181
Πάνδαρος (Pandaros)
(‘Pandaros’)
Discussion Meineke 1839 1.372-3; 1840 III.180; 1847. 583; Bothe 1855. 425;
Kock 1884 11.149; Edmonds 1959 11.60—1; Kassel-Austin 1991 11.257; Sanchis
Llopis et al. 2007. 257
Title There is no other known play with this title. The Pandaros by Nicostratus
mentioned by Meineke 1839 1.348 and Kock 1888 III.739 is a textual error
(Kuster’s Πάνδροσος for the mss. Πάνδαρος is obviously correct), as Meineke
acknowledged but Kock did not. Presumably the Pandarus in question is the
famous archer; cf. Η. II. 2.826-7 Λυκάονος αγλαός υιός / Πάνδαρος, ώ και
τόξον Απόλλων αυτός εδωκεν (interpreted by ΣΑ as τήν τοξικήν εμπειρίαν
[Σ1’ τήν τοξείαν μετωνυμικώς]). He is described as coming from Λυκίη (not
modern Lycia; cf. Kirk ad loci), but his men are called Trojans; he wounded
Menelaos and was himself killed by Diomedes. For general accounts of
Pandarus, see Roscher 1884-1937 III. 1504—5; Robert 1920. 1161-4; Canciani
in LIMCVII.1.160-1.
That the title refers to a non-heroic proper name is unlikely. LGPN
record only five examples of the name, four of them Hellenistic or Imperial and
all from Central Greece or Italy. The only pre-Hellenistic example is a fourth-
century Thessalian who made a dedication at the Sanctuary of Asclepius in
Epidaurus in return for a cure.
Content of the comedy The possibilities for the treatment of Pandarus
in comedy, especially as a title character, seem limited. He is known as a
stereotypical oath-breaker (D. Chr. 74.15; Σ D. 24.121 (238); cf. ΣΤ Η. II. 4.89
Πάνδαρος ή πάντων άρά), but this seems to be a product of the later scholarly
tradition. ΣΤ Η. II. 4.89 further reports that αισχροκερδής ούτος ό καί τούς
'ίππους οίκοι καταλιπών φειδοϊ τροφής; in this comment, a reference to II.
5.192-205 with an additional negative characterisation, Robert 1920.1163 saw
comic potential.

Date Unknown.