28

Eupolis

μεν Εύθυδήμου άρχοντας (431/0 BCE) στρατηγών παρατέτακται μετάΝικίου
προς Ταναγραίους καί τούς παραβοηθοϋντας Βοιωτών καί τη μάχη νενίκηκε.
τέθνηκε δε προ τής έπ’ Αλκαίου (422/1 BCE) διδασκαλίας των Εύπόλιδος
Κολάκων οΰ πολλώ χρόνω κατά τό είκός· πρόσφατον γάρ τινα τού Καλλίου
την παράληψιν τής ουσίας εμφαίνει τό δράμα, έν ούν τούτω τω δράματι
Εϋπολις τον Πρωταγόραν ώς έπιδημούντα εισάγει, Άμειψίας δ’ έν τω Κόννω
(test, ii) δύο πρότερον έτεσιν διδαχθέντι ού καταριθμεί αυτόν έν τω των
φροντιστών χορώ. δήλον ούν ώς μεταξύ τούτων τών χρόνων παραγέγονεν
The conversation in the Protagoras, which takes place after Hipponicus’
death, when Callias has already inherited the property, refers to Protagoras
as having arrived for a second time only a few days earlier (309c-d). But
Hipponicus was general in the archonship of Euthydemus (431/0 BCE) and
was stationed along with Nicias opposite the men of Tanagra and the other
Boeotians who came to their assistance, and he won the battle.9 He seemingly
died shortly before the performance of Eupolis’ Kolakes in the archonship of
Alcaeus (422/1 BCE), for the play makes it clear that Callias’ inheritance of
the property is a recent event. In this play, then, Eupolis brings Protagoras on
as being in town, whereas Amipsias in his Konnos (test, ii), staged two years
earlier, does not include him in his chorus of thinkers. It is thus clear that he
arrived between those dates
Herodicus ap. Ath. 11.506f
ό δέ καλός αύτού Πρωταγόρας προς τω καταδρομήν έχειν πολλών ποιητών
καί σοφών άνδρών έκθεατριζόμενον έχει καί τον Καλλίου βίον μάλλον τών
Εύπόλιδος Κολάκων
But [Plato’s] lovely Protagoras, in addition to disparaging numerous poets
and other clever men, makes more of a theatrical spectacle of Callias’ lifestyle
than Eupolis’ Kolakes does

Discussion Napolitano 2012. 109-12
Context Two separate fragments of Herodicus’ devastating attack on Plato’s
chronological accuracy (ap. Ath. 5.218b-c) and moral and social decency (ap.
Ath. 11.506f), from his To the Man Who Likes Socrates.
Interpretation Although Herodicus may (or may not) have been the first
to note chronological problems with the Protagoras, he was certainly not the
last. In particular, Paralos and Xanthippos the sons of Pericles (d. 430 BCE;
see frr. 110 n.; 192.158-69 n.) are still alive when the conversation takes place
(Prt. 315a), and Alcibiades is a young man just getting a beard (309a-b), which
puts the action in the late 430s BCE or so; but Callias clearly has full control of

9

In 426 BCE.