Alcaeus (comic poet)

Not to be confused with Alcaeus of Mytilene.

Alcaeus (Ancient Greek: Ἀλκαῖος), the son of Miccus, was an Athenian comic poet.[1] His comedies marked the transition between Old Comedy and Middle Comedy. In 388 BC, his play Pasiphae was awarded the fifth (i.e. last) place prize in the same contest that Aristophanes exhibited his play Plutus.

Fabricius mentions another Alcaeus, a tragedian. This appears to be the same person as Alcaeus the comic poet.[2]

Surviving titles and fragments

Fragments of ten plays have survived. The titles of eight plays still exist, along with forty fragments altogether, most of which suggest that he worked mainly in mythological subjects.

• Adephai Moicheuomenai ("The Adulterous Sisters")
• Callisto
• Endymion
• Hieros Gamos ("Holy Marriage")
• Komadotragodia ("Comedo-Tragedy")
• Palaistra ("Palaestra")
• Panymedes
• Pasiphae (See above)

References

1. Suidas α 1274
2. William Smith, ed. (1870). "Alcaeus (7)". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. p. 96. Archived from the original on 2011-01-11.