Antiphanes (comic poet) explained

Antiphanes
Native Name:	Ἀντιφάνης
Birth Date:	c. 408 BCE
Death Date:	334 BCE (aged c. 74)
Nationality:	Ancient Greek
Occupation:	Playwright
Period:	Middle Comedy
Genre:	Comedy
Notable Works:	365 comedies (140 titles known)
Awards:	13 victories in dramatic competitions, including 8 at the Lenaea
Children:	Stephanus (also a comic writer)

Antiphanes (Ancient Greek: Ἀντιφάνης; c. 408 to 334 BCE) was a playwright of Middle Comedy. According to Heinz-Günther Nesselrath, he is regarded as one of the most important writers of Middle Comedy alongside Alexis.^[1]

Antiphanes was said to have written as many as 365 comedies, and 140 titles of his works are known.^[1] His first play was produced about 385 BC.^[2] According to the Suda, he won 13 victories in dramatic competitions, including 8 at the Lenaea.^[2] In his later career he was a pioneer of the New Comedy.^[1] Demetrius of Phalerum and Dorotheus of Ascalon wrote treatises on Antiphanes.^[1]

According to the Suda, Antiphanes died after being struck by a pear.^{[3] [4]}

His son, Stephanus, was also a comic writer.^[1]

Surviving titles and fragments

• Adelphai ("Sisters")
• Adonis
• Agroikos ("The Country-Dweller")
• Akestria
• Akontizomene ("Woman Shot With an Arrow")
• Aleiptria ("The Female Oiler, or Masseuse")
• Alkestis ("Alcestis")
• Antaios ("Antaeus")
• Anteia
• Anasozomenoi ("The Rescued Men")
• Aphrodites Gonai ("Aphrodite's Birth")
• Archestrate
• Archon
• Argyriou Aphanismos ("Disappearance of Money")
• Arkas ("Man from Arcadia")
• Arpazomene ("The Seized, or Captured, Woman")
• Asklepios ("Asclepius")
• Asotoi ("Debauched Men")
• Auletes ("Male Flute-Player")
• Auletris ("Female Flute-Player"), or Didymai ("Twin Sisters")
• Autou Eron
• Bakchai ("Bacchae")
• Batalos
• Boiotis ("The Woman From Boeotia")
• Bombylios
• Bousiris ("Busiris")
• Boutalion
• Byzantios ("The Man From Byzantium")
• Cyclops
• Chrysis
• Gamos ("Marriage")
• Ganymedes ("Ganymede")
• Glaukos ("Glaucus")
• Gorgythos
• Diplasia ("Female Double")
• Dodonis ("The Woman From Dodona")
• Drapetagogos ("Catcher of Runaway Slaves")
• Dyserotes ("People With Disastrous Love-Lives")
• Dyspratos ("The Hard-To-Sell Slave")
• Ephesia ("The Woman From Ephesus")
• Epidaurios ("The Man From Epidaurus")
• Epikleros ("The Heiress")
• Euploia ("A Pleasant Voyage")
• Euthydikos
• Halieuomene ("Woman Caught Like A Fish")
• Heniochos ("The Charioteer")
• Hippeis ("Knights")
• Homoioi ("People Who Resemble Each Other")
• Homonymoi ("People With The Same Name")
• Homopatrioi ("People With The Same Father")
• Hydria ("The Water-Pitcher")
• Hypnos ("Sleep")
• Iatros ("The Physician")
• Kaineus ("Caeneus")
• Kares ("Men From Caria")
• Karine ("The Woman From Caria")
• Kepouros ("The Gardener")
• Kitharistes ("The Harpist")
• Kitharodos ("The Citharode")
• Kleophanes
• Knapheus ("The Fuller")
• Knoithideus, or Gastron ("Glutton")
• Korinthia ("The Woman From Corinth")
• Koroplathos ("Modeller of Clay Figures")
• Korykos
• Kouris ("The Female Hair-Dresser")
• Kybeutai ("Dice-Players")
• Lampas ("The Torch")
• Lampon
• Lemniai ("Women From Lemnos")
• Leonides
• Leptiniskos
• Leukadios ("The Man From Leucas")
• Lydos ("The Man From Lydia")
• Medeia ("Medea")
• Melanion
• Meleagros ("Meleager")
• Melitta ("The Bee")
• Metoikos ("Resident Alien")
• Metragyrtes ("Beggar-Priest of Cybele")
• Metrophon
• Midon
• Minos ("Minos")
• Misoponeros ("Hater of Wickedness")
• Mnemata ("The Tombs")
• Moichoi ("Adulterers")
• Mylon ("The Mill")
• Mystis ("Woman Initiated Into the Mysteries")
• Obrimos
• Oinomaos, or Pelops
• Oionistes ("The Omen-Reader")
• Omphale ("Omphale")
• Orpheus ("Orpheus")
• Paiderastes ("The Pederast")
• Parasitos ("The Parasite")
• Paroimiai ("Proverbs")
• Phaon ("Phaon")
• Philetairos ("Philetaerus")
• Philoktetes ("Philoctetes")
• Philometor ("Mother-Lover")
• Philopator ("Father-Lover")
• Philotis
• Phrearrhios
• Plousioi ("Rich Men")
• Poiesis ("Poetry")
• Pontikos ("Man From Pontus")
• Probateus ("The Sheep-Rancher")
• Problema ("Problem," or "Riddle")
• Progonoi ("Ancestors")
• Pyraunos
• Sappho
• Skleriai ("Difficulties," or "Hardships")
• Skythai ("Scythians"), or Tauroi ("Bulls")
• Stratiotes ("The Soldier"), or Tychon
• Thamyras
• Theogony
• Timon
• Traumatias ("The Wounded Man")
• Tritagonistes
• Tyrrhenus
• Zakynthios ("The Man From Zakynthos")
• Zographos ("The Painter")

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia: Brill's New Pauly. Antiphanes [1]. Nesselrath. Heinz-Günther. 2006. 10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e124990.
2. Encyclopedia: Oxford Classical Dictionary. Antiphanes. 4th. Dover. Kenneth James. 2012.
3. Web site: Suda α 2735 . 2024-06-08 . www.cs.uky.edu.
4. Book: Baldi, Dino . Morti favolose degli antichi . Quodlibet . 2010 . 978-8874623372 . 50 . it.