294

Eupolis

in the text of Eupolis, forms of υμείς and ήμεις being routinely confused in
transmission.
Interpretation See frr. 245 n.; 247 n. The island of Chios (IACP #840) was
settled by the Euboeans and was a major naval power already in 494 BCE,
when it contributed 100 ships, each crewed by 40 picked men, to the Ionian
fleet (Hdt. 6.15.1). Chios joined the Delian League early on (Hdt. 9.106.4), and
after the League evolved into an Athenian empire, the island continued to
furnish the Athenians with ships and, apparently, with their crews as well
(Th. 1.116.2, 117.2; 2.56.2; 4.13.2, 129.2; 5.84.1; 6.43; 7.20.2). This was done in
place of paying tribute, allowing the Chians to retain some nominal degree
of independence (Th. 1.19; 2.9.5; 3.10.5; 6.85.2; 7.57.4; [Arist.J Ath. 24.2; see
Gomme, Andrews and Dover 1970. 434-5)—although this fragment suggests
that the average Athenian man on the street did not look at matters quite that
way, and although in 425 BCE the Athenians found a newly constructed city
wall suspicious and forced the Chians to pull it down (Th. 4.51). Chios finally
revolted from the Empire in 412 BCE (Th. 8.17.1-2, 38.1-4; see in general
Quinn 1969; Blechman 1993. 300-4; Pierart 1995) and remained in the Spartan
camp until 394 BCE (D.S. 14.84.3). Th. 8.24.4 calls the Chians—also notorious
for owning enormous numbers of slaves (see fr. 296 n.)—a prime example of
the virtues and benefits of σωφροσύνη (cf. 3), ranking them immediately after
the Spartans in that regard. For the place and its history in this period, see in
general Barron 1986.
For horsemanship (3) as an image for sexuality and in particular sexual
dominance, e. g. Ar. V. 502 with Biles-Olson 2015 ad loc.\ Pax 899-902; Lys.
676; Henderson 1991 § 274-8; Griffith 2006. 324-6. Rosen 1998. 157-8 argues
“Implicit in the metaphor ... is the notion that both as a female choreut and as
an allied city, [Chios] represents an element that requires domestication by a
controlling and civilizing force”. But there is no sign of resistance here, and
it might be better to say that Chios is presented as an ideal woman, offering
the man or men in her life access to enormous resources, while nonetheless
remaining completely submissive.
If ύμΐν is printed in 2, the speaker is addressing the Athenian people gen-
erally, as through their representative Dicaeopolis in the Assembly scene at
the beginning of Aristophanes’ Acharnians (e. g. 102, 143), or perhaps in the
form of the audience in the Theater (nominally consisting only of Athenians),
as routinely in parabases (e. g. frr. 172.1; 392.2; Ar. Ach. 633; Nu. 589). If ήμΐν is
printed instead, both the speaker and the addressee(s) are Athenian.
Meineke suggested that the fragment might be divided between two speak-
ers, the second taking 2 (and presumably 3 as well).