Fr. 96

    Θεοὶ πάντες κομποῖς νεμεσήμονες, ἐκ δέ τε πάντων

           Ἄρτεμις α[

    Fr. 96 Harder (= 96 Pf., = 199 Mass.)
      1-2 P.Oxy. 2170, fr. 2, 6-7 [image], Trismegistos 59370
      1 P.Mil.Vogl. I 18 col. III 34 sq. [image] Trismegistos 59371

    Next is an ironical tale of a hunter who boastifully dedicates the head of a boar he had killed to himself instead of Artemis. He hangs the head in a tree, then falls asleep under it; of course, the head falls on him while he sleeps and kills him. The same story occurs in Libanius (Orations 5. 39) and Diodorus (4.22.3). In both, the location is Italy (Paestum in Diodorus). Diodorus juxtaposes the impiety of the hunter with the piety of Heracles, who is passing through the land.

    Fr. 96

    Ἄρτεμις -ιδος, ἡ: Artemis

    κομπός -οῦ, ὁ: braggart, boaster

    νεμεσάω: feel just resentment, be angry at

    Fr. 96a Harder (= Diegesis III 34-41; 1, 102 Pf.) P.Mil.Vogl. I 18 col. III 34-41 [image]Trismegistos 59371

           Θεοὶ πάντες κομποῖς νεμεσήμονες, ἐκ δέ τε

           πάντων          κυνηγὸς †αλωιος† ἑλὼν

           κάπρον ἐπεῖπεν οὐ δέον Ἀρτέμιδι ἀνα-

           τιθέναι τοὺς ἡγουμένους ἐκείνης

    5    καὶ ἑαυτῷ ἀνήρτησε τὴν κεφαλὴν

           τοῦ ὑὸς ἐξ αἰγείρου,

           ὑφ' ᾗ καθυπνώσας ἐπιπεσούσης αὐ-

           τῷ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀπέθανεν.

       

    "All the gods feel resentment for boasters and of

    them all"          a hunter †αλωιος†, having killed

     a boar said that it wasn't necessary for those

    surpassing Artemis to set up votive offerings to her

    and he hung the head5

    of the swine in a poplar for himself.

    he went to sleep under it and, when

    the head fell on him, died.

    Fr. 96

    all the gods feel resentment at boasters, and above all

    Artemis...

    Article Nav

    Suggested Citation

    Susan Stephens, Callimachus: Aetia. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-947822-07-8.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/pl/callimachus-aetia/book-4/boastful-hunter