly by the title character, but need be
no more than an offhand remark. If the title is emended to a feminine name,
or if it refers the plant, presumably used as some sort of token, the play might
have concerned a mistaken identity or a girl wrongfully sold into prostitution.
Alternatively, the title and fragments might suggest a plot revolving around
the home.
Date Unknown.

fr. 29 K.-A. (28 K.)

ού μάνικάν έστ’ έν οικία τρέφειν ταώς,
εξόν τοσουτουι δυ άγάλματ’ άγοράσαι;
1 ού μάνικάν έστ’ Meineke: ούχΐ μάνικάν έστιν ACE οίκίαι CE: οίκιδαι A
2 τοσουτουί δύ’ Dobree: τοιούτουσϊδυο Α: τουτοισί δύ’ CE

Isn’t it crazy to raise peacocks in a house,
when it’s possible to buy two statues for the same price?

Ath. 14.654f
ότι δέ καί τιθασούς είχον αυτούς έν ταϊς οίκίαις Στράττις παρίστησιν έν Παυσανία
διά τούτων· (fr. 28)... Άναξανδρίδης έν Μελιλώτω·-
That they kept tame ones (i. e. peacocks) in the house Strattis shows in this passage
from Pausanias (fr. 28)... and Anaxandrides in Melildtos:-
Metre lambic trimeter.

Discussion Dobree 1833 11.349-50; Meineke 1840 III.173; Bothe 1844. 36;
Emperius 1847. 351; Meineke 1847. 580; 1855. 423; Meineke 1857 V.clxxviii;
Naber 1882. 267; Kock 1884 11.145; Herwerden 1893. 157; Blaydes 1896. 122;
Herwerden 1903. 97; Edmonds 1959 11.56—7; Kassel-Austin 1991 11.251; Sanchis
Llopis et al. 2007. 252
Citation Context Athenaeus segues seamlessly from a short discussion of
pheasants (14.654b-d) to one about peacocks (14.654d-5b). Antiph. fr. 203;
Alex. fr. 128; and Stratt. fr. 28 precede this fragment; Anaxil. fr. 24; Menodot.