Epicharmus Quotes

A collection of quotes by Epicharmus.

Epicharmus (c. 550 - 460 BCE) was an ancient Greek playwright who is often referred to as the father of comedy. He was born on the island of Sicily in the city of Cos, which was then a Greek colony. Epicharmus was renowned for his satirical and humorous plays, which were performed in festivals and theaters across ancient Greece.

Although few of Epicharmus's works have survived, he is believed to have written around 35 plays during his lifetime. His plays blended mythological and ordinary characters, focusing on everyday situations and human foibles. Epicharmus employed witty dialogue and farcical situations to entertain his audience, making him one of the pioneers of comedic theater.

Epicharmus was not only a writer but also a philosopher, credited with introducing moral and ethical themes into comedy. His plays often aimed to teach a lesson or impart wisdom through laughter, involving social and political criticism. Many of his comedic techniques, such as stereotyping characters and using puns and wordplay, became influential in the development of later Greek comedy.

Epicharmus's work had a lasting impact on Greek drama, influencing playwrights like Aristophanes and later Roman comedy. Although much of his work is lost, fragments of his plays and the praise from esteemed Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plato have attested to his significant contribution to the art of comedy.