FrC 24.4 Menandros

Fragmenta Comica volume 24.4 offers an English translation and commentary on Menander’s comedies Achaioi-Thais (fr. 89-169 K.-A.). By integrating textual, philological, and theatrical analysis, the volume highlights the artistry of Menandrian comedy.

This volume belongs to the Fragmenta Comica series, a project dedicated to providing translations and commentaries on all surviving fragments of ancient Greek comic playwrights. In this volume, Kyriaki A. Ioannidou offers the first comprehensive commentary on fifteen of Menander’s fragmentary plays: Achaioi – Thais (fr. 89-169 K.-A.). This book broadens the list of fragmentary Menander plays with full commentaries aiming to shed light on the lesser-known Menandrian comedies and to deepen our understanding of Menander’s dramatic style and themes. The fragments and testimonies are examined from a philological, historical, and theatrical perspective rendering the Menandrian text accessible to classicists, theatre historians, researchers working on the reception of drama, and theatre practitioners alike. Analysis of pictorial and material evidence, such as wall paintings and ancient book tags, complements the textual discussion. Special emphasis is given to Menander’s distinctive use of rare words and unique word-forms, alongside detailed discussions on the citation context of each fragment and testimony.

• By (author) Kyriaki A. Ioannidou