9

Preface
Methodologically, my approach to Amphis’ surviving material features a
tripartite structure: (i) analysis of each play-title, (ii) contextualisation and
interpretation of each fragment, (iii) commentary on individual words, terms,
and expressions. In stages (i) and (ii) I take into consideration all major literary
parallels, antecedents, and subsequent occurrences of motifs, themes, and
patterns. I use this method not only to highlight the coherence and continuity
of Greek literary tradition (comic and other), but also to produce a plausi-
ble reconstruction of both the play’s plot and each fragment’s (immediate)
context (including speaker’s identification, if possible). Although I am well
aware of the opposite, more conservative, approach, which advises against
any reconstruction attempt in the absence of solid and irrefutable evidence,
I staunchly remain (as I have already confessed in detail elsewhere; 2008:
23-25, 2012-2013a: 165-166) a fervent partisan of scrutinising all implications,
allusions, and data contained in a fragment and pursuing them to the furthest
possible extent. Inconclusiveness lies at the heart of (comic) fragments and
constitutes their defining attribute; yet, this should not prevent us from trying
to understand them not in vacuo but as integral parts of a meaningful entity.
Fragments resemble tiny pieces of a gigantic jigsaw and, mutatis mutandis,
can only make sense if interpreted against the bigger picture, rather than as
isolated units whose contribution towards a better understanding of the comic
genre (or the entire Greek literature) ends at preserving a peculiar syntactic
structure or a hapax term. Accordingly, on several occasions throughout the
present commentary, I have consciously decided to take a leap of faith and
suggest one or more possible reconstructions of the original context, knowing
that I might prove wrong in case more papyri scraps are unearthed. But until
this happens, I consider it a classical scholar’s duty to try to make the most
out of what presently exists, so that new paths of thought can open up and
productive dialogue can be incited.
As far as the practical issues of abbreviations and translations are con-
cerned, I follow the abbreviations used by the Liddell & Scott Greek-English
Dictionary (ninth edition 1940, with supplement 1996), while for Greek and
Latin texts I cite the English translations of the Loeb Classical Library series
(slightly adapted on a few occasions).
Being a member of the KomFrag project has been an honour and a privi-
lege for me. First and foremost, I would like to thank Professor Dr. Bernhard
Zimmermann, not only for entrusting me with the fragments of Amphis,
but most importantly for his quintessential encouragement and his genuine
friendship. Many thanks are also due to all members of the Freiburg KomFrag