Did you know that the phrase "Once Upon a Time" might have actual ancient Greek origins?
This is the famous neck amphora that belongs to the Attic red-figured technique and the artist is said to be Kleophades Painter;
(Image from the British museum archive)
Everyone has seen this image as the representation of a rhapsodist, a professional performer that was walking from place to place and would perform epic poems or other stories by rhythmically telling them with the assistance of his walking stick, but do you know there are two inscriptions in this?
One is located beneath his feet;
The inscription says ΚΑΛΟΝΕΙ which means either καλόν εἶ "you are/may you be beautiful" (neutral) or it could be a misspelling and be καλός εἶ aka "you are/may you be beautiful" (musculine) and could be the referring to the man. (so either is referring to the man himself or his work )
Probably though the frist and it means the man is beautiful given that καλός means beautiful in appearance. Haha unless "beautiful" is the podium he is standing on or his walking stick hahaha 😆
However if you notice there is an inscription coming out of his mouth too! Hehe yup the man is talking! Talk about some ancient Greek comic art! And the words he says (a bit misspelled) are depicted here;
ΗΟΔΕΠΟΤΕΝΤYPIΝΘI
ὧδε ποτ' ἐν Τύρινθι -> and so once in Tyrinis
So the rhapsodist essentially starts his story with "And so once upon a time"
So now you know! Hahahaha would you like to hear the rest of this guy's story? What could it be about? Food for thought!
