Description

Abstract. This article investigates the functions of the kosmos-chorus in Menander’s comedies. It frst reviews the evidence for the diminished role of the comic chorus in the fourth century and then considers Menander’s practice of deploying a kosmos instead of a chorus. It argues that the performance contexts of the kosmos allowed it to serve multiple functions. The association of the kosmos with
symposia and aristocratic violence rendered it a realistic device for clearing the stage after the frst act. In addition, the conclusion of the romantic plot with a wedding or pre-wedding celebration created the occasion for receiving a wedding kosmos, suggesting that the kosmos may have fnally been greeted or received at the end of the fifth act.