ὄμφαξ
(Phryn. Ecl. 33, Phryn. PS 96.24)

A. Main sources

(1) Phryn. Ecl. 33: ἡ ὄμφαξ, ἡ βῶλος θηλυκῶς δέον, οὐκ ἀρσενικῶς.

ὄμφαξ (‘unripe grapes’), βῶλος (‘clod’) must be [used] in the feminine, not in the masculine.

(2) Phryn. PS 96.24: ὄμφακας· τὰς ὄμφακας θηλυκῶς εἶπε Πλάτων.

ὄμφακας: Plato (fr. 31 = C.1) said ὄμφακας in the feminine.

B. Other erudite sources

(1) Schol. (vet. Tr.) Ar. Ach. 352 (~ Su. δ 340, Su. ο 319): ὀμφακίαν· ἀντὶ τοῦ ὠμὸν καὶ σκληρόν, μεταφορικῶς ἀπὸ τῶν ὀμφάκων. οὕτω δὲ αἱ σταφυλαὶ δριμεῖαι οὖσαι καὶ οὔπω πέπειροι. ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ ἐναντίου πέπανον τὸ ὥριμον καὶ ἡδύ. θηλυκῶς δὲ καὶ τὰς ὄμφακας λέγουσιν. ἔχεις παρὰ Πλάτωνι τῷ κωμικῷ ἐν δράματι Ἑορταῖς ‘καὶ τὰς ὀφρῦς σχάσασθε καὶ τὰς ὄμφακας’. (REΓLh)

ὀμφακίαν (‘harsh’, acc. sing.): In place of ‘cruel and austere’, [it derives] metaphorically from unripe grapes (τῶν ὀμφάκων). Sour bunches that are not yet ripe look like this. Conversely, πέπανος [indicates] what is ripe and sweet. [Ancient authors] also say ὄμφακας (acc. pl.) in the feminine. You find [this form] in Plato the playwright, in his comedy Festivals: ‘Relax your eyebrows and that sour-grape look’ (fr. 31 = C.1).

(2) Eust. in Od. 1.19.2–7 (= 1.90.12–7 Cullhed–Olson): Αἴλιος δὲ Διονύσιος παρασημειούμενός τινα ὅπως κατὰ γένη προφέρονται, φησὶν οὕτω· κακκάβη θηλυκῶς ὁ κάκκαβος, ὃ καὶ παρὰ τῷ Ἀθηναίῳ κεῖται ἐν τῷ ‘κακκάβᾳ ζέουσα’. οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἁρπάγη δι’ ἧς ἐκ φρεάτων κάδδους ἀνάγουσιν, ἔτι καὶ ἡ βῶλος καὶ ἡ ὕαλος καὶ ἡ φάρυγξ καὶ ἡ στρύχνος καὶ ἡ χάραξ τὸ τῆς ἀμπέλου ὑπόστημα. ὁ μέντοι χάραξ ἀρσενικῶς τὸ χαράκωμα τοῦ στρατοπέδου. ἔτι θηλυκῶς καὶ ἡ τύλη τὸ φύμα τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐχένος καὶ ἡ ὄμφαξ […].

κακκάβᾳ ζέουσα Cullhed–Olson : κακκάβα ζέουσα Stallbaum : (ἐν) κακκάβῃ ζεούσῃ Ath. 8.338a (cod. A^s) : (ἐν) κακκάβᾳ ζεούσᾳ Ath.338a (cod. A), Ath. Epit. 8.338a (the translation has been modified following the last reading) | Cf. Ael.Dion. ο 20: ὄμφαξ· θηλυκῶς <Ἀττικοί, ἀρσενικῶς Ἴωνες>.

Aelius Dionysius (κ 4), noting in passing how certain words are used with different grammatical genders, says the following: κακκάβη is a feminine form of κάκκαβος (‘three-legged pot’), which is also found in Athenaeus in ‘a boiling κακκάβα’ (Ath. 8.338a). So too in the case of ἁρπάγη, the implement they use to bring up water-jars from wells, as well as ἡ βῶλος (‘clod of earth’) and ἡ ὕαλος (‘glass’) and ἡ φάρυγξ (‘throat’) and ἡ στρύχνος (a plant) and ἡ χάραξ, meaning a vine prop, whereas the masculine ὁ χάραξ means a battle entrenchment. Also feminine are ἡ τύλη, meaning the bulge in the throat (i.e. the Adam’s apple), and ἡ ὄμφαξ (‘unripe grape’) […]. (Transl. Cullhed–Olson 2022, 91, slightly modified).

C. Loci classici, other relevant texts

(1) Pl.Com. fr. 31:
καὶ τὰς ὀφρῦς σχάσασθε καὶ τὰς ὄμφακας.

Relax your eyebrows and that sour-grape look. (Transl. Storey 2011, 105).