Book 14
42
But Aristoxenus says that just as some men have composed parodies on hexameter verses, for the sake of exciting a laugh; so, too, others have parodied the verses which were sung to the harp, in which pastime Œnopas led the way. And he was imitated by Polyeuctus the Achæan, and by Diodes of Cynætha. There have also been poets who have composed a low kind of poems, concerning whom Phænias the Eresian speaks in his writings addressed to the Sophists; where he writes thus:—Telenicus the Byzantian, and also Argas, being both authors of low poems, were men who, as far as that kind of poetry could go, were accounted clever. But they never even attempted to rival the songs of Terpander or Phrynis. And Alexis mentions Argas, in his Man Disembarked, thus— A. Here is a poet who has gained the prize In choruses. B. What is his style of poetry? A. A noble kind. B. How will he stand comparison With Argas A. He's a whole day's journey better. And Anaxandrides, in his Hercules, says— For he appears a really clever man. How gracefully he takes the instrument, Then plays at once. . . . . When I have eaten my fill, I then incline To send you off to sing a match with Argas, That you, my friend, may thus the sophists conquer.
