Sicilian mimes

dialogues by Sophron

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July 13, 2026

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Sophron of Syracuse, a writer from around 430 BCE, is known for his rhythmical prose mimes written in the Doric dialect. These mimes, though mostly surviving in fragments, depicted scenes from daily life, with titles like "The Tunny-fisher" and "The Sempstress." One surviving fragment describes a magical ceremony. Sophron was highly regarded by Plato and influenced later writers such as Theocritus and Herodas. The mimes were a form of theatrical performance, and while the exact nature of their staging is not fully detailed, they are noted for their use of the Doric dialect.12

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Sophron Of Syracuse
…an author of rhythmical prose mimes in the Doric dialect. Although the mimes survive mostly in fragments of only a few words, it can be seen from their titles—e.g., The Tunny-fisher, The Sempstress, etc.—that they depicted scenes from daily life. One longer fragment deals with a magical ceremony. Plato thought…
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…an author of rhythmical prose mimes in the Doric dialect. Although the mimes survive mostly in fragments of only a few words, it can be seen from their titles—e.g., The Tunny-fisher, The Sempstress, etc.—that they depicted scenes from daily life. One longer fragment deals with a magical ceremony. Plato thought…
Read More

dialogue
…oldest known dialogues are the Sicilian mimes, written in rhythmic prose by Sophron of Syracuse in the early 5th century bc. Although none of these has survived, Plato knew and admired them. But the form of philosophic dialogue that he perfected by 400 bc was sufficiently original to be an…
Read More
…oldest known dialogues are the Sicilian mimes, written in rhythmic prose by Sophron of Syracuse in the early 5th century bc. Although none of these has survived, Plato knew and admired them. But the form of philosophic dialogue that he perfected by 400 bc was sufficiently original to be an…
Read More