Alcune note sul ridere (della scimmia) nell'antica Grecia; in occasione di una recente pubblicazione di Marco Vespa

This article aims to delve into the theme of laughter and humour associated with monkeys in ancient Greek culture, prompted by the recent publication of a significant study by Marco Vespa (Geloion mimēma. Studi sulla rappresentazione culturale della scimmia nei testi greci e greco-romani, Brepols, Turnhout 2021). The present article introduces methodological principles that contextualize ancient Greek laughter within its bio-social framework, critically drawing from Fabio Ceccarelli’s theory of laughter. Additionally, it explores the conceptualization of the ‘laughter-maker’ (gelōtopoiós) by investigating rela­tional aspects of the term geloîos. Finally, this paper offers fresh insights into the renowned ancient Greek case studies involving the Cercopes and Thersites.