Menander - Menandros

A representative writer of ancient Greek New Comedy. Born into the upper class of Athens, he was the nephew of Alexis, a writer of middle-period comedies. He studied under the philosopher Theophrastus and is said to have been friends with Epicurus. After making his debut in 321 BC with "Rage," he wrote over 100 plays in his lifetime, but only four remain: "The Difficult Man," "The Trial," "The Girl Whose Hair Is Cut," and "The Woman of Samos." The rest are all fragments, starting with the large fragment "The Spirits of the Fathers." The above four plays also have many missing parts.

Unlike the 5th century, the 4th century BC was an age of philosophy and rhetoric rather than politics, and of individual detachment from the state. Menander's works, which are set in this historical background, lack the strong political and personal satire of older comedies, but on the other hand, they vividly depict various aspects of everyday civilian life with aphorisms, irony, compassion, and even a kind of resignation, and vividly portray the joys and sorrows of life that lie hidden within. The main plots are about love negotiations, the problems of illegitimate and abandoned children, and meetings between parents, children, and siblings, and various characters appear and play an active role, such as a cunning but loyal servant, a clever courtesan, a stubborn father, a prodigal son, an arrogant soldier, a young wife, a lovesick youth, and an innocent maiden. His skill in writing was so great that Aristophanes of Byzantium praised him in ancient times, saying, "Menander and life, which of you has copied which?" However, his works are not merely copies of the social conditions of his time. His penetrating view of life and humanity, which can be seen throughout his works, goes beyond mere comedy of manners. In this respect, he is also considered to be the successor of the tragic poet Euripides, even though the genre is different.

[Kazuhiko Tange]

"Translated by Go Shigeichi, "A Difficult Mind and Three Other Stories" (included in "Complete Greek Comedy 2", 1961, Jinbun Shoin)" ▽ "Edited by Tanaka Michitaro, "Collection of Greek Plays" (1963, Shinchosha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代ギリシア新喜劇の代表的作家。アテネ上流階級の出身で、中期喜劇の作家アレクシスの甥(おい)。哲学者テオフラストスに師事し、またエピクロスとは友人の仲であったといわれる。紀元前321年『怒り』をもって競演の場にデビューして以来、生涯に100編以上書いたが、現存するのは『気むずかし屋』『調停裁判』『髪を切られる女』『サモスの女』の4編で、あとは大断片『先祖の霊』を筆頭にすべて断片である。前記の4編にも欠損部分が多い。

　前4世紀は、前5世紀と違い政治よりも哲学・修辞学の時代、また個人の国家からの遊離の時代であった。こうした時代背景をもつメナンドロスの作品は、古喜劇のもっていた強烈な政治性と個人風刺には欠けるが、その反面、日常市民生活の種々の様相を、警句、皮肉、また思いやり、そして一種の諦念(ていねん)すら含んだ筆致で活写し、そこに潜む人生の哀歓を生き生きと描出している。筋立ては、恋の駆け引き、私生児と捨て子の問題、親子兄弟の対面などがおもなもので、そこに狡猾(こうかつ)だが忠実な召使い、利発な遊女、頑固親父(がんこおやじ)、放蕩(ほうとう)息子、尊大な軍人、若妻、恋に悩む若者、純情な乙女などの諸人物が登場し活躍する。その筆の冴(さ)えは、すでに古代において「メナンドロスと人生よ、汝(なんじ)らのうちのどちらがどちらを模写したのか」（ビザンティオンのアリストファネス）との賛辞を博しているほどであるが、しかしその作品は、単に当時の世相の模写にとどまるものではない。それは、随所にみられる詩人の透徹した人生観、人間観によって、単なる風俗喜劇を超えたところに到達しているといいえよう。この点で彼は、ジャンルは異なるとはいえ、悲劇詩人エウリピデスの後継者ともみなされるのである。

［丹下和彦］

『呉茂一訳『気むずかしや他三編』（『ギリシア喜劇全集2』所収・1961・人文書院）』▽『田中美知太郎編『ギリシァ劇集』（1963・新潮社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例