Polus of Aegina

This article is about the ancient Greek actor. For the ancient Greek philosopher, see Polus.

Polus (Ancient Greek: Πῶλος) of Aegina was a celebrated tragic actor, the son of Charicles of Sunium, and a disciple of Archias of Thurii.

Polus of Aegina
Πῶλος
Born	Aegina, Ancient Greece
Occupation	Tragic actor
Known for	Acting in eight tragedies at age 70, performing in Electra holding the ashes of his own son
Parent	Charicles of Sunium

It is related of him that at the age of 70, shortly before his death, he acted in eight tragedies on four successive days.

The Roman author Aulus Gellius also mentions the actor, describing how during a performance of Electra, in the scene where Orestes is mourned with his ashes, Polus starred while holding an urn containing the ashes of his own son.

References

• Rosanna Lauriola and Kyriakos N. Demetriou (3 April 2017), BRILL (ed.), Brill's Companion to the Reception of Sophocles, BRILL, ISBN 9789004300941

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Mason, Charles Peter (1870). "Polus". In Smith, William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. p. 441.