Cratinus

Cratinus (c. 520 BC; † 423 BC) was a Greek comic poet and contemporary of Aristophanes.

Life and works

Cratinus was with Eupolis and Aristophanes one of the three most important representatives of the ancient Greek comedy ( Archaia, 486-400 BC ). Presumably, he introduced the "3- man " rule, which says that three actors will be on stage during the performance of a comedy. This scheme was probably not binding, if one considers, for example, the works of his more famous contemporaries and rivals of Aristophanes, in which varied the actor number.

Cratinus ' first victory at the Dionysia has been handed down for the year 457 BC. He won three times at this festival a total of six times, at the Lenaea. In his plays he attacked Pericles and Aspasia his wife sharply.

Cratinus is known BC After Aristophanes, nothing more to understand today mainly because of a rivalry with Aristophanes at the Dionysia of 423 him the year before in his comedy The Knight in the prologue as an old drunkard who admits himself by his works, occur let ( Cratinus was his life really very impressed by the wine, see his quotes ), Cratinus, who was then considered due to its numerous victories at the City Dionysia as a " grand old man " of the comedy decided to once again even to write a work and at the Dionysia BC incorporated in the year 423 direct competition with the mocking youth Aristophanes, to prove that he was still quite able to devise good comedies.

Unlike Aristophanes Kratinos brought in the bottle ( Pytine ) no any contemporaries on stage, he attacked rather return to his own person and introduced himself as a drunkard is, who was married to his work with the comedy itself. KOMMEDIA ( " comedy " ) poses in front of her husband Kratinos to spend way too much time with his beloved " The Bottle " and therefore no longer fulfill his conjugal duties, so no little " comedies " to have more with her, and calls why the divorce until Kratinos shows that he is definitely still in love with her and also demonstrates his sense of duty. Cratinus won with this piece of the Dionysia, to the annoyance of Aristophanes, who only took third place with his play The Clouds.

From Cratinus are to this day - has been handed down only a few fragments and not whole pieces - as well as from most other poets of Archaia. Are known more than 450 fragments belonging to at least 28 titles.

A poet of the same name at the time of the Middle Comedy was perhaps a descendant of the elder Cratinus.