Odyssean Motifs in the Middle Comedy: Witches, Monsters and Courtesans

Magdalena Stuligrosz

doi:10.14746/sppgl.2017.xxvii.2.2

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show how Middle Comedy authors re-work mythical motifs and characters borrowed from Homer’s epic poetry, inserting them into the various contexts of everyday life and imbuing them with new meaning. The analysis focuses on the fragments of plays by Anaxilas and Ephippus, which draw on the motif of animal transformation and of Odysseus’ encounter with Circe and mythical monsters.

Highlights

The purpose of this paper is to show how Middle Comedy authors re-work mythical motifs and characters borrowed from Homer’s epic poetry, inserting them into the various contexts of everyday life and imbuing them with new meaning
The analysis focuses on the fragments of plays by Anaxilas and Ephippus, which draw on the motif of animal transformation and of Odysseus’ encounter with Circe and mythical monsters
The preserved fragments of Middle Comedy, which flourished between 404 and 321 bce, contain many references to myths recorded by authors in earlier times, usually in the form of parody, pastiche or travesty of the myths or mythical motifs known from tradition

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to show how Middle Comedy authors re-work mythical motifs and characters borrowed from Homer’s epic poetry, inserting them into the various contexts of everyday life and imbuing them with new meaning. Middle Comedy authors, with their interest in everyday aspects of human life, would place mythical characters in new, often surprising contexts, de-heroizing the deeds and achievements traditionally attributed to them.. Middle Comedy authors, with their interest in everyday aspects of human life, would place mythical characters in new, often surprising contexts, de-heroizing the deeds and achievements traditionally attributed to them.1 Depictions of this sort favoured highlighting and exaggerating characters’ vices, presenting those characters as trivial or even vulgar. The 4th century bce comic poet Anaxilas refers to the Odyssey multiple times in his plays. The plot of his comedy Circe is probably based on the episode narrated in Book 10 of Homer’s epic. Fr. 12 Kassel-Austin (= Athen. 9.374e) seems to contain the words of a member of Odysseus’ crew, Eurilochus, as he recounts his adventure to warn Odysseus of what may befall him and his companions in Circe’s palace:

Objectives

Conclusion