398

Eupolis

fr. 270 K.-A. (252 K.)
(A.) δτ’ ήν μέντοι νεότερος, κρόκης
πέντε στατήρας είχε. (Β.) ναι μά τον Δία,
νυν δέ ρύπου γε δύο τάλαντα ραδίως
(A.) When it was newer, however, it contained
five stateres of woof-thread. (B.) Yes, by Zeus;
whereas now (it contains) two talents of dirt at least221
Poll. 9.58
έστι μέντοι καί νόμισμα στατήρ ... Εϋπολις δ’ έν μέν Δήμοις τό νόμισμα δηλοϊ λέγων
(fr. 123)·-. έν δέ Ταξιάρχοις τήν ροπήν λέγει--
A stater is nonetheless also a coin ... But Eupolis in Demoi, on the one hand, makes it
clear that it is a coin, when he says (fr. 123):-. In Taxiarchoi, on the other hand, he
refers to a unit of weight:-

Meter lambic trimeter.
<x->— | _

Discussion Grotius 1626. 504-5; Meineke 1839 1.144, 11.529; Cobet 1856.
107 = 1858. 155; Kock 1880 1.327; Nauck 1894. 71; Kaibel ap. K.-A.; Tammaro
1990-1993. 134-5; Storey 2003. 255-6; Storey 2011. 209
Citation context Along with fr. 123 (cited immediately before it), part of an
extended discussion of the word στατήρ embedded in a larger treatment of
vocabulary having to do with terms for coins and units of weight that also
includes fr. 165; related material appears at Poll. 4.173-5. Phot, σ 506 στατήρα·
καί επί τής ολκής λέγουσι. καί τον σταθμόν απλώς (“statera: they also use
the word in reference to weighing. Also a weight pure and simple”) may go
back to the same source. Cf. also Philox. Gramm, fr. *598 = Oros fr. 151; Orion
p. 148.25-6.

221 πέντε στατήρας and δύο τάλαντα are both units of weight rather than of price or
value (thus already Pollux). Had Eupolis meant “five staters’ worth of woof-thread’
and “two talents worth of dirt” (thus Storey 2011. 217; see also on 3 below), he
would have written the metrically indifferent κρόκηv / πέντε στατήρων and ρύπον
γε δύο ταλάντων; cf. fr. 160.