Πόλεις (fr. 40)

191

είναι τό νομίσαι τ’ ίσόθεον τήν έγχελυν; aside from this fragment and the
two references given above (and indeed Anaxandrides and Antiphanes may
be dependent on Herodotus rather than providing additional evidence), the
eel is not known to be sacred in Egypt. Possibly the account derives from
the Greeks conflating the eel with a fish with which they were generally un-
familiar.
For eels in general, see Olson-Sens 2000 on Archestr. fr. 10.1 (SH 139);
van Leeuwen 1902 on Ar. V. 510; Thompson 1947. 58-61; Wilkins 2000. 37-8.
6 των δψων δψον is what is eaten in addition to the bread or porridge
of the main course and is most commonly fish of some sort; cf. on fr. 34.10;
Arnott 1996 on Alex. fr. 47.6; Olson-Sens 2000 on Archestr. fr. 11.7 (SH 140);
Agora III. 194 (#637). Praising eel as by far the greatest δψον is in keeping with
its generally high reputation as a delicacy.
παρά πολύ Mainly a prose idiom (e. g. Th. 1.29.5; 2.89.5; Pl. Ap. 36a; Isoc.
8.63); elsewhere in comedy only at Ar. Pl. 445; cf. Macho 444.
7 ούκ έσθίεις ύει(α) Sc. κρέα. Cf. Hdt. 2.47.1 ύν δέ Αιγύπτιοι μιαρόν
ήγηνται θηρίον είναι· καί τούτο μεν, ήν τις ψαύση αύτών παριών ύός,
αύτοϊσι τοϊσι ίματίοισι απ’ ών έβαψε έωυτόν βάς ές τον ποταμόν κτλ. While
Anaxandrides’ statement is generally true and is expected of a Semitic people,
the Egyptians do seem to have eaten pork on the occasion of a special sacrifice;
cf. Hdt. 2.47.2-3; Plu. Mor. 352f, 353f-4a (de Iside) with Griffiths 1970 ad loc.
7-8 έγώ δέ γ’ ήδομαι / μάλιστα τούτοις Cf. A. fr. 309 εγώ δέ χοίρον
καί μάλ’ εύθηλούμενον / τόνδ’ έν νοτοΰντι κριβάνω θήσω. τί γάρ / δψον
γένοιτ’ αν άνδρί τοΰδε βέλτιον. The line is possibly a reference to female
genitalia (i. e. χοίρον; cf. Henderson 1991 §§110-11).
8 κύνα σέβεις Presumably a reference to Anubis; cf. Plu. Mor. 368e (de
Iside) διό πάντα τίκτων (sc. Anubis) έξ εαυτού καί κύων έν έαυτω τήν τού
κυνός έπίκλησιν έσχεν (cf. Griffiths 1970 ad loc.)·, D.S. 1.87.2-3; Str. 17.1.40;
Lilja 1976. 83. It is possible, however, that general worship without implicit
connection with a specific deity is meant; cf. Timocl. fr. 1; Helm 1906. 145.
Less likely, given the preceding references to animals regarded as divinities,
Anaxandrides is simply referring to the Egyptians’ general attitude toward
dogs (somewhat similar to that toward cats; cf. 12-13); cf. Hdt. 2.66.4, 67.1;
D.S. 1.83.1-6, 84.2.
τύπτω δ’ έγώ, / τούψον κατεσθίουσαν ήνίκ’ αν λάβω Dogs had (as
they still do today) a reputation for stealing food from the inattentive; e. g. Ar.
Ach. 1159-61; V. 837-8; Pax 24-5 with Olson 1998 ad loc. For striking a dog,
cf. Ar. Eq. 289 κυνοκοπήσω σου τον νώτον with van Leuwen 1900 ad loc. For
the general position and treatment of dogs in a Greek household, see Mainoldi
1984. 152-4. At least by the end of the fifth century, dogs were commonly