Άθάμας (fr. 1)

27

tury it occurs only once: D. 57.1); instead, it is the adverb εύνοϊκώς that is
preferred, in the expressions εύνοϊκώς έχειν τινί or προς τινα, and the like;
e. g. Isoc. 11.3, X. HG 4.4.15, D. 15.22.
1-2 γυναικός ... γαμέτης The presence of the adjective γαμέτης makes
clear that the woman (γυναικός) mentioned in 1. 1 is married. The usage of
hyperbaton enables the poet to juxtapose γαμέτης with εταίρα at the begin-
ning of 1. 2, thus juxtaposing wives (along with the concept of marriage) with
non-married, but still sexually active, women.
2 μάλ’ εικότως This phrase confirms the validity of what has been said
before. A brief justification of this validity often follows (as happens here: 11.
3-5). The phrase occurs in both poetry and prose and can appear either at
the end of a period (e.g. Anaxipp. fr. 1.18; Plb. 10.33.3; Luc. Alex. 25) or in the
middle (e.g. Pl. R. 414c, Pit. 270b; D. 18.16 - cf. Wankel 1976 ad loc.).
3a νόμω This is a modal / causal dative, meaning by custom. Within both
poetry and prose the adverbial dative of the term νόμος is a relatively rare
syntactic formula for communicating the meaning of by custom, by agreement,
conventionally (a notion more commonly expressed through κατά + acc. or έν
+ dat.; cf. LSJ9 s. v. I.c); e. g. Hdt. 4.39: λήγει δέ αΰτη, ού λήγουσα εί μή νόμω, ές
τον κόλπον τον Αράβιον (and this (sc. peninsula) ends - not truly but only by
common consent - at the Arabian gulf); Democr.Phil. fr. 9: νόμω γλυκύ, νόμω
πικρόν, νόμω θερμόν, νόμω -ψυχρόν (by common agreement sweet and bitter,
by common agreement hot and cold).
3b ή μεν ... καταφρονούσ’ Nominative absolute featuring a concessive
participle. The structure forms part of the comic παίγνιον that runs throughout
the fragment, in the sense that the wedded wife (ή μέν), unlike the unattached
hetaira (ή δ’, 1. 4), can - paradoxically enough - be disdainful to her husband
and still retain him.
3c ένδον μένει A respectable and dignified wife was expected to stay
indoors, inside the house, and away from the public eye; cf. E. fr. 521; ένδον
μένουσαν τήν γυναϊκ’ είναι χρεών / έσθλήν, θύρασι δ’ αξίαν τού μηδενός (the
dignified woman is supposed to stay indoors, but the worthless one stays outside);
cf. E. Tr. 647-649. Indeed, in Aristophanes’ Peace 979-982 it is precisely the
adulteresses who are identified as the ones opening the door and mischievous-
ly peeping out: μή ποίει γε άπερ αί/μοιχευόμεναι δρώσι γυναίκες-/και γάρ
έκεϊναι παρακλίνασαι/τής αύλείας παρακύπτουσιν (don’t act as adulterous
wives do; they open the door a crack and peep out); on female adultery in
classical Athens see Cohen 1990 and Carey 1995. The seclusion of wives at
home - aiming to promote and safeguard the segregation of the sexes - was
a primary feature within the system of male and female relations, at least for
the propertied classes; cf. X. Oec. 7.30, Stob. 4.23.61, [D.] 59.122, Plu. 139c. See