Meropis

Meropis (Ancient Greek: Μεροπίς) is a fictional island mentioned by ancient Greek writer Theopompus of Chios in his work Philippica, which is only fragmentarily maintained via mentions by Aelian.^[1][2]

The story of Meropis is neither a utopia nor a political allegory; it is a parody of Plato's Atlantis, in a similar vein to the True History which parodied Homer's Odyssey.^[3] Theopompos somewhat overstates many of Plato's aspects of the Atlantis myth. While it is an Egyptian priest who is telling Solon the story of Atlantis according to Plato's Timaeus, it is an ipotane (a mythical half-man half-horse creature) who is telling the Meropis story to King Midas according to Theopompus's Philippica. Although Atlantis was incredibly big by Plato's account, Theopompus describes Meropis as even bigger, to make it completely absurd. Also, while the invading Atlanteans were beaten by Athens due to its perfect society, the Méropes (Μέροπες)—attacking with an army of ten million soldiers—attempt to conquer Hyperborea, but return in disgrace after realizing that the Hyperboreans were the luckiest people on earth and not worth looting.^[4]

It has also been suggested that the story was meant as a criticism of Philipp II.^[5]

While most describe Meropis as a fictional island, for a different point of view see Emil Forrer who considered the island might have been real. Meropis is also one of historical names of the Greek island of Kos, ruled by Merops.^[2]

メロピスは世界の海（オケアノス）の向こう側に位置する。そこに住むメロペス人は、他の人間の2倍の身長と2倍の寿命を持つ。テオポンポスはメロピスにある3つの都市、アノストス（Ἄνοστος、「帰ることのできない場所」）、エウセベス（Εὐσεβής、「敬虔な町」）、マキモス（Μάχιμος、「戦いの町」）について記述している。エウセベスの住民は裕福に暮らし、飢えることも病気になることもないが、マキモスの住民は生まれながらにして武器を持ち、絶えず戦争を続けている。3番目の都市アノストスはメロピスの最外縁に位置し、口を開けた深淵のようで、昼夜がなく、赤い煙が立ち込めている。

• G.J.アールダース (1978)。 「メロペス・デ・テオポンプ」。ヒストリア。27 : 317–327 .
• ハインツ・ギュンター・ネッセルラート (1998)。「テオポンプス・メロピスとプラトン: ナチャフムンとパロディ」(PDF)。Altertumswissenschaft のためのゲッティンガー フォーラム。1：1～ 8。