Κένταυρος ή Δεξαμενός (Kentauros e Dexamenos)
(“The Centaur or Dexamenus”)

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Discussion Meineke III (1840) 605-6; Kock II (1884) 460; Bevilacqua 1939, 41;
PCG VII (1989) 770; Orth HGL II (2014) 1044.
Title Κένταυρος is also the alternative title of one of Aristophanes’ Δράματα
(Δράματα ή Κένταυρος), perhaps staged before 422 BC; cf. Henderson 2007,241;
Orth 2013,373. Comedies with the title Κένταυρος are also attested in Nicochares
(early 4th c. BC; in Suda v 407 this play is attested as Κένταυροι), Ophelion (4th c.
BC; cf. Caroli 2014, 204-5), Lynceus (4th/3rd c. BC) and Theognetus (3rd c. BC);
also Apollophanes (late 5th - early 4th c. BC) wrote Κένταυροι. A play with the title
Κένταυρος is ascribed to Chaeremon (TrGF 71 F 9a-11; cf. Arist. Po. 1447b20
μικτή ραψωδία έξ άπάντων των μέτρων). Pherecrates wrote a Χείρων.
Centaurs were hybrid creatures with the upper body of a man and the lower
body of a horse. Their ancestor was Centaurus, the offspring of Ixion’s union with
the Hera-shaped cloud created by Zeus (Pi. P. 2.21-48) or, alternatively, Chiron,
who was produced by the intercourse of Cronus and Philyra ([Apollod.] Bibl.
1.9). They lived in mountain forests (cf. e. g. E. HF 364-5). In Greek mythology
Centaurs appear as creatures without respect for institutions, who violate wedding
feasts or abduct women. Such behavior led to the Centauromachies, a popular
subject in Greek art. The battle between Centaurs and Lapiths, in which Theseus
participated, was the subject of the south metopes of the Parthenon, and also of
a metope of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia (5th c. BC); cf. Roman L. and Roman
M. 2010,113-4. For the drunkenness of Centaurs cf. Hom. Od. 21. 295-304 οίνος
και Κένταυρον, άγακλυτόν Εύρυτίωνα, / άασ’ ένί μεγάρω μεγαθύμου Πειριθόοιο, /
ές Λαπίθας έλθόνθ’· ό δ’ έπε'ι φρένας άασεν οϊνω, / μαινόμενος κάκ’ έρεξε δόμον
κάτα Πειριθόοιο “Wine befuddled even the centaur, the glorious Eurytion, in
the house of the magnanimous Perithous, when he had gone to the Lapiths.
Afterwards, when wine had befuddled his mind, madly drunk he committed evil
acts in Perithous’ home”.
The alternative title Δεξαμενός apparently refers to the episode involving the
centaur Eurytion and Dexamenus, the king of Olenos in Achaia. Heracles had
decisively intervened in the margin of his labours. The story is known from dif-
ferent sources; cf. [Apollod.] Bibl. 2.5.5Ηρακλής δε είς’Ώλενον προς Δεξαμενόν
ήκε, και κατέλαβε τούτον μέλλοντα δι’ άνάγκην μνηστεύειν Εύρυτίωνι Κενταύρω
Μνησιμάχην τήν θυγατέρα· ύφ’ ού παρακληθεις βοηθεΐν έλθόντα έπι τήν νύμφην
Εύρυτίωνα άπέκτεινεν “Heracles arrived at Dexamenus in Olenus, and found
him about to forcibly betrothe his daughter Mnesimache to the centaur Eurytion;
and being called upon by him to help, he killed Eurytion when he came for his
bride.” Bacchylides also treats this story: fr. 66.9-14 Maehler έραννάν έπι δ[αϊτα I
όρικοίτας Κένταυρ[ος I αιτεί δε με παίδατα[ / έθέλων άγεσθαι / προς Μαλέαν ·
έμοί δ’ [ / άέκοντι δ’; cf. fr. 44 Maehler (Schol. Od. φ 295) ... φησι γάρ (Βακχυλίδης)
έπιξενωθέντα Δεξαμενω ένΉλιδι ύβριστικώς έπιχειρήσαι; D.S. 4.33.1; Paus. 7.18.1.