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[English version] (τὸ ἐπεισόδιον, von dem Adj. ἐπεισόδιος, “eingeschoben”). Nach Aristot. poet. 12,1452b 20f. Teil einer Trag., der zw. zwei ganzen Chorpartien (d.h. zw. Parodos und erstem Stasimon oder zw. zwei Stasima) steht. Der Begriff E. findet sich als t.t. nur in der Poetica, andere Autoren sprechen von méros oder mórion. Aristoteles verwendet den Terminus E. in der Poetica auch im allgemeineren Sinn für “Abschnitt”, “Episode” (z.B. 17,1455b 13Aristot. poet. 17,1455b 2.15.18.27.). In der Alten Komödie läßt sich oft der zweite Teil der Stücke in …

[English version] (Νόθιππος). Athen. Tragiker (TrGF I 26), von dem Komiker Hermippos in den Moírai (aufgeführt wohl 430 v.Chr.) erwähnt (Fr. 46 PCG). Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

[English version] (Νεόφρων) aus Sikyon. Tragiker, 2. H. 5. Jh. v.Chr., nach der Suda (TrGF I 15 T 1) Verf. von 120 Stücken, der als erster Pädagogen und die Folterung von Sklaven auf die Bühne gebracht haben soll. Nach der auf peripatetischer Trad. beruhenden Hypothesis zu Euripides' [1] ‘Medea soll das euripideische Drama von N. abhängig sein. Die erh. 24 Verse weisen deutliche Übereinstimmungen mit Euripides auf (bes. Medeas Monolog bei N., Fr. 2 mit Eur. Med. 1021ff., 1236ff.), die Priorität is…

[English version] (ἡ πάροδος, wörtl. “Einzug, Einzugslied des Chors”). In seiner Aufzählung der allen Tragödien gemeinsamen Bauteile definiert Aristoteles [6] in der ‘Poetik (12, 1452 b22f.) die p. als erste Chorpartie, wobei die Bedeutung “Einzugslied” bzw. “-vortrag” (vgl. Aristot. eth. Nic. 1123 a23f.) mitklingt. Bei der Strukturanalyse sollte man sich jedoch nicht an starre, schematische Abgrenzungen halten, sondern die Konstruktion und Entwicklung der dramatischen Handlung (σύστασις τῶν πραγμάτων, ebd.) beachten. In der att. Tragödie kann die p. das Stück eröffnen …

(Μνησίλοχος). [English version] [1] s. Mnasilochos s. Mnasilochos Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) [English version] [2] Schwiegervater des Euripides Schwiegervater des Euripides [1] aus dem Demos Phlya. Der Name der Tochter schwankt in der Überl. zw. Choirile und Melito. In der Hypothesis zu Aristophanes' ‘Thesmophoriazusen wird der kēdēstḗs (naher Verwandter) des Eupolis fälschlicherweise mit M. gleichgesetzt (auch in der Hs. R). Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) Bibliography U. v. Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Euripides, Herakles I 1895, 7. [English version] [3] zweiter S…

[English version] (Μόρσιμος). Sohn des Philokles, Großneffe des Aischylos [1] (TrGF I 12 T 3), Mitte 5. Jh.v.Chr.; Augenarzt (TrGF I 29 T 2) und Tragiker, letzteres nach Aristophanes (Equ. 401, Pax 802, Ran. 151) von bes. schlechter Qualität. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

(ὁ πρόλογος/ ho prólogos, Lat. prologus, prologium). [German version] A. Concept In his list of the individual elements (μέρη/ mérē) of tragedy in the 'Poetics', Aristotle defines the prologue as a complete section of a tragedy preceding the chorus' párodos (Aristot. Poet. 13,1452b 22 f.) [9. 471 f.]. However, the term prólogos was already in use in the technical sense before Aristotle: in 'The Frogs', Aristophanes subtitles the prologue the 'first part of a tragedy' (Aristoph. Ran. 1120: τὸ πρῶτον τῆς τραγῳδίας μέρος/ tò prôton tês tragōidías méros), which, however, can have ref…

[German version] Derived from the verb δρᾶν ( drân), predominantly attested in Attic, the noun δρᾶμα ( drâma; ‘action’, ‘deed’ in a general sense) is the antonym of ‘what is experienced’ (πάθος/ páthos) (Aesch. Ag. 533); it can also mean ‘duty’, ‘task’ (Pl. Tht. 150a, Resp. 451c ). For the most part, though, drama is a technical term meaning ‘theatrical play’ (tragedy, comedy, satyr play) in the context of its performance (Aristoph. Ran. 920); it appears in the plural form in the title of Aristophanes' play Δράματα ἢ Νίοβος ( Drā́mata ē Níobos; fr. 289-298 PCG III2; fr. 299-304 PCG III2), in T…

[German version] of Olynthus (TrGF 1, 118; FGrH 74), end of the 4th, beginning of the 3rd cent. BC; according to Diog. Laert. 2,110 teacher of  Antigonus [2] Gonatas, to whom he dedicated a work ‘On the Rule of Kings’ (Περὶ βασιλείας; Perì basileías). Writer of a history of the Diadochi period and of several successful tragedies. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) [German version] A. Antiquity and Middle Ages (CT) The following article is only concerned with the performance of plays by the three main Greek tragedians and the various tendencies of their productions in modern times. It is not possible in this context to deal with adaptations, new arrangements or reworkings, nor with the reception of Greek tragedy as a whole in the history of European cultural and intellectual history. The seminal year marking a decisive change in the practice of performing dramatic plays in Athens was 386 BC, bec…

(Εὐριπίδης / Euripídēs) [German version] [1] Tragedian The Attic Tragedian. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) [German version] A. Biography The most important evidence comes from the vita passed down to us in several MSS, the  Marmor Parium, the  Suda, Gell. NA 15,20 and the vita by  Satyrus. Only a few details of E.'s life can be considered certain: born between 485 and 480 BC on Salamis, son of a Mnesarchus or Mnesarchides. He took part in the Great Dionysia for the first time in 455, achieving his first victory in 441. During his lifet…

[German version] Derived from tó epírrhēma (τό ἐπίρρημα, ‘that which is said afterwards’), i.e. the speech following a lyric part. The succession of lyrical and spoken (or rather recited) parts is referred to as an epirrhematic composition. Aeschylus frequently used this form in semi-lyrical  amoibaia. In the Old Comedy, epirrhematic composition can be found in the  parabasis and in the epirrhematic agon. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) Bibliography Th. Gelzer, Der epirrhematische Agon bei Aristophanes, 1960 B. Zimmermann, Unt. zur Form und dramatischen Technik der Ar…

[German version] (Πυθάγγελος; Pythángelos). Tragedian of the 5th cent. BC, mentioned only in Aristoph. Ran. 87. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

[German version] (Greek Σίνις/Sínis, robber). One of the scoundrels who are killed by Theseus in their own vicious manner ( e.g. Bacchyl. 18,19-22): S., a son of Poseidon with the cognomen Pityokámptēs ('spruce bender'), is a brigand on the Corinthian Isthmus who ties the arms and legs of travellers to spruce trees that he bent down before. When he lets the trees shoot up, the victims are torn apart. He dies in the same fashion following the principle of Talion Law. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

[German version] Longer rhesis in drama, in which other characters or the chorus are informed, either behind or off scene, of events that have taken place before or during the dramatic action and that could not represented on stage either because of the means or the conventions of Attic drama. These reports, furnished with all available rhetorical means, are usually presented by a main or a supporting figure (Eur. Heraclid. 389ff; Soph. El. 680ff.), but often by a nameless messenger specifically introduced for this purpose (ἄγγελοι/ ángeloi or ἔξαγγελοι/ éxangeloi, if the message co…

(Μνησίλοχος/ Mnēsílochos). [German version] [1] see Mnasilochus See Mnasilochus Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) [German version] [2] Father-in-law of Euripides Father-in-law of Euripides [1], of the deme of Phlya. In our sources, the daughter's name varies between Choerile and Melito. In the hypothesis to Aristophanes' ‘Thesmophoriazousai the kēdēstḗs (close relative) of Eupolis is incorrectly identified with M. (also in manuscript R). Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) Bibliography U. v. Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Euripides, Herakles I 1895, 7. [German version] [3] Secon…

(ὑπόθεσις; hypóthesis). Introduction, summary. [German version] A. History of literature Three types can be distinguished in tragedy: 1. The hypothéseis of  Aristophanes [4] of Byzantium found in the Peripatetic tradition ( Dicaearchus fr. 78 Wehrli); they contain a brief summary, point to the treatment of the same material by another tragedian, name the setting, the identity of the chorus and the speaker of the prologue and give further information on the play's performance (dating, title of the author's other p…

[German version] (Πέρδιξ/ Pérdix , also called Talus or Calus), great-grandson of Erechtheus, nephew of  Daedalus [1], whose skill he surpassed - he is considered the inventor of, among other things, the saw and the compass (Ov. Met. 8,246ff.; Hyg. Fab. 39; Verg. G. 1,143) - and who therefore threw him to his death from the Acropolis  (Soph. fr. 323 TrGF; Hyg. Hab. 39). In Ov. Met. 8,251-253 P. is rescued by Athena, who turns him into a partridge ( perdix), which watches the burial of Daedalus's son Icarus [1], who also fell to his death, maliciously applauding with its wings ( ibid. 236ff.). Ac…

(αἱ διδασκαλίαι; hai didaskalíai). [German version] I. Greek Derived from the verb διδάσκειν, the singular didaskalía has the general meaning of ‘teaching’, ‘instruction’ (Pind. Pyth. 4,102; Xen. Cyr. 8,7,24) and in a special sense of ‘choral training’ (Pl. Grg. 501e); in the plural it is a technical term for lists of dramatic and choral productions with associated details: year of performance (archon), poet, title, festival, choregos, actors. The entries were made in the archive of the authority responsible for the production, such at least was the case in A…

[German version] (Θέσπις; Théspis) from Icarium [1] in the Attic deme of Icaria [1. 49], according to one tradition attested on the  Marmor Parium (43) the ‘inventor’ ( prôtos heuretḗs ) of tragedy (TrGF I 1 T 2), according to another (Suda θ 282 = T 1) the sixteenth or second tragedian after Epigenes [0] of Sicyon. Between 535/4 and 532/1, he is supposed to have presented the first tragedy at the great Dionysia in Athens (but cf. [3]) and is considered to be the inventor of theatrical masks (made of linen, T 1). By adding a prologue ( prólogos) and a  rhêsis , he transf…