Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphioparaomelitokatakechymenokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraganopterygon

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Lopado­temakho­selakho­galeo­kranio­leipsano­drim­hypo­trimmato­silphio­karabo­melito­katakekhy­meno­kikhl­epi­kossypho­phatto­perister­alektryon­opto­kephallio­kigklo­peleio­lagōio­siraio­baphē­tragano­pterýgōn is a fictional dish mentioned in Aristophanes' comedy Assemblywomen.

It is a transliteration of the Ancient Greek word λοπαδο­τεμαχο­σελαχο­γαλεο­κρανιο­λειψανο­δριμ­υπο­τριμματο­σιλφιο­καραβο­μελιτο­κατακεχυ­μενο­κιχλ­επι­κοσσυφο­φαττο­περιστερ­αλεκτρυον­οπτο­κεφαλλιο­κιγκλο­πελειο­λαγῳο­σιραιο­βαφη­τραγανο­πτερύγων in the Greek alphabet (1169-74). Liddell and Scott translate this as "name of a dish compounded of all kinds of dainties, fish, flesh, fowl, and sauces."

The original Greek spelling had 171 characters (something which is not obvious in the Roman transcription, depending on the variant) and for centuries it was the longest word known.

The dish was a fricassee, with 17 sweet and sour ingredients, including brains, honey, vinegar, fish, pickles, and the following:

• Fish slices
• Fish of the Elasmobranchii subclass (a shark or ray)
• Rotted dogfish or small shark's head
• Generally sharp-tasting dish of several ingredients grated and pounded together
• Silphion "laserwort," apparently a kind of giant fennel
• A kind of crab, beetle, or crayfish
• Eagle
• Cheese
• Honey poured down
• Wrasse (or thrush)
• Was topped with a kind of sea fish or Blackbird
• Wood pigeon
• Domestic pigeon
• Chicken
• Roasted head of dabchick
• Hare, which could be a kind of bird or a kind of sea hare
• New wine boiled down
• Dessert, fruit, or other raw food
• Wing and/or fin

[edit] Role in the play

The gynecocracy depicted in Assemblywomen attempts to treat everyone equally. They create this dish so that they can serve one food that fits everyone's needs. The dish's name is mentioned only twice, in one of the last speeches of the play.

[edit] References

• Guinness Book of World Records, 1990 ed, pg. 129 ISBN:0806957905