The Hellenistic Age Podcast cover image

080: Hellenistic Literature - Menander and New Comedy

The Hellenistic Age Podcast

00:00

Menander's Aspis, the Shield

Menander articulates the typical point of view of an Athenian aristocrat, and Greco-Roman society at large. Slaves are characters who are structured around the whim of their masters. Good slaves align with the interests of their owners, bad slaves are lazy and self-interested. Those given domestic responsibilities tend to be better presented than those assigned to manual labor like charcoal burners. There does appear a degree of sympathy expressed towards the enslaved within the plays of Menander.

Transcript
Play full episode

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app