A Euripides quote in the prologue to *The Knights* (*Eq.* 14–20)

This article investigates the contested attribution and placement of a quote from Euripides’ Hippolytus (line 345) spoken by one of two slaves in the prologue of Aristophanes’ The Knights. Editors differ on whether the quote should be transposed within the text. Following Hermann Sauppe, several editors (Meineke, Dindorf, Bergk, van Leeuwen, Hall–Geldart) transpose verses 15 and 16. In 1835, C. F. Hermann positioned the quote after verse 18, assigning it to the Second Slave (Nikias). Editions by Coulon, Sommerstein, Kraus, and Wilson adopt Hermann’s emendation. However, Wilson’s edition diminishes the comedic effect of the dialogue. The article argues that Aristophanes likely did not preface the quote with a direct foreshadowing; instead, the First Slave quotes Euripides straightforwardly, while the Second Slave attempts to imitate him but is interrupted. The manuscript order (codex R), preserving the quote’s original position with the First Slave, better sustains the comedic interplay and aligns with typical Euripidean citation practices where the author’s name is omitted.