γιγγραντός

The adjective designates pieces composed to be sung with the accompaniment of gingras (γίγγρας/γίγγρος) indicating a type of small aero-phonic instrument that emitted high-pitched, melancholy sounds. The instrument could be traced back to the East, in particular the Phoenician or Carian world. The name is said to derive from Γίγγρης, the Phoenician name of Adonis (cf. Athen. 4, 174f, Poll. 4, 76, Eust. in Hom. Il. p. 233, 41-43 van der Valk). The word also designates a dance performed to the accompaniment of the gingras (cf. Tryphon fr. 113 Velsen ap. Athen. 14, 618c; Poll. 4, 102) and a melody for this instrument (cf. Hsch. γ 559, Phot. γ 116). In Latin, the term gingrina is also attested (Fest. 84 L.) about a small aerophone: the name is said to be derived from the verb gingrio, «to cackle» (said of geese), most likely because of the shrill sounds emitted by the instrument. In Axionic. fr. 3 K.-A., an unidentified speaker expresses a negative remark on the practically obsessive enthusiasm (l. 2 νοσοῦσιν) of two characters for Euripides’ choruses, so much to despise the compositions of different poets, described as «gringras songs and a great evil» (l. 3).

M.C. FARMER, Tragedy on the Comic Stage, New York 2017, 42; V. MASTELLARI, Euripidomania: tracce di fanatismo morboso per il poeta tragico in commedia (Philem. fr. 118 Kassel-Austin), in V. MASTELLARI – M. ORNAGHI – B. ZIMMERMANN (edd.), Chorodidaskalia. Studi di poesia e performance in onore di Angela Andrisano, Göttingen 2022, 210-214; J.L. SANCHIS LLOPIS – R. MONTAÑÉS GÓMEZ – J. PÉREZ ASENSIO, Fragmentos de la comedia media. Introducción, tradución y notas, Madrid 2007, 452; E. SCHARFENBERGER, Axionikos, The Euripides Fan, in C. W. MARSHALL – G. KOVACS (edd.), No Laughing Matter. Studies in Athenian Comedy, London 2012, 160-162.

Mesē, Axionicus, Phileuripidēs, gingras, wind instruments, oriental instruments, oriental music

[Vivian Navarro]