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Automedon (poet)

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Automedon (Ancient Greek: Αὐτομέδων, fl. early 1st century AD) was an ancient Greek satirical poet from Cyzicus, whose poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology.[1]

Automedon's works were added to the Anthology by Philippus of Thessalonica, around the reign of Caligula. One of his poems satirises an orator called Nicetes who probably lived in the time of Augustus and Tiberius. It is thus likely that Automedon lived in the early first century AD.[1]

Epigrams attributed to Automedon
Anthology # Title / incipit Greek title / incipit Topic
5.129 On a prostitute dancer εἰς πόρνην ὀρχηστρίδα A dancer gives the poet an erection
10.23 Nicetes like the breeze, when a ship has little sail up Νικήτης ὀλίγοις μὲν ἐπὶ προτόνοισιν ἀήτης An orator's style compared to a ship's journey
11.29 Send and summon her Πέμπε, κάλει Automedon's erectile dysfunction
11.46 We are human in the evening Ἄνθρωποι δείλης Contrast between convivial behaviour at night and hostile behaviour in the day.
11.50 Blessed is the one who owes nothing to anyone Εὐδαίμων, πρῶτον μὲν ὁ μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφείλων A wise man avoids marriage.
11.319 Bringing ten sacks of charcoal Ἀνθρακίων δέκα μέτρα φέρων Athens' excessive generosity with honours.[2]
11.324 Accept the dinner, Phoebus Δέξαι, Φοῖβε, τὸ δεῖπνον Apollo complains that Arrius the priest eats all his sacrifices
11.325 Yesterday, I had a goat's foot for dinner Ἐχθὲς δειπνήσας τράγεον πόδα The poet was invited to an unsatisfactory dinner.
11.326 Beard and shaggy thigh hair Πώγων, καὶ λάσιαι μηρῶν τρίχες The beautiful youth Connichus has grown old
11.346 How long, Polycarpus? Μέχρι τίνος, Πολύκαρπε A banker is destroyed by his faithlessness
11.361 Mules grown old together Ἡμίονοι σύγγηροι Description of two old mules.
12.34 With coach Demetrius Πρὸς τὸν παιδοτρίβην Δημήτριον Demetrius' attractive students wait on him at dinner.

One poem in the Anthology, attributed to Automedon, is ascribed in the Palatine Anthology to the third-century BC poet Theocritus and may be from that period.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  • Robert, Louis (1981). "Une épigramme satirique d'Automédon et Athènes au début de l'Empire (Anth. Pal. XI-319)". Revue des Études Grecques. 94 (447): 338–361. doi:10.3406/reg.1981.1291.
  • Knox, Bernard, ed. The Norton Book of Classical Literature. New York: WW Norton Co., 1993, p. 585


  1. ^ a b Robert 1981, pp. 338–339.
  2. ^ Robert 1981, pp. 339–340.