440

Fragments
fr. 286 K.-A. (265 K.)
νή τον Ποσειδώ f οΰδέποτ’ ϊσχει ή θύρα ψ
ούδέποτ’ ΣΕΓ : <γε> οΰδέποτ’, i. e. <γ’> οΰδέποτ’ Triclinius (= ZLh) : κούδέποτ’ Elmsley
ϊσχει ή ΣΕ : ή om. ΣΓ: ϊσχει <γ’> ή vel -ποτέ <γ’> ϊσχει Elmsley : -ποτ’ ϊσχεν ή Porson
Yes, by Poseidon, ψ the door never restrains f
ΣΕΓ Ar. Ach. 127
τούς δε ξενίζειν· παροιμία επί των πολλούς ξένους ύποδεχομένων (Bentley : άποδε-
χομένων codd.) “οΰδέποτ’ ϊσχει ή θύρα”. μέμνηται (δέ add. ΣΓ: ταύτης add. Triklinios)
καί Εύπολις έν Φίλοις- -. καί Καλλίμαχος έν 'Εκάλη (fr. 231)·-. καί Πίνδαρος
(Ν. 9.2)-
but that they entertain: “the door never restrains” is a proverb referring to those who
entertain (thus Bentley : “who accept” codd.) many guests. (“But” added by ΣΓ) Eupolis
as well mentions (“this (proverb)” added by Triklinios) in Philoi: —. Also Callimachus
in Hecale (fr. 231).-. Also Pindar (N. 9.2):-
Meter lambic trimeter.
—ο- —ψ-ο-
Discussion Meineke 183911.535; Wilamowitz 1870. 50; Muller-Striibing 1890.
545-6; Schiassi 1944. 31; Kaibel ap. K.-A.; Storey 2003. 265
Citation context A well-informed gloss on Ar. Ach. 127 τούς δέ ξενίζειν
ουδέποτε γ’ ϊσχει θύρα; (“Does a door never restrain these people from enter-
taining?”; the text of the second half of the line is disputed). The proverb is also
preserved in a closely related note, but without the citations, at Greg. Cypr.
4.76 ούδέποτ’ ϊσχει ή θύρα· έπί των πάντας ύποδεχομένων καί ξενιζόντω (“the
door never restrains: in reference to those who entertain and host everyone”).
Text The text transmitted by ΣΕ scans as an iambic trimeter (ΣΓ omits the
definite article ή), but features hiatus between (1) Ποσειδώ and ούδέποτ’ and
(2) ϊσχει and ή. Triklinios (= ΣΠ1) removed the first instance of hiatus via his
usual expedient of inserting γ(ε) into the text; cf. Ar. Ec. 748 μά τον Ποσειδώ
γ’ ούδέποτ’. Elmsley suggested instead κούδέποτ’ ϊσχει ξγ7 ή θύρα and later
κούδέποτε (γ’} ϊσχει θύρα, to avoid a split anapaest. Neither Callimachus nor
Pindar uses the phrase ούδέποτ’ ϊσχει ή θύρα—both merely refer to hospitality,
although Pindar does say πεπταμέναιν ξεινων ένεκεν ταϊν θύραιν (“with doors
outspread on account of guests”)—and it is not impossible that the second