Epinikion

An Epinikion (Pl. Epinikien , ancient Greek ἐπινίκιον , Pl. Ἐπινίκια , n.) In ancient Greece was a prize singing performed by a choir for a winner, a special form of enkomion . In terms of the history of the term, it was probably originally generally “Song of Victory” or “Scream of Victory”, but Epinicias are specifically songs for winners in the great festivals ( agons ) of Greece such as the Olympic or Pythian Games .

The first known Epinikion was made by Simonides von Keos for Glaukos, winner of the Olympic Games in 520 BC. Chr., Written. The most important poets of Epinikien were Pindar and Bakchylides , of whom numerous chants of this kind have been preserved. However, it is unknown how the musical accompaniment of the chants was designed.

Epinicias were usually not performed at the place of the competition, but when the winner returned to his home country. They covered the person of the victor, mythological subjects and ethical wisdom. The 4th Ode of Pindars, for example, offers a price to the victor, Arkesilaos IV , King of Cyrene, in which he establishes the rule of the king with the journey of the Argonauts .

literature

• Hanns-Peter Mederer: "Let the booming harp wake us up". The venues of the competitions and victory celebrations in Pindars Epinikien . In: Ancient World . tape 8 , 2003, p. 433-440 .
• Otto Knörrich: Lexicon of lyrical forms (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 479). 2nd, revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-520-47902-8 , p. 63 f.
• Uwe Neumann: Epinikion. In: Gert Ueding (Hrsg.): Historical dictionary of rhetoric . Vol. 2. De Gruyter, Berlin 1994, ISBN 3-484-68102-0 , Sp. 1293 f.
• Emmet Robbins: Epinikion. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 3, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01473-8 , column 1147 f.
• Wolfgang Schadewaldt : The structure of the Pindarian Epinikion. Halle adS 1928. Unchanged reprint: Niemeyer, Tübingen 1966.
• Gero von Wilpert : Subject dictionary of literature. 8th edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-520-84601-3 , p. 222.