142

Μελίλωτος (fr. 29)

FGrHist 541 F 2; and Antiph. fr. 173 follow it. Most of the quotations concern
the rarity and expense of the bird.
Text Naber was troubled by the metre, but it is unproblematic, and his own
proposal (ού μάνικάν έστ’ έν οικία / τρέφειν ταώς, εξόν τοσουτουι δύο /
άγάλματ’ άγοράσαι;) is worse.
Interpretation These lines were presumably spoken in condemnation either
of someone living extravagantly or of extravagant living in general; they may
also contain a secondary swipe at impiety (see on 2 άγάλματ(α)). For a similar
sentiment, cf. Alex. fr. 128. The fragment is best interpreted as an assertion that
instead of spending money on a frivolous and ultimately worthless display of
wealth, the individual(s) in question would do better to purchase statues for
dedication, presumably in a public space. The absence of any statuary from
the Attic Stelae, for example, suggests that such items were not used to adorn
private residences, but were confined to display in civic or religious areas; the
justifiable caution of Amyx 1958. 205 concerning the lack of valuable or luxury
items in these lists applies only to easily portable objects.
1 μάνικάν For the force of the word, see on fr. 18.4 έμαίνετο.
έν οικία τρέφειν ταώς The possession of peacocks, introduced to Athens
around 440 BC, was a symbol of ostentatious extravagance; other than their
conspicuous plumage, the birds themselves seem to have had little inherent
value (Stratt. fr. 28; cf. Eup. fr. 41; Anaxil. fr. 24 for the irritating nature of their
cries) and were apparently not eaten (a practice unattested before the Roman
period; cf. Ael. NA 5.21, designating Hortensius as the first to do so; Thompson
1947. 279; Alex. fr. 128 is not to be taken seriously in this regard). Those
belonging to Demos (PA 3573; PAA 317910) son of Pyrilampes (PA 12493; PAA
795965), the probable original importer of peacocks to Athens from the East,
brought sightseers from around Greece and must thus have been regarded as
a great rarity (Antipho fr. 57). Antiph. fr. 203 has been taken as evidence for
the birds’ relative commonness in the fourth century, but is probably more a
comment on the spending habits of the rich (or nouveaux riches) than on the
abundance of peacocks in the city. This rarity must have been responsible for
their enormous cost; in addition to this fragment, cf. Antipho fr. 58, where the
male and female (presumably sold as a pair) are valued at 10,000 drachmas;
Alex. fr. 128.3. For the birds in general, as well as their introduction to Athens,
see Olson 2002 on Ar. Ach. 62-63; Dunbar 1995 on Ar. Av. 102 (cf. on Av. 68
for the similar introduction of the pheasant as a luxury item); Arnott 1996 on
Alex. fr. 115.14; Orth 2009 on Stratt. fr. 28; Thompson 1947. 277-81.
The internal rough breathing, a representation of τα^ώς (cf. Lat. pavd), is
attested for Attic by Trypho ap. Ath. 9.397e; cf. the interjections είέν, εύο'ί, εύαί