14

Άμφις (Amphis)

and codex P as similarly excellent (p. xii); but he considers codex F as inferior,
written by a neglectful scribe (p. xiv).

4. Themes and Motifs
Seven of Amphis’ play-titles suggest a mythological theme, either explicitly
or implicitly so; these are: Αθάμας, Αλκμαίων, 'Επτά επί Θήβας, Ίάλεμος,
Όδυσσεύς, Ουρανός, and Πάν. Amphis also dealt with two constellation
myths, the Great Bear {Ursa Major) and the Dog-Star {Canis Major), and ex-
perimented resourcefully with the former myth, although we do not know in
which play(s) this happened. The spurious cases of [Καλλιστώ] and [Οπώρα]
have long been considered the plays that respectively accommodated these
myths. However, as I explain in the commentary for each individual case, these
two are made-up plays, falsely attributed to Amphis.
Regarding myth in general, it is the current scholarly belief that in
Middle Comedy myth and contemporary reality are inextricably intertwined.
Typically, plays that engage in mythological parody are dramatically situated
in a distinct realm, in-between the mythical world and the contemporary
reality of fourth century Athens. The traditional myth is comically distort-
ed and accordingly presented in an adapted version that abounds in comic
burlesque, twists, and unexpected turns; see Webster (21970) 16-19, 82-85;
Nesselrath (1990) 188-241, and 1995; Papachrysostomou (forthcoming). This
idiosyncratic treatment of myth by Middle Comedy playwrights has its origins
in Old Comedy’s extensive (intertextual, satirical, etc.) engagement with the
mythical tradition; cf. e.g. Bakola (2010) 180-208; Bowie 2010; Ruffell (2011)
314-360. The surviving evidence from Amphis both harmonises with and
reinforces the universally adopted view regarding Middle Comedy’s relation
with myth. We have no means of knowing the details of the absurd twist that
Amphis gave the myth in each case, but Aristotle feeds our imagination by
giving us an example of the extent that distortion of myth could generally take
in Comedy (Po. 1453a37-39): οϊ αν έχθιστοι ώσιν έν τω μύθω, οίον Όρέστης
καί Α’ίγισθος, φίλοι γενόμενοι επί τελευτής εξέρχονται, καί αποθνήσκει ού-
δείς ύπ’ ούδενός {those who are the worst enemies in myth, like Orestes and
Aegisthus, leave the stage at the end having become friends and no one is killed
by anyone). Aristotle’s testimony confirms that practically any preposterous
scenario could be realised on the comic stage; this is what Webster (1948:
23) called “comic reversal of tradition”. Interestingly, scenes of astonishing
mythical burlesque feature on a number of vases from South Italy dating in