Speaking Names, Variant Readings, and Textual Revision in Greek epigrams

Puns on proper names are common in Greek and Roman literature, and the Greek epigram, with its multiple subgenres, is no exception. The (par)etymology of names – be they real or fictitious – is exploited for a variety of purposes and in a variety of ways. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the discussion on the broad topic of proper names in Greek epigrams by offering some reflections on a thorny problem: textual variants involving proper names as evidence of the (authorial?) revision and reuse of texts. A new survey and critical discussion of the (scanty) existing evidence will be provided. Particular attention will be paid to the etymology of proper names, which, in some cases, might suggest a substitution for the purpose of increasing the efficacy of the poetic message.