Editing Alexis (poet)

{{Short description|4th century BC Athenian comic poet}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
'''Alexis'''  ({{langx|grc|Ἄλεξις}}; {{floruit}}&nbsp;350s{{snd}}288&nbsp;BC) was a Greek [[comic poet]] of the [[Ancient Greek comedy|Middle Comedy]] period.  He was born in [[Thurii]] (in present-day Calabria, Italy) in [[Magna Graecia]] and taken early to [[Athens]],<ref>[[Suda]] ''[[sub verbo|s.v.]]'' {{lang|grc|Ἀλέξης}}</ref> where he became a citizen, being enrolled in the [[deme]] ''Oion'' ({{lang|grc|Οἶον}}) and the tribe Leontides.<ref>[[Stephanus of Byzantium]], ''[[sub verbo|s.v.]]'' {{lang|grc|Ἀλέξης}}</ref><ref name="DGRBM">{{cite encyclopedia | last = Greenhill | first = William Alexander | title = Alexis (1) | editor = William Smith | editor-link = William Smith (lexicographer) | encyclopedia = [[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]] | volume = 1 | pages = 128–129 | publisher = [[Little, Brown and Company]] | location = Boston | year = 1867 | url = http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moa;cc=moa;idno=acl3129.0001.001;q1=demosthenes;size=l;frm=frameset;seq=143}}</ref> It is thought he lived to the age of 106 and died on the stage while being crowned. According to the ''[[Suda]]'', a 10th-century encyclopedia, Alexis was the paternal uncle of the dramatist [[Menander]] and wrote 245 comedies, of which only fragments now survive, including some 130 preserved titles.

==Life==
He appears to have been rather addicted to the pleasures of the table, according to [[Athenaeus]].<ref name="DGRBM"/><ref>Athenaeus, ''Deipnosophistae'' viii. p. 344</ref> He had a son named Stephanus (Στέφανος) who was also a comic poet.<ref>[http://www.poesialatina.it/_ns/greek/testi/Suda/Lexicon.html Suda, alpha, 1138]</ref>

He won his first [[Lenaean]] victory in the 350s BC, most likely, where he was sixth after [[Eubulus (poet)|Eubulus]], and fourth after [[Antiphanes (comic poet)|Antiphanes]]. While being a Middle Comic poet, Alexis was contemporary with several leading figures of New Comedy, such as Philippides, [[Philemon (poet)|Philemon]], [[Diphilus]], and even Menander. There is also some evidence that, during his old age, he wrote plays in the style of New Comedy.

[[Plutarch]] says that he lived to the age of 106 and 5 months, and that he died on the stage while being crowned victor.<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Defect. Orac.'' p. 420 e</ref> He was certainly alive after 345 BC, for [[Aeschines]] mentions him as alive in that year. He was also living at least as late as 288 BC,<ref name="DGRBM"/> from which his birth date is calculated. According to the ''[[Suda]]'' he wrote 245 comedies, of which only fragments including some 130 titles survive. His plays include ''Meropis'', ''Ankylion'', ''Olympiodoros'', ''Parasitos'' (exhibited in 360 BC, in which he ridiculed [[Plato]]), ''Agonis'' (in which he ridiculed Misgolas), and the ''Adelphoi'' and the ''Stratiotes'', in which he satirized [[Demosthenes]], and acted shortly after 343 BC.
Also ''Hippos'' (316 BC) (in which he referred to the decree of [[Sophocles]] against the philosophers), ''Pyraunos'' (312 BC), ''Pharmakopole'' (306 BC), ''Hypobolimaios'' (306 BC), and ''Ankylion''.<ref name="DGRBM"/>

Because he wrote a lot of plays, the same passages often appear in more than 3 plays. It was said that he also borrowed from Eubulus and many other playwrights in some of his plays.<ref>Athenaeus, i. p.25, f.</ref> According to [[Carystius|Carytius of Pergamum]], Alexis was the first to use the part of the parasite.<ref>Athen. vi. p.235, f. This is incorrect, because [[Epicharmus of Kos|Epicharmus]] had already introduced it 250 years earlier. However, Alexis may have been the first to develop the part into its common form.</ref> Alexis was known in [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] times; [[Aulus Gellius]] noted that Alexis' poetry was used by Roman comedians, including [[Turpilius]] and possibly [[Plautus]].

==Surviving titles and fragments==
Only fragments have survived from any of Alexis's plays – about 340 in all, totaling about 1,000 lines. They attest to the author's wit and refinement, which Athenaeus praises.<ref>Athenaeus. ii. p.59, f.</ref> The surviving fragments also show that Alexis invented a great many words, mostly compound words, that he used normal words in an unusual way, and made strange and unusual forms of common words. The main sources of the fragments of Alexis are [[Stobaeus]] and Athenaeus.

The following 139 titles of Alexis's plays have been preserved:
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*''Achaiis'' ("The [[Achaea]]n Woman")
*''Adelphoi'' ("The Brothers")
*''Agonis'', or ''Hippiskos''
*''Aichmalotos'' ("The Prisoner of War")
*''Aiopoloi'' ("Goat-Herders")
*''Aisopos'' ("[[Aesop]]")
*''Aleiptria'' ("Female Physical Trainer")
*''Ampelourgos'' ("The Vine-Dresser")
*''Amphotis''
*''Ankylion''
*''Anteia''
*''Apeglaukomenos''
*''Apobates'' ("The Trick Rider")
*''Apokoptomenos''
*''Archilochos''
*''Asklepiokleides''
*''Asotodidaskalos'' ("Teacher of Debauchery")
*''Atalante''
*''Atthis''
*''Bomos'' ("The Altar")
*''Bostrychos'' ("Lock of Hair")
*''Brettia'' ("The [[Bruttii|Bruttian]] Woman")
*''Choregis''
*''Daktylios'' ("The Ring")
*''Demetrios'', or ''Philetairus''
*''Diapleousai'' ("Women Sailing Across The Sea")
*''Didymoi'' ("The Twins")
*''Dis Penthon'' ("Twice Grieving")
*''Dorkis'', or ''Poppyzousa'' ("Lip-Smacking Woman")
*''Dropides''
*''Eis To Phrear'' ("Into The Well")
*''Eisoikizomenos'' ("The Banished Man")
*''Ekkeryttomenos''
*''Ekpomatopoios'' ("The Cup-Maker")
*''Epidaurios'' ("The Man From [[Epidaurus]]")
*''Epikleros'' ("The Heiress")
*''Epistole'' ("The Letter")
*''Epitropos'' ("The Guardian", or "Protector")
*''Eretrikos'' ("Man From [[Eretria]]")
*''Erithoi'' ("Weavers"), or ''Pannychis'' ("All-Night Festival")
*''Galateia'' ("[[Galatea (mythology)|Galatea]]")
*''Graphe'' ("The Document")
*''Gynaikokratia'' ("Government By Women")
*''Helene'' ("Helen")
*''Helenes Arpage'' ("Helen's Capture")
*''Helenes Mnesteres'' ("Helen's Suitors")
*''Hellenis'' ("The Greek Woman")
*''Hepta Epi Thebais'' ("Seven Against Thebes")
*''Hesione'' ("[[Hesione]]")
*''Hippeis'' ("Knights")
*''Homoia''
*''Hypnos'' ("Sleep")
*''Hypobolimaios'' ("The Changeling")
*''Iasis'' ("The Cure, or Remedy")
*''Isostasion''
*''Kalasiris''
*''Karchedonios'' ("The Man From [[Carthage]]")
*''Katapseudomenos'' ("The False Accuser")
*''Kaunioi'' ("The Men From [[Kaunos]]")
*''Keryttomenos'' ("The Proclaimed Man")
*''Kitharodos'' ("The [[Citharode]]")
*''Kleobouline'' ("[[Cleobuline]]")
*''Knidia'' ("The Woman From [[Cnidus]]")
*''Koniates'' ("Plasterer")
*''Kouris'' ("The Lady Hairdresser")
*''Krateuas'', or ''Pharmakopoles'' ("Pharmacist")
*''Kybernetes'' ("The Pilot or Helmsman")
*''Kybeutai'' ("The Dice-Players")
*''Kyknos'' ("The Swan")
*''Kyprios'' ("The Man from [[Cyprus]]")
*''Lampas'' ("The Torch")
*''Lebes'' ("The Cauldron")
*''Leukadia'' ("Woman From [[Lefkada|Leucas]]"), or ''Drapetai'' ("Female Runaways")
*''Leuke'' ("[[Leprosy]]," or possibly "The [[Populus alba|White Poplar]]")
*''Lemnia'' ("The Woman From [[Lemnos]]")
*''Linos'' ("[[Linus (mythology)|Linus]]")
*''Lokroi'' ("The Locrians")
*''Lykiskos''
*''Mandragorizomene'' ("Mandrake-Drugged Woman")
*''Manteis'' ("Diviners," or "Seers")
*''Meropis'' ("[[Meropis]]")
*''Midon'' ("Midon")
*''Milesia'' ("[[Miletus|Milesian Woman]]")
*''Milkon'' ("Milcon")
*''Minos'' ("[[Minos]]")
*''Mylothros'' ("The Miller")
*''Odysseus Aponizomenos'' ("Odysseus Washing Himself")
*''Odysseus Hyphainon'' ("Odysseus Weaving Cloth")
*''Olympiodoros''
*''Olynthia'' ("The Woman From [[Olynthos]]")
*''[[Opora (mythology)|Opora]]'' ("Autumn")
*''Orchestris'' ("The Dancing-Girl")
*''Orestes'' ("[[Orestes]]")
*''Pallake'' ("The Concubine")
*''Pamphile''
*''Pankratiastes''
*''Parasitos'' ("The Parasite")
*''Pezonike''
*''Phaidon'', or ''Phaidrias''
*''Phaidros'' ("Phaedrus")
*''Philathenaios'' ("Lover of the Athenian People")
*''Philiskos''
*''Philokalos'', or ''Nymphai'' ("Nymphs")
*''Philotragodos'' ("Lover of Tragedies")
*''Philousa'' ("The Loving Woman")
*''Phryx'' ("The Phrygian")
*''Phygas'' ("The Fugitive")
*''Poietai'' ("Poets")
*''Poietria'' ("The Poetess")
*''Polykleia'' ("Polyclea")
*''Ponera'' ("The Wicked Woman")
*''Pontikos'' ("The Man From [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]]")
*''Proskedannymenos''
*''Protochoros'' ("First Chorus")
*''Pseudomenos'' ("The Lying Man")
*''Pylaia''
*''Pyraunos''
*''Pythagorizousa'' ("Female Disciple of [[Pythagoras]]")
*''Rhodion'', or ''Poppyzousa'' ("Lip-Smacking Woman")
*''Sikyonios'' ("The Man From [[Sicyon]]")
*''Skeiron''
*''Sorakoi''
*''Spondophoros'' ("The Libation-Bearer")
*''Stratiotes'' ("The Soldier")
*''Synapothneskontes'' ("Men Dying Together")
*''Syntrechontes''
*''Syntrophoi''
*''Syrakosios'' ("Man From [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]]")
*''Tarantinoi'' ("Men From [[Taranto|Tarentum]]")
*''Thebaioi'' ("Men From [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]]")
*''Theophoretos'' ("Possessed by a God")
*''Thesprotoi'' ("Men From [[Thesprotia]]")
*''Theteuontes'' ("Serfs")
*''Thrason'' ("Thrason")
*''Titthe'' ("The Wet-Nurse")
*''Tokistes'' ("Money-Lender"), or ''Katapseudomenos'' ("The False Accuser")
*''Traumatias'' ("The Wounded Man")
*''Trophonios'' ("[[Trophonius]]")
*''Tyndareos'' ("[[Tyndareus]]")
{{div col end}}

==Editions of fragments==
*[[Augustus Meineke]]. ''Poetarum Graecorum comicorum fragmenta'', (1855).
*Theodor Kock. ''Comicorum Atticorum fragmenta'', i. (1880).
*Colin Austin and Rudolf Kassel. ''Poetae Comici Graeci''. vol. 2.
*{{cite book|author=W. Geoffrey Arnott|title=Alexis: The Fragments: A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8JKsYD9nWGYC|date=12 September 1996|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-55180-9}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*Arnott, W. Geoffrey. Alexis: The Fragments. A Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
*{{EB1911|wstitle=Alexis|volume=1}}

==External links==
*{{Wikiquote-inline}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:3rd-century BC Greek poets]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek centenarians]]
[[Category:Greek men centenarians]]
[[Category:Poets of Magna Graecia]]
[[Category:Middle Comic poets]]
[[Category:Metics in Classical Athens]]
[[Category:People from the Province of Cosenza]]
[[Category:Italiotes]]
[[Category:4th-century BC births]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC deaths]]