SOURCE: Norwood, Gilbert. “Cratinus.” In Greek Comedy, pp. 114-44. 1932. Reprint. New York: Hill and Wang, 1963.

In the following essay, Norwood discusses the plots of Cratinus's plays, to the extent they can be determined from surviving fragments.

Aristophanes spoke too soon. This stinging mixture of praise and pity brought the elderly genius to his feet. ‘Nearly seventy and ruined by drink, am I? Ho!’ Next year at the City Dionysia he produced the Wine-Flask (Πυτίνη) and defeated¹ his ambiguous eulogist with a play that boldly took up the imputations of Aristophanes. From the fragments and a scholium on the Knights² we gain a fair conception of the plot. Cratinus' wife, Comedy herself, complains to his friends that Cratinus is neglecting her and consorting with Drunkenness (Μέθη)—‘formerly I was his wife, but now no more’ (γυνὴ δ' εκείνου πρότερον η, νυ̑ν δ' οὐκέτι)³—and wishes to bring an action against him for ill-treatment. Cratinus used to be...