APPENDIX C΄ ON DEPILATION: BODY COSMETICS IN CLASSICAL ...

580 APPENDIX C΄
the later sentiment). Appendix Paroem. Gr. III, 62 has the latter
version of the antithesis in a way which shows clearly enough the
relationship to the older understanding: §Â˘Îfiapple˘ÁÔ˜Ø âappled ÙáÓ ‰ÂÈÏáÓ
ηd àÓ¿Ó‰ÚˆÓ. TÔÈÔÜÙÔÈ ÁaÚ Ôî Ìc appleÔÓÔÜÓÙ˜ âÓ öÚÁÔȘ. TÔ‡Ùˇˆ ‰b
âÓ·ÓÙ›ÔÓ Ùe ÌÂÏ¿Ìapple˘ÁÔ˜, âappled ÙáÓ ÁÂÓÓ·›ˆÓ. Oî ÁaÚ appleÔÓÔÜÓÙ˜
öÓÙÚȯÔÓ ö¯Ô˘ÛÈ ÙcÓ apple˘Á‹Ó. (We should notice, incidentally, that the
öÓÙÚȯԘ explicitly relates the Ï¢ÎfiÓ or Ì¤Ï·Ó Ùɘ apple˘Áɘ with its
hairiness; hairiness blackens, darkens the appearance of the part
concerned). The labourers and workers (in menial, manly jobs,
naturally) are shaggy in their buttocks as a rule; the idle have their
apple˘Á‹ relatively smooth. But as we said, gymnastic exercise must be
distinguished from labour; and then we see clearly the connections
and differences.
The coinage of the word Ï¢Îfiapple˘ÁÔ˜, or at least its being taken to
signify cowardice or unmanliness may be the work of Alexis in which
case all things will fit together nicely and closely. There was a ÌÂÏ¿-
Ìapple˘ÁÔ˜ (proverbial and Archilochian), meaning with shaggy buttocks;
and there was a apple‡Á·ÚÁÔ˜ (in tragic or epic use) as a simile from the
eagle of the same name. In classical times, when depilation becomes
common and is connected with the lewdness of a (sometimes
extravagant) pleasure-hunter, in contrast with the rustic robustness of
the ancient ÌÂÏ¿Ìapple˘ÁÔ˜, the apple‡Á·ÚÁÔ˜ takes in the hands of a tragic
poet (Sophocles, as we saw above) the sense of ‰ÂÈÏfi˜, timid, and Ï¢-
Îfiapple˘ÁÔ˜ is coined (or used) by Alexis to signify ôÓ·Ó‰ÚÔ˜, coward or
unmanly. That Alexis originated this use may be inferred from
Eustathius 863.29-31; he discusses the Ï¢ÎfiÙ˘ of Ajax and
Menelaus, feels uneasy because of the depreciatory conception for Ϣ-
ÎfiÙ˘ in classical and post-classical times, and adds: Âå ηd ôÏψ˜ Ùe
Ï¢ÎeÓ âÏÔȉÔÚÂÖÙÔ ÙÔÖ˜ apple·Ï·ÈÔÖ˜ (from the classical age onwards,
roughly, I suspect)Ø ¬ıÂÓ, Ê·Û›, ηd òAÏÂÍȘ ï ΈÌÈÎe˜ Ï¢Îfiapple˘ÁÔÓ
öÊË ÙeÓ ôÓ·Ó‰ÚÔÓØ Ôy (?an η›?) öÌapple·ÏÈÓ ÌÂÏ·Ìapple‡ÁÔ˘˜ ÙÔf˜ àÓ‰Ú›-
Ô˘˜ öÏÂÁÔÓØ ¬ıÂÓ Î·d apple·ÚÔÈÌ›· Ùe «Ôûappleˆ ÌÂÏ·Ìapple‡Áˇˆ âÓ¤Ù˘¯Â˜»,
ïappleÔÖfi˜ ÙȘ âÓ Ù·Ö˜ îÛÙÔÚ›·È˜ ʤÚÂÙ·È Î·d ï ^HÚ·ÎÏɘ.
The correspondence between Ï¢Îfiapple˘ÁÔ˜ and ÌÂÏ¿Ìapple˘ÁÔ˜
extends to the point of having a Ï¢ÎfiappleÚˆÎÙÔ˜ to answer for ‰·Û‡appleÚˆÎÙÔ˜.
Thus the scholiast comments on Aves 151: MÂÏ¿ÓıÈÔ˜ ï
ÙÚ·ÁÈÎe˜ ÎˆÌˇˆ‰ÂÖÙ·È ÏÂappleÚe˜ ηd ηÎÔappleÚ¿ÁÌˆÓ (concerning him
cf. Athenaeus, I, 6c; VIII, 343c; XII, 549a; Aristophanes Pax 801 sqq.