Epitrepontes (translated as The Arbitration or The Litigants) is an Ancient Greek comedy, written c. 300 BCE by Menander.[1][2] Only fragments of the play have been found, primarily on papyrus, yet it is one of Menander's best-preserved plays.[3]
Epitrepontes
Written by
Menander
Characters
Charisios, Pamphile
Fragments of it were found in 1907, alongside Perikeiromene and Samia in the Cairo Codex.[3][4][5][6] Additional fragments of the play have been found since its initial discovery. In 2012, the Michigan Papyrus was published, giving better readings to Acts 3 and 4 of the play.[7]
Epitrepontes (Greek: "arbitration") features a conflict - and attempts to resolve that conflict - between two Athenian households, as well as depicting conflicts in a marriage.[8] The play's most famous incident features a comical scene of legal arbitration. Two parties want the court to decide who should take ownership of goods found alongside an abandoned baby. The play gradually reveals the baby's history, and the identity of its parents, in the process of a complex exploration of marriage and family.[8] The play also features sexual assault.[9][2]
Pamphile, a young Athenian woman, gives birth to a child only five months after her wedding to her husband Charisios. In shame and fear for her marriage and familial reputation, she has her servant abandon the baby (as was an accepted practice in contemporaneous Greek society), along with tokens in the form of jewels, to aid the baby's future identification. At the time of the birth, Charisios was away on a business trip, and would not have known that a child was born at all, if not for his slave, Onesimos, telling him of seeing the child being abandoned.[10]
Charisios suspects Pamphile of infidelity, and leaves her. He moves in with a neighbour, Chairestratos, and begins to spend money, including Pamphile's dowry, on drinking and carousing (including taking up with a hetaera named Habrotonon).[10] Furious that Chairos is wasting Pamphile's dowry, her father, Smikrines, demands she divorce Charisios. Pamilphile loyally refuses.[8]
^ abGardner, Hunter H. (2013). "Ventriloquizing Rape in Menander's Epitrepontes". Helios. 39 (2): 121–143. doi:10.1353/hel.2013.0008. ISSN 1935-0228.
^ abThe Plays and Fragments. Oxford University Press. 8 May 2008. p. xxxi. ISBN978-0-19-954073-0.
^Easterling, P. E.; Knox, Bernard M. W. (1989). The Cambridge History of Classical Literature: Volume 1, Greek Literature, Part 2, Greek Drama. Cambridge University Press. p. 163. ISBN978-0-521-35982-5.
^Anderson, William. "1997.10.07, Menander, Vol. 2. Pp. x + 501. Loeb Classical Library 459. – Bryn Mawr Classical Review". Bryn Mawr Classical Review.
^Römer, Cornelia (2012). "New Fragments of Act IV, "Epitrepontes" 786—823 Sandbach (P. Mich. 4752 a, b and c)". Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik. 182: 112–120. ISSN 0084-5388. JSTOR 23849834.
^Sommerstein, Alan. "From Mount Sinai to Michigan: the rediscovery of Menander's Epitrepontes (part 4)". University of Nottingham.
^ abcFurley, William (2021-06-03). New Fragments of Menander's 'Epitrepontes'. ISBN978-1-914477-40-9.
^"310: Reading 5: Menander's Epitrepontes, Classical Drama and Theatre". www.usu.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
^ ab"THE PLOT of EPITREPONTES | Dickinson College Commentaries". dcc.dickinson.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
External linksedit
The Arbitration (The Epitrepontes of Menander) at Faded Page (Canada)
From Mount Sinai to Michigan: the rediscovery of Menander’s Epitrepontes (part 1)
Reading 5: Menander's Epitrepontes
This article on a play is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
epitrepontes, translated, arbitration, litigants, ancient, greek, comedy, written, menander, only, fragments, play, have, been, found, primarily, papyrus, menander, best, preserved, plays, written, bymenandercharacterscharisios, pamphile, fragments, were, foun. Epitrepontes translated as The Arbitration or The Litigants is an Ancient Greek comedy written c 300 BCE by Menander 1 2 Only fragments of the play have been found primarily on papyrus yet it is one of Menander s best preserved plays 3 EpitrepontesWritten byMenanderCharactersCharisios Pamphile Fragments of it were found in 1907 alongside Perikeiromene and Samia in the Cairo Codex 3 4 5 6 Additional fragments of the play have been found since its initial discovery In 2012 the Michigan Papyrus was published giving better readings to Acts 3 and 4 of the play 7 Epitrepontes Greek arbitration features a conflict and attempts to resolve that conflict between two Athenian households as well as depicting conflicts in a marriage 8 The play s most famous incident features a comical scene of legal arbitration Two parties want the court to decide who should take ownership of goods found alongside an abandoned baby The play gradually reveals the baby s history and the identity of its parents in the process of a complex exploration of marriage and family 8 The play also features sexual assault 9 2 Plot editThis article needs an improved plot summary Please help improve the plot summary January 2019 Learn how and when to remove this message Pamphile a young Athenian woman gives birth to a child only five months after her wedding to her husband Charisios In shame and fear for her marriage and familial reputation she has her servant abandon the baby as was an accepted practice in contemporaneous Greek society along with tokens in the form of jewels to aid the baby s future identification At the time of the birth Charisios was away on a business trip and would not have known that a child was born at all if not for his slave Onesimos telling him of seeing the child being abandoned 10 Charisios suspects Pamphile of infidelity and leaves her He moves in with a neighbour Chairestratos and begins to spend money including Pamphile s dowry on drinking and carousing including taking up with a hetaera named Habrotonon 10 Furious that Chairos is wasting Pamphile s dowry her father Smikrines demands she divorce Charisios Pamilphile loyally refuses 8 References edit Damen Mark Reading 5 Greek New Comedy a b Gardner Hunter H 2013 Ventriloquizing Rape in Menander s Epitrepontes Helios 39 2 121 143 doi 10 1353 hel 2013 0008 ISSN 1935 0228 a b The Plays and Fragments Oxford University Press 8 May 2008 p xxxi ISBN 978 0 19 954073 0 Easterling P E Knox Bernard M W 1989 The Cambridge History of Classical Literature Volume 1 Greek Literature Part 2 Greek Drama Cambridge University Press p 163 ISBN 978 0 521 35982 5 Anderson William 1997 10 07 Menander Vol 2 Pp x 501 Loeb Classical Library 459 Bryn Mawr Classical Review Bryn Mawr Classical Review Romer Cornelia 2012 New Fragments of Act IV Epitrepontes 786 823 Sandbach P Mich 4752 a b and c Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie und Epigraphik 182 112 120 ISSN 0084 5388 JSTOR 23849834 Sommerstein Alan From Mount Sinai to Michigan the rediscovery of Menander s Epitrepontes part 4 University of Nottingham a b c Furley William 2021 06 03 New Fragments of Menander s Epitrepontes ISBN 978 1 914477 40 9 310 Reading 5 Menander s Epitrepontes Classical Drama and Theatre www usu edu Retrieved 2023 02 09 a b THE PLOT of EPITREPONTES Dickinson College Commentaries dcc dickinson edu Retrieved 2023 02 09 External links editThe Arbitration The Epitrepontes of Menander at Faded Page Canada From Mount Sinai to Michigan the rediscovery of Menander s Epitrepontes part 1 Reading 5 Menander s Epitrepontes nbsp This article on a play is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Epitrepontes amp oldid 1186086710, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
