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[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…

[German version] (Θεὸς ἀπὸ μηχανῆς; theòs apò mēchanês). Crane-like stage machinery (μηχανή, γέρανος, κράδη; mēchanḗ, géranos, krádē) that became proverbial as early as the 4th cent. BC, by which a deity could suddenly appear hovering and traversing the air, and imbue the plot with fresh momentum or bring it to an end (cf. Pl. Cleit. 407a; Crat. 425d; Antiphanes 189,13-16 PCG; Alexis 131,9 PCG; Men. Theophorumene fr. 5 Sandbach = 227 Körte; Cic. Nat. D. 1,53). Its use in the parodies of Aristophanes (Pax 174ff.…

[German version] (ἡ χορηγία; hē chorēgía). Office of the choregos; from c. 500 BC a special form of   leitourgia in Athens. The choregia was imposed on prosperous citizens by the appropriate archon, and young notables were glad to use this kind of leiturgia in order to win political esteem (in 472 Pericles was choregos for Aeschylus' ‘Persians; cf. also Thuc. 6,16,3 on Alcibiades). The political significance of the choregia becomes especially clear in the dithyrambic agon, where it is not the poet but the choregos who is named in the inscription ( Didaskaliai). Towards the end o…

(Σωσιφάνης; Sōsiphánēs). [German version] [1] Tragedian, died 336/333 or 324/321 BC S. of Syracuse, tragedian (TrGF I 92), died 336/333 or 324/321 BC. The Suda (σ 863) credits him with 73 plays and 7 victories. Meléagros is attested as a title. Inclusion in the Pleiad of tragic poets (TrGF T 1) relates to S. [2]. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg) [German version] [2] Tragedian, born 306/5 BC Tragedian (TrGF I 103), born 306/5 BC, numbered among the Pleiad of tragic poets. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

[German version] (Φίλικος; Phílikos) of Corcyra (Corfu). Poet and tragedian, priest of Dionysus at Alexandria in the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 BC). Member of the Pleias, often confused with Philiscus [4] of Aegina (TrGF I 89; I 104 T1, T4). Nothing survives of the 24 tragedies attributed to him. A large section is preserved of a hymn to Demeter in stichic catalectic choriambic hexameters (SH 676-680). In it, Demeter is consoled for the loss of her daughter with the prospect of cultic honours at Eleusis and by the wit of the maiden Iambe (in direct speech). Zimmermann, Bernhar…

[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)

[English version] Abgeleitet von dem vorwiegend im Att. belegten Verb δρᾶν ist das Subst. τὸ δρᾶμα (“Handlung”, “Tat” im allg. Sinne) dem “Leid” (πάθος/ páthos) entgegengesetzt (Aischyl. Ag. 533); ferner kann es “Pflicht”, “Aufgabe” bedeuten (Plat. Tht. 150a, rep. 451cPlat. rep. 451c). Vorwiegend jedoch bedeutet D. als t.t. “Theaterstück” (Trag., Komödie, Satyrspiel) im Hinblick auf seine Aufführung (Aristoph. Ran. 920); als Stücktitel im Pl. erscheint D. in Aristophanes' Δράματα ἢ Νίοβος ( Drā́mata ē Níobos; fr. 289-298 PCG III2; fr. 299-304 PCG III2), bei Telekleides fr. 41…

[English version] (Θεὸς ἀπὸ μηχανῆς). Bereits im 4. Jh.v.Chr. sprichwörtlich gewordene kranartige Bühnenmaschine (μηχανή, γέρανος, κράδη), an der schwebend und die Luft durchquerend eine Gottheit plötzlich erscheinen und der Handlung neue Impulse verleihen oder sie zu Ende bringen konnte (vgl. Plat. Kleit. 407a; Krat. 425d; Antiphanes 189,13-16 PCG; Alexis 131,9 PCG; Men. Theophorumene fr. 5 Sandbach = 227 Körte; Cic. nat. deor. 1,53). Ihr Einsatz ist durch die Parodien des Aristophanes (Pax 174ff…

[English version] (Μάμερκος). Bei Plut. Timoleion 31,1 erwähnter Tragiker des 4. Jh.v.Chr. (TrGF I 87). Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

[English version] aus Olynthos (TrGF 1, 118; FGrH 74), Ende 4., Anf. 3. Jh. v.Chr.; nach Diog. Laert. 2,110 Lehrer des Antigonos [2] Gonatas, dem er eine Schrift ‘Über die Königsherrschaft (Περὶ βασιλείας) widmete. Verf. einer Gesch. über die Diadochenzeit und mehrerer erfolgreicher Tragödien. Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)

(αἱ διδασκαλίαι). [English version] I. Griechisch Abgeleitet von dem Verb διδάσκειν, bedeutet didaskalía (Sg.) allg. “Unterricht”, “Unterweisung” (Pind. P. 4,102; Xen. Kyr. 8,7,24), speziell “Einstudierung eines Chores” (Plat. Gorg. 501e); im Plur. ist d. t.t. für die Listen von Dramen- und Choraufführungen mit den relevanten Informationen: Aufführungsjahr (Archon), Dichter, Titel, Fest, Chorege, Schauspieler. Die Daten wurden wohl in den Archiven der spielleitenden Behörden gespeichert (so jedenfalls in Athen). Aristoteles sam…

[English version] (Πλειάς). Das “Siebengestirn” der griech. tragischen Dichter zur Zeit des Ptolemaios Philadelphos (285-246 v.Chr.). Die Namenslisten divergieren (wie bei den Sieben Weisen oder den Sieben Weltwundern): Als feste Namen erscheinen Alexandros [21] Aitolos, Lykophron [5] aus Chalkis, Homeros [2] aus Byzantion, Philikos aus Kerkyra, Sositheos aus Alexandreia; dazu kommen Sosiphanes aus Syrakus, Aiantides, Dionysiades aus Tarsos und Euphronios. Mit der Liste wird dem…

[English version] Allg. Wechselgesang (Theokr. 8,31), auch Dialog in der Tragödie (Plat. rep. 394b), h. terminologische Festlegung auf Wechselgesang im Drama. In der Aufzählung der Bauteile der Trag. in der ›Poetik‹ (12,1452b 22)unterscheidet Aristoteles als bes. Fälle Bühnenlieder (τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς) und kommoí. Während im ersten Fall nur die Schaupieler beteiligt sind (Monodien, Duette), ist bei den kommoí die Mitwirkung von Schauspielern und Chor entscheidend. Da jedoch bei weitem nicht alle Wechselgesänge zwischen Chor und Schauspieler(n) als Klage…