ABSTRACT
The Hesiodic legend of the Golden age persists in Greek thought, although in the fourth century the writers of comedy ridicule it. Thus, in the “Amphyktyonen” Telekleides calls up an ancient legendary king of Athens, Amphyktyon, who returns from the nether-world to bring a promise of peace and happiness to Athenian citizens—and laughter to an audience. His description is a caricature of the Golden age:
Above all, peace reigned in the land every day, like air and water. The earth did not yield fear nor sorrow, but good things in abundance. Purple wine foamed in the brooks. Fishes followed men into their houses, fried themselves on the pans, laid themselves on the table, and mounted the splendid plates. Soup streamed through the town, and roasted legs of mutton danced; sauce trickles down from the eaves; the hungry may tarry a while and fill themselves with good things. Lard cakes are despised. And the men were a strong race, like giants sprung from the earth. 1
The world was changing. Even in the age of Pericles, Athens was in the center of the world, and the world was demonstrably one world, not the old collection of odd and dislocated spots where you could live alone; you would never live alone or be let alone again. Syracuse, Carthage, the Black Sea, Egypt, Susa—it is all one world; even Corcyra was in it, in spite of the Corcyraean fancy for being neutrals, standing outside the world. 2
