Philemon

From LSJ

Ubi idem et maximus et honestissimus amor est, aliquando praestat morte jungi, quam vita distrahi → Where indeed the greatest and most honourable love exists, it is much better to be joined by death, than separated by life.

Valerius Maximus, De Factis Dictisque

Wikipedia EN

Philemon (Greek: Φιλήμων; c. 362 BC – c. 262 BC) was an Athenian poet and playwright of the New Comedy. He was born either at Soli in Cilicia or at Syracuse in Sicily but moved to Athens some time before 330 BC, when he is known to have been producing plays.

He attained remarkable popularity, for he repeatedly won victories over his younger contemporary and rival Menander, whose delicate wit was apparently less to the taste of the Athenians of the time than Philemon's comedy.

Except for a short sojourn in Egypt with Ptolemy II Philadelphus, he passed his life at Athens. He there died, nearly a hundred years old, but with mental vigour unimpaired, about the year 262 BC, according to the story, at the moment of his being crowned on the stage.

Translations

ca: Filemó el Vell; cs: Filémón; de: Philemon der Ältere; el: Φιλήμων; en: Philemon; es: Filemón; eu: Filemon; fi: Filemon vanhempi; fr: Philémon; id: Philemon; it: Filemone di Siracusa; la: Philemon; no: Filemon fra Sicilia; pl: Filemon; ru: Филемон; sh: Filemon; uk: Філемон Сиракузький; zh: 菲勒蒙