134 Timokles
of being a habitual thief (296-8, 418-28, 1239); cf. Pl. Com. fr. 14 (with Pirotta
2009), where the politician Pamphilus is described as both a thief and a sycophant:
κλέπτειν τά κοίν’ άμα τε συκοφαντεϊν; Ar. Ec. 438. For the treatment of theft in
ancient Athens see MacDowell 1978, 147-9; Todd 1993, 283-4.
There is a comic incongruity in Hermes’ activity in this fragment, since the
expectation raised by the high-brow expression of the first line (συνδιακτορεϊ)
is subverted by the low-brow result: the god offers his assistance to thieves. For
Aristomedes as a thief see above, under “Interpretation”.
of being a habitual thief (296-8, 418-28, 1239); cf. Pl. Com. fr. 14 (with Pirotta
2009), where the politician Pamphilus is described as both a thief and a sycophant:
κλέπτειν τά κοίν’ άμα τε συκοφαντεϊν; Ar. Ec. 438. For the treatment of theft in
ancient Athens see MacDowell 1978, 147-9; Todd 1993, 283-4.
There is a comic incongruity in Hermes’ activity in this fragment, since the
expectation raised by the high-brow expression of the first line (συνδιακτορεϊ)
is subverted by the low-brow result: the god offers his assistance to thieves. For
Aristomedes as a thief see above, under “Interpretation”.