DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52134#0264
260
Φαρμακόμαντις (fr. 50)
Meineke’s attribution of the lines to the φαρμακόμαντις, but interpreted the
speaker’s intention as ‘αλαζονείαν ab arte sua abesse posse negans.’ Kock is
probably closer to the mark, since the speaker makes no apologies and seems
almost to revel in his behaviour.
1 ότι..., τούτ’ έπιτιμάς Cf. D. 20.148; Alex. fr. 91.1-2.
δτι ε’ίμ(ι) Hiatus after ότι (or δ τι) is common in comedy (e. g. Ar. Nu.
1248; Men. Dysc. 452); cf. Descroix 1931. 28.
άλαζών An άλαζών is one who claims to have abilities he does not
in fact possess; cf. Arist. EN 1108a21-2; 1127a20-2 δοκεϊ δή ό μεν άλαζών
προσποιητικός των ενδόξων είναι καί μή ύπαρχόντων καί μειζόνων ή ύπάρχει.
This behaviour is not necessarily reprehensible (cf. £N1127b9-13), unless it is
engaged in for the sake of profit (EN 1127b21-2, where Aristotle censures men
οίον μάντιν σοφόν ή ιατρόν as examples). According to Tract. Coisl. 38-9 (XII
Janko), the άλαζών is one of the three main character types of comedy: ήθη
κωμωδίας τά τε βωμολοχία καί τά ειρωνικά καί τά τών άλαζόνων (cf. Janko
1984. 214-18). In general, cf. Thphr. Char. 23 with the introductions of Diggle
2004 and Ussher 1960; Ribbeck 1882; MacDowell 1990b.
2 νικά γάρ αϋτη τάς τέχνας πάσας πολύ For τέχνη, cf. Lobl 1997—
2008 1.118-19, who glosses this occurrence of the word as ‘Verhaltenswiese,
Methode’; for alazoneia as an art, cf. Ribbeck 1883. 65-7. For one τέχνη con-
quering another, cf. fr. 34. The implicit comparison is presumably between
άλαζονεία and rhetorical skill (veZ sim.); the point is that the former is a more
effective way to achieve one’s goal (receiving a meal?). The lack of resolution
suggests that the line may be a tragic quotation or parody; cf. the verbal
reminisence of S. Ai. 1357 νικά γάρ άρετή με τής έχθρας πολύ.
3 την κολακείαν Cf. on fr. 35.7 κόλαξ. The essential difference between
an άλαζών and a κόλαξ is that the former claims greater abilities for himself,
whereas the latter claims them for another.
ήδε μέν γάρ διαφέρει διαφέρω is rarely used absolutely, which may
imply that this sentence continued into the next line, but cf. fr. 18.5; Th. 3.83.1.
For the thought, cf. Zagagi 1980. 28 n. 50.
Φαρμακόμαντις (fr. 50)
Meineke’s attribution of the lines to the φαρμακόμαντις, but interpreted the
speaker’s intention as ‘αλαζονείαν ab arte sua abesse posse negans.’ Kock is
probably closer to the mark, since the speaker makes no apologies and seems
almost to revel in his behaviour.
1 ότι..., τούτ’ έπιτιμάς Cf. D. 20.148; Alex. fr. 91.1-2.
δτι ε’ίμ(ι) Hiatus after ότι (or δ τι) is common in comedy (e. g. Ar. Nu.
1248; Men. Dysc. 452); cf. Descroix 1931. 28.
άλαζών An άλαζών is one who claims to have abilities he does not
in fact possess; cf. Arist. EN 1108a21-2; 1127a20-2 δοκεϊ δή ό μεν άλαζών
προσποιητικός των ενδόξων είναι καί μή ύπαρχόντων καί μειζόνων ή ύπάρχει.
This behaviour is not necessarily reprehensible (cf. £N1127b9-13), unless it is
engaged in for the sake of profit (EN 1127b21-2, where Aristotle censures men
οίον μάντιν σοφόν ή ιατρόν as examples). According to Tract. Coisl. 38-9 (XII
Janko), the άλαζών is one of the three main character types of comedy: ήθη
κωμωδίας τά τε βωμολοχία καί τά ειρωνικά καί τά τών άλαζόνων (cf. Janko
1984. 214-18). In general, cf. Thphr. Char. 23 with the introductions of Diggle
2004 and Ussher 1960; Ribbeck 1882; MacDowell 1990b.
2 νικά γάρ αϋτη τάς τέχνας πάσας πολύ For τέχνη, cf. Lobl 1997—
2008 1.118-19, who glosses this occurrence of the word as ‘Verhaltenswiese,
Methode’; for alazoneia as an art, cf. Ribbeck 1883. 65-7. For one τέχνη con-
quering another, cf. fr. 34. The implicit comparison is presumably between
άλαζονεία and rhetorical skill (veZ sim.); the point is that the former is a more
effective way to achieve one’s goal (receiving a meal?). The lack of resolution
suggests that the line may be a tragic quotation or parody; cf. the verbal
reminisence of S. Ai. 1357 νικά γάρ άρετή με τής έχθρας πολύ.
3 την κολακείαν Cf. on fr. 35.7 κόλαξ. The essential difference between
an άλαζών and a κόλαξ is that the former claims greater abilities for himself,
whereas the latter claims them for another.
ήδε μέν γάρ διαφέρει διαφέρω is rarely used absolutely, which may
imply that this sentence continued into the next line, but cf. fr. 18.5; Th. 3.83.1.
For the thought, cf. Zagagi 1980. 28 n. 50.