Plutarch, Quaestiones Romanae, ed. William W. Goodwin, 107

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[107]

Question 107.

Why do the Romans call the artists who appear in the worship of Bacchus histriones?

Solution. Is it for the reason which C. Rufus tells us? For he says, that in ancient time, C. Sulpicius and Licinius Stolo, being consuls, a pestilence raging in Rome, all the actors upon the stage were cut off; wherefore, upon the request of the Romans, many and good artists came from Etruria, among whom he that excelled in fame and had been longest experienced on the public stages was called Histrus, and from him they named all the stage-players.

Quaestiones Romanae. Plutarch. ed. William W. Goodwin. Boston. 1874.

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Current edition Perseus

Roman Questions (English) (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. II. Goodwin, William W., editor; Chauncy, Isaac translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.)

Editions (2)

Αἴτια Ῥωμαϊκά Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).) — 107 focus

[107] διὰ τί τοὺς περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνίτας ἱστρίωνας Ῥωμαῖοι, καλοῦσιν;

ἢ διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν Κλούβιος Ῥοῦφος ἱστόρηκε; 289d φησὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς πάνυ παλαιοῖς χρόνοις Γαΐου τε Σουλπικίου καὶ Λικινίου Στόλωνος ὑπατευόντων, λοιμώδη νόσον ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενομένην πάντας ὁμαλῶς διαφθεῖραι τοὺς ἐπὶ σκηνὴν προερχομένους· δεηθεῖσιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐκ Τυρρηνίας ἐλθεῖν πολλοὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς τεχνίτας, ὧν τὸν πρωτεύοντα δόξῃ καὶ χρόνον ¹ πλεῖστον ἐνευημεροῦντα τοῖς θεάτροις Ἵστρον ὀνομάζεσθαι· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πάντας ἱστρίωνας ἀπʼ ἐκείνου προσαγορεύεσθαι.

Κεφαλαίων καταγραφή Ῥωμαϊκά Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol IΙ. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.) — 107 focus

[107] διὰ τί τοὺς περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνίτας ἰστρίωνας Ῥωμαῖοι καλοῦσιν; ἦ διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν Κλούβιος Ῥοῦφος ἱστόρηκε; φησὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς πάνυ 289d παλαιοῖς χρόνοις Γαΐου τε Σουλπικίου καὶ Λικινίου 10 Στόλωνος ὑπατευόντων, λοιμώδη νόσον ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενομένην πάντας ὁμαλῶς διαφθεῖραι τοὺς ἐπὶ σκηνὴν προερχομένους· δεηθεῖσιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐκ Τυρρηνίας ἐλθεῖν πολλοὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς τεχνίτας, ὧν τὸν πρωτεύοντα δόξῃ καὶ χρόνον πλεῖστον ἐνευημεροῦντα 15 τοῖς θεάτροις Ἴστρον ὀνομάζεσθαι· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πάντας ἰστρίωνας ἀπʼ ἐκείνου προσαγορεύεσθαι.

Translations (1)

The Roman Questions Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).) — 107 focus

[107] Why do the Romans call the Dionysiac artists¹ histriones²?

Is it for the reason that Cluvius Rufus³ has recorded? For he states that in very ancient times, in the consulship of Gaius Sulpicius and Licinius Stolo,⁴ a pestilential disease arose in Rome and destroyed to a man all persons appearing on the stage. Accordingly, at the request of the Romans, there came many excellent artists from Etruria, of whom the first in repute and the one who for the longest time enjoyed success in their theatres, was named Hister: and therefore ali actors are named histriones from him.

Plutarch Quaestiones Romanae 107

ed. William W. Goodwin

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Question 107.

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