Aka Pax (Greek: Εἰρήνη Eirēnē)
First performed at the Dionysia in 421 BC. Aristophanes won 2nd prize in the competition with this play.
Aristophanes' Peace is a hilarious play. It strikes at the Peloponnesian War using a fantasy plot.
Dramatis Personae
Chorus [has different identities as the play progresses] in the main
1. Farmers from Trygaues' deme in Attica. Later
2. A secondary Chorus of citizens from various Greek states
Speaking Parts:
Trygaeus, a farmer of the deme of Athmonon. His name means grape farmer or vine grower.
Two Slaves of Trygaeus
Daughter of Trygaeus
Hermes, as caretaker of Zeus' palace in heaven
Ares, the god of War
Havoc, [or Hubbub or HurlyBurly or Uproar] attendant upon and errand boy for the god of War
Hierocles an oracle monger
Sickle-maker
Arms Dealer
Son of Lamachus
Son of Cleonymus
Mute Roles: Children of Trygaeus Eirene, The goddess of Peace Opora (Harvest/Cournucopia/Fullfruit) a companion of Peace Theoria (Festival/Holiday) a companion of Peace jar-maker spear-polisher helmet-maker slaves, citizens etc.
Skene and Setting: The Skene has three doors representing the three settings of the play: The right-hand-most door from the spectators' point of view represents the door to Trygaeus' farmhouse, the middle one is the entrance to a cave where the God of War has imprisoned Peace and her attendants; the left-hand most door represents the front door of the palace of the god Zeus in the heavens.
Plot:
Fed-up farmer: Trygaeus, a man, yearns for peace and conceives a daring plan.
Beetle chariot: He harnesses a giant dung beetle which has been captured on the slopes of Mount Aetna in Sicily and a beetle which is called Hercules (a symbol of peace and rebirth). Trygaeus flies to the heavens on its back. He finds Zeus' palace empty of the gods. Only Hermes, as messenger of the gods has been left behind. Hermes, he has been ordered to stay behind in a caretaker role of Zeus' palace.
Missing Peace: There, he learns from Hermes that the Gods have abandoned their posts frustrated by the Greeks and their war. Worse still, the principal warmonger, the god of War, Ares, has imprisoned Eirene, the goddess of Peace, in a pit. At this point the god of War enters grinding a mortar. He sends his companion, Havoc down to earth to bring back the Greeks' two "pestles", Brasidas (Sparta's general) and Cleon (the Tanner). [Brasidas and Cleon were the two principal warmongers amongst the Greeks. Pestles, along with mortars, are tools used for grinding and pulverising substances. In the context of the play, "pestles" symbolise agents of destruction and the continuous grinding down of the state and its people through war.]. Havoc returns saying that the Greeks have "lost" their two "pestles".
Rescue mission: Together with the help of the Chorus, his fellow Attic farmers Trygaeus digs out the goddess of Peace from the pit in the cave. Trygaeus also rescues Eirene's two companions, Opora and Theoria. Trygaeus takes them all back down to Earth with him. Once back home, Trygaeus hands over Theoria to the Athenian government. He then orders preparations to be made for his marriage to Opora.
Peace party: The play erupts in celebration. Farmers rejoice at the prospect of being able to return to their lands; in the meantime a series of persons who have profited from the war complain about the peace and are mocked for it: Hierocles, the soothsayer; an Arms Dealer; a sickle-maker; a spear-polisher; and a helmet-maker.
A happy sort of ending: Trygaeus is rewarded by getting married to Opora (Harvest), one of Eirene's attendant minor goddesses, she being a symbol of fertility and prosperity.
Peace is a bittersweet comedy. Whilst celebrating the end to hostilities, it also acknowledges the lost lives and opportunities of war. The play ends on a hopeful note, but with a tinge of caution – a reminder that Peace is fragile.
References
Peace (play) - Wikipedia
Crowell's handbook of classical drama pp. 254- : Hathorn, Richmond Y. - Internet Archive
A Guide to Ancient Greek Drama: Synopsis of Aristophanes' Peace
Dithyramb, Tragedy and Comedy pp. 320-321 by A.W. Pickard-Cambridge- Internet Archive
Analysis of Play: Peace
IRENE (Eirene) - Greek Goddess Hora of Peace (Roman Pax)
Peace - Aristophanes - Ancient Greece - Classical Literature
Peace by Aristophanes - GreekMythology.com
Aristophanes: Peace - Tom's Learning Notes
Google Scholar Search - Aristophanes Peace
Opora (mythology) - Wikipedia
JStor Search = Aristophanes Peace
Core UK Search = Aristophanes+Peace
Library of Congress Search = Aristophanes+Peace
Casting the Role of Trygaeus in Aristophanes’ Peace | The Theatrical Cast of Athens: Interactions between Ancient Greek Drama and Society | Oxford Academic
Greek Versions
Aristophanis Pax editit J. van Leeuwen - Internet Archive
The Peace of Aristophanes edited by W.C. Green
The Peace of Aristophanes edited by H. Shapley
Loeb Edition L 488: Aristophanes: Peace, Birds and Frogs trans B.B. Rogers
Peace: Aristophanes - Internet Archive ed. by Alan H. Sommerstein, pub Aris & Phillips
Clouds; Wasps; Peace: Aristophanes - Internet Archive ed. by J, Henderson, Loeb edition
Translations
Delphi Complete Works Of Aristophanes: Peace
ARISTOPHANES PEACE [Pangle] - Internet Archive
Aristophanes: Peace - Project Gutenberg
Aristophanes: Peace - MIT Classics Archive
Peace (Aristophanes) - Wikisource
Delphi Complete Works Of Aristophanes: Peace
Aristophanes: The Clouds and Peace
Aristophanes translations into English 1 The Acharnians / translated by Jack Flavin. Peace / translated by Fred Beake. Celebrating ladies / translated by David R. Slavitt. Wealth / translated by Palmer Bovie
The knights ; [and], Peace ; [and], the birds ; [and], the assemblywomen ; [and], Wealth : Aristophanes -Internet Archive
Aristophanes; tr. Alan H. Sommerstein (2005). Peace. Volume 5 of Comedies of Aristophanes. Aris & Phillips. ISBN 978-0-85668-785-3.
The Knights; Peace; Wealth; The Birds; The Assemblywomen [1986]
by Aristophanes; Translated by David Barrett and Alan H. Sommerstein
ISBN 0140443320 9780140443325
https://archive.org/details/knightspeacewea00aris/mode/1up
Loeb Edition L 488: Aristophanes: Peace, Birds and Frogs trans B.B. Rogers
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