202

Timokles

Interpretation Since the subject of the participle ών is not included in the verse,
it is not clear whether the person described as άναρίστητος is the speaking charac-
ter, who is narrating his adventures to others (e. g. as in Eup. fr. 347 έγώ δ’ άδειπνος
έσπέρας ηύλιζόμην), or another person, to whom the speaking character refers.
The participle might be modal (e. g. Ar. fr. 470 διά τής άγοράς τρέχων, άναρίστητος
ών) or adversative (Philonid. fr. 1 έγώ δ’ άπόσιτος ών τοιαΰτ’ ούκ άνέχομαι).
The διά τε ταϋτα, in combination with the adverb έπειτα, seems to refer to an
incident which must have taken place immediately before, perhaps in addition to
other ones (cf. the particle τε), and prevented the subject of the participle from
having lunch. It might be an extraordinary situation, like that described in fr.
25 by an amator exclusus, in front of the door of a heartless courtesan. Given,
however, that in other passages the adjective άναρίστητος is associated with a
parasite asking for a meal before undertaking an activity for his patron (cf. Alex,
fr. 235 πάντως άναρίστητος ού δυνήσομαι/ διακαρτερήσαι τηλικαύτην ήμέραν
[with Arnott 1996,655]; Luc. Par. 49 ούχ'ι πρώτον μεν ό τοιοϋτος (sc. ό παράσιτος)
άριστοποιησάμενος έξεισιν έπι την παράταξιν [with Nesselrath 1990, 315]), it is
possible that here also the person described as anaristetos is a parasite. In Timocl.
fr. 11 [Epichairekakos] the parasite Corydus, who had not been invited to a dinner,
is depicted as having his mouth water when seeing expensive fish, but finally bu-
ying cheap membradal·, and cf. Ar. fr. 470 (cited above), where perhaps a parasite
wanders around the market without lunch.
έπειτα For the colloquial use of this adverb see Olson 2016, 473.
άναρίστητος “without an ariston, i.e. without a lunch”, άριστον was in-
itially breakfast, but in the classical period it usually means the midday meal
(cf. Ath. l.llb-f), breakfast being called άκράτισμα. For άριστον in comedy cf.
Ar. Eq. 815; Nu. 416; Pax 1281, Av. 1602; Ra. 376; Eup. fr. 384; Hermipp. fr. 60;
Theopomp. Com. fr. 23; Alex. fr. 123.2. For the difference between ariston and
akratisma cf. Canthar. fr. 10 ούκοϋν άκρατισώμεθ’ αύτοΰ. (B.) μηδαμώς· / ’Ισθμοί
γάρ άριστήσομεν “so, well have our akratisma here. (B.) Absolutely not; well have
our ariston at Isthmus”.
The form άναρίστητος (occurring only in 5th and early 4th-century comedy) is
apparently considered more Attic, while άνάριστός occurs more often in the Ionic
dialect (e. g. Hp. Ac. 3.78) and in Koine (e. g. Plb. 3.71.10), although Xenophon
also uses it (An. 1.10.19; HG 4.5.8). For άναρίστητος cf. Antiph. fr. 139 ένταΰθα
άναρίστητος ευθύς κιθαριεΐ ; Eup. fr. 77 άναρίστητος ών I κούδέν βεβρωκώς,
άλλά γάρ στέφανον έχων, where Winkelmann 1833, xl-xli suggests that this is a
reference to the musician Connus.