ἔξεστιν εἶναι.
Such, then, is the erotic element of the Middle Comedy—the praise of sensuality and the ridicule of all that is ennobling or virtuous. Alexis tells us all when he says:
τὰς ἡδονὰς δεῖ συλλέγειν τὸν σώφρονα.
τρεῖς δ’ εἰσὶν αἵ γε τὴν δύναμιν κεκτημέναι
τὴν ὡς ἀληθῶς συντελοῦσαν τῷ βίῳ,
τὸ πιεῖν, τὸ φαγεῖν, τὸ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης τυγχάνειν.
τὰ δ’ ἄλλα προσθήκας ἅπαντα χρὴ καλεῖν.
(Incert. 31.)
Processit Vesper Olympo. It was time the Macedonian barbarians swept all this away and made place for cleaner things.[266]