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(Σίμυλος/ Símylos). [German version] [1] Poet of the New Comedy, 3rd cent. BC Poet of the New Comedy, victorious at the Lenaea in 284 BC with his play Ἐφεσία/Ephesía ('The Girl of Ephesus') [1. test. 1]. Pollux also lists the comedy Μεγαρική/Megarikḗ ('The Girl of Megara'), which according to an uncertain expansion of the list of Dionysia victors was supposed to have been performed in 185 as 'Old Comedy' [1. test. 2]. It is equally uncertain whether two and a half iambic trimeters cited by Theophilus of Antioch are attributable to the comic poet S. [1. fr. 2] (cf. S. [2]). Hidber, Thomas (Berne) B…

(Νηλεύς; Nēleús). [German version] [1] King of the Messenian Pylos King of Messenian Pylos, son of Poseidon and Tyro, the daughter of Salmoneus. Tyro, wife of Cretheus, falls in love with the river god Enipeus. In his guise, Poeseidon sires with her N. and his twin brother Pelias (Hom. Od. 11,235-253; cf. also Hes. Cat. 30f.). After Cretheus' death, strife develops between N. and Pelias over who is to rule in Iolcus. N. is forced to repair to the Peloponnese, where he founds Pylos (Hom. Od. 11,254-259; He…

(Διομήδης; Diomḗdēs). [German version] [1] Cultic hero of the city of Argos Hero of the city of Argos in the Trojan War, as opposed to Agamemnon of Mycenae, the lord of north-eastern Argolis (Hom. Il. 2,559-568; cf. Il. 23,471f. [1; 2]). Son of Tydeus and Deipyle, the daughter of Adrastus. In his aristeia before Troy (Il. 5 and 6), he killed Pandarus, wounded Aphrodite when she tried to save Aeneas (Il. 5, 290-351), and later also wounded Ares (Il. 5, 825-863). As a friend of the family, he exchanged weapons with Glaucus the Lycian (on the side o…

(Κάνθαρος; Kántharos. Cp. Kantharos) [German version] [1] Main harbour of Piraeus The main harbour of Piraeus (Plut. Phocion 28,3; Aristoph. Pax 145 with schol.; Hesch. s.v. Κάνθαρος; Anecd. Bekk. 1,271,8), otherwise referred to simply as mégas or mégistos limḗn ('large' or 'largest harbour'; Plut. Themistocles 32,4; Paus. 1,1,2; IG II2 1035,45f.) [1. 61f.; 2. 9], modern Kentrikos limen. Named after an otherwise unknown heros [1] C. (Philochorus, FGrH 328 F 203) or after the pottery shape Kantharos [1] (cf. [3]). Moles narrowed the entry into the C. which, as limḕn kleistós ('close…

[German version] I Greek (Φίλιππος/ Phílippos). Macedonian kings P. [3-7], including P. [4] II, P. [7] V; the apostle and evangelist P. [28]; philosophers and poets P. [29-32]. [German version] [I 1] Spartan naval leader in 411 BC Spartiate, commander at Miletus in 412 BC (Thuc. 8,28,5), sent in 411 with two triremes to Aspendus to move, with the support of Tissaphernes, the Phoenician fleet to fight Athens (Thuc. 8,87), but soon told the naúarchos Mindarus that his mission would be unsuccessful (Thuc. 8,99; [1. 244]). Peloponnesian War Welwei, Karl-Wilhelm (Bochum) Bibliography 1 B. …

(Σώπατρος/ Sṓpatros). [German version] [1] Greek rhetorician, 4th cent. AD Greek rhetorician of the 4th cent. AD, contemporary and perhaps pupil of Himerius (Walz 8,318,29, where the reading ὁ σοφὸς ὁ ἡμέτερος Ἱμέριος 'our learned teacher Himerius' is probably to be preferred). S. probably taught at Athens (Walz 8,55,6 f.). These pieces of information come from his main work, the Διαίρεσις Ζητημάτων/Di(h)aíresis Zētēmátōn (approx. 'Discussion of Questions'), a collection of 82 fictional controversiae , dedicated to an otherwise unknown Carponia…

(Ἀλέξαδρος; Aléxandros). Famous personalities:  Alexander the Great [4] (III.); the Philosopher Alexander [26] of Aphrodisias. I. Myth [German version] [1] see Paris see  Paris. Badian, Ernst (Cambridge, MA) II. Associated Hellenistic ruling families [German version] [2] A. I. Macedonian king, 1st half of the 5th cent. BC Son of  Amyntas [1] and his negotiator with  Darius. As Macedonian king he supported  Xerxes' invasion of Greece, but pretended to be a friend of the Greeks (later called ‘Philhellen’). Herodotus has subtly shown his ambigu…

(Ἀπολλώνιος; Apollṓnnios). [German version] [1] Dioiketes of Ptolemy II (259-245 BC) Of Caria, possibly Ptolemaic o ikonomos there in 267 BC. Was dioiketes of Ptolemy II from April /May 259 until the end of 245; in 252 escorted Berenice to her wedding to Antiochus II. At a critical transition period A. found himself responsible for the economy of the kingdom of the Ptolemies, adapting the fiscal system to the monetary economy of the Lagids, for which purpose he was entrusted with the management of finances and the co…

[German version] (Σωσίπατρος; Sōsípatros). Poet of New Comedy, known only from a 57-verse citation, preserved in Athenaeus, from the play Καταψευδόμενος ( Katapseudómenos, 'The Slanderer') [1]. In the fragment, a cook praises himself - in a dialogue with his interlocutor Demylus, presumably his employer - as one of the three greatest living exponents of his craft, which he depicts as a most exacting science based on astrology, architecture and strategy. Hidber, Thomas (Berne) Bibliography 1 PCG VII, 1989, 604-607.

[German version] (Μνασικλῆς; Mnasiklês). Attic poet of New Comedy, who was given the task of composing an inscription in honour of the technítai of Dionysus (c. 130 BC) [1]. His entire work has been lost. Hidber, Thomas (Berne) Bibliography 1 PCG 7, 1989, 15.

(Διοκλῆς; Dioklês). [German version] [1] Hero in Megara Hero in Megara. He supposedly died in battle, bravely covering a youth with his shield. At his grave boys competed for who could give the sweetest kiss. This agon, which took place every spring, was called Dioclea (Schol. Pind. Ol. 7,157; 13,156a; Theoc. 12,27-33 with Schol.: Aition). Perhaps the kisses represented farewell kisses repeated in the cult of the hero ([1]; to the contrary [2]). According to Schol. Aristoph. Ach.774 the agon was founded…

(Σώφιλος; Sṓphilos). [German version] [1] Early Attic BF vase painter, c. 600-570 BC Early Attic black-figured vase painter, c. 600-570 BC, the earliest whose name is known (3 painter signatures verified). S. is one of the representatives of the animal frieze style, as is the Gorgo Painter, to whom he is very close. His significance, however, is founded on a mythological frieze with which S. introduces new possibilities to Attic vase painting. In this he also uses particular painting techniques, which create a ve…

[German version] (Φιλόνικος; Philónikos). Comic poet of the transition period between Old and Middle Comedy, on the list of victors at the Lenaea after Philyllius with a victory around 390 [1. test. 2]. No fragments of his works are extant. Hidber, Thomas (Berne) Bibliography 1 PCG VII, 1989, 362.

(Καλλιάδης; Kalliádēs). [German version] [1] Writer of New Comedy Writer of New Comedy, appearing on the inscription of Lenaea winners in 6th place after Menander, 5th after Philemon and 3rd after Diphilus [5], and thus to be dated to the end of the 4th cent. BC [1]. Ath. 9,401a quotes ‘Diphilus or C.’, as author of an Ágnoia, but at another point (15,700c) he talks only of Diphilus as author of this play. Even the barb against the orator Aristophon [2] that Ath. 13,577b attributes to C. is dubious [1. 53]. Hidber, Thomas (Berne) Bibliography 1 PCG IV, 1983, 37. [German version] [2] Sculptor Scul…

[German version] (Σωγένης; Sōgénēs). Poet of New Comedy, reached the fifth rank at the Attic Dionysia in 183 BC with his play Φιλοδέσποτος ('His Master's Friend') [1]. Hidber, Thomas (Berne) Bibliography 1 PCG VII, 1989, 593.

(Μοσχίων/ Moschíōn). [German version] [1] Tragedian, 3rd cent. BC Athenian tragedian, probably 2nd half of 3rd cent. BC, known almost solely through quotations by Stobaeus. Titles attested include ‘Telephos and two historical dramas: ‘Themistokles, at the heart of which was probably the naval battle at Salamis, following on from Aeschylus' ‘Persians, with the distinction that M. made Themistocles the protagonist; and ‘The Pheraeans, probably dealing with the death of Alexander [15] of Pherae. A lengthy f…

(Φιλωνίδης; Philōnídēs). [German version] [1] Attic poet of Old Comedy Attic Old Comedy poet, father of the comic poet Nicochares [1. test. 1, 2]. The supplementation of his name on the list of victors at the Dionysia is insecure [1. test. 3]. Three play titles survive - Ἀπήνη ( Apḗnē / 'The Chariot'), Κόθορνοι ('The Cothurni'), Φιλέταιρος ( Philétairos / 'The Good Comrade') - as do 17 brief fragments, most from 'The Cothurni'. The play Προαγών ( Proagṓn / 'The Preliminary Contest'), sometimes attributed to P., is probably by Aristophanes, who had it produced under P.'s …

(Μεταγένης; Metagénēs). [German version] [1] Attic poet of the Old Comedy, 5th/4th cent. BC Attic poet of the last years of the Old Comedy (end of the 5th and early 4th cent. BC), listed among the winners at the Lenaea with two victories, immediately before Theopompus [1. test. 2]. The Suda mentions the titles of five plays: Αὖραι ἢ Μαμμάκυθος , Θουριοπέρσαι, Φιλοθύτης, Ὅμηρος ἢ Ἀσκηταί (or Ὅμηρος ἢ Σοφισταί [1. fr. 11]) [1. test. 1]. The plays have been lost, except for a few fragments. In the most extensive fragment (11 V. from the Θουριοπέρσαι) the na…

(Μητρόδωρος/ Metródōros). [German version] [1] M. of Chios Democritan philosopher, 5th/4th cent. BC Democritan philosopher ( Democritus [1]) of the 5th-4th cent. BC who recognised Fullness and Emptiness, Being and Non-Being as the first principles. This orthodoxy, however, does not go beyond the fundamental theoretical views of Atomism: M. is said to have had his own views in other matters (70 A 3 DK). M. propounds the uncreatedness of the universe (τὸ πᾶν) in the Eleatic manner ( Eleatic School) because a c…

(Μουσαῖος; Mousaîos). [German version] [1] Mythical companion of the Muses Mythical companion of the Muses (whose name is an adjectival derivative of Μοῦσα ( Moûsa; ‘Muse’)), an archegete of poetry and a close associate of Orpheus connected with Eleusis [1] . As a scion of the Muses (and Selene: Pl. Resp. 2,364e), M. was brought up by them (Ps.-Eur. Rhes. 945-947) and buried on their hill in Athens (Paus. 1,25,8; in Phaleron: Anth. Pal. 7,615). The origin of M. who lived in Eleusis and Athens (Suda s.v. Μ.) (pelike, Beazley, ARV2 1313,7, end of the 5th cent. BC; Aristoxenos fr. 91 Wehrli2 = 2 A…