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4. Commentary on Dem. 5 (P.Berol.inv. 21188)
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P.Berol.inv. 21188 is a papyrus from Hermoupolis dating from the second century c.e. that consists of one large fragment and ten smaller ones. The large fragment (frag. 1) preserves part of a commentary on the phrase “about the shadow of an ass” from Dem. 5.25, On the Peace. The reference in fragment 2 to “renting” (memisqwmev≥ªnw/º) the ass continues the discussion of the proverb. The “shadow” is still apparently under discussion in col. 2, line 14 (skia.ª– – –º), which would suggest that this comes from a commentary rather than from a lexicon. There is a parallel treatment of the proverb in Harpocration, s.v. peri; th`~ ejn Delfoi`~ skià~ (P 54), which is discussed below. There are no significant correspondences in the Demosthenic scholia. Text: Text and commentary in Maehler. Republished with fewer restorations in Ioannidou. text and translation of p.berol.inv. 21188ªOujkou`n eu[hqºe≥~≥ pro;~ a{pantaª~º p≥e⁄ªri; th`~ ejnº Delfoi`~ skià~ polemh `sai: ⁄ ªparaºp≥epoih`sqaiv fhsin oJ Divdu⁄ªmo~ para; th;n qrulouºm ≥evnhn ªpºa≥r≥oi⁄ªmivan uJpo; tw`n pºr≥o≥t≥ev≥rw≥n th;n ou{tw~ ⁄ ªferomevnºh≥n peri; o[nou skià~: ouj≥ g≥a;r≥ ⁄ ªparevlabeºn oJ Dhmosqevnh~ e{neka ⁄ ªtou` grafevºnto ~ uJpo; tw`n ΔAmfiktu⁄ªovnwn yºhfivsmato~, Filivppou ⁄ ªdev, dia; Delºfou ;~ kai; ta; Fwkikav: ⁄ ªejpainw`n th;n pºro;~ aujto;n eijrhvnhn ⁄ ªprouvtreye meivºzosi kªai;º crhsimw⁄ªtevroi~ prosevcein hJºs≥ucavsaªnºt≥a≥~≥ kat≥e⁄ªnantext 4 Commentary on Dem. 5 (P.Berol.inv. 21188) 172 tivon tw`/ ojnhlºavth/ th`/ o[≥nou s≥kià/ ⁄ ªkerdaivnonti: ou|ºto~ ajpªoºcrhvsa~ p≥o⁄ªte;º ajpologouvmenon ⁄ ª– – –ºo≥u≥s≥..si ⁄ ª– – –ºu≥ “[Therefore silly] . . . to fight against everyone about the shadow at Delphi ” (Dem. 5.25). Didymus says that this was adapted from a proverbial expression—the one that goes “about the shadow of an ass”—which had commonly been used by earlier authors. For Demosthenes did not use the expression because of the decree made by the Amphictyons, but because of Philip, on account of his behavior with regard to Delphi and the Phocian affairs. Praising (Athens’s) peace with him (sc. Philip), he (Demosthenes) encouraged them, while at peace, to direct their minds to better and more useful things, in contrast to the ass driver who wants to make a profit with the shadow of an ass. (– – –at least 3 lines unrestored– – –). notes on p.berol.inv. 21188 The proverbial expression “about the shadow of an ass” was already current in the fifth century (see, for example, Aristophanes Wasps 191) and occurred frequently in Greek literature. The fifth-century poet Archippus even wrote a comedy entitled Shadow of an Ass (o[nou skiav); see fragments 35–36 in vol. 3.2 of Kassel and Austin. It is not known whether the expression “about the shadow of an ass” preceded the aetiology of the expression, or vice versa; see Maehler, 631 and 633 nn. 8– 10, for the loci classici of both the expression and its aetiology. The standard aetiology of the expression is found in one of the biographies of Demosthenes: “A young man in the summer rented an ass from the city to go to Megara. At midday, when the sun became very hot, each of them (sc. the young man and the owner of the ass) wanted to get under its shadow. Each tried to keep the other away, the owner saying that he had rented him the ass, not its shadow, and the renter saying that he had control over the whole thing” (Ps.-Plutarch Moralia 848a–b, ed. Fowler). There is a parallel discussion of the phrase in Harpocration (text 2, frag. 2): (P 54) Peri; th`~ ejn Delfoi`~ skià~: Dhmosqevnh~ Filippikoi`~. Divdumov~ fhsi th;n peri; o[nou skià~ paroimivan parapepoih`sqai uJpo; tou` rJhvtoro~ levgonto~ peri; th`~ ejn Delfoi`~ skià~, levgesqai dΔ aujth;n ejpi; toi`~ peri; tw`n mhdeno;~ ajxivwn macomevnoi~. “About the shadow at Delphi: Demosthenes in the Philippics. Didymus says that the proverbial expression ‘about the shadow of an ass’ was Commentary on Dem. 5 173 [107.20.123.227] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 08:39 GMT) adapted by the orator when he says ‘about the shadow at Delphi,’ and that the expression was directed at those who were fighting about things that were worth nothing.” Both entries mention that Demosthenes “adapted” (parapepoih`sqai) the...