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Incertarum fabularum fragmenta (fr. 65)

Text The genitive έργου rather than the nominative (the reading of A) is to
be preferred, insofar as έργον is superfluous with τό συνεχές, while παντός
requires some specificity; the word is to be taken with τέλος (thus Kock,
‘constantiam dicit ad cuiusvis operis finem pervenire’; Edmonds; contrast LSJ
s. v. συνεχής II. 1).
Interpretation Naeke 1817 on Choeril. fr. 11 (his fr. 9) πέτρην κοιλαίνει ρανϊς
ϋδατος ένδελεχείη notes the similarity of thought with this fragment (mistak-
enly attributing it to E. Archelaos) and adduces other examples (e. g. Bion fr. 4;
Diogenian. 7.77a [cf. Leutsch-Schneidewin 1839 ad loc.]\, cf. Bernabe 1996 on
Choeril. fr. 11 for numerous examples from Latin literature.
τό συνεχές Equivalent to συνέχεια (cf. Kuhner-Gerth 1898-19041.266-8,
esp. 268 Anm. 3 ‘Das Neutrum des Adjektivs in der Singularform driickt einen
abstrackten Begriff aus’; Gildersleeve 1900-1911 §§36, 573), τό συνεχές must
have the sense ‘perseverance’ or ‘persistence’, like συνέχεια at D. 18.218 (cf.
Wankel 1976 ad loc., ‘Das Substantiv ist in dieser Bedeutung ... in der klass.
Literatur nur hier belegt’).

fr. 65 K.-A. (64 K.)
καλόν γ’ άποθανεϊν πριν θανάτου δράν άξιον
άξιον ω: άξια Blay des
It is good to die before doing something worthy of death
Arist. Rh. 3.1412bl6-20
τό αύτό καί τό Άναξανδρίδου τό έπαινούμενον, [fr. 65]. ταύτό γάρ έστι τω είπεϊν άξιόν
γ’ άποθανεϊν μή όντα άξιον άποθανεϊν, ή άξιόν γ’ άποθανεϊν μή θανάτου άξιον όντα,
ή μή ποιοΰντα θανάτου άξια
Another example is the celebrated [witticism] of Anaxandrides: [fr. 65]. For this is the
same as saying that it is a worthy thing to die when not worthy of dying, or that it is
worthy that one die not being worthy of death, or not doing things worthy of death
Metre lambic trimeter.
Discussion Grotius 1626. 644-5; Meineke 1840 III.200— 1; 1847. 593; Bothe
1855. 434; Kock 1884 11.161; Blaydes 1896. 126; Edmonds 1959 11.78—9; Kassel-
Austin 1991 11.274; Sanchis Llopis et al. 2007. 273