388

Eupolis

ήμεΐς μακρά την κεφαλήν είπόντες τή διαθήκη (~ “we tell the document-seal
to go to hell”); Av. 692 Προδίκω παρ’ εμού κλάειν ε’ίπητε (“tell Prodicus from
me to go to hell!”); Pl. 62 κλάειν έγωγέ σοι λέγω (“I tell you to go to hell”); Pl.
Com. fr. 189.19 έφθή κλαίειν άγόρευω (“I urge the stewed one to go to hell!”).

fr. 268m = fr. 268.48 K.-A.
γάρ ούκ έπίσταμα[ι]
for I don’t know how

Meter lambic trimeter.
e.g. <x— x->-l- ——
Context POxy. 2740 fr. 2 col. II.4-6 = fr. 268.48-50 K.-A.
>-
γάρ ούκ έπίσταμα[ι παρά
>-
τό πεζή βαδίζω, [νεΐν
so γάρ ούκ έπίσταμα[ι
48-50 suppl. Lobel 49 πεζή Lobel : πεζή pap.
for I don’t know how: alluding to
the saying “I go by foot, for I don’t
50 know how to swim”

Interpretation A paragraphos between 47 and 48, together with the fact that
48 γάρ is set a letter-space or two to the left of the material above and below
it, mark the beginning of a lemma, while another paragraphos between 48 and
49 marks the beginning of a section of commentary.
γάρ ούκ έπίσταμαι * at Ar. V. 989 ού δήτα· κιθαρίζειν γάρ ούκ έπίσταμαι
(“No indeed; for I don’t know how to play the kithara”; Philocleon explains
why he is unwilling to acquit Labes/Laches); Av. 1432 τί γάρ πάθω; σκάπτειν
γάρ ούκ έπίσταμαι (“Yes, because what’s to become of me (otherwise)? for I
don’t know how to dig”; an informer explains his choice of career). The scholia
vetera on both passages comment παρά τήν παροιμίαν “πεζή βαδίζω· νεΐν γάρ
ούκ έπίσταμαι” (“Alluding to the proverb ‘I go by foot; for I don’t know how
to swim’”), hence Lobel’s supplement of 48-50.212

212 Austin conjectured [νεΐν] γάρ ούκ έπίσταμαι (“loqueretur Bacchus nandi imperitus”)
in the text of Eupolis, hence the claim at Storey 2003. 256 that Taxiarchoi included