Die moralphilosophische Dimension der Exzerpte: Textuelle und kontextuelle Überlegungen zur Anthologie des Stobaios am Beispiel des Fragments IV 17,3 (= TrGF IV 555, vv. 1–6)

Abstract

This article contributes to the growing body of research that considers Ioannes Stobaeus not merely as a compiler of excerpts, but as an author with a deliberate editorial agenda. Focusing on Fragment 3 from chapter IV 17 of the Anthology (περὶ ναυτιλίας καὶ ναυαγίου), an excerpt from Sophocles’ lost tragedy Σκύριοι, the study examines textual and interpretive challenges associated with the passage. Special attention is given to the editorial tradition, the range of emendations proposed by modern scholars, and the fragment’s position within the structure and thematic composition of the chapter. The analysis argues that a contextual reading of the excerpt – situated among other passages in the chapter that portray seafaring as perilous, irrational, and ultimately unworthy – can provide critical insights for philological reconstruction. Furthermore, the article situates Stobaeus’ selection within a broader ethical framework, suggesting that the Anthology conveys implicit values through deliberate arrangement. The study ultimately underscores the need to treat Stobaeus not simply as a passive transmitter, but as a curator of moral-philosophical discourse.