Eiron

An actor dressed as the eirōn character Xanthias in Aristophanes' The Frogs

In the theatre of ancient Greece, the eirōn (Ancient Greek: εἴρων) "dissembler" was one of various stock characters in comedy.[1] The eirōn usually succeeded by bringing down his braggart opponent (the alazṓn "boaster") by understating his own abilities.[2] The eiron lends his name to the related concept of irony.

  1. ^ Carlson (1993, 23) and Janko (1987, 45, 170).
  2. ^ Frye (1957, 172).