ABSTRACT
Theophrastus’ character portraits are written with a deliberate and thoughtful use of humour to add colour and vibrancy to the underlying ethical purpose of the work. This reflects Theophrastus’ wider interest in the subject of comedy and, more specifically, his definition of comedy as a ‘concealed rebuke for error’. As head of the Peripatos, Theophrastus’ interest in comedy and ethics also had an impact on developments that were taking place in the comic theatre of Athens. In particular, Theophrastus’ teachings influenced Menander, who studied under Theophrastus and later proved to be one of the foremost comic playwrights of the fourth century BCE.
