358

Eupolis

person soliciting a gift, e. g. a politician (cf. Ar. Eq. 1082-3 τήν τούτου χειρ’
έποίησεν / Κυλλήνην όρθώς, ότιή φησ’ “εμβαλε κυλλή”, “(The god) was right
to refer to this guy’s hand as Kyllene, because he says ‘Put something in
my twisted hand (kylle)’”) or a god (Ar. Ec. 782-3 with Dunbar 1995 on Av.
518-19). Kassel-Austin appear to feel that Gerhard’s interpretation is unlikely
(“sed vide ne obstent verba τήν έτέραν”), but the nature of their objection is
unclear. Sommerstein 2001. 247 takes the person in question to be the seer
Diopeithes (PA 4309; PAA 363105), who is presented at Ar. Eq. 1085 as having
a crooked—i. e. deformed?—hand (or better interpreted as a reference to his
eternal readiness to reach out for gifts?). For physical disability in the ancient
world and the treatment of it in comedy in particular, see fr. 298 n.
As Aelius Dionysius—garbled in various ways by the late sources that
preserve his words—appear to have insisted, χωλός (etymology uncertain)
is a generic term meaning “crippled, disabled” which most often refers to the
feet or legs (e. g. Ar. Ach. 429, of Bellerophon after his fall from Pegasus’ back;
Timocl. fr. 6.15, of someone who resembles Philoctetes, i. e. with a bad foot),
but need not necessarily do so (note Hippon. fr. 180 χειρόχωλον,187 defined at
Poll. 2.152 as meaning “someone with a maimed hand”), hence the occasional
specification “in regard to the feet/legs” vel sim. (e. g. Ar. Th. 24 χωλός είναι
τώ σκέλει; II. 2.217 (quoted below); E. Cyc. 637-9; Hdt. 4.161.1).
τήν έτέραν χειρ’ is probably “his one hand” (sc. as opposed to the one
that is not crippled; see LSJ s. v. έτερος 1.1) rather than “his other hand” (sc. as
opposed to the one previously discussed; thus Storey 2011. 209); cf. II. 2.217
χωλός δ’ έτερον πόδα (“and crippled in one foot”; of Thersites); 12.452 χειρί
λαβών έτέρρ (“taking it in one hand”).188
For εύ σφόδρα adding emphasis to an idea with a negative valence (here
χωλός έστι), cf. Philem. fr. 78.4 τοΐς νοσούσιν εύ σφόδρα (“those who are
really sick”). For similar combinations of εύ with another adverb in a sense
roughly comparable to English “good and ...” or “really well” (neither implying
anything morally “good” or otherwise commendable about the situation), e. g.
εύ μάλα (e. g. Cratin. fr. 303.1; Ar. fr. 46), εύ πάνυ (Xenarch. fr. 7.10; Men. Dysc.
878 (Blake)); see Thesleff 1954 § 366, and compare the common morally neutral
use of εύ alone at e.g. Pherecr. fr. 165.1 (“good and hard”); Ar. Nu. 1108 εύ μοι

187 Miscited at Beekes 2010 s. v. χωλός as χωλόχειρος (unattested).
188 Cf. also Ar. Ec. 161-2 ούκ αν προβαίην τον πόδα / τον ετερον (Τ wouldn’t advance
either foot”, i. e. “I wouldn’t take a single step forward”) with Ussher 1973 ad loc.
LSJ s. v. ετερος IV. 1.a notes that the sense “the left hand” is mostly confined to the
dative τή έτέρη (χειρί).