There are several matters here which are worthy of comment. It will be noted that by 341 B.C. the tragic poets no longer closed each group of plays with a satyric drama, but one satyr-play was performed instead as a preface to the tragic contest. It followed that the playwrights, the number of whose dramas now corresponded to that of the star performers, were no longer handicapped by being allotted the exclusive services of a single star and his troupe but were placed upon terms of perfect equality by having all the stars in turn at their command, each for a different tragedy. This explains why in 340 B.C., when we must suppose that three players of the first rank with their supporting companies were for some reason not available, the number of tragedies presented by each playwright was likewise reduced to two and the histrionic talent was thus kept evenly distributed. The fact that the tragic writers no longer devoted whole trilogies to different aspects of the same theme made it easy to reduce the number of tragedies in any year in order to conform to an emergency in the histrionic conditions. Furthermore, old tragedies were not now permitted to compete with new ones, as was said to have been the practice in the case of Aeschylus’ plays after his decease (see [p. 203], above); but beginning at the City Dionysia of 386 B.C., as we learn from the Fasti, an old tragedy was performed, outside of the contest, every year. It is interesting to observe that in both these years and again in 339 B.C. (see next to the last line in [Fig. 76a]) plays of Euripides were chosen for this purpose, and this is in accord with the steady growth of that poet’s popularity as compared with Aeschylus and Sophocles. As already stated, the Didascaliae were inscribed in 278 B.C., but the record was kept up to date by contemporaneous entries for over a century subsequently.
Fig. 76b.—Translation of Inscription in [Fig. 76a].
- In the archonship of Sosigenes (342/1 B.C.). Satyr-play:
- ⸺ was poet with his ⸺.
- Old tragedy: Neoptolemus
- acted in Euripides’ Iphigenia.
- Poets: Astydamas was first
- with the Achilles acted by Thettalus
- with the Athamas acted by Neoptolemus
- with the Antigone acted by Athenodorus;
- Evaretus was second with the Teucer
- acted by Athenodorus
- with the Achilles acted by Thettalus
- with the ⸺ acted by Neoptolemus;
- Aphareus was third with the Daughters of Pelias
- acted by Neoptolemus
- with the Orestes acted by Athenodorus
- with the Auge acted by Thettalus;
- the actor Neoptolemus was victor.
- In the archonship of Nicomachus (341/0 B.C.). Satyr-play:
- Timocles was poet with his Lycurgus.
- Old tragedy: Neoptolemus
- acted in Euripides’ Orestes.
- Poets: Astydamas was first
- with the Parthenopaeus acted by Thettalus
- with the Lycaon acted by Neoptolemus;
- ⸺cles was second with the Phrixus
- acted by Thettalus
- with the Oedipus acted by Neoptolemus;
- Evaretus was third
- with the Alcmeon acted by Thettalus
- with the ⸺ acted by Neoptolemus;
- the actor Thettalus was victor.
The Victors’-Lists were prepared at the same time as the stone Didascaliae and were likewise derived from Aristotle,[376] but they were very different in character. They recorded the aggregate of victories won by poets and actors in tragedy and comedy at each of the two festivals—eight lists in all. I shall content myself with citing one fragment from the list of tragic poets who were victorious at the City Dionysia (cf. [Fig. 77 a] and [b]).[377] The names were arranged in the chronological order of their first victory at the festival in question, in this case the City Dionysia; and after each name was entered the total number of victories gained at that festival. We are especially interested in two names in this list, Aeschylus and Sophocles. Of course the former’s name did not originally head the list; it stood in the eleventh line. The numeral is broken away from behind his name, but we know from other sources that he won thirteen (ΔΙΙΙ) victories. He died before the establishment of the tragic contest at the Lenaea, so that his competition was restricted to the City Dionysia. But Suidas reports that according to some Aeschylus had gained twenty-eight victories. Perhaps the larger number is not to be rejected as worthless but is to be regarded as including the victories which Aeschylus’ plays are said to have won after his decease in competition, at both festivals, with the works of living tragedians. To Sophocles the inscription assigns eighteen (ΔΓΙΙΙ) victories at the City Dionysia, and that is the number which most authorities give. But Suidas, who regularly records the aggregate of victories at both festivals, credits him with twenty-four victories. Sophocles must, therefore, have been victorious six times at the Lenaea. Euripides’ name does not appear upon any extant portion of the Victors’-List. He is usually stated to have won five victories, but some notices report fifteen. Possibly we are to understand that he won ten Lenaean victories. His comparative lack of success while living thus stands in striking contrast to his popularity subsequently.
Fig. 77a.—A Fragment of the Athenian Victors’-List
Fig. 77b.—Wilhelm’s Transcription and Restoration of Two Fragments of the Athenian Victors’-List.