The date is
confirmed
by Eusebius
(Chron.
(Chron.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
), he
the advice of Alcibiades before the battle. (Id. ii. extended his conquests beyond the Hypanis or
1. SS 16, 26. )
Sutlej, and made himself master of the district of
MENANDER (Mévavāpos). 1. An officer in Pattalene at the mouths of the Indus. These con-
the service of Alexander, one of those called étaipo, quests appear to have been related by Trogus
but who held the command of a body of mercena- Pompeius in his forty-first book (see Prol. Lib.
ries. He was appointed by Alexander, during the xli. ), but they are omitted by Justin. The author
settlement of the affairs of Asia made by that of the Periplus of the Erythraean sea, commonly
monarch when at Tyre (B. C. 331), to the govern- ascribed to Arrian, tells us (p. 27, ed. Huds. ) that
ment of Lydia, and appears to have remained at silver coins of Menander and Apollodotus were
that post till the year 323, when he was commis- still in circulation in his day among the mer-
sioned to conduct a reinforcement of troops to chants of Barygaza (Baroach); and they have
Alexander at Babylon, where he arrived just before been discovered in modern times in considerable
the king's last illness. (Arrian, Anub. iii. 6. $ 12, numbers in the countries south of the Hindoo
vii. 23. & 2. ) In the division of the provinces, Koosh, and even as far east as the Jumna.
after the death of Alexander, he received his former (Wilson, p. 281. ) The period of his reign is
government of Lydia, of which he hastened to take wholly uncertain.
[E. H. B. ]
possession. (Arrian, ap. Phot. p. 69, b. ; Dexippus, MENANDER, A'RRIUS, a Roman jurist, who
ibid. p. 64, n. ; Justin. xiii. 4; Curt. x. 30. $ 2; lived under Septimius Severus and Antoninus Ca-
Diod. xviii. 3, erroneously bas Mcleager instead. ) / racalla, the son of Severus. Caracalla succeeded his
Demosthi
(Anon. +
manars
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as a bo
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в с. 34
placing
Phon,
Pear.
the cos
fatber
Taria
Mena
conic
rules
been
with
4),
Lië
Tha
wit
;
Dor
Ja
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F
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t
:
.
## p. 1031 (#1047) ##########################################
MENANDER.
1031
MENANDER.
father A. D. 211. Menander was a Consiliarius, or a His personal beauty is mentioned by the anony-
member of the Consilium of Caracalla, as appears mous writer on comedy (l. c. ), though, according in
from a passage of Ulpian (Dig. 4. tit. 4. s. 11. V 2), Suidas, his vision was somewhat disturbed, otpa
coupled with the fact that Ulpian wrote his Libri bos tas ouers, DEUS de Tòv voûv. He is represented
au Edictum, which contain the passage just in works of sculpture which still exist, and of one
cited, under the reign of Caracalla. Aemilius of which Schlegel gives the following description :
Macer, who wrote in the time of Alexander Se-" In the excellent portrait-statues of two of the
verus, cites Menander. There are six excerpts in most famous comedians, Menander and Posidippus
the Digest from a work of Menander, entitled to be found in the Vatican), the physiognomy of
“ Militaria, or De Re Militari ;" and Macer, who the Greek New Comedy scems to me to be almost
wrote on the same subject, also cites Menander as visibly and personally expressed. They are seated
an authority.
[G. L. ] in arm-chairs, clnd with extreme simplicity, and
MENANDER (Mévavopns), of Athens, the with a roll in the hand, with that case and careless
most distinguished poet of the New Comedy, was self-possession which always marks the conscious
the son of Diopeithes and Ilegesistrate, and flou- superiority of the master in that maturity of years
rished in the time of the successors of Alexander. He which befits the calm and impartial observation
was born in Ol. 109. 3, or B. C. 342-1, which was which comedy requires, but sound and active, and
also the birth-year of Epicurus; only the birth of free from all symptoms of decay; we may discern
Menander was probably in the former half of the in them that hale and pithy vigour of body which
year, and therefore in 3. c. 342, while that of Epi- bears witness to an equally vigorous constitution of
curus was in the latter half, v. c. 341. (Suid. s. . ; mind and temper ; no lofty enthusiasm, but no
Clinton, F. H. sub ann. ) Strabo also (xiv. p. 526) folly or extravagance; on the contrary, the ear-
speaks of Menander and Epicurus as ouveońcuus. nestness of wisdom dwells in those brows, wrinkled
His father, Diopeithes, commanded the Athenian not with care, but with the exercise of thought,
forces on the Hellespont in B. C. 342—341, the while, in the searching eye, and in the mouth,
year of Menander's birth, and was defended by ready for a smile, there is a light irony which can-
Demosthenes in his oration repl TWV év Xepsovnow. not be mistaken. ” (Dramatic Lectures, vii. ) The
(Anon. de Com. p. xii. ) On this fnct the gram- moral character of Menander is defended by Mei-
marians blunder with their usual felicity, not only neke, with tolerable success, against the aspersions
making Menander a friend of Demosthenes, which of Suidas, Alciphron, and others. (Menand. Re-
as a boy he may have been, but representing him liq. pp. xxviii. xxix. ) Thus much is certain, that
as inducing Demosthenes to defend his father, in his comedies contain nothing offensive, at least to
B. c. 341, when he himself was just born, and again the taste of his own and the following ages, none
placing him among the dicasts on the trial of Ctesi- of the purest, it must be admitted, as they were
phon, in B. C. 330, when he was in his twelfth frequently acted at private banquets. (Plut, de
year. (Meineke, Menand. Relig. p. xxiv. ) Alexis, Fal Pud. p. 531, b. , Sympos. viii. p. 712, b. ;
the comic poet, was the uncle of Menander, on the Comp. Arist. et Men. p. 853, b. ) Whether their
father's side (Suid. s. v. "Aleges); and we may being eagerly read by the youth of both sexes, on
naturally suppose, with one of the ancient gram account of the love scenes in them, is any confirma-
marians (Anon. de Com. p. xii. ), that the young tion of their innocence, may at least be doubted.
Menander derived from his uncle his taste for the (Ovid. Trist. ii. 370. )
comic drama, and was instructed by him in its Of the actual events of Menander's life we know
rules of composition. His character must have but little. He enjoyed the friendship of Deme-
been greatly influenced and formed by his intimacy trius Phalereus, whose attention was first drawn
with Theophrastus and Epicurus (Alciph. Epist. ii. to him by admiration of his works. (Phaedrus,
4), of whom the former was his teacher (Diog. l. c. ) This intimacy was attended, however, with
Laërt. v. 36), and the latter his intimate friend. danger as well as honour, for when Demetrius
That his tastes and sympathies were altogether Phalereus was expelled from Athens by Demetrius
with the philosophy of Epicurus is proved, among Poliorcetes (B. c. 307), Menander became a mark
numerous other indications, by his epigram on for the sycophants, and would have been put to
Epicurus and Themistocles. " (Brunck, Anal. death but for the intercession of Telesphorus, the
vol. i. p. 203, Anth. Pal. vii. 72, vol. i. p. 327, son-in-law of Demetrius. (Diog. Laërt. v. 80. )
Jacobs. )
The first Greek king of Egypt, Ptolemy, the son
of Lagus, was also one of his admirers ; and he
Χαίρε, Νεοκλείδα δίδυμον γένος, ών ο μεν υμών
invited the poet to his court at Alexandria ; but
Πατρίδα δουλοσύνας ρύσαθ', ο δ' αφροσύνας. Menander seems to have declined the proffered
From Theophrastus, on the other hand, he must honour. (Plin. H. N. vii. 29. s. 31; Alciphr.
have derived much of that skill in the discrimina- Epist. ii. 3, 4. ) Suidas mentions some letters to
tion of character which we so much admire in the Ptolemy as among the works of Menander.
Xapartîpes of the philosopher, and which formed The time of his death is differently stated. The
the great charm of the comedies of Menander.
same inscription, which gives the date of his birth,
His master's attention to external elegance and adds that he died at the age of fifty-two years, in
comfort he not only imitated, but, as was natural the archonship of Philippus, in the 32nd year of
in a man of an elegant person, a joyous spirit, and Ptolemy Soter. Clinton shows that these state-
a serene and easy temper, he carried it to the ex- ments refer to the year 1. c. 292-1 (F. H. vol. ii. p
treme of luxury and effeminacy. Phaedrus (v. 1. xv, and sul ann. 312, 291); but, to make up the
11, 12) describes him, when paying his court to fifty-two years, we must reckon in both extremes,
Demetrius Phalereus, thus:
312 and 291.
The date is confirmed by Eusebius
(Chron. ); by the anonymous writer on comedy (p.
“ Unguento delibutus, vestitu adfluens, xii. ), who adds that Menander died at Athens; by
Veniebat gressu delicato et languido. "
Apollodorus (ap. Aul. Gell. xvii. 4); and by Aulis
.
3 0 4
## p. 1032 (#1048) ##########################################
1032
MENANDER.
MENANDER.
06
Gellius (xvii. 21). Respecting the manner of his | Afranius we have the well-known line of Horace
death, all that we know is that an old commenta (Epist. ii. 1. 57): –
tor on Ovid applies the line (Ibis, 593)
“ Dicitur Afrani toga convenisse Menandro. "
Comicus ut medius periit dum nabat in undis”
Plautus was an exception, as we learn from the
to Menander, and tells us that he was drowned next line of Horace: -
while swimming in the harbour of Peiraeeus ; and “ Plautus ad exemplar Siculi propcrare Epicharmi
we learn from Alciphron (Epist. ii. 4) that Me-
Dicitur;"
nander had an estate at Peiraeeus. He was buried
by the road leading out of Peiraeeus towards Athens, and his extant plays sufficiently show that the
(Paus. i. 2. $ 2). There are two epigrams upon ruder energy of the old Doric comedy was far more
him in the Greek Anthology: the one an epitiph congenial to him than the polished sententiousness
by Diodorus (Brunck, Anul, vol. ii. p. 188, Anth.
of Menander, whom, therefore, he only followed in
Pal. vii. 370, vol. i. p. 413, Jacobs), the other a few instances, one of the most striking of which
anonymous. (Brunek, s nul. vol. iii. p. 268, Antii. is in the Cistellaria (i. 1. 91; comp. Meineke,
Pal. ix. 187, vol. ii. p. 63, Jacobs. )
Menand. Rcliq. p. 208, Frag. Com. Graec. vol. iv,
Notwithstanding Menander's fanie as a poet, his p. 243). With respect to Terence, the oft-repeated
public dramatic career, during his lifetime, was not statement, that he was simply a translator of
eminently successful; for, though he composed Menander, is an injustice to the latter. That
upwards of a hundred comedies, he only gained Terence was indebted to him for all his ideas and
the prize eight times. (Aul. Gell. xvii. 4; comp from any one play of Terence we can form a fair
very many of his lines, is true enough ; but that
Martial. v. 10. ) llis preference for elegant ex-
hibitions of character above coarse jesting may notion of the corresponding play of Menander, is
have been the reason why he was not so great a
disprored by the confession of Terence himself
favourite with the common people as his principal (Prolog. in Andr. ) that he compressed two of
rival, Philemon, who is said, moreover, to have Menander's plays into one; while the coolness with
used unfair means of gaining popularity. (Gell
. which he defends and even boasts of the exploit
,
1. c. )
shows how little we can trust him as our guide to
Menander appears to have borne the popular the poetical genius of Menander. The one merit
neglect very lightly, in the consciousness of his of Terence was felicity of expression; he had not
superiority; and once, when he happened to meet the power of intention to fill up the gaps left by
Philemon, he is said to have asked him, “ Pray, the omissions necessary in adapting a Greek play
Philemon, do not you blush when you gain a
for a Roman audience, and therefore he drew again
victory over me? ” (Gell. l. c. ; comp. Athen. xiii. upon the rich resources of his original. It was
p. 594, d. ; Alciphr. Epist
. ii. 3). The Athenians this mixing up of different plays that his contem-
erected his statue in the theatre, but this was an poraries condemned when they said, “ Contaminari
honour too often conferred upon very indifferent non decere fabulas," and that Caesar pointed to by
poets to be of much value: indeed, according to
the phrase o dimidiate Menander. In the epigram
Pausanias, he was the only distinguished comic in which that phrase occurs, Caesar expressly in-
poet of all whose statues had a place there. (Paus. timates that the spirit of the Greek original had
i. 21. § 1; Dion Chrysost. Or. xxxi. p. 628, 13. )
greatly evaporated in Terence :-
The neglect of Menander's contemporaries has “Tu quoque, tu in summis, o dimidiate Menander,
been amply compensated by his posthumous fame. Poneris, et merito, puri sermonis amator.
His comedies retained their place on the stage Lenibus atque utinam scriptis adjuncta foret vis;
down to the time of Plutarch (Comp. Men, et Arist. Comica ut aequato virtus polleret honore
p. 354, b. ), and the unanimous consent of antiquity Cum Graecis, neque in hac despectus parte jaceres.
placed him at the head of the New Comedy, and on
Unum hoc maceror et doleo tibi deesse, Terenti. ”
an equality with the great masters of the various
kinds of poetry. The grammarian Aristophanes The following epigram is worth quoting by the
assigned him the second place among all writers, side of Caesar's (Burmann, Anth. Lat. vol. i. p.
after Homer alone (Brunck, Anal. vol. iii. p. 269). 140):--
To the same grammarian is ascribed the happy “Tu quoque, qui solus tecto sermone, Terenti
,
Saying, "Ω Μένανδρε, και βίε, πότερος άρ' υμών
Conversum
TT pótepovémiunoato (or, according to Scaliger's
expressumque Latina voce Menan-
drum
correction, πότερον απομιμήσατο). Among the
Romans, besides the fact that their comedy was
In medio populi sedatis vocibus effers. "
founded chiefly on the plays of Menander, we have Still, the comedies of Terence are a valuable
the celebrated phrase of Julius Caesar, who ad- contribution to our knowledge of Menander, espe-
dresses Terence as dimidiate Menander. (Donat. cially considering the scantiness of the extant frag-
l'it. Terent. p. 754. ) Quintilian's high eulogy of him ments.
is well known (x. 1).
Meineke well remarks that the quality which
The imitations of Menander are at once a proof Caesar missed in Terence was what the Greeks
of his reputation and an aid in appreciating his call to Taồntikov, which Menander had with
poetic character. Among the Greeks, Alciphron admirable art united with tớ 101KQ. And thus
and Lucian were, in various degrees, indebted to the poetry of Menander is described as did holdv
his comedies. (Meineke, p. xxxv. ) Among the dyouévn Tabwv kad nowv by Plutarch, in his Com-
Romans, his chief imitators were Caecilius, Afra-parison of Menander and Aristophanes (p. 853, d. ),
nius, and Terentius. How much Caecilius was which is the most valuable of the ancient testi-
indebted to him may be conjectured from the monies concerning our poet. The style of his
titles of his plays, of which there are very few language is described by an old grammarian as
that are not taken from Menander. Respecting tegis denvuévn kał ÚTOKOLTIKý, which may be con-
66
## p. 1033 (#1049) ##########################################
MENANDER.
1033
MENANDER,
traxted with another writer's description of the which was brought out in B. C. 321, when Mo
diction of Philemon, as ournptnuévnu kal oiov nander was only in his twenty-first year. (Clinton,
Hoparlouévny rois ouvoégpois. (Meineke, pp. F. II. sub ann. ; Meineke, p. xxx. ) We have
xxxvi, xxxvii. )
fragments of, or references to the following plays,
To criticise the poetry of Menander is to describe amounting in all to nearly ninety titles : —ADEA-
the whole spirit and genius of the New Comedy, of poi (imitated by Terence, who, however, has mixed
which bis plays may be safely taken as the normal up with it the LuvanoOvno kortes of Diphilus).
representatives. This has been done with a most 'Anaeis not 'Anal 'Apaonvives, 'Alicis, 'Avatide-
masterly hand by Schlegel, in his seventh lecture, ή μένη η Μεσσηνία, 'Αδρία (mixed up with the
from which the following passage is quoted :- Tlepivoia in the Andria of Terence), 'Avopúguvus
“ The New Comedy, in a certain point of view, may | η Κρής, Ανεψιοί, 'Απιστος, 'Αρρηφόρος ή Αύλη-
indeed be described as the Old Comedy tamed τρίς, 'Ασπίς, Αυτόν πενθων, 'Αφροδίσια, Βοιωτία,
down: but, in speaking of works of genius, tane- Γεωργός, Δακτύλιος, Δάρδανος, Δεισιδαίμων,
ness does not usually pass for praise. The loss Δημιουργός, Δίδυμαι, Δις εξαπατών, Δύσκολος,
incurred in the interdict laid upon the old, unre- 'Eautdv Tluwpoúuevos (copied by Terence), 'Ey-
stricted freedom of mirth, the newer comedians χειρίδιον, Εμπιπραμένη, Επαγγελλόμενος, Επί-
sought to compensate by throwing in a touch of Kampos, ʼET IT pénortes (the plot of which was simi-
carnestness borrowed from tragedy, as well in the lar to that of the Llecyra of Terence), Eůvoú xos
form of representation, and the connection of the (imitated by Terence, but with a change in the
whole, as in the impressions, which they aimed at pro- drumutis personae), 'Edéolos, 'Hvíoxos, "Hpws,
ducing. We have seen how tragic poetry, in its last Oats, Oettal), Oroppouuévn, Onoaupós (trans-
epoch, lowered its tone from its ideal elevation, and lated into Latin by Lucius Lavinius), Opaounewe,
came nearer to common reality, both in the characters | Iέρεια, Ίμβρίοι, Ιπποκόμος, Κανηφόρος, Καρίνη,
and in the tone of the dialogue, but especially as it Kapxnoćvios (from which Plautus probably took
aimed at conveying useful instruction on the proper his Poemulus), Καταψευδόμενος, Κερκύφαλος,
conduct of civil and domestic life, in all their Kilapiotńs, Kvioia, Kónas (partly followed in the
several emergencies. This turn towards utility Eunuchus of Terence), Kovelacóueva (perhaps
Aristophanes lias ironically commended in Euri- better Κωνιαζόμεναι), Κυβερνήται Λευκαδία, Λο-
pides. (Ran. 971–991. ) Euripides was the κροί, Μέθη, Μηναγύρτης, Μισογύνης (reckoned by
forerunner of the New Comedy; the poets of this Phrynichus the best of all Menander's comedies,
species admired him especially, and acknowledged Epit. p. 417), Moouuevos (another of his best
him for their master, Nay, so great is this plays, Liban. Orat. xxxi. p. 701), Naúkampos,
affinity of tone and spirit, between Euripides and Nομοθέτης, Ξενολόγος, Ολυνθία, Ομοπάτριοι,
the poets of the New Comedy, that apophthegms of 'Οργή, Παιδίον, Παλλακή, Παρακαταθήκη, Περι-
Euripides have been ascribed to Menander, and | κειρομένη, Περινθία, Πλόκιον, Πρόγαμοι, Προ-
vice versa. On the contrary, we find among εγκαλών, Πωλούμενοι, Ραπιζομένη, Σαμία, Σικυώ-
fragments of Menander maxims of consolation, νιος, Στρατιωται, Συναριστώσαι, Συνερώσα, Συνέ-
which rise in striking manner even into the φηβοι, Τίτθη, Τροφώνιος, Υδρία, Υμνίς, Υποβο-
tragic tone. ” (It may be added, that we have λιμαίος ή 'Αγροικος, Φάνιον, ψάσμα, Φιλάδελφοι,
abundant testimony to prove that Μenander was a Χαλκεία, Χαλκίς, Χήρα, Ψευδηρακλής, Ψοφοδεής.
great admirer and imitator of Euripides. An There are also about 500 fragments which cannot
elaborate comparison of the parallel passages is be assigned to their proper places. To these must
instituted by Meineke in an Epimetrum to his Trag. be added the rowuai uovootixo1, some passages of
Com. Graec. vol. iv. p. 705. )
the Γνώμαι (or Σύγκρισις) Μενάνδρου και Φιλισ-
“ The New Comedy, therefore, is a mixture of Tiwvos, and two epigrams, one in the Greek An-
sport and earnest. The poet no longer makes a thology (quoted above), and one in the Latin ver-
sport of poetry and the world, he does not resign sion of Ausonius (Epig. 139). Of the letters to
himself to a mirthful enthusiasm, but he seeks the Ptolemy, which Suidas mentions, nothing survives,
sportive character in his subject, he depicts in hu- and it may fairly be doubted whether they were
man characters and situations that which gives not, like the so-called letters of other great men of
occasion to mirth ; in a word, whatever is pleasant antiquity, the productions of the later rhetoricians.
and ridiculous. "
Suidas ascribes to him some orations, ógnus
Menander is remarkable for the elegance with | πλείστους καταλογάδην, a statement of which
which he threw into the form of single verses, or there is no confirmation ; but Quintilian (x. 1. $ 70)
short sentences, the maxims of that practical wis- tells us that some ascribed the orations of Charisius
dom in the affairs of common life which forms so to Menander.
important a feature of the New Comedy. Various Of the ancient commentators on Menander, the
“ Anthologies” of such sentences were compiled by earliest was Lynceus of Samos, his conteinporary
the ancient grammarians from Menander's works, and rival [LYNCEUS). The next was the gram-
of which there is still extant a very interesting marian Aristophanes, whose admiration of Menan-
specimen, in the collection of several hundred lines der we have spoken of above, and whose work,
(778 in Meineke's edition), under the title of entitled mapárna Mevávopou te kal ad'
Trwuai uovootixo. Respecting the collection en-ěkdeyev é horai, is mentioned by Eusebius (Praep.
titled Μενάνδρου και Φιλιστίωνος σύγκρισις, See Erun. x. 3), who also mentions a work by a cer-
PHILISTION.
tain Latinus or Cratinus, περί των ουκ ιδίων Με
The number of Menander's comedies is stated vávopov. Next comes Plutarch's Comparison of
at a few more than a hundred ; 105, 108, and Menander and Aristophanes : next Soterides of
109, according to different authorities. (Suid. s. v. ; Epidaurus, who wrote a vnouvnua eis Mévavopov
Anon. de Com. p. xii. ; Donat.
the advice of Alcibiades before the battle. (Id. ii. extended his conquests beyond the Hypanis or
1. SS 16, 26. )
Sutlej, and made himself master of the district of
MENANDER (Mévavāpos). 1. An officer in Pattalene at the mouths of the Indus. These con-
the service of Alexander, one of those called étaipo, quests appear to have been related by Trogus
but who held the command of a body of mercena- Pompeius in his forty-first book (see Prol. Lib.
ries. He was appointed by Alexander, during the xli. ), but they are omitted by Justin. The author
settlement of the affairs of Asia made by that of the Periplus of the Erythraean sea, commonly
monarch when at Tyre (B. C. 331), to the govern- ascribed to Arrian, tells us (p. 27, ed. Huds. ) that
ment of Lydia, and appears to have remained at silver coins of Menander and Apollodotus were
that post till the year 323, when he was commis- still in circulation in his day among the mer-
sioned to conduct a reinforcement of troops to chants of Barygaza (Baroach); and they have
Alexander at Babylon, where he arrived just before been discovered in modern times in considerable
the king's last illness. (Arrian, Anub. iii. 6. $ 12, numbers in the countries south of the Hindoo
vii. 23. & 2. ) In the division of the provinces, Koosh, and even as far east as the Jumna.
after the death of Alexander, he received his former (Wilson, p. 281. ) The period of his reign is
government of Lydia, of which he hastened to take wholly uncertain.
[E. H. B. ]
possession. (Arrian, ap. Phot. p. 69, b. ; Dexippus, MENANDER, A'RRIUS, a Roman jurist, who
ibid. p. 64, n. ; Justin. xiii. 4; Curt. x. 30. $ 2; lived under Septimius Severus and Antoninus Ca-
Diod. xviii. 3, erroneously bas Mcleager instead. ) / racalla, the son of Severus. Caracalla succeeded his
Demosthi
(Anon. +
manars
mraking
as a bo
as indu
в с. 34
placing
Phon,
Pear.
the cos
fatber
Taria
Mena
conic
rules
been
with
4),
Lië
Tha
wit
;
Dor
Ja
X
F
h
t
:
.
## p. 1031 (#1047) ##########################################
MENANDER.
1031
MENANDER.
father A. D. 211. Menander was a Consiliarius, or a His personal beauty is mentioned by the anony-
member of the Consilium of Caracalla, as appears mous writer on comedy (l. c. ), though, according in
from a passage of Ulpian (Dig. 4. tit. 4. s. 11. V 2), Suidas, his vision was somewhat disturbed, otpa
coupled with the fact that Ulpian wrote his Libri bos tas ouers, DEUS de Tòv voûv. He is represented
au Edictum, which contain the passage just in works of sculpture which still exist, and of one
cited, under the reign of Caracalla. Aemilius of which Schlegel gives the following description :
Macer, who wrote in the time of Alexander Se-" In the excellent portrait-statues of two of the
verus, cites Menander. There are six excerpts in most famous comedians, Menander and Posidippus
the Digest from a work of Menander, entitled to be found in the Vatican), the physiognomy of
“ Militaria, or De Re Militari ;" and Macer, who the Greek New Comedy scems to me to be almost
wrote on the same subject, also cites Menander as visibly and personally expressed. They are seated
an authority.
[G. L. ] in arm-chairs, clnd with extreme simplicity, and
MENANDER (Mévavopns), of Athens, the with a roll in the hand, with that case and careless
most distinguished poet of the New Comedy, was self-possession which always marks the conscious
the son of Diopeithes and Ilegesistrate, and flou- superiority of the master in that maturity of years
rished in the time of the successors of Alexander. He which befits the calm and impartial observation
was born in Ol. 109. 3, or B. C. 342-1, which was which comedy requires, but sound and active, and
also the birth-year of Epicurus; only the birth of free from all symptoms of decay; we may discern
Menander was probably in the former half of the in them that hale and pithy vigour of body which
year, and therefore in 3. c. 342, while that of Epi- bears witness to an equally vigorous constitution of
curus was in the latter half, v. c. 341. (Suid. s. . ; mind and temper ; no lofty enthusiasm, but no
Clinton, F. H. sub ann. ) Strabo also (xiv. p. 526) folly or extravagance; on the contrary, the ear-
speaks of Menander and Epicurus as ouveońcuus. nestness of wisdom dwells in those brows, wrinkled
His father, Diopeithes, commanded the Athenian not with care, but with the exercise of thought,
forces on the Hellespont in B. C. 342—341, the while, in the searching eye, and in the mouth,
year of Menander's birth, and was defended by ready for a smile, there is a light irony which can-
Demosthenes in his oration repl TWV év Xepsovnow. not be mistaken. ” (Dramatic Lectures, vii. ) The
(Anon. de Com. p. xii. ) On this fnct the gram- moral character of Menander is defended by Mei-
marians blunder with their usual felicity, not only neke, with tolerable success, against the aspersions
making Menander a friend of Demosthenes, which of Suidas, Alciphron, and others. (Menand. Re-
as a boy he may have been, but representing him liq. pp. xxviii. xxix. ) Thus much is certain, that
as inducing Demosthenes to defend his father, in his comedies contain nothing offensive, at least to
B. c. 341, when he himself was just born, and again the taste of his own and the following ages, none
placing him among the dicasts on the trial of Ctesi- of the purest, it must be admitted, as they were
phon, in B. C. 330, when he was in his twelfth frequently acted at private banquets. (Plut, de
year. (Meineke, Menand. Relig. p. xxiv. ) Alexis, Fal Pud. p. 531, b. , Sympos. viii. p. 712, b. ;
the comic poet, was the uncle of Menander, on the Comp. Arist. et Men. p. 853, b. ) Whether their
father's side (Suid. s. v. "Aleges); and we may being eagerly read by the youth of both sexes, on
naturally suppose, with one of the ancient gram account of the love scenes in them, is any confirma-
marians (Anon. de Com. p. xii. ), that the young tion of their innocence, may at least be doubted.
Menander derived from his uncle his taste for the (Ovid. Trist. ii. 370. )
comic drama, and was instructed by him in its Of the actual events of Menander's life we know
rules of composition. His character must have but little. He enjoyed the friendship of Deme-
been greatly influenced and formed by his intimacy trius Phalereus, whose attention was first drawn
with Theophrastus and Epicurus (Alciph. Epist. ii. to him by admiration of his works. (Phaedrus,
4), of whom the former was his teacher (Diog. l. c. ) This intimacy was attended, however, with
Laërt. v. 36), and the latter his intimate friend. danger as well as honour, for when Demetrius
That his tastes and sympathies were altogether Phalereus was expelled from Athens by Demetrius
with the philosophy of Epicurus is proved, among Poliorcetes (B. c. 307), Menander became a mark
numerous other indications, by his epigram on for the sycophants, and would have been put to
Epicurus and Themistocles. " (Brunck, Anal. death but for the intercession of Telesphorus, the
vol. i. p. 203, Anth. Pal. vii. 72, vol. i. p. 327, son-in-law of Demetrius. (Diog. Laërt. v. 80. )
Jacobs. )
The first Greek king of Egypt, Ptolemy, the son
of Lagus, was also one of his admirers ; and he
Χαίρε, Νεοκλείδα δίδυμον γένος, ών ο μεν υμών
invited the poet to his court at Alexandria ; but
Πατρίδα δουλοσύνας ρύσαθ', ο δ' αφροσύνας. Menander seems to have declined the proffered
From Theophrastus, on the other hand, he must honour. (Plin. H. N. vii. 29. s. 31; Alciphr.
have derived much of that skill in the discrimina- Epist. ii. 3, 4. ) Suidas mentions some letters to
tion of character which we so much admire in the Ptolemy as among the works of Menander.
Xapartîpes of the philosopher, and which formed The time of his death is differently stated. The
the great charm of the comedies of Menander.
same inscription, which gives the date of his birth,
His master's attention to external elegance and adds that he died at the age of fifty-two years, in
comfort he not only imitated, but, as was natural the archonship of Philippus, in the 32nd year of
in a man of an elegant person, a joyous spirit, and Ptolemy Soter. Clinton shows that these state-
a serene and easy temper, he carried it to the ex- ments refer to the year 1. c. 292-1 (F. H. vol. ii. p
treme of luxury and effeminacy. Phaedrus (v. 1. xv, and sul ann. 312, 291); but, to make up the
11, 12) describes him, when paying his court to fifty-two years, we must reckon in both extremes,
Demetrius Phalereus, thus:
312 and 291.
The date is confirmed by Eusebius
(Chron. ); by the anonymous writer on comedy (p.
“ Unguento delibutus, vestitu adfluens, xii. ), who adds that Menander died at Athens; by
Veniebat gressu delicato et languido. "
Apollodorus (ap. Aul. Gell. xvii. 4); and by Aulis
.
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06
Gellius (xvii. 21). Respecting the manner of his | Afranius we have the well-known line of Horace
death, all that we know is that an old commenta (Epist. ii. 1. 57): –
tor on Ovid applies the line (Ibis, 593)
“ Dicitur Afrani toga convenisse Menandro. "
Comicus ut medius periit dum nabat in undis”
Plautus was an exception, as we learn from the
to Menander, and tells us that he was drowned next line of Horace: -
while swimming in the harbour of Peiraeeus ; and “ Plautus ad exemplar Siculi propcrare Epicharmi
we learn from Alciphron (Epist. ii. 4) that Me-
Dicitur;"
nander had an estate at Peiraeeus. He was buried
by the road leading out of Peiraeeus towards Athens, and his extant plays sufficiently show that the
(Paus. i. 2. $ 2). There are two epigrams upon ruder energy of the old Doric comedy was far more
him in the Greek Anthology: the one an epitiph congenial to him than the polished sententiousness
by Diodorus (Brunck, Anul, vol. ii. p. 188, Anth.
of Menander, whom, therefore, he only followed in
Pal. vii. 370, vol. i. p. 413, Jacobs), the other a few instances, one of the most striking of which
anonymous. (Brunek, s nul. vol. iii. p. 268, Antii. is in the Cistellaria (i. 1. 91; comp. Meineke,
Pal. ix. 187, vol. ii. p. 63, Jacobs. )
Menand. Rcliq. p. 208, Frag. Com. Graec. vol. iv,
Notwithstanding Menander's fanie as a poet, his p. 243). With respect to Terence, the oft-repeated
public dramatic career, during his lifetime, was not statement, that he was simply a translator of
eminently successful; for, though he composed Menander, is an injustice to the latter. That
upwards of a hundred comedies, he only gained Terence was indebted to him for all his ideas and
the prize eight times. (Aul. Gell. xvii. 4; comp from any one play of Terence we can form a fair
very many of his lines, is true enough ; but that
Martial. v. 10. ) llis preference for elegant ex-
hibitions of character above coarse jesting may notion of the corresponding play of Menander, is
have been the reason why he was not so great a
disprored by the confession of Terence himself
favourite with the common people as his principal (Prolog. in Andr. ) that he compressed two of
rival, Philemon, who is said, moreover, to have Menander's plays into one; while the coolness with
used unfair means of gaining popularity. (Gell
. which he defends and even boasts of the exploit
,
1. c. )
shows how little we can trust him as our guide to
Menander appears to have borne the popular the poetical genius of Menander. The one merit
neglect very lightly, in the consciousness of his of Terence was felicity of expression; he had not
superiority; and once, when he happened to meet the power of intention to fill up the gaps left by
Philemon, he is said to have asked him, “ Pray, the omissions necessary in adapting a Greek play
Philemon, do not you blush when you gain a
for a Roman audience, and therefore he drew again
victory over me? ” (Gell. l. c. ; comp. Athen. xiii. upon the rich resources of his original. It was
p. 594, d. ; Alciphr. Epist
. ii. 3). The Athenians this mixing up of different plays that his contem-
erected his statue in the theatre, but this was an poraries condemned when they said, “ Contaminari
honour too often conferred upon very indifferent non decere fabulas," and that Caesar pointed to by
poets to be of much value: indeed, according to
the phrase o dimidiate Menander. In the epigram
Pausanias, he was the only distinguished comic in which that phrase occurs, Caesar expressly in-
poet of all whose statues had a place there. (Paus. timates that the spirit of the Greek original had
i. 21. § 1; Dion Chrysost. Or. xxxi. p. 628, 13. )
greatly evaporated in Terence :-
The neglect of Menander's contemporaries has “Tu quoque, tu in summis, o dimidiate Menander,
been amply compensated by his posthumous fame. Poneris, et merito, puri sermonis amator.
His comedies retained their place on the stage Lenibus atque utinam scriptis adjuncta foret vis;
down to the time of Plutarch (Comp. Men, et Arist. Comica ut aequato virtus polleret honore
p. 354, b. ), and the unanimous consent of antiquity Cum Graecis, neque in hac despectus parte jaceres.
placed him at the head of the New Comedy, and on
Unum hoc maceror et doleo tibi deesse, Terenti. ”
an equality with the great masters of the various
kinds of poetry. The grammarian Aristophanes The following epigram is worth quoting by the
assigned him the second place among all writers, side of Caesar's (Burmann, Anth. Lat. vol. i. p.
after Homer alone (Brunck, Anal. vol. iii. p. 269). 140):--
To the same grammarian is ascribed the happy “Tu quoque, qui solus tecto sermone, Terenti
,
Saying, "Ω Μένανδρε, και βίε, πότερος άρ' υμών
Conversum
TT pótepovémiunoato (or, according to Scaliger's
expressumque Latina voce Menan-
drum
correction, πότερον απομιμήσατο). Among the
Romans, besides the fact that their comedy was
In medio populi sedatis vocibus effers. "
founded chiefly on the plays of Menander, we have Still, the comedies of Terence are a valuable
the celebrated phrase of Julius Caesar, who ad- contribution to our knowledge of Menander, espe-
dresses Terence as dimidiate Menander. (Donat. cially considering the scantiness of the extant frag-
l'it. Terent. p. 754. ) Quintilian's high eulogy of him ments.
is well known (x. 1).
Meineke well remarks that the quality which
The imitations of Menander are at once a proof Caesar missed in Terence was what the Greeks
of his reputation and an aid in appreciating his call to Taồntikov, which Menander had with
poetic character. Among the Greeks, Alciphron admirable art united with tớ 101KQ. And thus
and Lucian were, in various degrees, indebted to the poetry of Menander is described as did holdv
his comedies. (Meineke, p. xxxv. ) Among the dyouévn Tabwv kad nowv by Plutarch, in his Com-
Romans, his chief imitators were Caecilius, Afra-parison of Menander and Aristophanes (p. 853, d. ),
nius, and Terentius. How much Caecilius was which is the most valuable of the ancient testi-
indebted to him may be conjectured from the monies concerning our poet. The style of his
titles of his plays, of which there are very few language is described by an old grammarian as
that are not taken from Menander. Respecting tegis denvuévn kał ÚTOKOLTIKý, which may be con-
66
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traxted with another writer's description of the which was brought out in B. C. 321, when Mo
diction of Philemon, as ournptnuévnu kal oiov nander was only in his twenty-first year. (Clinton,
Hoparlouévny rois ouvoégpois. (Meineke, pp. F. II. sub ann. ; Meineke, p. xxx. ) We have
xxxvi, xxxvii. )
fragments of, or references to the following plays,
To criticise the poetry of Menander is to describe amounting in all to nearly ninety titles : —ADEA-
the whole spirit and genius of the New Comedy, of poi (imitated by Terence, who, however, has mixed
which bis plays may be safely taken as the normal up with it the LuvanoOvno kortes of Diphilus).
representatives. This has been done with a most 'Anaeis not 'Anal 'Apaonvives, 'Alicis, 'Avatide-
masterly hand by Schlegel, in his seventh lecture, ή μένη η Μεσσηνία, 'Αδρία (mixed up with the
from which the following passage is quoted :- Tlepivoia in the Andria of Terence), 'Avopúguvus
“ The New Comedy, in a certain point of view, may | η Κρής, Ανεψιοί, 'Απιστος, 'Αρρηφόρος ή Αύλη-
indeed be described as the Old Comedy tamed τρίς, 'Ασπίς, Αυτόν πενθων, 'Αφροδίσια, Βοιωτία,
down: but, in speaking of works of genius, tane- Γεωργός, Δακτύλιος, Δάρδανος, Δεισιδαίμων,
ness does not usually pass for praise. The loss Δημιουργός, Δίδυμαι, Δις εξαπατών, Δύσκολος,
incurred in the interdict laid upon the old, unre- 'Eautdv Tluwpoúuevos (copied by Terence), 'Ey-
stricted freedom of mirth, the newer comedians χειρίδιον, Εμπιπραμένη, Επαγγελλόμενος, Επί-
sought to compensate by throwing in a touch of Kampos, ʼET IT pénortes (the plot of which was simi-
carnestness borrowed from tragedy, as well in the lar to that of the Llecyra of Terence), Eůvoú xos
form of representation, and the connection of the (imitated by Terence, but with a change in the
whole, as in the impressions, which they aimed at pro- drumutis personae), 'Edéolos, 'Hvíoxos, "Hpws,
ducing. We have seen how tragic poetry, in its last Oats, Oettal), Oroppouuévn, Onoaupós (trans-
epoch, lowered its tone from its ideal elevation, and lated into Latin by Lucius Lavinius), Opaounewe,
came nearer to common reality, both in the characters | Iέρεια, Ίμβρίοι, Ιπποκόμος, Κανηφόρος, Καρίνη,
and in the tone of the dialogue, but especially as it Kapxnoćvios (from which Plautus probably took
aimed at conveying useful instruction on the proper his Poemulus), Καταψευδόμενος, Κερκύφαλος,
conduct of civil and domestic life, in all their Kilapiotńs, Kvioia, Kónas (partly followed in the
several emergencies. This turn towards utility Eunuchus of Terence), Kovelacóueva (perhaps
Aristophanes lias ironically commended in Euri- better Κωνιαζόμεναι), Κυβερνήται Λευκαδία, Λο-
pides. (Ran. 971–991. ) Euripides was the κροί, Μέθη, Μηναγύρτης, Μισογύνης (reckoned by
forerunner of the New Comedy; the poets of this Phrynichus the best of all Menander's comedies,
species admired him especially, and acknowledged Epit. p. 417), Moouuevos (another of his best
him for their master, Nay, so great is this plays, Liban. Orat. xxxi. p. 701), Naúkampos,
affinity of tone and spirit, between Euripides and Nομοθέτης, Ξενολόγος, Ολυνθία, Ομοπάτριοι,
the poets of the New Comedy, that apophthegms of 'Οργή, Παιδίον, Παλλακή, Παρακαταθήκη, Περι-
Euripides have been ascribed to Menander, and | κειρομένη, Περινθία, Πλόκιον, Πρόγαμοι, Προ-
vice versa. On the contrary, we find among εγκαλών, Πωλούμενοι, Ραπιζομένη, Σαμία, Σικυώ-
fragments of Menander maxims of consolation, νιος, Στρατιωται, Συναριστώσαι, Συνερώσα, Συνέ-
which rise in striking manner even into the φηβοι, Τίτθη, Τροφώνιος, Υδρία, Υμνίς, Υποβο-
tragic tone. ” (It may be added, that we have λιμαίος ή 'Αγροικος, Φάνιον, ψάσμα, Φιλάδελφοι,
abundant testimony to prove that Μenander was a Χαλκεία, Χαλκίς, Χήρα, Ψευδηρακλής, Ψοφοδεής.
great admirer and imitator of Euripides. An There are also about 500 fragments which cannot
elaborate comparison of the parallel passages is be assigned to their proper places. To these must
instituted by Meineke in an Epimetrum to his Trag. be added the rowuai uovootixo1, some passages of
Com. Graec. vol. iv. p. 705. )
the Γνώμαι (or Σύγκρισις) Μενάνδρου και Φιλισ-
“ The New Comedy, therefore, is a mixture of Tiwvos, and two epigrams, one in the Greek An-
sport and earnest. The poet no longer makes a thology (quoted above), and one in the Latin ver-
sport of poetry and the world, he does not resign sion of Ausonius (Epig. 139). Of the letters to
himself to a mirthful enthusiasm, but he seeks the Ptolemy, which Suidas mentions, nothing survives,
sportive character in his subject, he depicts in hu- and it may fairly be doubted whether they were
man characters and situations that which gives not, like the so-called letters of other great men of
occasion to mirth ; in a word, whatever is pleasant antiquity, the productions of the later rhetoricians.
and ridiculous. "
Suidas ascribes to him some orations, ógnus
Menander is remarkable for the elegance with | πλείστους καταλογάδην, a statement of which
which he threw into the form of single verses, or there is no confirmation ; but Quintilian (x. 1. $ 70)
short sentences, the maxims of that practical wis- tells us that some ascribed the orations of Charisius
dom in the affairs of common life which forms so to Menander.
important a feature of the New Comedy. Various Of the ancient commentators on Menander, the
“ Anthologies” of such sentences were compiled by earliest was Lynceus of Samos, his conteinporary
the ancient grammarians from Menander's works, and rival [LYNCEUS). The next was the gram-
of which there is still extant a very interesting marian Aristophanes, whose admiration of Menan-
specimen, in the collection of several hundred lines der we have spoken of above, and whose work,
(778 in Meineke's edition), under the title of entitled mapárna Mevávopou te kal ad'
Trwuai uovootixo. Respecting the collection en-ěkdeyev é horai, is mentioned by Eusebius (Praep.
titled Μενάνδρου και Φιλιστίωνος σύγκρισις, See Erun. x. 3), who also mentions a work by a cer-
PHILISTION.
tain Latinus or Cratinus, περί των ουκ ιδίων Με
The number of Menander's comedies is stated vávopov. Next comes Plutarch's Comparison of
at a few more than a hundred ; 105, 108, and Menander and Aristophanes : next Soterides of
109, according to different authorities. (Suid. s. v. ; Epidaurus, who wrote a vnouvnua eis Mévavopov
Anon. de Com. p. xii. ; Donat.
