Incertarum fabularum fragmenta (fr. 58)

285

the plausible speaker of the prologue (cf. on fr. 31),132 Ganymedes need not
have any larger role within the play.133 Menander and Plautus offer numerous
examples of a divinity delivering the prologue, although in such cases an
abstract is common (e. g. Men. Asp. [Τύχη]; Pk. [Άγνοια]; Plaut. Cas. [Fides];
Cist. [Auxilium]) but not invariable (e. g. Men. Dysc. [Pan]; cf. E. Ale. [Apollo
and Thanatos]; Hipp. [Aphrodite]); when the divinity is not a personified ab-
stract, he/she has some close connection with the setting or action of the play.
Ganymedes may well be used here to set a scene of interplay among the gods,
which could be a plausible opening for one of the γοναί-plays; at least as likely
is that this fragment belongs to the prologue from Anchises and Ganymedes
uses his own abduction by Zeus as a parallel for an affair between Aphrodite
and Anchises (assuming that this was the plot of that play).
1-2 For eating nectar and drinking ambrosia, see Wright 1917. 5: Anaxan-
drides is using the method of comic inversion.’
1 τό νέκταρ Although most often a liquid (e.g. Η. II. 1.598; Od. 5.93;
E. Ba. 143; Hermipp. fr. 77.10-11; Alex. fr. 124.1-3), nectar appears also on
occasion as a solid (Hes. Th. 640 with West 1966 ad loc. [although this passage
could also be explained as an example of zeugma]; Alcm. fr. 42 [cited by Ath.
together with this fragment]; Archestr. fr. 16.4 [SH146] with Olson-Sens 2000
ad loc.)·, cf. Roscher 1883, esp. 24-6. The etymology of νέκταρ is disputed; for
discussion and bibliography, see Beekes 2010 s. v.
πάνυ Taken with μάττων, the word is purely intensive; cf. Thesleff 1954
§§66, 70.
2 μάττων ‘Kneading’, i. e. preparing the νέκταρ as if to make μάζα (cog-
nate with μάττω); for μάζα and its preparation, see Olson 1998 on Ar. Pax 1.
διαπίνω Cf. Gow-Page 1965 on HE 1837; Degani 1984. 304 n. 119.
αμβροσίαν Normally a solid food (e. g. Η. II. 5.777; Od. 5.93; Pl. Phdr. 27e;
Ar. Pax 724) or, especially in epic, an ointment (e.g. Η. II. 14.170-1 withjanko
1992 ad loc.·, A.R. 4.871), ambrosia can also be a liquid (Sapph. PLG 141.1-4;
Ar. Eq. 1094-5; Archestr. fr. 59.11 [SH 190]; Paus. Gr. a 83 γένος τι συνθέσεως

132 Cf. also Plautus Amphitruo, where Mercury delivers the prologue and has a role as
a character.
133 Edmonds’ suggestion that the ascription of this fragment to Anaxandrides is mis-
taken and that it may belong instead to Antiphanes’ Ganymedes is not worthy
of serious consideration. Aside from the fact that if the ascription were corrupt,
Alcaeus and Eubulus, who also wrote plays entitled Ganymedes, would have to
be considered as well, the name Anaxandrides is frequently corrupted into other
names, while the reverse rarely if ever occurs.