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Incertarum fabularum fragmenta (fr. 56)

Stob. 3.41.2
(περί απορρήτων) Άναξανδρίδου·-
Άλεξάνδριδος corp. Par.
(About things not to be spoken) Anaxandrides:-

Metre lambic trimeter.

For the lack of caesura in 1, see Introduction; cf. frr. 34.6; 48.1; 53.2.
For the synizesis ή άκρατής in 2, cf. Kiihner-Blass 1890-1892 1.228-9; Plat-
nauer 1960. 142; West 1982. 13; ZTric A. Eu. 85.
Discussion Morelius 1553.110; Stephanus 1569. 21-2; Grotius 1623 11.158-61;
Brunck 1794. 184, 204; Person 1815. 247; Reisig 1816. 35-6; Meineke 1840
III.197; 1847. 590; Bothe 1855. 432; Kock 188411.159; Blaydes 1890a. 84; Blaydes
1896. 125; Edmonds 1959 11.76—7; Kassel-Austin 1991 11.271; Sanchis Llopis et
al. 2007. 270

Citation context The fragment is quoted at Stobaeus 3.41.2, near the begin-
ning of the chapter ‘About things not to be spoken’. E. fr. 411 precedes, and
S. fr. 935 follows; in this short chapter composed largely of tragic fragments,
this is the only fragment from comedy.
Text ’ίσως is unproblematic (see ad loc.\ and there is thus no need for Gesner’s
’ίσον. Similarly, ’ίσον is possible with Reisig’s κακόν but again is not necessary.
At the end of the line, the transmitted κακού makes little sense unless the
next line continued with a noun on which it is dependent. Gesner’s κακοί and
Reisig’s κακόν are both possible, but the latter seems both more idiomatic and
perhaps more liable to corruption.
Interpretation The fragment clearly concerns a secret, but could belong to
a debate (either as a dialogue or as a monologue with the speaker musing
to himself) condemning someone who has revealed a secret, assessing the
trustworthiness of someone to whom a secret has (or will be) revealed, or
considering whether to share a secret. Whatever the context, discussion of
a secret might fit best in a social comedy revolving around some romantic
intrigue.
1 παρακαταθήκην A legal term, normally used of property or valu-
ables given as a pledge or deposited in trust; e. g. Th. 2.72.3 (land held in trust);