Epops

Fr. 137a 

                               ].[                 ].[
           . . . . . . . . . . ].νανερε[. .].ρμ.[
      . . . . . . . . . . . ]επεφησαλιθων[.]. .[.].στα
           . . . . . . . . . . .]ειης χαιρ᾽ α[.]επαυσς λυρη[
5    . . . . . . . . . . .]οσηρατον[. . .]ρ[.].ωε.[.]μουν[
           . . . . . . . . . . .].ιδων οἱ λιπαροὶ κόρακες
      . . . . . . . . . . .]πλέουσιν ἐπώπια καλὸν α[
           . . . . . . . . . .] Ἐρατὼ δ᾽ ἀνταπάμειπτο τά[δε·
      . . . . . . . .] κο[τ᾽] ἔκηδον ὁμώλακες . .γα.ε.[
10       . . . . .]αιανι.[.]ν ἧν ὑπὸ πάντα δόρε[ι
      . . . . .]ς ἔποψ εὖτέ σφιν . . .δ. . . .[
           . .]ανος αἰχμηταῖς ἷκτο μ.[
      . .]ναέταις Σικυῶνος επι[
           . . . . . .] ἠβαιὴν οὔ τι κατὰ πρόφασιν
15                                          ].[ 

Fragment 137a Harder (=SH 238, Mass. 98)
  1-15 P.Ant. 113 fr. 1 (a) recto [image], Trismegistos 59409 
  14 Σ ABT Il. 2.380

This seems to contain the end of a speech and a new question. The Muse Erato begins to speak about Sicyon and its mythical king, Epops or Epopeus. There have been multiple conjectures about the subject matter, but nothing definitive. The fact that Erato is speaking locates the fragment within the first two books, and suggests, prima facie, an erotic theme to the story. The mention of crows and the hoopoe (if the bird and not a proper name) might belong to an omen (as in fr. 43). 

 

Bibliography

Hollis, Adrian S. 1990. ‘Epops in the Erchian sacred calendar and the Aetia of Callimachus.’ In Owls to Athens. Essays on classical subjects presented to Sir Kenneth Dover, edited by E.M. Craik, 127-30. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Robertson, Noel. 1999. ‘Callimachus’ Tale of Sicyon (SH 238).’ Phoenix 53:57-79.

Fr. 137a

λιπαρός -ά -όν: shiny, sleek; bright, brilliant; rich, fruitfuil

κόραξ -ᾰκος, ὁ: a raven or crow

ἐπώπια -ίων, τά: perhaps = "eyebrows"?

Ἐρᾰτώ, οῦς, ἡ: Erato, “the Lovely,” one of the nine Muses (Hesiod, Theogony 78)

ἀνταπαμείβομαι: to respond in turn

κήδω, impf. ἔκηδον: to trouble, distress

ὁμῶλαξ, -ᾰκος: a Doric form of ὁμαῦλαξ (adj.) neighboring, bordering on, sharing a border (= ὅμορος)

ἔποψ ἔποπος, ὁ: the bird hoopoeUpupa epops, so called from its cry

εὖτε: (adv. of time) when, at the time when; (adv. of comparison, = ἠΰτε) as, even as

αἰχμητής -οῦ, ὁ: spearman, warrior

ναέτης -ου, ὁ: inhabitant

ἠβαιός -α -ον: little, slight; usually w. neg., οὐδ ἠβαιαί, “not the least,” Il. 14.141

πρόφασις -εως, ἡ: motive or cause alleged, whether truly or falsely

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Suggested Citation

Susan Stephens, Callimachus: Aetia. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-947822-07-8.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/uf/epops