Scholars have interpreted Hipponax Fr. 128 (West) as an epic parody designed to belittle the pretensions and gluttonous habits of his enemy.
It may be argued, however, that this fragment reflects the language, meter, and performative goal of hexametrical incantations designed to expel famine-demons or to escort human scapegoats from the city.
The comic descriptions of the enemy in Fr. 128 are probably drawn from two interrelated generic features of archaic Greek thought : a tradition of describing famine-demons as insatiable eaters (cf. Callimachus, Cer. 100-104), and a popular invective theme that demonizes political enemies as rapacious pests who threaten to gobble up the commonwealth and must therefore be expelled (cf., e.g., Lysias 6, 53 ; Aristophanes Eq. 247-252).
