The Comic fragments 61 



succession of such faultless despots could not be ensured, and that 

 the scheme was consequently Utopian, did not trouble the simple 

 Xenophon. Like many other thoughtful men of the time, he was im- 

 pressed by the apparent efficiency of the rigid Spartan system, and 

 distrusted the individual liberty enjoyed in democratic states, above 

 all in Athens. In Persia, though he thought the Persians were no 

 longer what Cyrus the Great had made them, he had seen how great 

 was still the power arising from the control of all resources by a single 

 will. These two impressions combined seem to account for the tone 

 of the Cyropaedia, and the servile position of the cultivators explains 

 why it has so very little bearing on the labour-question in agriculture. 



XIII. THE COMIC FRAGMENTS. 



In pursuing our subject from period to period, and keeping so far 

 as possible to chronological order, it may seem inconsistent to take 

 this collection 1 of scraps as a group. For Attic Comedy covers nearly 

 two centuries, from the age of Cratinus to the age of Menander. Many 

 changes happened in this time, and the evidence of the fragments must 

 not be cited as though it were that of a single witness. But the 

 relevant passages are few ; for the writers, such as Athenaeus and 

 Stobaeus, in whose works most of the extracts are preserved, seldom 

 had their attention fixed on agriculture. The longer fragments 2 of 

 Menander recently discovered are somewhat more helpful. The 

 adaptations of Plautus and Terence must be dealt with separately. 



That country life and pursuits had their share of notice on the 

 comic stage is indicated by the fact that Aristophanes produced a 

 play 3 named Tecopyoi, and Menander a Tecopyo^. That the slave- 

 market was active is attested by references in all periods. So too is 

 wage-earning labour of various kinds : but some of these passages 

 certainly refer to wage-earning by slaves paying a rent (dTrofopd) to 

 their owners. Also the problems arising out of the relation between 

 master and slave, with recognition of the necessity of wise manage- 

 ment. The difference between the man who does know how to control 

 slaves 4 and the man who does not (ev8ov\os and Ka/c6Bov\o^) was 

 early expressed, and indirectly alluded to throughout. The good and 

 bad side of slaves, loyalty treachery honesty cheating etc, is a topic 

 constantly handled. But these passages nearly always have in view 

 the close relation of domestic slavery. I think we are justified in 

 inferring that the general tone steadily becomes more humane. 



1 Cited from Kock's edition 1 880-8. 2 Menandrea, ed Korte 1910, Teubner. 



3 Fragments 100-24. From other plays, 294, 387. 



4 Cratinus 81, 'Pherecrates 212. 



