10

Timokles

Menander and three places before Philemon (IGII2 2325,158; Millis-Olson 2012,
η. 2325E.58).7 He must have been a younger contemporary of Alexis, with whom
he has several komoidoumenoi in common,8 and belongs to the last phase of the
Middle Comedy. He had apparently been established before the emergence of
the great poets of New Comedy, Menander (his first appearance is in 317 BC
with Dyskolos), Philemon, Diphilus and Philippides. None of Timocles’ surviving
titles can be dated with certainty, but some contain mentions of or allusions to
contemporary persons or events, and can be approximately dated. The dating of
Orestautokleides, Neaera and Heroes in the late 340s BC is probable, Ikarioi Satyroi
can apparently be dated to the early 320s, Delos belongs to the late 320s, and almost
certainly the latest play for which we have evidence is Philodikastes (a terminus
post quern is the reference to gynaikonomoi, an institution created by Demetrius
Phalereus after 317 BC).9

3. Tradition and Reception
Of Timocles’ dramatic production, 25 titles (plus two dubious: Georgos and
Porphyra) and 42 fragments survive. The lion’s share of Timocles’ fragments (29
of 42) has been preserved by Athenaeus (late 2nd-early 3rd century AD), by far the
most important source for Middle Comedy (frr. 1; 3-13; 15-18; 20-25; 27; 29; 32,
34-35; 39); four are cited in Stobaeus (frr. 30, 33, 36,37) and five in lexicographers
(fr. 2 by Pollux, fr. 26 by Suda, fr. 28 by Harpocration, fr. 40 by Photius, and fr. 42
by Hesychius). Two fragments (14 and 19) are cited by Didymus, the commentator
of Demosthenes, one (fr. 41) is cited by Pseudo-Plutarch,10 and one (fr. 38) by
Clement of Alexandria. It is also worth noting that some fragments are transmitted
(in whole or in part) by different sources (fr. 1 [Athenaeus, Philodemus], fr. 4
[Athenaeus, Syrianus], fr. 6 [Athenaeus, Stobaeus], fr. 33 [Stobaeus, Theophilus]).
In all these cases, the question of independent survival arises.
In the first half of the first century BC the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus
cites part of Timocles’ fr. 1 (w. 2-4), which contains a satire of Egyptian therio-
morphism, in order to illustrate the ineffectiveness of the “established”, i. e. Stoic
gods (P. Here. 1428 col. 10 11. 24-5). In the second half of the first century BC,
Didymus Chalcenterus quotes Timocles twice: fr. 14 from Heroes and fr. 19 from

7 According to Arnott 2010, 290, this position might indicate that this specific victory at
the Lenaea came in the 330s.
8 Cf. above, under “Name and Identity”, the satire of Chaerephilus’ sons in Alex. fr. 77
and Timocl. fr. 15.
9 For details see the commentary of the relevant plays below, under “Date”.
10 The same text is also attributed by Demetrius Phalereus to Demosthenes himself, with-
out mentioning Timocles; cf. Plu. Dem. 9.4 and on Timocl. fr. 41.