The Deipnosophists, or Banquet of the Learned of Athenaeus Part 61

[307:1] Odyss. ix. 5.

[307:2] Iliad, iv. 262.

[308:1] Odyss. i. 131; vii. 175.

[308:2] ?p?fa???, ill.u.s.trious. ?p?a???, mad.

[316:1] ???a?t??, a year.

[316:2] ?e?tet????, a period of five years.

[318:1] This word is probably corrupt; some editors propose to read ?f?t??.

[323:1] There is a great dispute among the commentators as to the exact reading of this pa.s.sage, or its meaning. Palmer says the crowns were given by different cities and tribes; and that what the king, and queen, and prince wore were not the crowns themselves, but a model of them in papyrus, with an inscription on each, stating its weight, and what city had given it.

[325:1] There is great uncertainty as to the meaning of this pa.s.sage; some commentators consider that there is some corruption in the text.

[331:1] I have adopted here Casaubon's conjectural emendation, and his interpretation of it. The text of the MSS. seems undoubtedly corrupt.

[333:1] This is an allusion to the first line of Homer's Catalogue--

????t?? ?? ?????e?? ?a? ??t?? ?????.

[342:1] The Greek here is ?? ?at??? t??a???? ??, the meaning of which is very much disputed. Casaubon thinks it means that there was a great resemblance between the priestly and royal robes. Schweighauser thinks it means, after having worn the robe of a philosopher he became a tyrant.

[352:1] ?p?s?e, behind; ???, to feed.

BOOK VI.

1. Since you ask me every time that you meet me, my friend Timocrates, what was said by the Deipnosophists, thinking that we are making some discoveries, we will remind you of what is said by Antiphanes, in his Poesy, in this manner--

In every way, my friends, is Tragedy A happy poem. For the argument Is, in the first place, known to the spectators, Before one single actor says a word.

So that the poet need do little more Than just remind his hearers what they know.

For should I speak of dipus, at once They recollect his story--how his father Was Laius, and Jocasta too his mother; What were his sons', and what his daughters' names, And what he did and suffer'd. So again If a man names Alcmaeon, the very children Can tell you how he in his madness slew His mother; and Adrastus furious, Will come in haste, and then depart again; And then at last, when they can say no more, And when the subject is almost exhausted, They lift an engine easily as a finger, And that is quite enough to please the theatre.

But our case is harder. We are forced T' invent the whole of what we write; new names, Things done before, done now, new plots, new openings, And new catastrophes. And if we fail in aught, Some Chremes or some Phido hisses us.

While Peleus is constraint by no such laws, Nor Teucer.

And Diphilus says, in his Men conducting Helen--

O thou who rulest, patroness and queen, Over this holy spot of sacred Brauron, Bow-bearing daughter of Latona and Jove, As the tragedians call you; who alone Have power to do and say whate'er they please.

2. But Timocles the comic writer, a.s.serting that tragedy is useful in many respects to human life, says in his Women celebrating the Festival of Bacchus--

My friend, just hear what I'm about to say.

Man is an animal by nature miserable; And life has many grievous things in it.

Therefore he has invented these reliefs To ease his cares; for oft the mind forgets Its own discomforts while it soothes itself In contemplation of another's woes, And e'en derives some pleasure and instruction.

For first, I'd have you notice the tragedians; What good they do to every one. The poor man Sees Telephus was poorer still than he, And bears his own distress more easily.

The madman thinks upon Alcmaeon's case.

Has a man weak sore eyes? The sons of Phineus Are blind as bats. Has a man lost his child?

Let him remember childless Niobe.

He's hurt his leg; and so had Philoctetes.

Is he unfortunate in his old age?

neus was more so. So that every one, Seeing that others have been more unfortunate, Learns his own griefs to hear with more content.

3. And we accordingly, O Timocrates, will _restore_ to you the relics of the feast of the Deipnosophists, and will not _give_ them, as Cothocides the orator said, meaning to ridicule Demosthenes, who, when Philip gave Halonnesus to the Athenians, advised them "not to take it if he _gave_ it, but only if he _restored_ it." And this sentence Antiphanes jested upon in his Neottis, where he ridicules it in this manner--

My master has received (?p??ae?) as he took (??ae?) His patrimonial inheritance.

How would these words have pleased Demosthenes!

And Alexis says, in his Soldier--

_A._ Receive this thing.

_B._ What is it?

_A._ Why the child Which I had from you, which I now bring back.

_B._ Why? will you no more keep him?

_A._ He's not mine.

_B._ Nor mine.

_A._ But you it was who gave him me.

_B._ I gave him not.

_A._ How so?

_B._ I but restored him.

_A._ You gave me what I never need have taken.

And in his Brothers he says--

_A._ For did I give them anything? Tell me that.

_B._ No, you restored it, holding a deposit.

And Anaxilas, in his Evandria, says--

. . . . Give it not, Only restore it.

_B._ Here I now have brought it.