The Poets of Old Comedy
For the title, which suggests a chorus of people supporting the principal character, we may compare Eupolis’ Friends, Crates’ Neighbours, and Hermippus’ Demesmen. The ancient Greek institution of the phratria does not correspond easily with any modern institution. It was a mixture of an extended kinship group, neighbours, social club, or fraternity. Membership in one’s traditional phratry was essential
Testimoniai
(a) Hephaestion Handbook 32.13
δίμετρον δὲ ἀκατάληκτον τὸ καλούμενον Γλυκώνειον, αὐτοῦ Γλύκωνος εὑρόντος αὐτό.
(b) Choeroboscus On Hephaestion p. 240.12
τὸ καλούμενον Γλυκώνειον—κωμικὸς δὲ ἦν ὁ Γλύκων, οὗ καὶ δρᾶμα φέρεται κωμικὸν οἱ Φράτορες.
Fragments1 Hesychius π 2
ἀτάρ, ὦ Μεγάκλεες, οἶσθά που Παάπιδος ‘Υπέρβολος τἀκπώματα κατεδήδοκεν.
Leucon
for Athenian citizen status, and boys were traditionally introduced to their father’s phratry at a young age. Jokes in comedy mock those who allegedly lacked membership in a phratry (Birds 764–65, 1669; Frogs 417–18; Eupolis F 99.24). Comedy regularly made fun of demagogues as Aliens (xenoi)—see Frogs 416–21 of Archedemus, “who has not yet grown his phratry teeth.” Was Hyperbolus (F 1) made fun of in this way here?
Testimoniai
(a) There is also the acatalectic dimeter called the “glyconean,” from Glycon, who invented it.
(b) “Called the glyconean”: Glycon was a comic poet, whose comedy Phratry-Members is preserved.1
Fragments1 Megakles, do you know about Paapis’ drinking cups which Hyperbolus has devoured?1
- 1“Leucon” seems at some point to have been corrupted into “Glycon.”
- 1Megakles is a common Athenian name, best known in the family of the Alcmaeonidae, but it could be a suitable name of a character in comedy. Heyschius adds that Paapis “had sent these cups as a gift for the Athenians.” A Paapis (PAA 760730) dedicated a gold vessel in 406/5 (IG ii2 1383).