498

Eupolis

The proverb in the form αυτόματοι δ’ αγαθοί αγαθών έπί δαΐτας ’ίασιν-
which seems to be how Plato’s Socrates knows it, although he mockingly
converts αγαθών into Άγάθων’ and produces a heavily resolved iambic
trimeter —out of the hexameter—was
assigned by Schneidewin (reading Ησίοδος for the paradosis 'Ηράκλειτος in
the manuscripts of Zenobius known to him) to the pseudo-Hesiodic Wedding
ofCeyx (fr. 263 M.-W. = fr. 202 Most). The Athos codex of Zenobius, however,
reads “Bacchylides”, which Athenaeus shows must be right, meaning that
Ηράκλειτος in the other Zenobius manuscripts must be a clumsy error un-
der the influence of Ήρακλέους a few words later on. Cratinus (fr. 182.1-2)
calls this a παλαιός / λόγος, while Socrates simply refers to it as a παροιμία.
Although Bacchylides knows and adapts the saying in connection with a visit
to Ceyx (the king of Trachis, in central Greece) by Heracles, therefore, and
although [Hesiod] wrote about Heracles and Ceyx in dactylic hexameters,
there is no substantial reason to trace the verse to [Hesiod] in particular, as
opposed to identifying it as a line of free-floating wisdom literature variously
adapted by a wide range of 5th-century authors. See also Fuhrmann 1953;
Spyridonidou-Skarsouli 1995. 338-41.
According to [Hes.] fr. 263 M.-W. = fr. 202 Most—expressly assigned by the
ancient source to the Wedding of Ceyx— Heracles’ departure from the Argo
was discussed in that poem, likely placing the encounter with Ceyx early in
the hero’s career (cf. D.S. 4.32).291 That Heracles and Deianeira settled with
Ceyx near the end of Heracles’ life, after the death of the centaur Nessus
and Heracles’ accidental killing of a young cupbearer (D.S. 4.36; Paus. 1.32.6;
[Apollod.] Bib. 2.150) is thus probably the consequence of the personal link
established earlier, when the hero blundered uninvited into the king’s wed-
ding celebration. For subsequent events involving Ceyx, Heracles’ arch-enemy
Eurystheus and Heracles’ children, see Hecat. FGrH 1 F 30; D.S. 4.57; Paus.
1.32.6; [Apollod.] Bib. 2.150). For the story of Ceyx in general, see Wilamowitz
1883. 417-19 n. 2; Kroll 1921.

291 At [Hes.] Sc. 353-5, Heracles is said to be on his way to Ceyx when he fights
and kills Cycnus, and the most economical hypothesis is that this event too was
taken to belong to the immediately post-Argo period of the hero’s career. For the
encounter with Cycnus and the ancient sources for it, see Gantz 1993. 421-2.