[Topic] <\/strong>Musical competitions of Alexander the Great on the river Hydaspes (Jhelum, Pakistan)<\/p>\n [Source]<\/strong> Athenaeus, Deipnosophistai<\/em> XIII 68, 595d-596b<\/p>\n [Period]<\/strong> 350\u2013300 BC (326 BC, May\/October)<\/p>\n<\/div> [Text]<\/strong><\/p><\/div> (68)<\/strong> \u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u1f70 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03a0\u03c5\u03b8\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd\u03af\u03ba\u03b7\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b5\u03bb\u03b5\u03c5\u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f41 \u1f0d\u03c1\u03c0\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u03c2 \u0393\u03bb\u03c5\u03ba\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd \u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5\u03c0\u03ad\u03bc\u03c8\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u03b1\u03cd\u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u1f11\u03c4\u03b1\u03af\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd, \u1f61\u03c2 \u1f41 \u0398\u03b5\u03cc\u03c0\u03bf\u03bc\u03c0\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f31\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u1fd6 (FGrHist<\/em> 115 F 254b), \u03c6\u03ac\u03c3\u03ba\u03c9\u03bd \u1f00\u03c0\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03b7\u03ba\u03ad\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f0d\u03c1\u03c0\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd \u03bc\u1f74 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c6\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u1fe6\u03bd \u1f11\u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd, \u03b5\u1f30 \u03bc\u03ae \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c6\u03b1\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9\u03b5 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03c0\u03cc\u03c1\u03bd\u03b7\u03bd.<\/p>\n \u1f14\u03c3\u03c4\u03b7\u03c3\u03ad\u03bd \u03c4\u03b5 \u03b5\u1f30\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1 \u03c7\u03b1\u03bb\u03ba\u1fc6\u03bd \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u0393\u03bb\u03c5\u03ba\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f10\u03bd \u1fec\u03c9\u03c3\u03c3\u1ff7 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03a3\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03b1\u03c2, \u03bf\u1f57\u03c0\u03b5\u03c1 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c3\u1f72 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b1\u1f51\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f00\u03bd\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03b8\u03ad\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03bc\u03ad\u03bb\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9. \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03ad\u03b4\u03c9\u03ba\u03ad\u03bd \u03c4\u03b5 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1fc7 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf\u03b9\u03ba\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u03af\u03bf\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u1f10\u03bd \u03a4\u03b1\u03c1\u03c3\u1ff7 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f41\u03c1\u1fb7 \u1f51\u03c0\u1f78 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03bb\u03b1\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c3\u03ba\u03c5\u03bd\u03bf\u03c5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03af\u03bb\u03b9\u03c3\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c3\u03b1\u03b3\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03c5\u03bf\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u03b1\u1fd6\u03c2 \u1f04\u03bb\u03bb\u03b1\u03b9\u03c2 \u03b4\u03c9\u03c1\u03b5\u03b1\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b9\u03bc\u03c9\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03bd, \u03b1\u1f37\u03c2 \u03c0\u03c1\u03ad\u03c0\u03bf\u03bd \u1f26\u03bd \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03c3\u1f74\u03bd \u03bc\u03b7\u03c4\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03c3\u03bf\u1f76 \u03c3\u03c5\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9\u03ba\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd.<\/p>\n \u03c3\u03c5\u03bd\u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c1\u03b5\u1fd6 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c4\u03bf\u03cd\u03c4\u03bf\u03b9\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f41 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f08\u03b3\u1fc6\u03bd\u03b1 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u1f78\u03bd \u03b4\u03c1\u03b1\u03bc\u03ac\u03c4\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd \u03b3\u03b5\u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03c6\u03ce\u03c2, \u1f45\u03c0\u03b5\u03c1 \u1f10\u03b4\u03af\u03b4\u03b1\u03be\u03b5\u03bd \u0394\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd\u03c5\u03c3\u03af\u03c9\u03bd \u1f44\u03bd\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u1f59\u03b4\u03ac\u03c3\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 [\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6] \u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6, \u03b5\u1f34\u03c4\u03b5 \u03a0\u03cd\u03b8\u03c9\u03bd \u1f26\u03bd \u1f41 \u039a\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd\u03b1\u1fd6\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f22 \u1f41 \u0392\u03c5\u03b6\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f22 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f41 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u03cd\u03c2. \u1f10\u03b4\u03b9\u03b4\u03ac\u03c7\u03b8\u03b7 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03b4\u03c1\u1fb6\u03bc\u03b1 \u1f24\u03b4\u03b7 \u03c6\u03c5\u03b3\u03cc\u03bd\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u1f09\u03c1\u03c0\u03ac\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03b8\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1\u03c4\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 <\/strong>. \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03bc\u1f72\u03bd \u03a0\u03c5\u03b8\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd\u03af\u03ba\u03b7\u03c2 \u1f61\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b5\u03b8\u03bd\u03b7\u03ba\u03c5\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03bc\u03ad\u03bc\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9, \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b4\u1f72 \u0393\u03bb\u03c5\u03ba\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f61\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f54\u03c3\u03b7\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u2019 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1ff7 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u1f08\u03b8\u03b7\u03bd\u03b1\u03af\u03bf\u03b9\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f30\u03c4\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03b3\u03b9\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b4\u03c9\u03c1\u03b5\u1f70\u03c2 \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u1f70 \u1f09\u03c1\u03c0\u03ac\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5, \u03bb\u03ad\u03b3\u03c9\u03bd \u1f67\u03b4\u03b5 (TrGF<\/em> 91 F 1)\u00b7<\/p>\n \u1f14\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03bd \u03b4\u2019 \u1f45\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 \u03bc\u1f72\u03bd \u1f41 \u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c0\u03ad\u03c6\u03c5\u03c7\u2019 \u1f45\u03b4\u03b5 \u03a0\u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03af\u03b4\u03b7\u03bd \u03b4\u2019 \u1f10\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u1fe6\u03b8\u03b1 \u1f10\u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03b5\u03c3\u03b5 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f0d\u03c1\u03c0\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd. \u1f10\u03bd <<\/a>\u03b4\u1f72><\/a> \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u1f11\u03be\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03c4\u1ff7 \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u1ff3 \u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03ad\u03c3\u03b1\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd \u03c6\u03b7\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd\u00b7<\/p>\n \u1f10\u03ba\u03bc\u03b1\u03b8\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd \u03b4\u03ad \u03c3\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c0\u03bf\u03b8\u1ff6 [Translation]<\/strong><\/p><\/div> After Pythionice died, Harpalus sent for Glycera, who was also a courtesan, according to Theopompus (FGrH <\/em>115 F 254b), who claims that Harpalus refused to allow anyone to put a garland on his own head unless they also garlanded his whore.<\/p>\n In addition, he set up a bronze statue of Glycera in Syrian Rhossus, where he intends to set up statues of you and himself as well. He also gave her permission to live in the royal palace in Tarsus, and he watches as she is bowed down to by the local people, addressed as “Queen,” and granted the other honors that properly belong to your mother and the woman who lives with you.<\/p>\n Additional evidence in regard to these matters is supplied by the author of the miniature satyr play Agen (whether this was Python of Catana or Byzantium, or the king himself), who staged it during the festival of Dionysus celebrated on the banks of the Hydaspes River. The play was put on after Harpalus had already run away to the coast and revolted.<\/strong> The author refers to Pythionice as dead, and to Glycera as being with Harpalus and as responsible for the Athenians receiving gifts from him, putting it as follows (Python TrGF<\/em> 91 F 1, 1-8):<\/p>\n (A.)<\/strong> Where this reed grows there’s a He called Harpalus “Pallides” in this passage. But in what follows immediately after this, he refers to him by his proper name and says (Python TrGF<\/em> 91 F 1, 8-18):<\/p>\n (A.)<\/strong> Since I’m living a long way from there, [Comment]<\/strong><\/p><\/div> The focus of this source is Pyton of Catania or Byzantium, together with his satyr drama entitled Agh\u00e9n<\/em> (i.e., The commander<\/em>). Of this drama, the source preserves a textual excerpt of eighteen lines and supplies a series of additional details: (1) that it was a satyr drama, but of limited extent (cf. the diminutive \u03b4\u03c1\u03b1\u03bc\u03ac\u03c4\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd), or at any rate not a complete satyr play [Vahtikari 2014, 107], although elsewhere the same Athenaeus (The Learned Banqueters <\/em>II 35, 50f) refers to it simply as a \u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u1f78\u03bd \u03b4\u03c1\u1fb6\u03bc\u03b1; (2) that it concerned Harpalus, along with his beloved courtesan Pythionice, already deceased, and his new courtesan Glycera; (3) that within the play Harpalus was called \u201cPallides,\u201d an epithet to be understood either as \u201cson of Pallas,\u201d that is, of Athena\u2014since he had been granted Athenian citizenship [Sutton 1980a, 96]\u2014or as \u201cof the race of the Phallus,\u201d in reference to his sexual licentiousness [Snell 1964, 104 and n. 9; G\u00fcnther 1999, 599]; (4) that it was performed after Harpalus had already fled by sea and defected; and (5) that it was staged by Alexander\u2019s will \u201cduring the festival of Dionysus celebrated on the banks of the Hydaspes River\u201d (\u0394\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd\u03c5\u03c3\u03af\u03c9\u03bd \u1f44\u03bd\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u1f59\u03b4\u03ac\u03c3\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 [\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6] \u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6). The excerpt itself provides three further details, which complete the picture: (1) that the scene is set near \u201cthe famous temple of the whore\u201d (\u03c0\u03cc\u03c1\u03bd\u03b7\u03c2 \u1f41 \u03ba\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd\u1f78\u03c2 \u03bd\u03b1\u03cc\u03c2), constructed by Harpalus and the cause of his exile, a temple that appears to have been dedicated to Pythionice; (2) that Harpalus had generously supplied the city of Athens with abundant grain; and (3) that, in recognition of these benefactions, Athens granted him citizenship.<\/p>\n More specifically, Harpalus had been a friend and treasurer of Alexander since 331 BC at Tyre. From 330 BC he served at Ecbatana as treasurer of both the Macedonian royal treasure and the treasure transferred there from Persepolis. From about 329 BC he also controlled the Babylonian treasury and was appointed satrap of the homonymous satrapy. In Alexander\u2019s absence he administered these resources with conspicuous prodigality and a notoriously dissolute lifestyle, attested by numerous anecdotes, including those alluded to in the satyr drama: Harpalus summoned the Athenian courtesan Pythionice to Babylon, installed her in the royal palace, and showered her with gifts; after her death he dedicated to her a temple at Babylon, under the name Aphrodite Pythionice, and erected an beautiful tomb in Attica along the Sacred Way to Eleusis; he later summoned another Athenian courtesan, Glycera, ordered that she be received as a queen on her arrival at the royal palace in Tarsus, and set up a statue in her honour at the city Rhossus in Syria.<\/p>\n When, however, Alexander the Great returned from India, Harpalus realized that he would be caught up in the punishment of disloyal satraps and generals being carried out by Alexander himself already after his exit from the Gedrosian desert and during his stay in Carmania, that is, in the winter of 325\/4 BC. For this reason, in the spring of 324 BC he fled to Cilicia and from there sailed to Athens, taking with him 6,000 mercenaries and 5,000 talents from the Babylonian treasury. He expected a favourable reception at Athens, both because of the resources he carried and because he had earlier been granted Athenian citizenship in recognition of his substantial grain donations to the city (Athenaeus, The<\/em> Learned Banqueters<\/em> XIII 68, 596b = Python of Catana or Byzantium, TrGF 91 F 1, 16 = the passage here considered). He was, however, initially refused entry and withdrew with his fleet to Cape Taenarum; later, he was admitted, but only as private and after negotiations and bribes, among whose recipients was Demosthenes, and after a donation of 700 talents. However, once in Athens, Harpalus was arrested and his money confiscated; nevertheless, he escaped to Megara and from there sailed to Crete, where he was killed either by one of his officers, Tibron, or by a Macedonian named Pausanias.<\/p>\n In this passage, Athenaeus does not state explicitly that Python\u2019s work was performed in the context of a musical competition, but two considerations support this interpretation. First, Athenaeus reports a satyr drama performed during the Dionysia<\/em> (\u1f10\u03b4\u03af\u03b4\u03b1\u03be\u03b5\u03bd \u0394\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd\u03c5\u03c3\u03af\u03c9\u03bd \u1f44\u03bd\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd), and these festivals, especially when modelled on the Athenian model, included theatrical competitions; indeed, Alexander organized other Dionysia<\/em> in this manner at Tyre in 331 BC (Plutarch, Alex.<\/em> 29.1\u20136; see specific entry). Second, Athenaeus consistently describes Python\u2019s work as a satyr drama (Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters<\/em> XIII 50, 586d; II 35, 50f; cf. passage under discussion too), and the Dionysia<\/em> customarily concluded, after the tragedies, with the performance of such dramas. The Ag\u00e9n<\/em> may therefore have formed part of a larger festival that included artistic and literary contests [Vahtikari 2014, 107].<\/p>\n Concerning the dating of this event, Athenaeus\u2019 testimony places it in the spring of 324 BC. On the one hand, it was in the spring of that year that Harpalus\u2019 departure\u2014as already noted\u2014may be considered a \u201cflight\u201d and \u201cdefection\u201d from Alexander, undertaken to avoid the expected punishment. On the other hand, Pythionice probably died in 326\/325 BC, since Theopompus, when referring to the monument for this same courtesan commissioned by Harpalus, states that it had \u201clong been completed\u201d (\u03bc\u03bd\u1fc6\u03bc\u03b1 \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u1f7a\u03bd \u1f24\u03b4\u03b5 \u03c7\u03c1\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03c4\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5\u03bb\u03b5\u03c3\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd), evidently in relation to the moment when he wrote to Alexander denouncing Harpalus while Harpalus himself was still in Babylon (Theopompus FGrHist <\/em>115 F 253 = Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters<\/em> XIII 67, 595a\u2013c), i.e. in relation to the spring, perhaps April, of 324 BC [Goukowski 1981, 72\u201373, 74\u201375].<\/p>\n Concerning the location of the Dionysia, Athenaeus explicitly mentions \u2018on the banks of the Hydaspes River\u201d (\u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u1f59\u03b4\u03ac\u03c3\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 [\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6] \u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6). This information, however, creates a chronological problem. Alexander was at the Hydaspes in May 326 BC for the decisive battle against Porus, rajah of the Pauravas (Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander<\/em> V 9.4; 11.1; 19.4; 20.1), and remained in the region from June until late autumn, since the retreat from India began in November 326 BC (Arrian, Anab.<\/em> V.29.5; VI.1.1). He was therefore at the Hydaspes two years before 324 BC, i.e. before the year of Harpalus\u2019 flight and defection.<\/p>\n Faced with this chronological discrepancy, scholars have taken widely divergent views. It is impossible to consider them all, and some are clearly untenable [for a summary and references to the numerous studies, see: Snell 1964, 112\u2013119; Sutton 1980b, 77\u201379; Guenther 1999, 594\u2013595; Heckel 2006, s.v. \u201cHarpalus\u201d 230 and notes 138\u2013139, and 240 s.v. \u201cPython (1)\u201d; Cipolla 2000, 137\u2013139, 140\u2013141; Vahtikari 2014, 106 n. 129; Le Guen 2014, 261\u2013263].<\/p>\n On the one hand, those who defend the 326 BC dating and the Hydaspes location aim to clarify the reference to Harpalus\u2019 flight mentioned by Athenaeus and so the \u03c0\u03c1\u1fb6\u03b3\u03bc\u2019 \u03b1\u1f51\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c6\u03c5\u03b3\u03ae\u03bd in line 4 of Python\u2019s Ag\u00e9n<\/em> too. Among the main proposals, Snell argues that it\u2019s Athenaeus who wrongly connects the flight cited in line 4 of Python to Harpalus\u2019 flight to Athens in 324 BC; rather, the flight should be understood within the context of the drama, as the \u201cflight\u201d of Harpalus, in love, to the temple in Babylon of his beloved, right deceased, Pythionice [Snell 1964, 113\u2013117]. Cipolla, by contrast, identifies the \u201cflight\u201d from Babylon and Harpalus\u2019 defection with the flight he undertook in 326 BC, when he welcomed the new courtesan Glycera in Tarsus rather than Babylon, both to enjoy the relationship more freely and to avoid the scandal caused by the temple he had built for Aphrodite Pythionice [Cipolla 2000, 144\u2013146, 149\u2013151].<\/p>\n On the other hand, those who defend the 324 BC dating must clarify the location on the Hydaspes River. Among the main proposals, Beloch [Beloch 1927, 434\u2013436] identifies the Hydaspes not with the better-known tributary of the Indus, but with the homonymous river mentioned by Virgil (Georgics<\/em> 4.211, with Servius\u2019 scholia), which flows in Media. He therefore suggests that Python\u2019s Agh\u00e9n<\/em> was performed in the capital of Media, Ecbatana, when\u2014in late autumn 324 BC\u2014Alexander held solemn musical and gymnastic contests there (Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander<\/em> 7.14,1 e 10: see specific issue), during which his beloved Hephaestion died. Droysen [Droysen 1833 = 1877 = 2014, 219\u2013221] proposed emending \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u1f59\u03b4\u03ac\u03c3\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6 to \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03bf\u03ac\u03c3\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6, seeing a likely scribal error. Since the Choaspes flows through the satrapy of Susiana, he suggested that the reference was to the celebrations Alexander held at Susa in spring 324 BC, including the famous weddings of ninety-two of his Companions<\/em> and of Alexander himself. Finally, Goukowsky \u2013 thanks to the historical sources and notes already provided by Kiessling [Kiessling 1914, coll.37-39] \u2013 identifies this river with a homonymous Hydaspes in southern Iran (possibly the modern Hal\u012bl R\u016bd), near the western border of ancient Carmania, specifically not far from ancient Salmous. This is where Alexander established his winter quarters in 325\/324 BC (December\u2013January) and also the area where, after his retreat from India and the crossing of the Gedrosian and Carmanian deserts, he was joined both by Clearchus, who had led the fleet (Arrian, Indica<\/em> 32\u201333), and by Craterus, who had commanded the remainder of the army that had not followed Alexander into Gedrosia and Carmania (Arrian, The Anabasis of Alexander <\/em>6.17.3; 6.27.3). By this identification thus Goukowsky places the episode close to Harpalus\u2019 flight in spring 324 BC and provides a context in which Alexander had both the reason (the reunion of the entire expedition) and the resources (with Craterus\u2019 troops, the actors accompanying the army could also arrive and perform the Agh\u00e9n<\/em>) to organize the Dionysia<\/em> celebrations, naturally the ones held in winter [Goukowsky 1981, 68-74].<\/p>\n Today the more probable dating is 324 BC. Here, 326 BC is adopted for methodological and substantive reasons. Methodologically, it is important to keep separate what comes from Athenaeus and what comes from Python of Catana. The association of the flight and defection with Harpalus\u2019 flight to Athens in 324 BC is not in Python, but in Athenaeus; and He refers to the flight of 324 BC because it was more famous and attested in the sources he used about the two courtesans, Pythionice and Glycera, particularly Theopompus (FGrHist<\/em> 115 F 254b = the passage here considered; FGrHist<\/em> 115 F 253 = Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters<\/em> 67, 595b\u2013c). From a substantive point of view, Alexander was on the Hydaspes several times between May and October 326 BC (Arrian, The Anabasis of Alexander<\/em> 5.8,3\u20134; 5.9,1ff.; 5.11,1ff.; 5.19,4ff.; 5.19,5; 6.1,1; 6.4, 2 and 4; 6.3,1\u20132). On at least two occasions he also held contests. One was gymnastic and equestrian (Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander<\/em> 5.20.1: May 326 BC, after the victory over Rajah Porus, held within sacrificial and victory rites). Another combined athletic and musical element (Arrian, Indica<\/em> 18.11\u201312, see specific issue: early November 326 BC, when the fleet was ready for navigation to begin the retreat from India, held within sacrifices to several gods). Thus, there is no reason to exclude the possibility that these Dionysia<\/em> and the associated performance of the Agh\u00e9n<\/em>, could have taken place in 326 BC, nor to argue that the period from May to October of that year did not offer a suitable occasion for such events, including the Dionysia.<\/p>\n<\/div> [Essential bibliography]<\/strong><\/p><\/div> Editions and commentaries: Athenaei Naucratita Deipnosophistarum libri XV<\/em>. Vol. III Libri XI-XV, Indices, recensuit G. Kaibel, Stutgardiae 1890 (rist. Stuttgart 1992), sp. 312-314; Ateneo, I Deipnosofisti \u2013 I dotti a banchetto<\/em>, prima traduzione italiana commentata su progetto di Luciano Canfora, introduzione di Ch. Jacob, vol. III: Libri XII-XV, traduzioni e commenti a cura di R. Cherubina (libri IX 1-31, X, XI), L. Citelli (libri IV, XIV), M. L. Gambato (libri I, XII, XIII), E. Greselin (commento libro III), A. Marchiori (libri II, V, VII, VIII), A. Rimedio (libri VI, IX 32-80, XV), M. F. Salvagno (traduzione libro III), Roma 2001, sp. 1524-1526; Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters<\/em>, Vol VII: Books 13.594b-14, edited and translated by S. D. Olson, Cambridge, Mass. 2011, sp. 8-11.<\/p>\n Studies: K. J. BELOCH, Griechische Geschichte<\/em>, IV Band: Die Griechische Weltherrschaft<\/em>, 2. Abtleilung, mit sechs Karten, Berlin \u2013 Leipzig 19272<\/sup>; P. CIPOLLA, \u201cLa datazione del dramma satiresco \u1f08\u03b3\u03ae\u03bd\u201d, Eikasm\u00f3s<\/em> 11, 2000, 135-154; J. G. DROYSEN, Geschichte des Hellenismus<\/em>, volst\u00e4ndige Neuausgabe von K-M. Guth, Berlin 2014 (1a ed. in tre volumi 1833-1843, 2a ed. 1877); P. Goukowsky, Essai sur les origines du mythe d’Alexandre: 336-270 av. J.-C. <\/em>Tome II: Alexandre et Dionysos<\/em>, Nancy 1981; T. G\u00fcnther, \u201c91. Python\u201d, in Das Griechische Satyrspiel<\/em>, hrgb. von R. Krumeich, N. Pechstein und B. Seidensticker, Darmstadt 1999, 593-601; W. Heckel, Who\u2019s Who in the Age of Alexander the Great Prosopography of Alexander\u2019s Empire<\/em>, Malden, Mass. \u2013 Oxford \u2013 Carlton 2006; B. LE GUEN, \u201cTheatre, Religion and Politics at Alexander\u2019s Travelling Royal Court\u201d, in Great Theatre in the Fourth Century B.C.<\/em>, ed. by E. CSAPO, H. Rupprecht Goette, J. R. Green, P. Wilson, Berlin \u2013 Boston 2014, 249-274; M. Kiessling, s.v. \u201cHydaspes\u201d, Pauly\u2019s Realencyclop\u00e4die der classischen Altertumswissenschaft <\/em>IX, 1914, coll. 34-39; B. SNELL, \u201cPython, Agen<\/em>\u201d, in B. SNELL, Scenes from Greek Drama<\/em>, Los Angeles 1964, 104-137; D. F. SUTTON, \u201cHarpalus as Pallides\u201d, Rheinisches Museum<\/em> 123, 1980a, 96; D. F. SUTTON, The Greek Satyr Play<\/em>, Meisenheim am Glan 1980b; V. Vahtikari, Tragedy performances outside Athens in the late Fifth and the Fourth Centuries BC<\/em>, Helsinki 2014.<\/p>\n<\/div> [Keywords]<\/strong><\/p>\n Alexander the Great, Hydaspes, Satyr play, Dionysies, Ag\u00e9n<\/em>, Python of Byzance, Python of Catana, Harpalus, Glycera, Pythionice<\/p><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div> [Saulo Delle Donne]<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alexander-the-great-and-the-poetic-musical-agons"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u03c6\u03ad\u03c4\u03c9\u03bc\u2019 \u1f04\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd. \u03bf\u1f51\u03be \u1f00\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u1fb6\u03c2 \u03b4\u2019 \u1f45\u03b4\u03b5
\n\u03c0\u03cc\u03c1\u03bd\u03b7\u03c2 \u1f41 \u03ba\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd\u1f78\u03c2 \u03bd\u03b1\u03cc\u03c2, \u1f43\u03bd \u03b4\u1f74 \u03a0\u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03af\u03b4\u03b7\u03c2
\n\u03c4\u03b5\u03cd\u03be\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03ad\u03b3\u03bd\u03c9 \u03b4\u03b9\u1f70 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03c0\u03c1\u1fb6\u03b3\u03bc\u2019 \u03b1\u1f51\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c6\u03c5\u03b3\u03ae\u03bd.
\n\u1f10\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u1fe6\u03b8\u03b1 \u03b4\u1f74 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03b2\u03b1\u03c1\u03b2\u03ac\u03c1\u03c9\u03bd \u03c4\u03b9\u03bd\u1f72\u03c2 \u03bc\u03ac\u03b3\u03bf\u03b9 5
\n\u1f41\u03c1\u1ff6\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c0\u03b1\u03b3\u03ba\u03ac\u03ba\u03c9\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03ba\u03b5\u03af\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd
\n\u1f14\u03c0\u03b5\u03b9\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd \u1f61\u03c2 \u1f04\u03be\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u1f74\u03bd \u1f04\u03bd\u03c9
\n\u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03a0\u03c5\u03b8\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd\u03af\u03ba\u03b7\u03c2.<\/p>\n
\n\u03bc\u03b1\u03ba\u03c1\u1f70\u03bd \u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03ba\u1ff6\u03bd \u03ba\u03b5\u1fd6\u03b8\u03b5\u03bd, \u1f08\u03c4\u03b8\u03af\u03b4\u03b1 \u03c7\u03b8\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1
\n\u03c4\u03af\u03bd\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c4\u03cd\u03c7\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u1f22 \u03c0\u03c1\u03ac\u03c4\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9 \u03c4\u03af. 10
\n(A) \u1f45\u03c4\u03b5 \u03bc\u1f72\u03bd \u1f14\u03c6\u03b1\u03c3\u03ba\u03bf\u03bd \u03b4\u03bf\u1fe6\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd \u1f10\u03ba\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b2\u03af\u03bf\u03bd,
\n\u1f31\u03ba\u03b1\u03bd\u1f78\u03bd \u1f10\u03b4\u03b5\u03af\u03c0\u03bd\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd\u00b7 \u03bd\u1fe6\u03bd \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c7\u03ad\u03b4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c0\u03b1 \u03bc\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd
\n\u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03bc\u03ac\u03c1\u03b1\u03b8\u03bf\u03bd \u1f14\u03c3\u03b8\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9, \u03c0\u03c5\u03c1\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2 \u03b4\u2019 \u03bf\u1f50 \u03bc\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1.
\n(B) \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03bc\u1f74\u03bd \u1f00\u03ba\u03bf\u03cd\u03c9 \u03bc\u03c5\u03c1\u03b9\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f0d\u03c1\u03c0\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd
\n\u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c3\u03b9 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f08\u03b3\u1fc6\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f50\u03ba \u1f10\u03bb\u03ac\u03c3\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd\u03b1\u03c2 15
\n\u03c3\u03af\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03c0\u03ad\u03bc\u03c8\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03af\u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03b3\u03b5\u03b3\u03bf\u03bd\u03ad\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9.
\n(A) \u0393\u03bb\u03c5\u03ba\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f41 \u03c3\u1fd6\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f57\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f26\u03bd\u00b7 \u1f14\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b4\u2019 \u1f34\u03c3\u03c9\u03c2
\n\u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u1f40\u03bb\u03ad\u03b8\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5 \u03ba\u03bf\u1f50\u03c7 \u1f11\u03c4\u03b1\u03af\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f00\u03c1\u03c1\u03b1\u03b2\u03ce\u03bd.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nbirdless [corrupt]. This structure on the left, on the other hand,
\nis the famous temple of the whore, which Pallides
\nbuilt-and then condemned himself to exile for what he’d done.
\nWhen some of the barbarian magi here
\nsaw the terrible state he was in,
\nthey convinced him they could summon up the soul
\nof Pythionice.<\/p>\n
\nI’m eager to learn from you what the situation
\n\u2020 they call \u2020 Attica, and how they’re doing.
\n(B.)<\/strong> When they claimed they’d been reduced to slavery,
\nthey had enough for dinner. But now all they eat
\nis beans and fennel, and no wheat at all.
\n(A.)<\/strong> Indeed, I hear that Harpalus sent
\nthem 10s of 1000s of measures of grain \u2013 at least
\nas much as Agen did \u2013 and became a citizen.
\n(B.)<\/strong> This grain belonged to Glycera; maybe it’ll be
\nearnest money for their deaths, not the courtesan’s! [transl. D. Olson]<\/p>\n<\/div>