152

Eupolis

2.20; subsequently at Plu. Mor. 12b (presumably as an Atticism). Pollux fur-
ther distinguishes νεανισκεύομαι from νεανιεύομαι (“be a νεανίας”, another
term for a young man; cf. fr. 192.100), which he claims means “to act rashly”
(τολμάν), citing Ar. fr. 859 and Lys. fr. 501 (although neither with any more
of the text provided). Related material appears at Hsch. v 181, all seemingly
drawn originally from Phrynichus; cf. the now-epitomised PS p. 90.4. But
Pollux’ definition is patently an extended meaning of νεανιεύομαι, young
men in all times and places being notoriously hotheaded, and it is difficult to
believe that νεανισκεύομαι could not be used in the same way if the speaker
were so inclined.

fr. 33 K.-A. (17b K.)
zkglueat IheQC 5 141b φ 186 j_4 Wendel)
φριμάσσεο· ού κυρίως τη λέξει κέχρηται· φριμαγμός μεν γάρ έστι κυρίως ή των
'ίππων {φωνή) (add. Valckenaer), βληχή δέ αιγών καί προβάτων, τω αύτω άμαρτήματι
περιπέπτωκε καί Εϋπολις έν Αίξίν
phrimasseo: He has not used the word in its proper sense, for a phrimagmos is properly
(the sound) (“the sound” added by Valckenaer) produced by horses, whereas a blexe is
the one produced by goats and sheep. Eupolis in Aiges also committed the same error
Citation context A note on Theoc. 5.141-2 φριμάσσεο, πάσα τραγίσκων /
νΰν άγέλα (“Snort now, all my flock of goats!”; Komotas asks his animals to
give independent expression to his joy in triumphing in the singing contest
over his rival Lakon) that represents a minority opinion in the ancient discus-
sion of the meaning of the word, for which see Interpretation.
Interpretation The meaning and proper application of φριμάττομαι and
its cognates (always in reference to animals) was a matter of dispute among
ancient grammarians. Some lexicographic sources take the verb to mean “leap
about” vel sim. (e.g. Hsch. φ 889 φριμάσσεται· σκιρτά, έπεγείρεται, “phrimas-
setai: he/she/it leaps, sets himself/herself/itself in motion”; traced by Hansen-
Cunningham to Diogenianus); Phot, φ 300 ~ Suda φ 715 φριμασσομένη· χρεμε-
τίζουσα, άγριουμένη· ή άτάκτως πηδώσα, “phrimassomene: whinnying (fem.),
acting wild; or leaping about in a disorderly way”; traced by Cunningham to
Cyril, with the Suda adding material from a lost historian). But φριμάττομαι
usually appears to refer to production of a sound that [Ammon.] Diff. 503
describes as resembling a sneeze, i. e. a “snort”, and—assuming that the first
set of glosses are not merely bad deductions regarding the sense of an ob-