Abstract

Students of the Orestes are fortunate to have two excellent commentaries at their disposal, by C. W. Willink and M. L. West. Neither will help them to understand this line, which is ‘the only allusion to Ganymede's horsemanship’, because ‘no story of riding by Ganymede is known’. But we are repeatedly reminded that the scene with the Phrygian has far fewer affinities with tragedy than with comedy, and εριπιδαριστοφαíζεται Comedy provides the clue, specifically at Ar. Vesp. 50If. and Lys. 676ff. The reference is to the variety of equestrianism for which Ganymede is far from unknown. For Innoavvr) here describes a σχμα ρωτικóν and the line means Ganymedes concubinus, Iovis supini inguini insidens et equitans, sc. inter causas fuit malorum propter Iunonis invidiam Troianis immissorum.