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Hipponax (; ''gen''.: Ἱππώνακτος), of Ephesus and later Clazomenae, was an Ancient Greek iambic poet who composed verses depicting the vulgar side of life in Ionian society in the sixth century BC. He was celebrated by ancient authors for his malicious wit (especially for his attacks on some contemporary sculptors, Bupalus and Athenis), and he was reputed to be physically deformed (a reputation that might have been inspired by the nature of his poetry).〔Christopher G. Brown, 'Hipponax' in ''A Companion to Greek Lyric Poets'', Douglas E. Gerber (ed.), Brill (1997) pages 84〕 Little of his work survives despite its interest to Alexandrian scholars, who collected it in two or three books.〔David A. Campbell, ''Greek Lyric Poetry'', Bristol Classical Press (1982), page 374〕 He influenced Alexandrian poets searching for alternative styles and uses of language, such as Callimachus and Herodas,〔Christopher G. Brown, 'Hipponax' in ''A Companion to Greek Lyric Poets'', Douglas E. Gerber (ed.), Brill (1997) pages 80, 82〕 and his colourful reputation as an acerbic, social critic also made him a popular subject for verse, as in this epigram by Theocritus: :''Here lies the poet Hipponax. If you are a scoundrel, do not approach the tomb; but if you are honest and from worthy stock, sit down in confidence and, if you like, fall asleep.''〔Theocritus ''epig.'' 19 Gow, cited by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 347〕 Ancient literary critics credited him with inventing literary parody〔Athenaeus 15.698b, cited by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 459〕 and "lame" poetic meters suitable for vigorous abuse,〔Demetrius ''de eloc.'' 301, cited and translated by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 351〕 as well as with influencing comic dramatists such as Aristophanes.〔Tzetzes on Aristophanes, 'Plutus', cited by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 383〕 His witty, abusive style appears for example in this quote by Herodian, who however was mainly interested in its linguistic aspects (many of the extant verses were preserved for us by lexicographers and grammarians interested in rare words): : : :''What navel-snipper wiped and washed you as you squirmed about, you crack-brained creature?'' where 'navel-snipper' signifies a midwife.〔Herodian 'On Inflections', cited by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 367〕 ==Life== Ancient authorities record the barest details about his life (sometimes contradicting each other) and his extant poetry is too fragmentary to support autobiographical interpretation (a hazardous exercise even at the best of times).〔Christopher G. Brown, 'Hipponax', in ''A Companion to the Greek Lyric Poets'', Douglas E. Gerber (ed), BRILL, 1997. ISBN 90-04-09944-1. Cf. p.81〕 The Marmor Parium, only partially preserved in the relevant place, dates him to 541/40 BC, a date supported by Pliny The Elder in this comment on the theme of sculpture: Archeological corroboration for these dates is found on the pedestal of a statue in Delos, inscribed with the names Micciades and Achermus and dated to 550-30.〔Pliny, ''Natural History', translated by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), including archeological notes 1 and 2, page 343〕 The poet therefore can be safely dated to the second half of the sixth century.〔David A. Campbell, ''Greek Lyric Poetry'', Bristol Classical Press (1982), page 373〕 According to Athenaeus, he was small, thin and surprisingly strong〔Athenaeus 12.552c-d, cited by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 347〕 The Byzantine encyclopaedia Suda, recorded that he was expelled from Ephesus by the tyrants Athenagoras and Comas, then settled in Clazomenae, and that he wrote verses satirising Bupalis and Athenis because they made insulting likenesses of him.〔''Suda'', translated by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 345〕 A scholiast commenting on Horace's ''Epodes'' recorded two differing accounts of the dispute with Bupalus, characterized however as "a painter in Clazomenae": Hipponax sought to marry Bupalus's daughter but was rejected ''because'' of his physical ugliness, and Bupalus portrayed him as ugly ''in order'' to provoke laughter. According to the same scholiast, Hipponax retaliated in verse so savagely that Bupalus hanged himself.〔Pseudo-Acron on Horace, ''Epodes'', cited by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 351〕 Hipponax in that case closely resembles Archilochus of Paros, an earlier iambic poet, who reportedly drove a certain Lycambes and his daughters to hang themselves after he too was rejected in marriage.〔Christopher G. Brown, 'Hipponax', in (''A Companion to the Greek Lyric Poets'' ), Douglas E. Gerber (ed.), BRILL, 1997. ISBN 90-04-09944-1. Cf. p.50〕 Such a coincidence invites scepticism.〔B.M. Knox, 'Elegy and Iambus: Hipponax' in ''The Cambridge History of Classical Literature: Greek Literature'', P. Easterling and B. Knox (eds.), Cambridge University Press (1985), page 159〕 The comic poet Diphilus took the similarity between the two iambic poets even further, representing them as rival lovers of the poetess Sappho!〔Christopher G. Brown, 'Hipponax' in''A Companion to the Greek Lyric Poets'', Douglas E. Gerber (ed.), BRILL, 1997. ISBN 90-04-09944-1. Cf. p.82〕 The life of Hipponax, as revealed in the poems, resembles a low-life saga centred on his private enmities, his amorous escapades and his poverty〔David A. Campbell, ''Greek Lyric Poetry'', Bristol Classical Press (1982), page 373〕 but it is probable he was another Petronius, depicting low-life characters while actually moving in higher social circles.〔Christopher G. Brown, 'Hipponax' in''A Companion to the Greek Lyric Poets'', Douglas E. Gerber (ed.), BRILL, 1997. ISBN 90-04-09944-1. Cf. p.80〕 In one fragment, Hipponax decries "Bupalus, the mother-fucker () with Arete", the latter evidently being the mother of Bupalus, yet Arete is presented as performing fellatio on Hipponax in another fragment and, elsewhere, Hipponax complains "Why did you go to bed with that rogue Bupalus?", again apparently referring to Arete (whose name ironically is Greek for 'virtue').〔fragments 12, 17, translated and annotated by Douglas Gerber, ''Greek Iambic Poetry'', Loeb Classical Library (1999), page 363 and 367〕〔fragment 15, translated by B.M. Knox, 'Elegy and Iambus: Hipponax' in ''The Cambridge History of Classical Literature: Greek Literature'', P. Easterling and B. Knox (eds.), Cambridge University Press (1985), page 160〕 The poet is a man of action but, unlike Archilochus, who served as a warrior on Thasos, his battlefields are close to home: Hipponax's quarrelsome disposition is also illustrated in verses quoted by Tzetzes, where the bard abuses a painter called Mimnes, and advises him thus: 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hipponax」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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