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INTRODUCTION
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the Xenophontic Ἀθηναίων Πολιτεία.[1] This is the standard adopted in the selection of the words in the third chapter, which represents the bulk of my work. In chapter II are contained special studies, involving a comparison of Menander with certain of these classical writers taken as representative, and certain later authors in addition.
- ↑ In addition to these writers, Bruhn (l. c. p. 6) accepts also the writings of the Atticists as standard. But W. Schmid, Der Atticismus in seinen Hauptvertretern, IV pp. 578, 585 ff., 597 ff., 606 n., shows that in spite of their efforts at accuracy in using only Attic words and forms they sometimes went astray. See also Thumb, Griech. Spr. p. 8. The Atticists therefore are unreliable. Moreover, even if we could trust them to use only Attic words, they are prejudiced witnesses, and their testimony must be thrown out. Our only standard of comparison must be Attic writers. Bruhn also includes the Πολιτεία Ἀθηναίων of Aristotle; but it seems best to omit this work, owing to the harsh criticism of Aristotle by Phrynichus (p. 311 L., 366 R.). Bruhn omits the three great writers of tragedy from his canon.
