Nota a Platone, Cratilo 427e5-7: ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις μέγιστον

Abstract

Recent editors of Plato’s Cratylus have corrected the form ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις μέγιστον, transmitted for the text of Cratylus’ remark at 427e5-7, in ἐν τοῖς μέγιστον, on the sole basis of the codex Marcianus Graecus 186. Not only this emendation is not necessary, but probably wrong, as it may reflect a scribal error in the Marcianus. The bombastic designation of the subject of enquiry as «greatest among the greatest» has a precise role in the stylistic characterisation of Cratylus’ speech and is in tune with the rest of the passage, rich in poetic quotations and allusions. The double superlative polyptoton is in fact a stylistic mark of elevated and poetic diction, as shown by parallels in Plato’s Symposium (195e7-8), in Gorgias and in Sophocles.

Keywords

• ancient dialogue, attic prose, characterization, double superlative, plato, platonic textual tradition, polyptoton, caratterizzazione, dialogo antico, doppio superlativo, platone, poliptoto, prosa attica, tradizione testuale platonica