Κωμωδοτραγωδία (Komoidotragoidid)
(‘Comoedotragoedia’)

127

Discussion Meineke 1839 1.247-8, 371; 1840 III.171; 1847. 579; Bothe 1855.
422; Kock 1884 11.144; Kaibel 1899a. 149 (on Dinol. fr. 3); Latte 1915. 376-7 (-
1968. 614); Wackernagel 1916. 96; Edmonds 1959 11.54—5; Webster 1970. 88-9;
Kassel-Austin 1991 11.249 (cf. 9); Sanchis Llopis et al. 2007. 251
Title Alcaeus wrote a comedy of the same name; one has been attributed to
Dinolochus as well, but Kaibel was rightly sceptical (cf. Latte 1915. 376-7 [-
1968. 614]; Wackernagel 1916. 96), and the attribution should be rejected.49
Aside from the comic titles, the word occurs in two passages in Porphyry
(one of them quoted by Stobaeus) to refer to the ‘comicotragedy’ of the life
of the unenlightened; cf. Plato’s description at Phlb. 50b of pain and pleasure
mixed not only in tragedies and comedies on stage, but also in τη τού βίου
ξυμπάση τραγωδία καί κωμωδία (cf. Ar. Ach. 1-16 for the pleasures and pains
of life described in terms of reactions to dramatic performances).
In the prologue to Amphitryo, Plautus discusses the nature of that play
(50-63), finally determining that it is best described as a tragicocomoedia (59,
63), since it contains the actions of gods and kings as well as of slaves. The point
is that the play adapts tragic material as the basis of comedy; cf. Stewart 1958,
esp. 367-8 for the rejection of any relation between Plautus’ use of the word
and the titles. For discussion of Plautus’ term, see Lefevre 1982. 23-4; Webster
1970. 88-9; Schwering 1916/1917. A similar formation is Ιλαροτραγωδία, found
in the biographical notice of Rhinton at Suda p 171 (= Rhint. test. 1): Rhinton is
‘the founder of Ιλαροτραγωδία, which is burlesque (φλυακογραφία).’ The same
source credits Rhinton with 38 plays that are κωμικά τραγικά (κωμικοτραγικά
Kaibel). For ιλαροτραγωδία and the argument that it corresponds to Plautus’
use of tragicocomoedia, see Stewart 1958. 365-7.
Content of the comedy The abstract title suggests a meta-theatrical plot
concerned with the production of comedy, perhaps comparing it to the pro-

49 Dinolochus fr. 3 is from Antiatt. p. 112.29 and reads πέπαυνται τό πληθυντικόν, ό
αυτός Κωμωδοτραγωδία. The attribution to Dinolochus relies on the fact that the
previous lemma quotes Dinolochus (fr. 7), but the Antiatticist does not refer to pre-
vious entries in this way. The fragment probably belongs instead to Anaxandrides
or Alcaeus, the only known authors of a play with this title (which almost certainly
indicates a comedy), but in the absence of evidence either way, it would be best
placed among the adespota. The confidence of Latte 1915. 377 (= 1968. 614) in
assigning the fragment to Anaxandrides is unwarranted.