καὶ ὄψα δή. For δή see 367 C note ἑταῖραι. G. W. Nitzsch (Rhein. Mus. 1857, pp. 471 f.), Richter (Fl. Jahrb. 1867, p. 141), Madvig, and Stallbaum take offence at the juxtaposition of ἑταῖραι and πέμματα and suggest respectively ἀθῆραι (apparently an error for ἀθάραι, cf. Ar. Plut. 673), ἐραῖα (=ἑψήματα in Schol. on 445 C), ἐσχαρῖται ‘panes delicati,’ and ἕτερα (with the following καί deleted),—conjectures which are altogether needless and refute one another. The text is successfully defended by Hug (Hermes 1876, p. 254), who cites an exact parallel in Ar. Ach. 1090—1092 κλῖναι, τράπεζαι, προσκεφάλαια, στρώματα, | στέφανοι, μύρον, τραγήμαθ᾽ , αἱ πόρναι πάρα, | ἄμυλοι πλακοῦντες, σησαμοῦντες, ἴτρια | (varieties of πέμματα). Cf. also Amphis ap. Ath. XIV 642 A οἶνος ἡδύς, ᾠά, σησαμαῖ, | μύρον, στέφανος, αὐλητρίς and infra III 404 D, IX 573 D note From these passages it may fairly be doubted whether Plato's mention of ἑταῖραι is in any way even παρὰ προσδοκίαν (as the Oxford editors suggest): for αὐλητρίδες were almost as common a feature at dessert as the cakes (πέμματα) etc. which accompany them here: see e.g. Xen. Mem. I 5. 4, Symp. 2. 1, Pl. Symp. 176 E, Prot. 347 D. Vahlen (Index Lect. per sem. hib. 1875—6 Berol.) quotes also Catullus'
καὶ τὴν ποικιλίαν . ποικιλία means variety of colour as e.g. in embroidery: cf. 378 C, III 401 A, Euthyph. 6 C. On the omission in A see Introd. § 5. χρυσὸν καὶ ἐλέφαντα: with reference to chryselephantine statuary. Note that (according to Plato) the demand for decorative arts does not arise till the physical necessities of man are satisfied. Cf. Nettleship Lectures and Remains, II p. 73.“ cenabis bene
si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cenam non sine candida puella
et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis
”