128

Κωμωδοτραγωδία (fr. 26)

duction of tragedy or presenting it somehow as a tragedy. Alternatively, the
title could refer to a figure in the play, whether a speaking character (e.g.
Comoedia in Cratinus’ Pytine·, see below) or a silent character (e.g. Peace in
Aristophanes’ Peace). In that case, Comoedotragoedia might be presented as
a figure providing inspiration for both genres or perhaps judging between
them in some sort of contest.
The sole fragment is uninformative regarding the plot, but Ale. Com. frr.
19-20 (both from his Komdidotragdidia) suggest that a festival and music were
involved there; so too, of the two fragments of Aristophanes’ Poiesis, fr. 466
may imply a festival and fr. 467 refers to music. More helpful is Antiph. fr. 189,
the only fragment from his Poiesis, which preserves a defence of comedy
compared to tragedy (Edmonds suggested that Comoedia is speaking); cf.
Cratinus’ Pytine and the use there of Comoedia as a character (cf. Rosen 2000.
23-39 [21 for a possible illustration of the character]; Bakola 2010. 275-85. For
the personification of‘poetry’ and the like as female characters, see Hall 2000.
Plautus’ designation of Amphitryo as a tragicocomoedia suggested to
Webster 1970. 88-9 that the Komdidotragdidiai of Anaxandrides and Alcaeus
ought to be mythological burlesque or paratragedy (Bowie 2000. 324 speaks of
Alcaeus’ play in the context of paratragedy, but without taking a clear stand). In
a manner analogous to Plautus’ play, in which stereotypically tragic characters
acted out a comedy of manners, Anaxandrides and Alcaeus might have written
plays in which stereotypically comic characters acted out a tragic plot. In such
a case, however, the abstract title is problematic, since the expected title would
be that of the tragic plot being parodied.
Date Unknown.

fr. 26 K.-A. (25 K.)
Antiatt. p. 87.23
γελασίμην· τήν πολλά γελώσαν. Άναξανδρίδης έν Κωμωδοτραγωδία
γελασίμην Olson: γελασίνην Bekker: γελασιήδην cod.
Full of laughter (fem.): a woman who laughs a lot. Anaxandrides in Comoedo-
tragoedia
Metre Uncertain (word is
Discussion Meineke 1840 III.171; 1847. 579; Bothe 1855. 422; Kock 188411.144;
Edmonds 1959 11.54—5; Kassel-Austin 1991 11.250; Sanchis Llopis et al. 2007. 251