Antagoras of Rhodes

Antagoras (born on Rhodes about 270 B.C.)[1] was a Greek poet. He was also noted for his cookery.

Biographical information

Antagoras wrote a Theban epic whilst in Pella,[2] and (extant) epigrams. Also was one of two attendant in the court of Antigonus II Gonatas, ruler of Macedonia[1] [3] Is recorded as having had some personal contact in his own time, with Philocydes (possibly envoy to Pharnabazus, son of Artabazus[4]) and was known to Hegesander.[5] Famed for his repartee Antagoras was described by contemporaries as;

“ a terrible fellow to coin strange words[6] ”

Conger eels account

Whilst on campaign in the Balklans king Antigonos Gonatas, who had journeyed with Antagoras, found Antagoras inside camp to be cooking conger eels. When asked as to the likelihood of Homer being able to produce the Iliad should he have decided instead to use his time in cookery, Antagoras replied that he thought it unlikely that Agammemnon would have involved himself in any exploits at all if he had chosen to wander around his camp looking for men cooking conger eels.

In one account of the story Plutarch first writes of the value of seafood above the common staple (lentils) and,showing the relative cost's of foods against each other, uses the examples of the person's Philoxenus[7] the son of Eryxis, Androcydes the painter and Antagoras as examples for the preference of fish (a delicious food):[8]

“ all Antigonus the king, surprising Antagoras the poet in the habit of a cook, broiling congers in his tent, said to him: Dost thou think that Homer was dressing congers when he writ Agamemnon's famous exploits? And he as smartly replied: Do you think that Agamemnon did so many famous exploits when he was inquiring who dressed congers in the camp?"[9] ”

See also

References

  1. 1 2 William Smith (ed) (1870) Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology ISBN 1-84511-002-1 from within Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. ancientlibrary.com. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  2. ↑ I. E. S. Edwards - (The Cambridge ancient history Volume 7, Part 1) from within books.google.co.uk website Retrieved 2011-09-14.
  3. ↑ Pausanias Description of Greece [with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A. Cambridge, MA, (1918)].perseus.tufts.edu Retrieved 2011-09-14
  4. ↑ James Ussher (2007)books.google.co.uk [Retrieved 2011-12-04] ISBN 0-89051-510-7
  5. ↑ Athenaeus: The Deipnosophists - BOOK 8 (excerpts) [25.] [340] Translated by C.D.Yonge (1854) in attalus.org [Retrieved 2001-12-04] see also: Deipnosophistae and deipnosophist
  6. ↑ Nicholas Sekunda Greek military cuisine. ospreypublishing.com]. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  7. ↑ Charles Anthon [William Smith (ed.)] (1843) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Anquities within books.google.co.uk website [Retrieved 2011-09-15]
  8. ↑ Plutarch .gutenberg.org website SYMPOSIACS-BOOK III :QUESTION IV. WHETHER THE SEA OR LAND AFFORDS BETTER FOOD Retrieved 2011-09-14
  9. ↑ Plutarch-account 14/09/2011

External links

Luard,E (2008) amazon.com open book showing traditional ways of cookery for the European peoples

Edward Phillips (1675) page 20 of Theatrum poetarum: or A compleat collection of the poets, especially the most eminent, of all ages. The antients distinguish't from the moderns in their several alphabets (Google eBook)

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