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ἐν κηρίῳ: not ‘in the hive’ (as D. and V.), but ‘in a cell.’ The drone-cell in which the drone is produced stands to the whole hive as the οἰκία to the πόλις. For κηρίον in this sense, see Bonitz Ind. Arist. s.v.

τὸν τοιοῦτον -- κηφῆνα. The comparison is frequent in Greek literature from Hesiod onwards (O D. 304 ff.): see Ruhnken on Tim. Lex. s.v. κηφήνεσσι κοθούροισι and Blaydes on Ar. Wasps 1114. “We would purge the land of the drones, that rob the bee of her honey” (Pericles Prince of Tyre II 1. 50).

τελευτῶσιν: i.q. τελευτῶντές εἰσιν. ‘To the stingless belong those who die paupers in their old age.’ πρὸς τὸ γῆρας is adverbial as in VI 498 A. Stallbaum and others understand τελευτῶσιν as only ‘tandem fiunt’; but the other view— Schneider's—is better and more natural: cf. II 372 D γηραιοὶ τελευτῶντες and Symp. 179 E.

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hide References (2 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • Aristophanes, Wasps, 1114
    • Plato, Symposium, 179e
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