Search

[German version] (Διώξιππος; Diṓxippos). Poet of the Middle Comedy; titles of five plays have survived [1. test. 1]: Antipornoboskós [2], Diadikazómenoi, Thēsaurós, Historiográphos (possibly mocking the oligarchic, pro-Macedonian politician Callimedon, fr. 3Dioxippos fr. 3), and Philárgyros. He was probably involved in the Lenaea of 349 BC as didaskalos for a play by Anaxandrides [1. test. 2]. Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG V, 1986, 44-46 2 H.-G. Nesselrath, Die att. Mittlere Komödie, 1990, 324.

(Ἀθηνοκλῆς; Athēnoklês). [German version] [1] From Cyzicus. Grammarian, 3rd/2nd cent. BC from Cyzicus. Grammarian. On the basis of Didymus in Schol. Hom. Od. 14,503, where in reference to him the word προηθέτει (‘has athetized earlier’) is used (see also Schol. Hom. Od. 6,144), he is believed to be older than Aristarchus [4] of Samothrace or at least one of his contemporaries, so that he can also be placed in the 3rd/2nd cents. BC. Ammonius [3] of Alexandria, the student of Aristarchus, published a text Πρ…

(Ἀθηνίων; Athēníōn). [German version] [1] Peripatetic rhetorician in Athens Peripatetic rhetorician in Athens (different from  Aristion [1. 341-343]), only known from the polemic party of  Posidonius (FGrH 87 fr. 36). Sent from Athens to  Mithridates VI in 88 BC, taken up by him among his φίλοι ( phíloi, friends), he won the support of the people with Mithridates' support and had as στρατηγὸς ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα ( strategòs epì tà hópla) a decisive influence on Athenian politics (‘tyrant’). A failed raid on Delos seems to have ended his political career. Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart) Bibliogra…

(Νικόδημος; Nikódēmos). [German version] [1] Prosecutor of Demosthenes, probably died after 349 BC Athenian from Aphidna, prosecutor of Demosthenes [2] (Aeschin. 2,148), friend of Meidias [2] and of Eubulus [1], was killed by Aristarchus, the son of Moschus (Idomeneus FGrH 338 F 12) in 352 BC: [2]; (according to [1. 112] and [3. 9-12] the preferred date is more likely after 349 BC), for which deed Meidias held Demosthenes responsible (also [1. 102-105]; Aristot. Rh. 1397b 7 see [2]). Dreyer, Boris (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 Schäfer, vol. 2 2 H.E. Stier, s.v. Nikodemos (2), RE 1…

[German version] I. Mythical character (Νάρκισσος/ Nárkissos, Lat. Narcissus). [German version] A. Mythology Narcissus is the personification of a plant by the same name; as with many plants, the etymology may be pre-Greek (Chantraine, vol. 2, s.v.). The aetiological myth of Narcissus is documented only in relatively late sources and is unlikely to be earlier than Hellenistic. Conon [4] (FGrH 26 F 1,26), a mythographer, who knew many local myths, tells of the fate of a handsome youth from Thespiae in Boeotia…

[German version] (Ἐμμενίδης; Emmenídēs). Writer of New Comedy [1] known to us only epigraphically; won a victory at the Lenaia in the 2nd cent. BC. Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG V, 1986, 130.

(Σάτυρος/ Sátyros, pl. Σάτυροι/ Sátyroi, Latin Satur, Satyrus), also Silenus (Σι-, Σειληνός/ Si-, Seilēnós, pl. Σι-, Σειληνοί/ Si-, Seilēnoí, Doric Σιλανός/ Silanós, Latin Silenus, Silanus). [German version] I. Mythology, art and cult A satyr/Silenus was a member of a group of demons who, since their relatively late emergence at the end of the 7th/beginning of the 6th cent. BC, have formed part of the mythical entourage of the god Dionysus; Silens, as a more or less distinctive and independent figure, emerged from that retinue…

[German version] (Κρωβύλος). Writer of comedies in the 4th cent. BC, with 11 fragments preserved: two can be assigned to the comedy Ἀπαγχόμενος (‘He Who Hangs Himself’), two to Ἀπολείπουσα (or -λιποῦσα, ‘The Woman Who Left (the Man) ’) and three to Ψευδυποβολιμαῖος (‘The False Substitute’). Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG IV, 1983, 350-355.

(Θησεύς /Thēseús). Mythical king and national hero of the Athenians (Athens). T. belongs to the generation before the Trojan War. He is the son of Aethra, daughter of Pittheus. His divine father is Poseidon, his human father the Athenian king Aegeus. [German version] I. Myth T. grew up with Pittheus at Troezen, because Aegeus abandoned the pregnant Aethra in the light of an oracular prophecy. Having found the symbolic items (sword, shoes) left there by Aegeus, he made his way to Athens. During the journey, T. had to survive several battles…

[German version] (Λάμπυτος; Lámpytos). Poet of the New Comedy, known only from an inscription; in 167 BC he took fourth place at the Dionysia (I. test.). Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG V, 1986, 609.

(Διοπείθης; Diopeíthēs). [German version] [1] Writer of Old Comedy Author of Old Comedy, only known from inscriptions; probably won at the Dionysia for the first time in 451 BC [1. test.]. Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG V, 1986, 43. [German version] [2] Athenian oracle consultant and fanatical opponent of the enlightenment promoted by Pericles Athenian oracle consultant and fanatical opponent of the enlightenment promoted by  Pericles. Following his petition it was decided in 437/6(?) BC to prosecute those who did not believe in the …

[German version] (Τηλεκλείδης; Tēlekleídēs). Writer of the Attic Old Comedy with three victories at the Dionysia [1. test. 3] and five at the Lenaea [1. test. 4], from the generation of Cratinus [1. test. 3 and 4], i.e. c. 450-420 BC. Despite his success only 8 titles and 73 fragments have been preserved. In them there is a great deal of personal derision: against Pericles (fr. 18; 47), but also against poets such as Philocles [4] (fr. 15; 31), Nothippus (fr. 17) and and the Socrates-inspired Euripides [1] (fr. 41), perhaps against Morychus ( Apseudeís, fr. 12, probably soon after 426 BC…

(Νικόλαος/ Nikólaos). [German version] [1] Strategos of Ptolemy IV in Coele Syria, 219 BC Aetolian, stratēgós of Ptolemy IV in Coele Syria. In 219 BC, he unsuccessfully besieged the dissident Theodotus in Ptolemais,  but succeeded in preventing the encirclement of Dora by Antiochus [5] III. Made supreme commander in 218, he occupied the coastal pass north of Sidon, but was repelled by Antiochus at the Damuras river. N. then probably defected to Antiochus, whom he accompanied in 209 to Hyr…

[German version] (Θεόγνητος; Theógnētos). Comic poet of the 3rd cent. BC (cf. Pantaleon mentioned in fr. 2). Two fragments and three titles survive: Κένταυρος ('The centaur'), Φιλοδέσποτος ('The one who loves his master', probably referring to a slave [2. 28710]) and Φάσμα ἢ Φιλάργυρος ('The ghost or The miser'); in the surviving fr. 1 of this play there is mockery of somebody who has lost his mind in the pursuit of Stoic philosophy. Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG VII, 1989, 696-698 2 H.-G. Nesselrath, Die att. Mittlere Komödie, 1990.

(Ἐπιγένης; Epigénēs). [German version] [0] Of Sicyon, Greek tragedian, 6th cent. BC E. of  Sicyon. According to the Suda s. v.  Thespis (θ 282 = TrGF I 1 T 1), the first tragedian (6th cent. BC). The audience supposedly reacted to the lack of Dionysiac content in his plays with the proverbial exclamation οὐδὲν πρὸς τὸν Διόνυσον ( oudèn pròs tòn Diónyson, ‘But this has nothing to do with  Dionysus!’; TrGF I 1 T 18,3). Perhaps E.'s activity may be related to the τραγικοὶ χοροί ( tragikoì choroí, ‘tragic choruses’) attested for Sicyon in Hdt. 5,67 [2. 21-23].  Tragedy I Zimmermann, Bernhard (Fr…

(Λεύκων; Leúkōn). [German version] [1] Boeotian hero Boeotian hero, son of Athamas and Themisto, daughter of the Lapith king Hypseus (Apollod. 1,9,2). His daughter Euippe marries Andreus of Orchomenus (Paus. 9,34,6f.). Eponym of Lake Leuconis (= Copais) (Steph. Byz.). Walde, Christine (Basle) [German version] [2] Author of Old Comedy, 5th cent. BC Author of Old Comedy who competed in the Lenaea of 422 BC with the play Πρέσβεις (‘Legates’) against Aristophanes' ‘Wasps’, and in the Dionysia of 421 with the play Φράτερες against the latter's ‘Peace’…

[German version] The terms caricature, grotesque,   grylloi are sometimes defined differently, sometimes not strictly separated, sometimes used synonymously [11. 89]; but although the word grotesque is differentiated from caricature because, unlike it, caricature refers precisely to a model, in order to cover as many aspects as possible a broader definition of the term caricature is to be preferred [4. 4]. Therefore, regarding term and delimitation. cf. the essential [9]. Caricature as deviation from the normal evoked mockery very early on (Thersites: Hom. Il. 2…

(Θεόφιλος; Theóphilos). [German version] [1] Comic poet, 4th cent. BC Comic poet of the 4th cent. BC; victor at the Dionysia of 329 [1. test.2], fourth there in 311 with his Pankratiastḗs [2.190, 200]. T. was of the declining Middle and the incipient New Comedy [I G]. Of the nine known titles, two - Νεοπτόλεμος ( Neoptólemos, 'Neoptolemus'), Προιτίδες ( Proitídes, 'The daughters of Proitus') - are mythological plays, the others deal with everyday material. In the Ἐπίδημοι ( Epídēmoi, 'The Pilgrims'), a slave considers whether to run away from his kind master (fr. 1); in the Φίλαυλος ( Phílaul…

[German version] (Φιλύλλιος; Philýllios). Comic poet from the 5th/4th cents. BC; according to the Suda he was a contemporary of Diocles [5] and Sannyrion [1. test. 2]. He was victorious at the Lenaean festival and possibly at the Dionysian [1. test. 3, *4]. Thirty-three fragments and ten titles have survived, of which six are of a mythical nature (Αἰγεύς, Ἀταλάντη, Αὔγη, Ἑλένη, Ἡρακλῆς, Πλύντριαι ἢ Ναυσικάα; 'Aegeus', 'Atalante', 'Auge', 'Helen', 'Heracles, 'The Washerwomen or Nausicaa'). The last-…

[German version] (Πολίοχος; Políochos). Attic comic poet of the 5th cent. BC, victor on one occasion at the Lenaea [1. test. 1]. Two fragments survive, one from the play Κορινθιαστής ( Korinthiastḗs, 'The Whoremonger'). Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG VII, 1989, 550-551.