Scoptic epigram in P.CtYBR inv. 4000 (London, 5 September 2014)
Lucia Floridi (lucia.floridi@gmail.com)
1. Table (based on Wilkinson 2012, pp. 28-30. With (E) and (S) are indicated, respectively, the epigrams which are
clearly epideictic or clearly scoptic; with (E/S) epigrams which may be epideictic as well as scoptic; with (S?) poems
which may be scoptic, but whose content does not make it possible to draw more precise conclusions regarding their
typology).
1. A first-person speaker describes a (forced?) move to a certain place; in the last line the persona
loquens probably claims to be happy with wine (E/S)
2. On a pytagorean dictum (E/S)
3. The poem is addressed to a certain Clematius; the narrator laments his poverty (E/S)
4. A request of money to Clematius (E/S)
5. Very fragmentary
6. Very fragmentary
7. On Hermaios of Hermopolis, accused of adultery (S)
8. On Nilus of Hermopolis, a criminal (S)
9. Another epigram on Nilus (probably with a pun on the name Nilus) (S)
10. Very fragmentary
11. On Demetrius (trace of the word ἰαμβικ survives) (S?)
12. The epigram refers to Cynics and anger (E/S)
13. On Aristides (the Just?) (E/S)
14. On Helladios. Very fragmentary
15. On the same subject. Too lacunose to understand the content; there might be a reference to an
emperor, Καῖσαρ (this says nothing about the content, but one can notice that an address to Καῖσαρ
opens AP 9.572 = 2 Floridi – Lucillius’ proem to his second book of epigrams)
16. Very fragmentary
17. List of food. Parallels in AP may suggest satirical (e.g. Palladas AP 9.377, Ammianos AP 11.413,
laments for the poor quality of the food) as well as “epideictic” purposes (e.g. Philodemos AP 11.35,
an invitation poem; Philodemos AP 9.412, remarks on life and death) (E/S)
18. Very fragmentary. The last word may be διχοστασίας
19. Mention of Gestius? (if Wilkinson is right in connecting this epigram to Palladas’ poems on Gessius,
the poem might be satiric) (S?)
20. Another one on Gestius (with reference to the Alexandrian Museum?) (S?)
21. On the destruction of Alexandria (E)
22. Very fragmentary. A certain Lasthenes + a resident of the village of Skinepolis are mentioned
23. There is mention of “twenty devourers of the common stock” who have taken the place of a single
man of unknown identity (E/S). It may be a political attack
24. Political satire: Heron bribed to go to Hades (S)
25. Reference to a politician (S?)
26. Political satire (an attack against Galerius, according to Wilkinson, an attack against a local
politician, according to Ast 2014) (S)
27. Very fragmentary. Only the word πρυτανεία survives (considering that the preceding epigrams seem
to be political attacks, this may be similar in content) (E/S)
28. = AP 9.127: on the anger of an aged man (E)
29. Reference to the Egyptian goddess Triphis (E)
30. On a politician incapable of stealing now like he did in the past (S)
31. Very fragmentary
32. Very fragmentary
33. On Phaethon. Possibly a lament uttered by the Heliades to Zeus, who destroyed their brother (E)
34. First-person declaration of old age (E/S: see Philodemos AP 11.30, or Strato, AP 12.240, on old age
as an impediment to love)
35. Description of the effects of old age (E)
36. Very fragmentary. A reference to Callimachus may open the poem
37. = AP 9.379. Reworking of a proverb (E)
2. (a) πολλὴ κατὰ τὸν βίον τῶν σκωπτικῶν ἐπιγραμμάτων ἡ χρῆσις· φιλεῖ γάρ πως ἄνθρωπος
ἢ αὐτὸς εἴς τινας παίζειν ἢ ἑτέρου πρὸς τοὺς πλησίον ἀποσκώπτοντος ἀκούειν, ὅπερ, οἶμαι,
διὰ τῶν ἐξῆς τοῖς παλαιοῖς γενόμενον ἐπιδείξομεν (Greek Anthology, Preface to Book XI)
(b) ὁππόθι κερτομέοντες ἐπεσβόλον ἦχον ἀοιδῆς / γράψαμεν (Agathias AP 4.3.128-129; transl.
Paton)
(c) Πρίν γ’ ὅτε δὴ χλεύῃς μιν Ἰάμβη κέδν’ εἰδυῖα / πολλὰ παρασκώπτουσ’ ἐτρέψατο πότνιαν
ἁγνὴν / μειδῆσαι γελάσαι τε καὶ ἵλαον σχεῖν θυμόν· / ἣ δή οἱ καὶ ἔπειτα μεθύστερον εὔαδεν
ὀργαῖς (Hymn. Hom. 2.203)
3. AP 11.140 = 49 Floridi
Τούτοις τοῖς παρὰ δεῖπνον ἀοιδομάχοις λογολέσχαις,
τοῖς ἀπ᾿ Ἀριστάρχου γραμματολικριφίσιν,
οἷς οὐ σκῶμμα λέγειν, οὐ πεῖν φίλον, ἀλλ᾿ ἀνάκεινται
νηπυτιευόμενοι Νέστορι καὶ Πριάμῳ,
μή με βάλῃς κατὰ λέξιν «ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα γενέσθαι».
σήμερον οὐ δειπνῶ «μῆνιν ἄειδε θεά».
To these praters, these verse-figthers of the supper table, these slippery dominies of Aristarchus’ school who
care not for making a joke or drinking, but lie there playing infantile games with Nestor and Priam, cast me
not literally “to be their prey and spoil”. Today, I don’t sup on “Sing, O Goddess, the wrath”. (transl. Paton)
4. Theophrastus ap. Plut. Mor. 631e ὀνειδισμὸς γάρ ἐστιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας παρεσχηματισμένος τὸ
σκῶμμα.
5. (a) Hedyl. HE 1871 ss. ὀψοφάγει, Κλειοῖ· καταμύομεν· ἢν δὲ θελήσῃς, / ἔσθε μόνη. δραχμῆς
ἐστιν ὁ γόγγρος ἅπας. / θὲς μόνον ἢ ζώνην <ἢ> ἐνώτιον ἤ τι τοιοῦτον / σύσσημον. τὸ δ’ ὁρᾶν
μὴ μόνον οὐ λέγομεν. / ἡμετέρη σὺ Μέδουσα· λιθούμεθα πάντες ἀπλάτου / οὐ Γοργοῦς,
γόγγρου δ’ οἱ μέλεοι λοπάδι.
Be gluttonous, Cleio. We’re closing our eyes. If you want, / eat it all yourself. The whole conger eel costs a
drachma. / Just give us your sash or earring or some such deposit. / But by god, we’re not able to watch. /
You’re our Medusa. Poor us, we’re all turned to stone, / not by a horrible Gorgon, but by a plate of gongros.
(transl. Gutzwiller)
(b) Antip. Thess. AP 11.219 = GPh 629 s. Οὐ προσέχω, καίτοι πιστοί τινες· ἀλλὰ μεταξύ, / πρὸς
Διός, εἴ με φιλεῖς, Πάμφιλε, μή με φίλει.
I don’t pay any attention, although some people are to be trusted; but in the meantime, for God’s sake, if you
love me, Pamphilus, don’t kiss me. (transl. Paton)