Speaker: Dr. Alex Gottesman, Associate Professor of Greek and Roman Classics, Temple University
This colloquium is presented by Penn’s Department of Classical Studies and co-sponsored by Penn’s Center for Ancient Studies. It will be held on Thursday, December 4th 2025 from 4:45pm – 6:15pm in 402 Cohen Hall. Cookies and coffee will be served in the second floor lounge in Cohen Hall from 4:15 – 4:45. The event is open to the public.
Abstract:
“At one point in Aristophanes’ Frogs, Euripides alternates real lines from Aeschylus’ tragedies with the refrain tophlattothrat tophlattothrat. This prompts Dionysus to ask: “What is this ‘phlattothrat?’ From Marathon or where did you gather rope-twister’s songs?” (1296-7). This joke has long defied explanation. To get it, we must address at least three questions: 1) Why does Euripides introduce the gag as a “kitharodic nome?” 2) Why does Dionysus refer to Marathon? 3) What does he mean by “rope-twister’s songs?” Papyrological and epigraphic evidence (some relatively fresh) might help steer us in the right direction. If the argument I offer is correct, the joke might provide valuable testimony about the early poetic career of Aeschylus.”