Πόλεις (fr. 243)

287

the singular rather than the plural (e.g. II. 12.451; Cratin. fr. 388; Ar. Av. 714;
Lys. 574).
Interpretation Edmonds suggested that the reference might be to Miletus
(sc. as one of the eponymous Cities), which was famous for its wool (Ar. Lys.
729; Amphis fr. 27.1; Eub. fr. 89.2-3; Timae. FGrH 566 F 50; Ctes. FGrH 688 F
10; Poll. 9.125 (the tortoise game)).
For similar strings of three terms, cf. fr. 241 with n.
A καλαθίσκος—diminutive of κάλαθος—is a “little basket” used to hold
carded wool at Ar. Lys. 535, 579 (cf. Ar. Th. 822), as apparently here; a fish-bas-
ket at Theoc. 21.9.135 Simple κάλαθος seems to be used for the same item
at Nicarch. AP 6.285.3 = HE 2739 τον κάλαθον τά τε πηνία, and the term
kalathos is applied by modern archaeologists to the large, flower-pot shaped
vessel routinely shown in weaving and spinning scenes in 5th- and 4th-century
vase-paintings; see in general Bundrick 2008, esp. 305 n. 65, with further
bibliography.136 A πηνίον, meanwhile, is a spindle or spool onto which spun
thread is wound, and which in the case of woof thread is then shuttled back
and forth between the warp threads in the course of the weaving process; cf.
fr. 270.1 n.; II. 23.762 πηνίον έξέλκουσα παρέκ μίτον (“pulling the penion out
along the warp thread”, of a woman); Ar. Ra. 1315 ίστότονα πηνίσματα (“loom-
stretched threadings” vel siml) with Dover 1993 ad loc.; Leonid. AP 6.288.5-6 =
HE 2217-18 with Gow-Page 1965 ad loc.·, Hsch. π 2212 ~ Phot, π 864 = Suda π
1530 = Synag. π 465 πηνίον- ό άτρακτος, έν ώ είλεΐται ή κρόκη (“penion: the
spindle on which the woof thread is wound”; traced by Cunningham to Cyril).

fr. 243 K.-A. (229 K.)
εχω γάρ επιτήδειον άνδρ’ αυτή πάνυ
for I have a man who’s absolutely appropriate for her
Phot, ε 1754 « Et.Gen. AB
επιτήδειος- φίλος, εϋνους. γνώριμος, συνήθης- λέγουσι δε καί ώς ήμεΐς τό άρμόττον
επιτήδειον. Εΰπολις Πόλεσιν--

135 The word is used as the name of a dance at Apollophan. fr. 1; cf. Poll. 4.105; Ath.
14.630a.
136 A κάλαθος is used at Ar. Av. 1325 to hold bird-wings; for its role in ritual, see
Hopkinson 1984. 41-2, and note Eubulus’ Kalathephoroi (“Basket-bearers”) with
Hunter 1983. 130.