Menander and Philistion open by greeting each other as kalos kagathos, then start a gnomic dialogue. Better not to have been born at all. If a man had learned the times and the number of the stars, being mortal, must he then not die? If you want a life without pain, do not expect the future or you grieve in vain. Nothing is stronger than timeliness; when kairos is strong, no one is a judge. Nature makes all free; greed makes slaves. Earth gives interest without grieving; from earth all things grew and to earth they go. The tongue is the cause of many evils; better to be silent than to say what is not lawful. There is an eye of Dike that sees all.
The Comparison then sets Menander, “who pleased all in wise poems,” in a contest with Philistion on fortune, poverty, old age, wealth, the gods, friendship, slavery, neighbours, law, and death: look at the tombs as you walk and know yourself; kings and tyrants and the wise share a common Hades.
The slot is that gnomologium, and here Menander is the named comic, as he should be.
Available Works
Also published as PDF.