Automedon (poet)

Automedon (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 / incipitGreek title / incipitTopic
5.129On a prostitute dancerεἰς πόρνην ὀρχηστρίδαA dancer gives the poet an erection
10.23Nicetes like the breeze, when a ship has little sail upΝικήτης ὀλίγοις μὲν ἐπὶ προτόνοισιν ἀήτηςAn orator's style compared to a ship's journey
11.29Send and summon herΠέμπε, κάλειAutomedon's erectile dysfunction
11.46We are human in the eveningἌνθρωποι δείληςContrast between convivial behaviour at night and hostile behaviour in the day.
11.50Blessed is the one who owes nothing to anyoneΕὐδαίμων, πρῶτον μὲν ὁ μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφείλωνA wise man avoids marriage.
11.319Bringing ten sacks of charcoalἈνθρακίων δέκα μέτρα φέρωνAthens' excessive generosity with honours.[2]
11.324Accept the dinner, PhoebusΔέξαι, Φοῖβε, τὸ δεῖπνονApollo complains that Arrius the priest eats all his sacrifices
11.325Yesterday, I had a goat's foot for dinnerἘχθὲς δειπνήσας τράγεον πόδαThe poet was invited to an unsatisfactory dinner.
11.326Beard and shaggy thigh hairΠώγων, καὶ λάσιαι μηρῶν τρίχεςThe beautiful youth Connichus has grown old
11.346How long, Polycarpus?Μέχρι τίνος, ΠολύκαρπεA banker is destroyed by his faithlessness
11.361Mules grown old togetherἩμίονοι σύγγηροιDescription of two old mules.
12.34With coach DemetriusΠρὸς τὸν παιδοτρίβην ΔημήτριονDemetrius' 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.

References
  • 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. Robert 1981, pp. 338–339.
  2. Robert 1981, pp. 339–340.
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