Nicophon (Greek: Νικοφῶν, also Nicophron, Greek: Νικόφρων[1]), the son of a certain Theron, was an Athenian comic poet, a contemporary of Aristophanes in his later years. Athenaeus[2] states that he belonged to Old Comedy, but it is more likely that he belonged to Middle Comedy. We learn from the argument of the Plutus of Aristophanes that he exhibited one of his plays, called Ἄδωνις Adonis, in 388 BC, the date Aristophanes exhibited his Plutus.

Plays

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  • Ἄδωνις, Adonis
  • Ἀφροδίτης γοναί, Origins of Aphrodite[3][4][5]
  • Ἐξ Ἅδου ἀνιὼν, Coming Up from Hades[6]
  • Πανδώρα, Pandora
  • Ἐγχειρογαστορες, Living by their Hands[7]
  • Σειρῆνες, Sirens

27 lines of his plays have survived.

References

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  1. ^ The former is undoubtedly the correct orthography; the Suda is the only authority for the latter. He mentions the name four times, also Nicophron,in the two first of which he calls him Νικοφρῶν,but every where else, both by him and others, Νικοφῶν is the name given.
  2. ^ Ath. iii. 126, e.
  3. ^ The Suda, s. v. Νικοφρῶν.
  4. ^ Pollux, x. 156.
  5. ^ Schol. ad Aristoph. Aves, 82, 1283
  6. ^ The Suda, s. v. Νικοφρῶν.
  7. ^ Encheirogastores,Cherogastores-Cheir, hand + Gaster, belly
  • Meineke, Frag. Poet. Comic, vol. i. p. 256, &c. vol. ii. p. 848, &c. ; *Clinton, F. II. vol. ii. p. 101.) [W. M.G.

Notes

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