Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §118.1

Traditions of Libation, Kottabos, and its Sicilian Origin

Passage 123 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Citing Theophrastus' *On Drunkenness*, the text contrasts the modern practice of pouring wine to the brim with the ancient traditions of libations and kottabos, noting the Sicilian origin of the game.

§118.1Fr. 118 Ἦσαν δὲ αἱ τῶν ἀκροποτῶν ἐπιχύσεις, ὥς φησι Θ. ἐν τῷ περὶ μέθης, οὖ παλαιαὶ, ἀλλʼ ἦν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς τὸ μὲν σπένδειν ἀποδεδομένον τοῖς θεοῖς, ὁ δὲ κότταβος τοῖς ἐρωμένοις·
But the practices of pouring wine to the brim for heavy drinkers were not ancient, as Theophrastus says in his *On Drunkenness*; rather, from the beginning, pouring libations was assigned to the gods, and the kottabos to beloveds.
ἐχρῶντο γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς τῷ κοτταβίζειν ὄντος τοῦ παιγνίου σικελικοῦ.
For they eagerly practiced playing kottabos, the game being Sicilian in origin.

Notes

  1. 118.1τῶν ἀκροποτῶν ἐπιχύσεις — Refers to 'the pouring to the brim for heavy drinkers'. It indicates a relatively new sympotic custom where serious drinkers topped up their cups to the very edge.
  2. 118.1τὸ μὲν σπένδειν ἀποδεδομένον τοῖς θεοῖς, ὁ δὲ κότταβος τοῖς ἐρωμένοις — A parallel construction where the periphrastic `ἦν ... ἀποδεδομένον` (neuter) agrees with the articular infinitive `τὸ μὲν σπένδειν` in the first clause, while the copula `ἦν` and the corresponding masculine participle `ἀποδεδομένος` are understood but omitted in the second clause with the masculine noun `ὁ δὲ κότταβος`.
  3. 118.1ὄντος τοῦ παιγνίου σικελικοῦ — Genitive absolute construction. `τοῦ παιγνίου` serves as the subject, `ὄντος` is the present participle, and `σικελικοῦ` is the predicate adjective, functioning as an adverbial clause of cause or attendant circumstance explaining the Sicilian origin of the game.

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §118.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:118.1

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