Cratinus, the comic poet, lived ninety-seven years, and toward the end of his life he produced “The Flask” and won the prize, dying not long thereafter. Philemon, the comic poet, was ninety-seven like Cratinus, and was lying on a couch resting. When he saw a donkey eating the figs that had been prepared for his own consumption, he burst into a fit of laughter; calling his servant and telling him, along with a great and hearty laugh, to give the donkey also a sup of wine, he choked with his laughter and died.1 Epicharmus, the comic poet, is also said to have lived ninety-seven years.

Anacreon, the lyric poet, lived eighty-five years ; Stesichorus, the lyric poet, the same, and Simonides of Ceos more than ninety.