Incertarum fabularum fragmenta (fr. 62)

295

1 δούλον ηδονής For the image of being a slave to one’s passions vel
sim., see Bliimner 1891. 73. For the specific phrase, cf. Pl. Phdr. 238e τώ δή
ύπό επιθυμίας άρχομένω δουλεύοντί τε ήδονή ανάγκη που τον έρώμενον
ώς ήδιστον έαυτω παρασκευάζειν. Although the line might allude to con-
temporary philosophical ideas, any apparent reminiscence of such doctrine
more likely indicates philosophy’s adoption of commonplaces. Cf. on fr. 20
for mocking Plato; Brock 1990. 41 and Webster 1970. 50-1 for knowledge of
philosophers and their doctrines by poets of Middle Comedy (cf. Arnott 1996
introduction to Alexis’ Phaedrus·, on fr. 247.10-13).
2 λάγνης The word was much disputed in antiquity on two counts.
The first is whether the correct form is λάγνης or λάγνος. The latter is clearly
possible, given Ar. fr. 534; cf. K.-A. ad loc. and note esp. Bossi 1980-1982; 1983.
This possibility was routinely denied in antiquity, hence Blaydes’ emendation
to λάγνου; cf. Phot, λ 20 λάγνης, ού λάγνος ύπό των Αττικών λέγεται (= Orus
fr. Β 88; cf. Alpers 1981 ad loc.) and Phryn. Ecl. 155 λάγνης διά τού η, άλλά μή
λάγνος φαθί (see Theodoridis 2012 on Phot, and Fischer 1974 on Phryn. for
additional iterations of the claim).
The related question of whether the word could be used of a woman was
also disputed. The claim of [Hdn.] Philet. 228 λάγνος έπι των άνδρών· ούτως
Αριστοφάνης (fr. 534)· παρά τισι λάγνης· μάχλος δε έπι των γυναικών· καί
μαχλάς, ώς Μένανδρος (fr. 495) has often been repeated (e. g. LSJ s. v. λάγνος;
cf. Arc. p. 62.2 ούκ έχει γάρ ’ίδιον θηλυκόν), hence van Herwerden’s μάχλης.
The claims concerning λάγνος vs. λάγνης (and thus whether there is a
feminine form) may be generally true, and could thus have led to exaggerated
claims that a female form of the adjective did not exist at all; cf. Probert 2006.
265. Here the unexpected use of the feminine perhaps lends greater force to
the statement, as well as offering a characterization of the person in question
(if the lines concern an actual character and were not simply said as an abstract
observation).
fr. 62 K.-A. (61 K.)
Έρως σοφιστοϋ γίγνεται διδάσκαλος
σκαιοϋ πολύ κρείττων προς τον άνθρώπων βίον
habent SMA
1 γίνεται SMA: corr. Morelius 2 σκαιοΰ SMA: Κείου Meineke κρεϊττον A
προς τον Μ: προς των SA: των προς Meineke
For human life, Love is a teacher
much better than a clumsy sophist