Bere restando sobri (Posidippo, AP XII 168 = 140 A.-B.)

Abstract

In the epigram AP XII 168 (= 9 G.-P. = 140 A.-B.) of “old” Posidippus, Austin’s emendation in v. 8 replacing νέφοντ᾿ - transmitted by P - with νέφeιν solves an old crux. The epigram is best understood if it is replaced in the context of the stoic doctrine about drunkenness and traditional thinking about the proper measure of drinking in symposia. The latter had codified as a rule that one should leave the symposium after the third toast, which was viewed as the culminating moment of the meeting, before his degeneration. According to Posidippus, this moment should not coincide with the third cup but the tenth. He proposes a sequence of toasts honouring famous poets and their partners; this sequence is intended as metaphorical rather than real and shows the literary preferences of the Posidippus, whose stance diverges from, but is only mildly opposed to Callimachus’ poetics.