Thespis - Tespis (English spelling)

He is said to have been active in ancient Greece in the latter half of the 6th century BC, and is known as the discoverer of tragedy. Tragic contests were designated as national events in Athens, and in 534 BC, Thespis immediately appeared at one of these events leading the chorus, and as a separate leader, he spoke to the chorus. It is said that he established the foundation for the development of tragedy by inventing this first actor. He is also said to have written plays, introduced masks, and established the format that tragedy had in its heyday, although not even fragments remain. However, all of these legends were found in distant later times, and it is impossible to determine to what extent extant tragedy owes its existence to Thespis' inventions. He should be considered a legendary figure after all.

[Yusuke Hosoi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代ギリシアで紀元前6世紀後半に活躍したとされ、悲劇の発見者とよばれる人物。悲劇の競演はアテナイ（アテネ）で国家的行事と定められたが、前534年、テスピスはさっそくこれに合唱隊を率いて登場し、自分はひとり離れた長として合唱隊相手の対話を行い、この第一俳優なるものの創始によって悲劇発展の基礎を確立したという。また、断片すら残っていないが、作品を書き、仮面の導入のほか、盛時の悲劇が備える体裁を整えたのも彼の功績と伝えられる。だが、これらの伝承はすべて遠い後代にみいだされるものであり、はたして現存の悲劇がどの程度までテスピスの発明に負うているかは定めることができない。やはり伝説的人物とみなしておくべき存在であろう。

［細井雄介］

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