A Euripides quote in the prologue to The Knights (Eq. 14–20)
https://doi.org/10.22394/2412-9410-2024-10-2-118-127
Abstract
This article deals with the distribution of dialogue lines between two slaves in the prologue of Aristophanes’ The Knights. There is no agreement among editors which slave utters the quote from Euripides’ Hippolytus (Eur. Hipp. 345) and where this quote should be located. The main question is whether it is necessary to transpose this quote. Many editors have followed Hermann Sauppe in transposing verses 15 and 16 (Meineke, Dindorf, Bergk, van Leeuwen, and Hall–Geldart). In 1835 C. F. Hermann placed the quote from Euripides after verse 18 and added it to the words of the Second Slave (Nikias). Coulon, Sommerstein, Kraus, and Wilson published the text with Hermann’s emendation. The text presented in Wilson’s edition in fact diminishes the comical effect of this dialogue. It seems unlikely that Aristophanes introduces the quote from Euripides into the text with a direct foreshadowing in a previous verse: the Second Slave says he would like to enunciate something Euripides-like and then cites the whole verse from Hippolytus without any modification. When Euripides is quoted, his name is normally omitted (Nub. 1165–1166 / Eur. Hec. 172–174; Nub. 1415 / Eur. Alc. 691). The main argument for conserving the manuscript text is the comical effect, which is connected with the order of verses offered by codex R. The First Slave quotes Euripides, the Second Slave also wants to say something exquisite (like Euripides) but is interrupted by the First Slave.
Supporting agencies: The article is a part of the RANEPA state assignment research programme
About the Author
G. S. Belikov
The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration; А. M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Grigory S. Belikov, Cand. Sci. (Philology), Assistant Professor, Senior Researcher
Institute for Social Sciences; Faculty of History and Philology; Department of World History; Laboratory on Commentaries on Ancient Texts
119571; Prospekt Vernadskogo, 82; 121069; Spiridonovka Str., 2, Bld. 1; Moscow
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Review
For citations:
Belikov G.S. A Euripides quote in the prologue to The Knights (Eq. 14–20). Shagi / Steps. 2024;10(2):118-127. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22394/2412-9410-2024-10-2-118-127
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