Palaiphatos

Title page of the Palaephatus edition by Johann HF Meineke, 1774

Summary of the Palaephatus edition by Johann HF Meineke, 1774

Palaiphatos ( Παλαίφατος , Latinized Palaephatus ) was probably the pseudonym of a Greek writer who probably lived in the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BC. And is known to posterity only through one work: "Incredible stories" ( Περὶ ἀπίστων ἱστοριῶν Peri apiston historion ).

The “Incredible Stories” are an attempt to trace the traditional tales of Greek mythology about gods, heroes and monstrous creatures back to historical events and circumstances. Many ancient scholars are of the opinion that the work originally appeared as a Greek story of gods in five volumes in the second half of the 4th century BC. Was created. Others believe that these explanations for Greek legends were made as a miniature version of a larger edition in Byzantine times. It was a widely used textbook for students learning Greek until the 19th century.

Four authors named Palaiphatos are mentioned in the Suda : a mythical poet, a writer from Paros or Priene (or, according to a conjecture, Parion ), who is the author of the “Incredible Stories”, a historian from Abydos and an Athenian or Egyptian grammarian . It is unclear whether these are actually different historical persons.

Palaiphatos explains that the traditional narratives of Greek mythology are based on misleading traditions. For him they are a collection of actual historical events. For example, he claims that female soldiers never existed. The Amazons were actually male, barbaric soldiers who, with their hairbands and clean-shaven cheeks, in their ancient skirts, were considered women.

Editions and translations

Jacob Stern: Palaephatus: On Unbelievable Tales. Bolchazy-Carducci, Wauconda 1996
Kai Brodersen : The Truth About Greek Myths: Palaiphatos' Incredible Stories. Reclam, Stuttgart 2002. 3rd edition 2017, ISBN 978-3-15-019458-4 (Greek text with translation)

literature

Anna Santoni: Palaiphatos. In: Richard Goulet (ed.): Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques . Volume 5/1, CNRS Éditions, Paris 2012, ISBN 978-2-271-07335-8 , pp. 85-89

Web links

Literature by and about Palaiphatos in the catalog of the German National Library
Palaiphatos in the Bibliotheca Augustana (original Greek text)

personal data
SURNAME	Palaiphatos
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Παλαιφατος (Greek); Palaephatus (Latin)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Greek writer
DATE OF BIRTH	5th century BC BC or 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	4th century BC BC or 3rd century BC Chr.