This play was first performed at the Lenaia in 422 BC. It won second prize in the competition.
The play satirizes the Athenian legal system and the Athenians' love for litigation. The two main characters are the father, Philokleon [Admirer of Kleon], and his son, Bdelykleon [Loather of Kleon]. Philocleon loves to participate in the Athenian jury system which meets in the Agora or on the Pnyx; it pays him 2 obols a day to do so. The Chorus are the Jury, the jurors, the Wasps, the dikastes who wear cloaks and carry coloured pointed staves, the wasp stings of the play indicating the court they were to sit in. Philocleon's household represents the Athenian oikos, the basic economic unit in Athenian society. Kleon was Aristophanes' political enemy: the politician he most loathed. In a populist act Kleon had increased the jurors' pay from 2 to 3 obols a day. Many from the poorer classes those who were full citizens of Athens took advantage of this pay rise. Aristophanes in this play mocks the Athenian legal system about this. The play also represents the antithesis between the household (oikos/οἶκος) and the state (polis/πολις).
Bdelykleon arranges for a case to be tried at home: to try the dog which has been accused of stealing cheese. Bdelykleon wants to demonstrate by this means why he loathes Kleon and the error his father, Philokleon was making by supporting Kleon. Kleon was very much for continuing and prosecuting the war against Sparta [Peloponnesian War]. Rich and from the mercantile class, one might describe him as a war profiteer. He was renowned for using ruthless means to pursue his cause. Aristophanes believed the war to be needless and was draining Athens of its money, its youth, and its culture. The war was turning Athens into a populist state which the likes of Kleon was exploiting.
Of great political importance in democratic Ancient Athens was the Hēliaia. The whole Hēliaia (i.e., as a popular assembly) if organized as a court comprised 6,001 men); if was convened it met on the Pnyx. Normally sections of the Hēliaia (specifically called the Dikastēria), were composed of 1,501, 1,001, or 501 men in criminal cases and 201 men in civil cases. These Dikastēria were charged with the decision-making in these courts.
Cleon - Livius.org
Open Yale Courses - Athenian Democracy.
Athenian democracy - Wikipedia
Dikastes - Wikipedia
Constitution of the Athenians (Aristotle) - Wikipedia
Birth of Democracy: The Popular Courts
Konstan, D. (1985). The Politics of Aristophanes’ Wasps. Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), 115, 27–46. https://www.jstor.org/stable/284188
The Ephemeral, the Perennial, and the Structure of Aristophanes' Wasps
Banks, Thomas R. The Classical Bulletin; St. Louis Vol. 56, (Nov 1, 1979): 81-84.
Dramatis Personae:
Philokleon [admirer of Kleon]: Retired citizen of Athens. Spends his time attending the Athenian courts as a juror [dikast].
Bdelykleon [loather of Kleon]: Philokleon's son, effective head of the household.
Xanthias: Slave in Bdelykleon's household.
Sosias: Another slave in Bdelykleon's household.
Chorus Leader (or Coryphaeus): possibly Aristophanes himself.
Chorus (24 persons) of old Athenian jurors costumed as Wasps with their "stings".
Two dogs from Bdelykleon's household. (Labes and the Kydathenian Dog)
Myrtia: a baking woman
Two citizens who have been assaulted by Philokleon
A group of boys
Setting:
The Skene is the outside of an ordinary house, Philokleon's house, in Athens. The play opens at night time just before dawn.
Structural Analysis of the Play
Act I - Scene 1
Prologue, 1-229
There are two slaves, Sosias and Xanthias, sleeping outside the house, one on each side of the front door. They are supposedly taking turns to guard the house. Bdelykleon their master is sleeping on the roof terrace. The house is surrounded and enveloped by a net.
Sosias (waking Xanthias up): Hey, you! What's wrong with you, miserable Xanthias?
Xanthias (answering him): I'm teaching myself to end the night watch.
Sosias: So you're outdone with your ribs in a good volley. Don't you realize what kind of beast we are guarding in there (pointing at the house)?
Xanthias: I know it, but I want to forget my worries a little. (He goes back to sleep).
Sosias: Well, let's take the risk of a beating; besides, I too feel an indescribably sweet drowsiness spreading over my eyes.
Xanthias: (The seer who lowers his head jerkily.) But are you mad, please, or delirious with the Corybantes [priests of the goddess Cybele]?
Sosias: No, but a sleep takes hold of me, one which comes from Sabazios [god of wine in Thrace and Phrygia].
Xanthias: So you serve the same Sabazios as me. Because I too just now felt a shaky sleep melting on my eyelids, just like a Mede; and, by my faith, I have just had a marvelous dream right now.
Sosias: And me too, true, like I have never had before in my life. But you speak first.
Xanthias: I saw a huge eagle swoop down upon the Agora. It seized using its talons a bronze snake, which it carried off high up into the sky; then I saw this eagle turn into Kleonymos and the snake became his shield, which he dropped.
Sosias: Makes a fine riddle, this Kleonymos.
Xanthias: How so?
Sosias: One could begin by asking his drinking friends what kind of beast disposes of its shield on land, in the air, and at sea?
Xanthias: Alas! what misfortune will befall me when I have had such a vision in a dream.
Sosias: Don't worry. No harm will come to you, no, by the gods!
Xanthias: It's a terrible thing, I suppose, for a man to throw down his arms. But it's your turn to tell your dream.
Sosias: It was a big dream. It concerns the entire ship of state.
Xanthias: Quickly explain the essence of your dream.
Sosias: It seemed to me that soon after I had fallen asleep, there was in the Pnyx an assembly of sheep all sitting together, with staves and shorn coats. Then these sheep, so it seemed to me, were being harassed by a female sea monster that was ready to swallow them all up. This monster made the sound of a squealing sow.
Xanthias: Stop!
Sosias: What the matter? This disgusting leviathan had a pair of scales and was weighing out the fat on the hide of an ox.
Xanthias: Enough, No more!. Your dream reeks horribly of the rotting leather found in a tanner’s yard. O misery me! This is our Greece which the beast wants to carve up.
Sosias: Then I dreamt that Theoros [the name means a sacred envoy sent to consult an oracle; in this case, it is the name of a crony of Kleon's] sat down on the ground next to the monster. He had the head of a raven. Then Alcibiades spoke to me with a lisp – Are you awive? Theoros has the head of a waven.
Xanthias: You have perfectly imitated Alcibiades’ lisp
Sosias: Starnage isn't it? Theoros being turned into a raven!
Xanthias: It's perfect.
Sosias: How?
Xanthias: How? From being a man he suddenly becomes a crow. Isn't it obvious that we must conclude that by removing himself from amongst us he will go to the crows?
Sosias: After that, why shouldn't I give you two obols of salary, you who can interpret dreams so skilfully?
Xanthias (to Sosias): It's time now, after these few words of preamble, to turn our audience's attention to what is going on here.
(Turning towards the audience)
Do not expect anything too highfalutin from us, nor any stupid jokes stolen from the Megarans; nor indeed do we have a pair of slaves carrying baskets of nuts to throw to our spectators; nor has Heracles been cheated out of his dinner; nor are we going to harass Euripides again; nor are we going to mock Kleon again, even though he has recently crowned himself with glory. Rather we have a little subject about common sense which is well within your reach, but it is more ingenious than a banal comedy. We have a master, the one who sleeps up there, the big man who sleeps up there on the roof. He has charged us both to keep guard on his father whom he has had locked up, to prevent him from going out, because this father of his is suffering from a strange malady, which no one in the world would either imagine or suspect unless we were to tell you. Go on, have a guess. (Pointing at one of the spectators) Amynias here, son of Pronapes, says he is addicted to gambling.
Sosias: No it’s not that, by Zeus, he has only guessed this affliction because of his own failing.
Xanthias: He’s right though. It is an addiction of a kind. (Pointing at another spectator near to Amynias) Dercylos says that he is in love with alcohol. Not in the least. Come on, only good people suffer from this disease. (Pointing at another spectator) Nicostratos of the deme Scambonides, in his turn suggests that he is love with making sacrifices, or that he is a philoxene. By the dog, Nicostratos, he is not philoxene, considering that Philoxene is a prostitute. - It's in vain that you gossip; you will not find it out. If you want to know what is his affliction, then you are going to have to shut up then: I am now going to tell you what our master's illness is. He loves the Heliaia like no other person. It is his passion to be a dicaste, and he moans if he does not sit in the front row. As for sleep, he doesn't see one atom of the night; or, if he closes his eyes, even for a moment, it is over there that his spirit flutters during the night, around the klepsydra. He's so used to holding a voting pebble that when he wakes up he is clenching his three fingers together like as if he is sprinkling incense on the altar at the time of the new moon. And, by Zeus, if he sees written somewhere on a door the name of the son of Pyrilampos "I love Demos!", he will write alongside it "I love Kèmos [the funnel-shaped top of a voting urn]!" Once his cock crowed at sunset. He claimed that to have woken him up so late, too late to attend the court, the cock could only have been bribed by the accused, officials whose accounts were overdue. So it is that we have had to shut him up behind bolts and bars, and we keep a closely guarded watch on him to prevent him from leaving the house. His son is taking his illness very hard. At first, he tried soothing words to persuade him not to wear the juror's cloak and leave the house, but his father wouldn't listen. Next, he tried all kinds of treatments for madness, including immersion and exorcism, but he didn't yield. Then he made him join the Korybantes, but he still burst into the court with his drum and started listening to cases. Well, the son was getting nowhere with these methods, so he took his father by ferry across to Aegina to sleep for a night in Asklepios' temple! Lo! by the dawn of the next morning, there he is to be found at the rails of the court. After that, we stopped letting him go out altogether. But he kept on escaping via the pipes and gutters. Now we have stuffed every single opening with plugs and sealed them up, but he hammered pegs into the wall and hopped up and away like an old jackdaw. Now we have countered his antics by draping the whole courtyard with nets and standing guard all around the house. Well my dear sirs, Philokleon is the old man’s name, truly; and the son’s, Bdelykleon, for he is a wondrous high-and-mighty-mannered man.
[136-]
Bdelykleon: Χanthias and Sosias are you awake?
Χanthias: Oh dear!
Sosias: What's the matter?
Xanthias: Bdelykleon has awoken.
Bdelykleon: One of you has to run in there quickly. My dad has got into the kitchen where he's scurrying around like a mouse. Look under the sink. Don't let him escape via the drain. Keep leaning against the door
Sosias: Aye, aye, sir! Heavens above! what's that? What's making the chimney rumble?
[Sosias puts his ear to the chimney]
Hello there, sir! who's in there?
Philokleon (from inside the chimney): I'm smoke which is escaping.
Sosias: Smoke? from what wood?
Philokleon: The tree of the sycophants [fig tree].
Bdelykleon: There's no other smoke that is so acrid. Clamber back from where you came. What? you won't? Where's a log? Back in with you! I am going put this log on top of the chimney and smoke you out. [putting the log on top of the chimney]. (To Philokleon) There now, invent some other ruse. I'm now the most wretched man that ever was. They'll now call me the son of old Smokey.
[Philokleon attempts to break through the door. Sosias calls out for help.]
Sosias: He's now at the door now, pushing hard.
[Bdelykleon comes down to assist him]
Bdelykleon: Lean on it then with all your weight: I'm coming down directly. Make sure you use the bolt bar. And mind out he does not gnaw off the catch.
Philokleon (from within): Let me out you villains! Let me out to judge. Do you want The Dragon [Athenian, commander in the Peloponnesian War?] to get off scot free?
Xanthias: Would that cause you pain?
Philokleon: Sure would! Once the Delphic oracle advised me that if I ever let anyone off I would shrivel up and die!
Xanthias: O mighty Apollo, protect us from this.
Philokleon: Come on. Let me out, or Ill explode!
Xanthias: You'll not escape.
Philokleon: Then I'll bite my way through the net.
Bdelykleon: You haven't got any teeth.
Philokleon: Bring me my sword so I can kill him! Better still fetch me my tablet so I can sentence him to death.
Bdelykleon: He's plotting some mischief.
Philokleon: No I'm not. All I want to do is to take the donkey out with its panniers to sell them, It's new moon day (market day).
Bdelykleon: All right, go inside and fetch the donkey.
[Philokleon exits into the house to find the donkey]
Xanthias: You do realise that he was simply trying to deceive you to let him out of the house.
Bdelykleon: I realise that. But he hasn't caught me out. I fully understand all his tricks, but I think I will just go into the house and bring the donkey out myself to make sure he is not up to any kind of skulduggery.
Bdelykleon (from inside the house): Our friend is planning some great deceit.
Philokleon: No, by Zeus! I only want to go and sell my ass and its panniers, for it is the day of the new moon [first of the month/market day].
Bdelykleon: Could I not go and sell it just as well for you?
Philokleon: Not as well as I could.
Bdelykleon: Better. Bring the ass out here; bring it here by any means — if you can.
Xanthias: What clever excuse has he found now? What subterfuge is he using to get you to let him go out?
Bdelykleon: Indeed, I have sensed his trickery but I didn't swallow the hook. I will now go in and fetch the ass. The old man won't try that again. Stupid ass, why are you weeping? Is it because you are going to be sold? Come, don't be so stubborn. What are you moaning and groaning about now? Is it perhaps that you might be carrying another Odysseus?
[Bdelykleon goes into the house and brings the donkey back out. Philokleon is hanging upside down under the ass' belly. This is reminiscent of how Odysseus got his men out of the Cyclops' cave.]
Xanthias: Why so he is! Someone has sneaked under his belly.
Bdelykleon: Who could it possibly be? Let's take a look.
Xanthias: It's him.
Bdelykleon: What's this? Who are you? Speak up!
Philokleon: I am Nobody.
Bdelykleon: Nobody? From what country?
Philokleon: From Ithaca, son of Apodrasippides.
[Apodrasippides = A name composed of two Greek words, meaning, running away on a horse]
Bdelykleon: Well Mr Nobody, you will not be laughing presently. Pull him out quick! Ah! the wretch, where has be crept to? Does he not resemble a she-ass to the life?
Philokleon: If you do not let me go in peace, I shall commence a lawsuit against you.
Bdelykleon: And what will the suit be about?
Philokleon: The shadow of an ass.
[Aesop Fable: The Ass & His Shadow - https://read.gov/aesop/135.html]
Bdelykleon: You are a poor old man with very little wit, but thoroughly brazen.
Philokleon: A poor man? By Zeus! you know not now what I am worth, but you will learn when you eventually disembowel the old Heliast’s money bag.
[Meaning when Philokleon passes away and Bdelykleon inherits his estate. Heliast (Juror), so-called because the courts were held in the open (Ἥλιος, the sun), but the jurors did sit under a shade.]
Bdelykleon: Come, get back indoors, both you and your ass.
Philokleon: O my brethren of the tribunal! O Cleon come to my rescue!
Bdelykleon: Go and bawl in there under lock and key. (To the slaves) And you there, pile plenty of stones against the door, thrust the bolt home into the staple, and to keep this beam in its place roll that great millstone against it. Quick’s the word!!
Sosias: O my god! How come this brick has fallen on me?
Xanthias: Perhaps a rat loosened it.
Sosias: A rat? ’Surely it's our gutter-judge, who has crept underneath the tiles on the roof.
Xanthias (looking up): Ah! woe is us! There he is: he has turned into a sparrow; he will soon be flying off. Where is the net? where? pschit! pschit! come back!
Bdelykleon: Ah! by Zeus! I would rather have to guard Scioné than such a father.
Sosias: And how that we have driven him in thoroughly and he can no longer escape without our knowledge, can we not have a few winks of sleep, no matter how few?
Bdelykleon: Why, wretch! the other jurymen will be here almost directly to summon my father!
Sosias: Why? It's not even dawn yet!
Bdelykleon: They must have got up late today. Generally, it is the middle of the night when they come to fetch him. They arrive here,
Parodos, 230-316.
Chorus Leader: Come along there and keep up Comias! You're lagging behind. By Zeus, you never used to. Once you were strong and pull us all like a leather dog lead, but now even Charinades can outpace you. And you there, Strymodorus of Konthylé, best of all us crew of jurors, have you seen Euergides anywhere? and Chabes of Phlya? I'm afraid all of us who are here is all that remains of us. What has happened to all the strength we had in our youth, since the time when we were together on guarding the walls of Byzantium. You do remember how we prowled around the streets of that place by night and stole that baking-woman's kneading bowl, and how we broke it into pieces for firewood and cooked our pimpernel soup on the fire we built from it. Time we were moving along, lads. Laches is on trial today. [Laches was the general who led the Sicilian campaign, but has been accused of embezzling the Athenian state of the monies intended for it.] Everyone says he has stuffed his hive full of wealth, which is why our patron Kleon ordered us yesterday to report for jury duty early with three days of worth of rations of rage to punish him for his crimes. Hurry up my friends it's time we got a move on and let's try to get there by dawn. Keep a careful watch around ourselves with the lanterns lest there be any unseen stones in the mud which we might trip up on.
Boy: Old dads, mind the mud.
Chorus Leader: Then pick up a blade of straw and clean that wick in your lantern with it.
[The high humidity has caused the wick in the lantern to become covered with fungus thereby stealing its light.]
Boy: No way! I can do that better with my finger.
Chorus Leader: Who taught you to push the wicks around like that? you idiot! Oil for lamps is in short supply, but it's not you who suffers when the price for it goes up.
(The Chorus Leader hits the boy with his fist.)
Boy: Come on and I dare you to use your fists again to teach me, and if you do so I promise you that we'll put the lamps out and disappear off again back home! And maybe without the lanterns we'll leave you to scramble around in the darkness, churning up the mud like ducks!
Chorus Leader: I warn you I know how to punish persons bigger than you. Wait a moment, I am now treading in mud. Well that's the rain god at work. He'll make it rain continuously for four days in a row. Anyway the lanterns' wicks have mould on them, a thief which steals their light. Anyhow the rain will be good for those crops which haven't yet matured. They could do with a shower followed by a breath of wind from the north.
[The Chorus stop in front of Philokleon's house]
Chorus Leader: Where's our brother juror from this house? What's he up to? It appears he hasn't shown up to join us! He's never been late before. He is always ready to lead us on our way with a song or two from Phrynichus; the man is a keen singer. Men, I think we should wait out here and sing him out of his house. Maybe when he hears our chants he'll be happy to come down.
Chorus (Singing an ode in the manner of Phrynichus): Why hasn't the man appeared to us at his door? or answered our call? Perhaps he couldn't find his shoes? Or he might have dashed his foot against something in the dark and given himself a swollen ankle, especially an oldie like him! Or maybe something has swelled up in his groin. Let us remind you that he was the most punitive of us all. When it came to sentencing convicted criminals and they begged for leniency, he always remarked that they were trying to bake a stone. Or perhaps it was the case we dealt with yesterday, the one which was against that person who slipped through the fingers of our justice by making us believe that he was some kind of friend of Athens and pretending he was the first to tell us what was going on during the Rebellion of Samos [Samian War (440–439 BC)] ; perhaps he became very irked by that man and went to bed with a fever. That's the kind of person he is! Do get up, old friend! Don't let your frustration get the better of you. There's a right fat case today waiting for you in the dock, the wealthy man from Thrace who betrayed our forces on the front line. Let's get up and go and get him!
290-316 The Boy tries to beg from the Chorus, whom he addresses as Father, some money to buy him some figs. The Chorus refuse the Boy's request, and the Boy refuses to guide them any further. The Chorus complain that their pay of 3 obols a day, which they describe as paltry, is insufficient to cover the cost of figs when they have to pay for all the other things in life. The Boy replies that were the archon-magistrate to declare that the court would not be sitting that day they would not receive any pay whatsoever, then where would they be? What hope is there for Greece if they couldn't have their dinner? The Chorus reply that they haven't a clue where the dinner would come from. The Boy responds why on earth did his mother give birth to him if she could only give him lawsuits as food. The Chorus tell the Boy that he is merely a useless ornamental bag without boots. The Boy complains that it is his fate to groan! (The Boy cries).
290-316 The Boy tries to beg from the Chorus, whom he addresses as Father, some money to buy him some figs. The Chorus refuse the Boy's request, and the Boy refuses to guide them any further. The Chorus complain that their pay of 3 obols a day, which they describe as paltry, is insufficient to cover the cost of figs when they have to pay for all the other things in life. The Boy replies that were the archon-magistrate to declare that the court would not be sitting that day they would not receive any pay whatsoever, then where would they be? What hope is there for Greece if they couldn't have their dinner? The Chorus reply that they haven't a clue where the dinner would come from. The Boy responds why on earth did his mother give birth to him if she could only give him lawsuits as food. The Chorus tell the Boy that he is merely a useless ornamental bag without boots. The Boy complains that it is his fate to groan! (The Boy cries).
[Philokleon appears at an upper window in the house]
Philokleon: Dear friends I have been pining all the time listening to you through the little window in my cell. But I am unable to respond to your chanting. What can I do? I am being kept bolted up and imprisoned in my room and watched over by these men here. All I have been wanting to do is to go with you to be able to vote to do some harm to some unfortunate victim. Lord Zeus, turn me into smoke by your lightning so that I may escape like Proxenides. Or help me to clamber down that vine. Be gracious to me, Lord Zeus! Burn me with one of your thunderbolts. But then douse me and cool me down with some vinegar. Blow away the ashes or just turn me into a stone, the kind of stone they use to count the votes of the jurors.
Chorus: Who is restraining you thus? Tell us for we are your friends.
Philokleon: My son! But keep quiet and don't shout for he's down there asleep on top of the roof just above you.
Chorus: Tell us for what reason is he doing this to you, you fool!
Philokleon: He won't let me be a juror, to do harm to anyone. He's ready to feast me and keep me locked up, but I don't want to be fed.
Chorus: This is the villain, a Demagogokleon, who denounced you since you dared to present the truth about the fleet. He must be involved in some murky conspiracy otherwise why would he be doing this to you. It now time to find some way to help you to escape, by some clever scheme, so that you can come down to safety amongst us, all completely hidden from your son.
Philokleon: How? I am fully ready to consider anything you suggest so intent am I to come to the court with a voting pebble in my hand.
Chorus: Can you not find a secret passage like a cunning Odysseus did disguised in rags (when he entered Troy as a spy)?
Philokleon: All possible crannies have been sealed. There's no passage way that even a gnat could squeeze through. There is a pair of men at arms with sharp pointed spits guarding every way. You will have to think of another plan. I can't just flow out like curdled cheese.
Chorus: Don't you recall your escapade of old, that time when we were on campaign during the capture of Naxos town, and how you climbed down from top of its wall using some spits which you had stolen?
[Naxos was captured by the Athenian general and stateman, Cimon, after there had been a seditious rebellion on the island, some fifty years before Aristophanes' Wasps was first performed.]
Philokleon: I remember that well. but I was young and free to do as I pleased then. What relevance does it have to the predicament I am in now? I was strong then. No one kept watch over me. I could runaway when I chose. Today I now find myself guarded by men at arms at every exit. There are two outside my door with sharp spits just like those who lie in waiting right now for a cat which has snatched some meat.
Chorus: Come now! don't delay anymore. Find some way out! Soon sunrise will be upon us and we have to be in attendance at the court.
Philokleon: The best way out seems to be if I were to gnaw my way through the net surrounding the house. O Dictyna, goddess of hunts forgive me if I were to gnaw my way through this net.
Chorus: You truly are a man interested in his freedom. Get gnawing!
Philokleon: There you are. I have now succeeded in chewing a hole through this net and am now free. Please keep quiet for Bdelykleon has not yet woken up.
Chorus: Have no fear if he breathes a word he will only bruise his knuckles. He will have to fight us to defend himself. We will teach him a lesson not to insult the goddesses. Tie a rope around the window frame and your body, and lower yourself down to the ground with your heart bursting with the fury of Diopeithes [the soothsayer].
[Reference to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decree_of_Diopeithes ?]
Philokleon: But if any of the guards see what has happened, what then? What if these two try to pull me up and back in again? They are standing there just by the door like those folk who lie in wait for a cat which has pilfered some meat.
Chorus Leader: We will counter this with all the strength that we can summon up.
Philokleon: I will put my trust in you, and will attempt an escape. If I fail, take up my body and wash it with your tears, and then bury me under the railings in the courthouse.
Chorus Leader: Do not be afraid! Nothing will happen to you. Lower yourself down after praying to your ancestral gods.
Philokleon (in prayer): O mighty Lycus, the hero who is my neighbour, and who like me takes great delight in the tears of and listening the groans of the accused, come and set up home near the tribunal where thou canst listen to them incessantly. I swear thou alone of all heroes hast wished to remain amongst those who weep. Take pity on me and save him, he who lives close by to thee. On my part I promise that I will never again piss on or fart near your statue.
[Lycus of Athens, a wolf-shaped herο, whose shrine stood by the jury court, and the first jurors were named after him. There was a statue dedicated to him near the courts of the Heliaia.]Chorus: Come now and find some way out! Soon dawn will be upon us and we have to be in attendance at the court.
Philokleon: The best way out seems to be if I were to gnaw my way through the net surrounding the house. O my goddess of nets please forgive me if I were to gnaw my way through this one.
Chorus: You are truly a man interested in his safety. Get gnawing!
Philokleon: There you are. I have now succeeded in chewing a hole through this net and am now free. Pray, do keep quiet for Bdelykleon has not yet woken up.
Chorus: Have no fear if he breathes a word he will only bruise his knuckles. He will have to fight us to defend himself. We will teach him a lesson not to insult the goddesses. Tie a rope around the window frame and your body, and let yourself down to the ground with your heart bursting with the fury of Diopithes.
[Reference to Decree of Diopeithes - Wikipedia ?]
[Reference to Decree of Diopeithes - Wikipedia ?]
Philokleon: But if any of the guards see what has happened, what then? What if these two were to try to hoist me back up and in again?
Chorus: We will counter this with all the strength that we can summon.
Bdelykleon (to Xanthias): You there, wake up!
Philokleon: I will put my trust in you, and will attempt an escape. If I fail, take up my body and wash it with your tears, and then bury me under the railings in the courthouse.
Chorus Leader: Fear not. Nothing is going to happen to you. Let yourself down after praying to your ancestral gods.
Philokleon (in prayer): O mighty Lycus, the hero who is my neighbour, and who like me takes great delight in the tears of and listening the groans of the accused, come and set up home near the tribunal where thou canst listen to them incessantly. I swear thou alone of all heroes hast wished to remain amongst those who weep. Take pity on me and save him, he who lives close by to thee. On my part I promise that I will never again piss on or fart near your statue.
Bdelykleon (to Xanthias): You there, wake up!
Xanthias: What's the matter?
Bdelykleon: I thought I heard talking nearby.
Xanthias: Is the old man up to his tricks again, trying to break out through some passage way ?
[Line 396]
Bdelykleon: No, he's escaping using a rope.
Xanthias (to Philokleon): You wretch! What are you doing? Why are you climbing down that rope?
Bdelykleon: Climb up to the other window. Stand on the sill and hit him hard with the leafy branches of that harvest wreathe. The shock will make him climb back up again.
Philokleon (being walloped by Xanthias): Ow! Ow! (To the Chorus) Hey you there who busy themselves with lawsuits come immediately to the help of your friend. You Smicythion, help ! And you too, Tisiades! Pheredeipnus, Chremon come or let your friend be carried off.
Chorus: Why are we slumbering? Why are we slow to let loose our fury when our wasps' nests have been attacked? Our stings are angry; they are stiffening, those very same sharp stings with which we scourge our enemies. (To the boys and taking off their cloaks) Keep hold of these our cloaks and run and shout to Kleon. Tell him what is happening so that he can come here quickly to act against this adversary, this traitor to the city who deserves no less a punishment than death as he wants to prevent us from trying lawsuits.
Bdelykleon (shouting for assistance from some of his slaves): Midas, Phryx, Masyntias all of you come here quickly to me. Seize my father and guard him securely. Allow no one to set him free, otherwise none of you will get your midday meal. Clap him in strong and stout chains. Fear nothing; I have often heard the sound of buzzing in a bonfire of burning fig-leaves [bluster].
[The slaves who he has called rush out of the house and grab hold of Philokleon.]
Chorus: We shall thrust our stings into you if you refuse to let him go.
Philokleon: O Cecrops [mythological first king of Athens], mighty hero and with the tail of a serpent, look at how these barbarians [the slaves] are mauling me, their master, I who have made them shed bucketfuls of tears many times.
[Cecrops I - Wikipedia]
Xanthias (to Sosias): I am doing just that, but you should also be be striking at them too.
Sosias (to the Chorus): A plague on you, why don't you just buzz off? {To Xanthias) Hit at them with your stick.
Xanthias (to Sosias): You would smoke them out better if you were to throw Aeschinus son of Selartias onto the fire. (To the Chorus) We were always going to drive you away in the end.
[The Chorus retreat away from the house.]
Bdelykleon: By Zeus! they would not have been driven off so easily had they not been fed on the verses of Philocles. Chorus: It is clear that we have been attacked by a kind of tyrannical power, you arrogant copycat of Amynias, you who can only find pleasure in doing evil. Look how you are preventing us from fulfilling our duty to the City by obeying its laws. You are behaving like a tyrant neither looking for any reason for your actions, and claiming the right to rule all by yourself. Bdelykleon (to his slaves): Put up your sticks. (To the Chorus) Let's have a pause in our fighting. Let's instead discuss the situation. Would it not be better to come to some kind of agreed compromise? Chorus: You will be made to pay for all this and you will not have to wait long for your punishment; but first you must tremble before our ferocious stares and taste our just anger. [The Wasps begin to attack Bdelykleon. Bdelykleon (to Xanthias): Strike at the wasps, Xanthias. Drive them away from the house. Xanthias (to Bdelykleon): I am doing just that! (to Sosias) You too must smoke them out thoroughly. Sosias (to the Chorus): A plague on you all, why don't you just buzz off? (to Xanthias) Hit them with your stick! Xanthias (to Sosias): You would smoke them out more effectively if you were to throw Aeschinus, son of Selartius, onto the fire. (to the Chorus) We were always going to drive you away in the end! Bdelykleon: By Zeus! They would not have been driven off so easily if they had not been fed on the verses of Philokles [a well known Athenian tragic poet of the 5th century BC]. Chorus (to Bdelykleon): It is clear to us that we have been attacked by a tyrannical power, an arrogant copycat of Amynias [the current Archon?], you who are only doing evil. Look at how you are preventing us from fulfilling our duty to the City. We are only trying to obey its laws. Just like a tyrant you do not even bother to seek any pretext or any plausible excuse. You only claim the right to rule all by yourself. Bdelykleon (to his slaves Xanthias and Sosias): Stop! (to the Chorus) Let's pause our fight. Let's instead discuss the situation. It would be much better to come to some kind of compromise or agreement. Chorus: Compromise with you? you enemy of the people, you monarchist, you consortor with Brasidas (the Spartan general), you who wears of wooly fringes on your cloak, you who lets your beard grow! Bdelykleon: I would be altogether better off disowning my father rather than having to deal with all this hassle day after day. Chorus: Oh no! You haven't even thrown in the parsley and the rue. (Aside: We'll include that for free from our stock of comic phrases.) You're not suffering just yet, but wait till a respondent tips this same stuff all over you in court and accuses you of conspiring against the state. Bdelykleon: For the sake of all the powers of the gods in the heavens leave me alone Or am I going to be tormented by you all day long? Chorus: Not never! not whilst we are still alive. You have set yourself up as a dictator to rule over us whose only desire is tyrannise us. Bdelykleon: You seem to want to turn everything into a tyranny or a conspiracy against the city when anyone wants either criticise somthing big or something small. Indeed I have not heard the term "tyranny" being used for fifty years now. Now it seems to be cheaper than salted fish in the market, so much so that word is heard all over the Agora. If someone wants buy a gurnard and doesn't want sprats, the stallkeeper in the next stall barking his wares and selling sprats shouts out: "There goes a man whose cuisine tastes of Tyranny." And if you ask woman selling vegetables for some onions to garnish your fish with, she exclaims that you must be trying to tyrannise Athens, and comments that Athens must be being paying some kind of tribute for your seasoning. Xanthias: Yesterday I paid a visit to a brothel and asked a girl there to mount me and take a ride. Immediately she became angry and said that I wanted to restore the tyranny of Hippias. Bdelykleon: That's the kind of talk which arouses the people. As for me I just want my father to have a happy and peaceful life just like Morychus, instead of having to get up and go out at the crack of dawn just to got to a tribunal falsely to accuse some innocent man and condemn others unjustly. Is this why I am accused of Consipacy and Tyranny? Philokleon: Right you are! Fancy meals are no susbsitute for the life you want to deprive me of. A plague upon your red mullet and tasty eels, I would far rather be digesting a nice little lawsuit which has been stewed in a courtroom's casserole. Bdelykleon: That's only because you have become obsessed with finding your pleasure there. But if you are prepared to listen in silence listening to what I have to say and absorb what I have to propose to you perhaps I can pesuade you that you are only deceiving yourself. Philokleaon: How can I possibly be deceiving myself whan I am only judging a case as a juror [dikast]? Bdelykleon: Can't you see that these others are only laughing at you, these others whom you praise? You are their slave and you don't realise it! Philokleon: Cease talking like a slave when I am master over all I survey? Bdelykleon: No, you're not! You think of yourself as being a ruler, but you areally only a slave. Come on father, explain to us what profit you gain from gathering the fruits of Greece. Philokleon: Certainly! All I want to do is to make these men [the Chorus of Wasps] judges of the question you have posed. Bdelykleon: All right, so do I. (To the slaves holding Philokleon:) Release him. Philokleon (to the slaves going back into the house): Bring me a sword. (To Bdelykleon) Because if you beat me in the debate [Agon] I am going to kill myself. Bdelykleon: And what if you don't abide by the arbitrator's decision? Philokleon: Then may I never drink neat pay from the cup of Good Spirits. [A slave comes out of the house with a sword, handing it to Philokleon.]
Bdelykleon: I thought I heard talking nearby.
Xanthias: Is the old man up to his tricks again, trying to break out through some passage way ?
[Line 396]
Bdelykleon: No, he's escaping using a rope.
Xanthias (to Philokleon): You wretch! What are you doing? Why are you climbing down that rope?
Bdelykleon: Climb up to the other window. Stand on the sill and hit him hard with the leafy branches of that harvest wreathe. The shock will make him climb back up again.
Philokleon (being walloped by Xanthias): Ow! Ow! (To the Chorus) Hey you there who busy themselves with lawsuits come immediately to the help of your friend. You Smicythion, help ! And you too, Tisiades! Pheredeipnus, Chremon come or let your friend be carried off.
Chorus: Why are we slumbering? Why are we slow to let loose our fury when our wasps' nests have been attacked? Our stings are angry; they are stiffening, those very same sharp stings with which we scourge our enemies. (To the boys and taking off their cloaks) Keep hold of these our cloaks and run and shout to Kleon. Tell him what is happening so that he can come here quickly to act against this adversary, this traitor to the city who deserves no less a punishment than death as he wants to prevent us from trying lawsuits.
Bdelykleon (to the Chorus): Friends, stop your screaming and listen to reason.
Chorus: Screaming? by Zeus, we will scream all the way up to heaven.
Bdelykleon: I won't let him go.
Chorus: This is frightful and manifest tyranny. Rouse the City. Citizens, wake up Theorus [an embezzler of public funds], that enemy of the gods, and whoever else is there, and all the flatterers who rule over us.
Xanthias: Master, by Herakles, they've got gigantic stings protruding from their backsides. Can't you see them?
Bdelykleon: Yes! Those are the same stings that killed Philippus, son of Gorgias, when he was put on trial.
Chorus: And soon they will kill you too! Comrades, circle round him, with your stings erect and pointing straight at him. Close ranks, and summon up all your energy with hate and wrath. He needs to realise what kind of wasps' nest he has angered.
Xanthias: By Zeus, now to fight against a foe such as these is a serious matter. Truly, I quake and tremble when I see their stings.
Chorus: Set him [Philokleon] free! Let him go unless you want to be jealous of a tortoise with its hard shell.
Philokleon: Fellow dikasts, fly straight at them, with all your force, relentlessly and with all your furious buzzing. Some of you circle around them and sting them in their backsides, others of you sting them in their eyes and fingers.
Xanthias: Master, by Herakles, they've got gigantic stings protruding from their backsides. Can't you see them?
Bdelykleon: Yes! Those are the same stings that killed Philippus, son of Gorgias, when he was put on trial.
Chorus: And soon they will kill you too! Comrades, circle round him, with your stings erect and pointing straight at him. Close ranks, and summon up all your energy with hate and wrath. He needs to realise what kind of wasps' nest he has angered.
Xanthias: By Zeus, now to fight against a foe such as these is a serious matter. Truly, I quake and tremble when I see their stings.
Chorus: Set him [Philokleon] free! Let him go unless you want to be jealous of a tortoise with its hard shell.
Philokleon: Fellow dikasts, fly straight at them, with all your force, relentlessly and with all your furious buzzing. Some of you circle around them and sting them in their backsides, others of you sting them in their eyes and fingers.
Bdelykleon (shouting for assistance from some of his slaves): Midas, Phryx, Masyntias all of you come here quickly to me. Seize my father and guard him securely. Allow no one to set him free, otherwise none of you will get your midday meal. Clap him in strong and stout chains. Fear nothing; I have often heard the sound of buzzing in a bonfire of burning fig-leaves [bluster].
[The slaves who he has called rush out of the house and grab hold of Philokleon.]
Chorus: We shall thrust our stings into you if you refuse to let him go.
Philokleon: O Cecrops [mythological first king of Athens], mighty hero and with the tail of a serpent, look at how these barbarians [the slaves] are mauling me, their master, I who have made them shed bucketfuls of tears many times.
[Cecrops I - Wikipedia]
Chorus: Old age is full of ills These two slaves are violently assaulting their master. They have forgotten all the concern which he gave them. He bought for them their leather jackets, fur coats and caps made of dogskin. Further, in winter, he made sure that their feet did not become frozen.
[The slaves kick Philokleon]
Now look at them. Their is no kindness in their look, nor any respect for the slippers which he had bought them.
Philokleon: Let go of me. Your memory is short. You have forgotten when I caught you stealing grapes I had you tied to an olive tree where I gave you a real thorough thrashing so much so that the people in the neighbourhood thought you had been anally raped. Let go of me. You are ungrateful. Do this before my son appears.
Chorus: You [slaves] will have to repay all of us. Fear our ferocious stare for soon you will suffer the consequences of our just anger.
[Bdelykleon and Xanthias come rushing out of the house with jugs pumping out smoke and other instruments to drive the wasps away.]
Bdelykleon: Strike at them with your stick Drive the wasps away from the house.
Xanthias (to Sosias): I am doing just that, but you should also be be striking at them too.
Sosias (to the Chorus): A plague on you, why don't you just buzz off? {To Xanthias) Hit at them with your stick.
Xanthias (to Sosias): You would smoke them out better if you were to throw Aeschinus son of Selartias onto the fire. (To the Chorus) We were always going to drive you away in the end.
[The Chorus retreat away from the house.]
Bdelykleon: By Zeus! they would not have been driven off so easily had they not been fed on the verses of Philocles. Chorus: It is clear that we have been attacked by a kind of tyrannical power, you arrogant copycat of Amynias, you who can only find pleasure in doing evil. Look how you are preventing us from fulfilling our duty to the City by obeying its laws. You are behaving like a tyrant neither looking for any reason for your actions, and claiming the right to rule all by yourself. Bdelykleon (to his slaves): Put up your sticks. (To the Chorus) Let's have a pause in our fighting. Let's instead discuss the situation. Would it not be better to come to some kind of agreed compromise? Chorus: You will be made to pay for all this and you will not have to wait long for your punishment; but first you must tremble before our ferocious stares and taste our just anger. [The Wasps begin to attack Bdelykleon. Bdelykleon (to Xanthias): Strike at the wasps, Xanthias. Drive them away from the house. Xanthias (to Bdelykleon): I am doing just that! (to Sosias) You too must smoke them out thoroughly. Sosias (to the Chorus): A plague on you all, why don't you just buzz off? (to Xanthias) Hit them with your stick! Xanthias (to Sosias): You would smoke them out more effectively if you were to throw Aeschinus, son of Selartius, onto the fire. (to the Chorus) We were always going to drive you away in the end! Bdelykleon: By Zeus! They would not have been driven off so easily if they had not been fed on the verses of Philokles [a well known Athenian tragic poet of the 5th century BC]. Chorus (to Bdelykleon): It is clear to us that we have been attacked by a tyrannical power, an arrogant copycat of Amynias [the current Archon?], you who are only doing evil. Look at how you are preventing us from fulfilling our duty to the City. We are only trying to obey its laws. Just like a tyrant you do not even bother to seek any pretext or any plausible excuse. You only claim the right to rule all by yourself. Bdelykleon (to his slaves Xanthias and Sosias): Stop! (to the Chorus) Let's pause our fight. Let's instead discuss the situation. It would be much better to come to some kind of compromise or agreement. Chorus: Compromise with you? you enemy of the people, you monarchist, you consortor with Brasidas (the Spartan general), you who wears of wooly fringes on your cloak, you who lets your beard grow! Bdelykleon: I would be altogether better off disowning my father rather than having to deal with all this hassle day after day. Chorus: Oh no! You haven't even thrown in the parsley and the rue. (Aside: We'll include that for free from our stock of comic phrases.) You're not suffering just yet, but wait till a respondent tips this same stuff all over you in court and accuses you of conspiring against the state. Bdelykleon: For the sake of all the powers of the gods in the heavens leave me alone Or am I going to be tormented by you all day long? Chorus: Not never! not whilst we are still alive. You have set yourself up as a dictator to rule over us whose only desire is tyrannise us. Bdelykleon: You seem to want to turn everything into a tyranny or a conspiracy against the city when anyone wants either criticise somthing big or something small. Indeed I have not heard the term "tyranny" being used for fifty years now. Now it seems to be cheaper than salted fish in the market, so much so that word is heard all over the Agora. If someone wants buy a gurnard and doesn't want sprats, the stallkeeper in the next stall barking his wares and selling sprats shouts out: "There goes a man whose cuisine tastes of Tyranny." And if you ask woman selling vegetables for some onions to garnish your fish with, she exclaims that you must be trying to tyrannise Athens, and comments that Athens must be being paying some kind of tribute for your seasoning. Xanthias: Yesterday I paid a visit to a brothel and asked a girl there to mount me and take a ride. Immediately she became angry and said that I wanted to restore the tyranny of Hippias. Bdelykleon: That's the kind of talk which arouses the people. As for me I just want my father to have a happy and peaceful life just like Morychus, instead of having to get up and go out at the crack of dawn just to got to a tribunal falsely to accuse some innocent man and condemn others unjustly. Is this why I am accused of Consipacy and Tyranny? Philokleon: Right you are! Fancy meals are no susbsitute for the life you want to deprive me of. A plague upon your red mullet and tasty eels, I would far rather be digesting a nice little lawsuit which has been stewed in a courtroom's casserole. Bdelykleon: That's only because you have become obsessed with finding your pleasure there. But if you are prepared to listen in silence listening to what I have to say and absorb what I have to propose to you perhaps I can pesuade you that you are only deceiving yourself. Philokleaon: How can I possibly be deceiving myself whan I am only judging a case as a juror [dikast]? Bdelykleon: Can't you see that these others are only laughing at you, these others whom you praise? You are their slave and you don't realise it! Philokleon: Cease talking like a slave when I am master over all I survey? Bdelykleon: No, you're not! You think of yourself as being a ruler, but you areally only a slave. Come on father, explain to us what profit you gain from gathering the fruits of Greece. Philokleon: Certainly! All I want to do is to make these men [the Chorus of Wasps] judges of the question you have posed. Bdelykleon: All right, so do I. (To the slaves holding Philokleon:) Release him. Philokleon (to the slaves going back into the house): Bring me a sword. (To Bdelykleon) Because if you beat me in the debate [Agon] I am going to kill myself. Bdelykleon: And what if you don't abide by the arbitrator's decision? Philokleon: Then may I never drink neat pay from the cup of Good Spirits. [A slave comes out of the house with a sword, handing it to Philokleon.]
Agon I, 526-727.
Act I - Scene 2
Lyric transition scene, 729-759.
Trial of the Dogs 760-1008
This episode parodies the confrontation between two ideologically opposed statesmen, the arch-demagogue Cleon and general Laches, in the last years of the Archidamian War.
[The first phase (431–421 BC) of the Peloponnesian War was named the Ten Years War, or the Archidamian War, after the Spartan king Archidamus II, who launched several invasions of Attica with the full hoplite army of the Peloponnesian League, the alliance network dominated by Sparta.]
[The image of the dogs may have come from Cleon's own rhetorical nickname. He liked to compare himself to the Dog-Star (Sirius in the constellation of Canis Major) the brightest star in the sky. Aristophanes and other comic poets liked to think of this particular demagogue as a hound, sometimes more specifically with Kerberos, the mythical hound which guarded Hades. Kerberos was often depicted as a three-headed dog with a serpent's tail.]
Bdelykleon begs his father to do as he asks, Philokleon says he will do as his son requests except one thing: he refuses to give up serving on a jury. He would rather die before he does that. Bdelykleon then suggests to his father why does he have to go all the way to the Heliaia (Agora or Pnyx) to judge a case? Why doesn't he just stay at home and simply try one concerning his own household? Bdelykleon suggests to Philokleon that it will be just the same as going there to the Agora or the Pnyx as he would be able to fine those whom he proves guilty just like as if he were there. For example, Bdelykleon suggests to his father trying the sly housemaid who is rather loose with her favours: she often leaves the door open giving them away to all and sundry who visit her . His father could fine her one drachma for her loose behaviour, the same as he would do so at the Heliaia. Also whatever the weather and season it would be better to hold his trials at home. And if he oversleeps no archon would be able to bar the door of the court to him in his own home.
[Heliaia = Court held in the open air under the sun. The jurors would have been under a sunshade.]
Philokleon approves of the whole idea.
Bdelykleon continues relating the benefits of this novel court system to his father. For example, if a speaker goes on tiringly and endlessly he wouldn't miss his meals at home. As for all the time spent swearing in that goes on there in the courts of the Helaia. It can now all take place here at home.
Philokleon gives in to the whole concept, but he wonders whether he would continue to receive his pay. Bdelykleon tells him that he will still receive his pay from him.
Philokleon then goes on to relate the story of how he was once cheated of his pay by a fellow juror named Lysistratus [a renowned practical joker]; that when they had at one time received their fee, they were given a drachma coin [worth 6 obols] which had to be changed into 6 obols to be able to split it between them. Lysistratus had gone to the fish market to ask one of the stallkeepers to change it for them. He returned and gave Philokleon what looked like three obol coins but which were in fact three fish scales. Philokleon put them in his mouth to test them with his teeth, but they were rotten, so he spat them out and throwing up. Mocking Philokleon Lysistratus told him that he had the gizzard of a cock, and could now digest hard pennies.
Bydelykleon and Philokleon both agreed that it was now time to commence some kind of trial.
Bdelykleon goes inside the house to rummage for some items, whatever was necessary to try a case at home. As he left Bdelykleon said it would all bring Philokleon great advantage, telling him to look at how much he would gain by trying cases at home. Philokleon urged him to start the trials as soon as possible.
Philokleon comments on how remarkable it was that the oracles of the soothsayers often came true. For he had frequently heard it foretold that the Athenians would come to try all lawsuits in their own homes. Each home would have a small courtroom specially built for the purpose complete with a shrine dedicated to Hecate, the Moon goddess, guarding its entrance.
At this point, Bdelykleon re-enters with house slaves carrying all the paraphernalia to set up a courtroom. He hangs a small jar on a peg near his father telling him that it's there for him to be able to relieve himself. Bdelykleon also lights a small fire setting down upon it a pot filled with lentil soup telling him if during the proceedings he felt hungry he could always help himself to it and that it was always ready whenever he wanted it.
Philokleon now said he was all set to try a case as he would not now lose his pay and food was all ready for him to consume. He asks Bdelykleon why he had also brought a cock with him. Bdelykleon tells him that if he ever nodded off to sleep whilst the plaintiff was pleading his case the cock would wake him up.
Philokleon asks his son whether he would still get his pay when he was sick. Bdelykleon answers: "Of course". He then asks his son whether a shrine to Lycus [king of Thebes] could be set up. Bdelykleon points at the theatre's altar and remarks "There it is!", directing a small boy-slave to go and stand on it like a statue, and then pointing at the boy and remarking, "There's the hero himself!"
Philokleon remarks "My Lord, I apologise, I hardly recognised you." He approaches the boy statue. Bdelykleon cracks a joke. Hard to recognise like Kleonymus who like a coward had thrown away his shield.
Bdelykleon tells his father to take his place and sit down so that the trials could begin. He then asks "What case shall we begin with father? Who in our household has done something bad? How about trying the Thracian girl slave who burnt our pot of soup yesterday? "
Philokleon interrupts saying "Do you mean to say you are going to start without having any court railings? They are sacred to the whole process!" [This is the bar to which prisoners are summoned, and the bars separating those who judge [the dikasts] from the general public. Philokleon gets up and goes inside the house to fetch some.]
At this juncture Xanthias, the slave, rushes out of the house onto the stage. He accuses Labes, the house dog, of having come into the kitchen and stealing an expensive wheel of Sicilian cheese, and not only taking it away but that he had also scoffed the lot. Xanthias asks his masters why they keep a dog like that.
Bdelykleon says that this is the perfect case to be tried, and orders Xanthias to stay and act as prosecutor of the dog, Labes [its name means snatcher]. Xanthias refuses to act in this role asking why doesn't the other dog take up this job. Bdelykleon orders Xanthias to bring the two dogs before the court. Xanthias exits to carry out this instruction.
[As Xanthias exits into the house Philokleon comes out with part of a fence.]
Philocleon: That ingenious. Even if I have a cold, I will still receive my salary. By staying here, I'll be swallowing my lentils. But why did bring you this cock?
Bdelycleon: Deliberately, in case you should fall asleep during a pleading; (he hangs the cage with the cock on the wall) by singing from above he will wake you up.
Philocleon: There is one more thing I regret; the rest is fine with me.
Bdelycleon: What?
Philocleon: The aedicula of Lycos, is there any way to bring it here. [Bdelykleon directs a boy slave to go stand on the theatre's altar.] Bdelycleon: Here he is, the lord himself.
Philokleon: O master, O hero, how disagreeable you are to look at!
Bdelykleon: Just as Cleonymos seems to us.
Philokleon: Yes, he has no weapons either, hero though he is. [The boy slave has no penis hanging from his belt. Cleonymos when fleeing threw his shield away.]
Bdelykleon: If you sat right away, I'd call a case right away."
Philokleon: Announce one then, for I have already been sitting here for long enough.
Bdelykleon (talking to himself): Come on! what case shall I bring before him first? What misdeed has one of the people in our house committed? (Aloud) Thratta [The female kitchen slave from Thrace] very recently let the pot burn...
Philokleon: Stop it; you almost killed me. eyes!
Bdelykleon: No, by Zeus, there are none.
Philokleon (getting up): Well, I'm running off to go and find myself one, just now, inside
Bdelykleon: What it is! What a terrible attachment you have for that place! [Xanthias, the slave, rushes out of the house onto the stage.] Slave: How can one feed such a dog?
Bdelykleon: What is the matter? Prithee tell me.
Slave: He, Labes the dog, ran into the kitchen and stole a fresh Sicilian cheese, which he has devoured.
[Labes is a corruption of the name, Laches.]
Bdelykleon: Well then this one here can serve as the first case that I can bring before my father. You can present yourself as the prosecutor..
Slave: No, by Zeus, not me; but let the other dog do it. He says he wants to be the accuser if the opportunity arises.
Bdelykleon (to a Slave): Go and bring both of the dogs here.
Slave: That is what I was going to do. (He goes into the house).
Bdelykleon (to Philokleon who has returned with some kind of makeshift bar): What is that?
Philokleon: The pigpen of Hestia. [This is the wicker rack behind which pigs waiting to be sacrificed to Hestia are penned during the Eleusina festival.]
Bdelykleon: That’s a sacrilegious theft. Why are you bringing it here?
Philokleon: No it’s not, as I want to begin with Hestia’s help to crush someone. (He sits down) but hurry up and read the indictment; I see that there is only one thing left for me to do, to set the penalty (if the accused is found guilty).
Bdelykleon: Come on, let me go and fetch the boards and other paraphernalia..
(Bdelykleon goes into the house)
Wicker rack behind which the pigs waiting to be sacrificed to Hestia were kept locked up during the Eleusinian festival
Philokleon (impatiently): Woe! How late you are! You will kill me wasting time! Me who was only asking to plough a furrow in my little field.
Bdelykleon (returning with some boards and tablets from the house): That's it. . I
Philokleon: Call now.
Bdelykleon: Let's begin. (Reading the boards.) Who is this, the first case registered?
Philokleon (Jumping up): To the crows! How boring! I forgot to bring the voting urns.
(He attempts to go inside the house. Bdelykleon stops him.)
Bdelykleon: Hey you! Where are you running off to now?
Philokleon: To fetch some voting urns.
Bdelykleon: Don't. I have these pots here.
(He places two bowls on the table)
Philokleon: Very well then. We have everything we need, except a Klepsydra [a water clock].
(He again gets up and attempts to go and fetch one)
Bdelykleon (pointing at the piss pot which he had brought in earlier): So what is this for if it isn’t a water clock?
Philokleon: You certainly know how to provide for everything.
Bdelykleon (to his Slaves): As quickly as possible go and fetch charcoal and fire, branches of myrtle and incense from within, so that we can begin to make our invocations to the gods. Slaves, go in and bring out the necessary items!
(The Slaves go into the house bringing the requested items out. Bdelykleon lights the fire and he and the Chorus begin to make their prayers to the gods.)
The Chorus-Leader: And we, on the occasion of these libations, and these prayers, we will make our good wishes to you, in mortar, Hestia, protector of the home, to whom we offer the first libation; because generously, after the war and the dispute, you came to an agreement. First of all, let's gather now, and pray that the divine powers bring peace between father and son
The Chorus: O Phoebus Apollo [god of light] of the Delphic oracle, may with happiness the matter that this man arranges before his front door, succeeds and we all are delivered from our errors. Io, io Paean.
Bdelykleon: “O master, Lord Apollo Agyieus, my neighbour and guardian of my entrance, accept this new ceremony, O Lord, which we inaugurate for my father; make it no longer that he has a too acerbic and hard character like an oak tree; Sweeten with a little Anticyre honey his temper so that he will henceforth be gentle towards people, and more merciful to the accused than to the accuser; let him weep with those who implore him; that, corrected of his sorrowful spirit, he removes the stinging nettles of his anger.
[By the frontdoor of the houses in Athens was often placed an altar or a stele in honour of Apollo Agyieus (guardian of the streets) and the protector of houses during the day. Hecate was protector goddess at night-time.
Anticyre honey, perhaps honey where the bees have collected nectar from hellebore plants. These have a root with a nauseous taste. They are very acrid, and bitter, with a virulent smell; hellebore is also violently purgative. The ancients praised the use of hellebore from Anticyre against madness and imbecility. An infusion made from it cleanses old insensitive ulcers. When pulverized, the powder promptly excites sneezing so strong and if used repeatedly some very unfortunate accidents can occur.]
The Chorus: We join in your prayers and accompany you with our odes for your new duties, because of what you have just said. Because we are devoted to you since we recognise you as a friend of the people more than any other man amongst the young.
(A Slave enters leading two characters disguised in masks and costumes as dogs, one called Labes (name means Grabber) which has the features of Laches, the general who led the expedition against the Sicilians, the other called the Kydathenian Dog having a resemblance to Kleon, the populaist politician.)
[Kleon was from the deme Kydatheneus, Laches from the deme Aixone.]
Bdelykleon: If there is some other heliast [juror] still outside, let him now enter; because, once the debates and proceedings have started, no one else will be let in.
Philokleon: Who stands accused?
Bdelykleon (pointing at the dog, Labes): Him.
Philokleon (aside): How condemned he is going to be!
Bdelykleon: Now listen to the indictment. A complaint has been brought by Dog Kydathenian against Dog Labes Aixonien, guilty of having single-handedly devoured a cheese from Sicily. Penalty - made to wear a yoke of a sycophant – a collar [a conehead collar?] made from the wood of fig-tree.
Pun:- fig-wood (from Ancient Greek σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”). σύκινος (sukinos genitive)
Sukophantes = Sycophants. Ancient Greek συκοφάντης (sukophántēs), itself from σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”) + φαίνω (phaínō, “I show, demonstrate”. [fig-wood has no strength].
sycophant - Wiktionary
Philokleon: Rather he should die a dog's death, if he is convicted.
Bdelykleon: But here is Snatcher, the accused, (the dog Labes appears).
Philokleon: What a scoundrel! He looks just like a thief!
(The accused dog laughs, baring his teeth just like a dog)
How he thinks that just by gritting his teeth he can deceive me! But where is the plaintiff, the Kydathenian Dog?
Kydathenian Dog: Bow wow!
Bdelykleon: Here he is.
Philokleon: Another Labes, that one.
Bdelykleon: Good at least at barking.
Philokleon: And also licking pots clean.
Bdelykleon (performing the role of archon (magistrate) of the court, to Philocleon):
Silence and sit down. (To the Kydathenian Dog.) You climb up there and make your accusation.
(The Kydathenian Dog climbs up onto a bench.)
(Philokleon does as he is told and sits down in his place.)
Philokleon: Come on! In the meantime, I will pour myself some lentil soup and gulp it down.The Kydathenian Dog: Gentlemen of the dikasts you have heard the complaint I wrote against the accused here. He did the worst kind of deed against me and the sailor people. For having fled into his dark corner, he "Sicilised" a whole large wheel of cheese and filled himself with it in the shadows.
[Laches ended up in Sicily after having allowed himself to be corrupted.]
Philokleon: By Zeus! it's obvious he is guilty. In my nose I smell it and you heard it, Labes has just belched and there’s a filthy odour of cheese in the air. It’s disgusting.
The Kydathenian Dog: Plus he refused to give me my share of the cheese which I asked for.
So who will do me a favour if someone doesn't throw some food for me to eat as your house dog?
Philokleon: He doesn't share anything with me, either. It's because he burns, the guy, just as much as my lentils.
Bdelykleon: In the name of the gods, do not condemn him, father, until at least you have heard both sides of the case.
[The accused cries out.]
Philokleon: But, my dear fellow, the matter is clear; his guilt cries out loud all by itself. The Kydathenian Dog: Don't absolve him. For of all dogs he is the most selfishly gluttonous beast, a being who, by navigating around the mortarboard, he has robbed its cities of their crust and eaten it.
[Sicily is compared to a mortarboard because of its shape. Sicilian cheeses were encased in mortar for transportation purposes in order to preserve them. σ𝜒ϊρο𝜈, the crust or rind of cheese, which is also said to be made from a gypsum-type material, a kind of plaster of paris, with which one can also use fill up the cracks in a broken pot,
Philokleon: And I do not even have enough left with which to plaster my pitcher.
The Kydathenian Dog: Consequently, chastise him, because a single bush could never feed two thieves. I didn't bark in the void and for nothing; otherwise, in the future I won't do anymore barking.
Philokleon: Oh! Oh! how many villainies he has accused him of! It is the same flight as this man! Isn't that your opinion too, my cock? By Zeus, he nods at me with a wink, positively. Thesmothete [addressing Bdelykleon] pass me the piss pot.
Bdelykleon: Pick it up yourself, because I'm now going to call the witnesses. (Philocleon uses the vase to pee in.) Let the witnesses in favour of Labes appear: mortar bowl, pestle, cheese grater, grill, pot and all the utensils assigned.
[The said utensils are represented by stagehands bearing insignia signifying which kitchen utensils they are.]
Bdelykleon (continuing to speak to Philocleon: Ah, you, you're still having a pee so don't sit down yet.
Philocleon: (Setting down the pot and pointing at the accused.) That one, I believe, will do under him today.
Bdelykleon: Won't you stop, on your part, being harsh and surly, and that towards the accused, and holding them to their teeth?" (To Labes, the accused dog) Get in there, defend yourself. (Labes climbs onto a bench and is silent.) Why are you silent? Speak.
Philokleon: But he seems to me, that one, to have nothing to say in his defence.
Bdelykleon: It's not that. That happens to him, it seems to me just like the same thing which happened to Thucydides when he stood trial. Thucydides’ jaw suddenly became paralyzed when he stood in the dock (To Labes) Step down. I will take up your defence.
[He mounts the bench in place of the dog and continues]. It is a difficult task, gentlemen, to plead the cause of a dog which has been slandered; nevertheless, all the same, I will speak on his behalf . He is good and chases wolves away from our flocks..
Philokleon: Rather say that he is a thief, this dog, and a conspirator.
BnecycLeon. No! By Zeus he is the best of dogs. He is capable of being in charge of many sheep.
Philokleon: What good is he if he steals cheese?
Bdelykleon: What? He fights to defend you. He guards your door and in every other way he is excellent. If he has committed theft, forgive him for he doesn't even know how to play the lyre.
Philokleon: I wish he didn't even know his letters. He couldn't have falsified the account he gave us.
Bdelykleon: Listen, my dear man, my witness. Step up here, Cheese Grater, and speak out loud. Wasn’t it you who was acting as quartermaster [steward] at the time? [The actor playing the Cheese Grater comes forward.) Now answer clearly, unambiguously and truthfully: didn't you grate (help yourself to) a share of the spoil that you had received on the soldiers’ behalf? (The Cheese Grater nods) He says he did.
Philokleon: But, by Zeus, he is lying.
Bdelykleon: You devil of a man, have pity on those who are in pain. This Labes only eats the scraps we give him: fish heads and bones, and he never sits still. Whilst this other one here is nothing more than a house dog. He does not stray from the house and everything that we bring back home here, he claims and wants his share of it. And if you refuse him, he bites you.
Philokleon: O horror! what is this strange evil feeling that is coming over me? Something is bothering me? An evil circumvents me and am I allowing myself to be persuaded?
Bdelykleon: O come now, I implore you to take pity on him, O my father, and don't lose him. Where are his little ones? (Some children acting and costumed as puppies come out of the house on stage, crying and whining) Climb up upon his lap (pointing at his father), O unhappy ones, and yelp, pray, beg, and weep.
Philokleon: Down, get down, get down. (Pointing downwards at his feet) heel.
Bdelykleon: I am going to step down. Although many a person has been deceived by this word 'down', nevertheless I will step down.
Philokleon (drying his eyes from his tears and eating some lentil soup to keep his countenance): To the crows! How bad it is to swallow! I have come to cry now; I'm sure it's only because of this mush I have filled myself with.
Bdelykleon: So you’re not acquitting him after all?
Philokleon: It's hard to know.
Bdelykleon: Come on, little father, a good move. Take this voting pebble, go quickly to the second balloting urn with your eyes closed, and absolve him, father.
Philokleon (rising up): Certainly not! I also don't know how to play the lyre.
Bdelykleon: Let's see, I'll lead you around here, by the shortest route.
[He takes his hand and leads him quickly around the table and stopping in front of the second urn]
Philokleon: This is the first urn!
Bdelykleon: Yes, that one.
Philokleon (dropping his voting pebble into the balloting urn): Here, my vote is now in there.
Bdelykleon (aside): He's been fooled. He has acquitted Labes without him wanting to. (To Philocleon) Let's see. I’ll empty the balloting urns (and count the votes).
Philokleon: So, what is the result of our discussions?
Bdelykleon: Apparently we'll see. (Bdelykelon empties the two balloting urns one after the other and announces the result) Labes, you have been absolved. (Philocleon collapses) Father, father, what has happened to you? O Misfortune! Where’s the water? (A slave brings water and Bdelycleon tries to revive his father) Get up.
Philokleon: Tell me one thing. Was he really acquitted?
Bdelykleon: Yes, by Zeus.
Philokleon: So I no longer exist.
Bdelykleon: Do not worry, devil of a man, and get back on your feet. (Z straightens him.) Philokleon: How shall I bear this fact in my conscience?" I absolved an accused! What will I become? O most revered gods, forgive me. It was in spite of myself that I did it and against my temper.
Bdelykleon: Yes, and don't worry. Me, my father, I'll feed you well, I'll take you with me everywhere, to dinners, to banquets, to shows; you will spend the rest of your days in joy and you will not be taunted and duped by Hyperbolos.. Come on, let's go in. Philokleon: So be it, since we want it.
(They all go back inside the house; the slaves carry away all the objects which had been brought out brought. Only the Chorus is left in the Orchestra. They turn to face the audience.)
Parabasis I, 1009-1121.
The Chorus Leader or Coryphaeus (to the actors who have just left the stage): Go merrily where you please.
[The Chorus and their Leader now do an about turn to face the spectators.]
The Chorus Leader (addresses the audience):
You, myriads without number, good people, pay attention and listen carefully. Our poet has a bone to pick with you. He claims you have treated him badly, yet he has rendered you many services. He has helped many other playwrights in secret and anonymously to shape their work. He has done this just like as if he were Eurycles, the famous ventriloquist, diviner and soothsayer; Eurycles claimed he had a hidden genie in his belly who spoke the prophesies that he delivered. So it was with our poet he penetrated the bellies of these other poets, there to spread humour with many famous jokes and quips in stealth. Now uncovered he publicly leads his own Muse. Since he did that he has been raised to much glory and been honoured as no one previously. Though overburdened with success more than any other poet he has shown no kind of arrogance nor any conceit as a result of this. Neither did he seek to seduce the youths at the Palaestra. He is only inspired by honourable motives. Our poet denies that he was afraid and let himself be hated because he has a sense of propriety which prevents him from allowing his Muse to be a go-between ordinary men.
From the outset of his dramatic career, he only maligned those men who were formidable monsters. He attacked them with the courage of Hercules. In particular, he went straight for that jagged-tooth beast [Cleon], the creature which had eyes that flashed like lightning like Cynna's, this Cynna, this witch who allowed himself to have a hundred heads of odious sycophants all around him licking his head. This Cynna had the voice of a sewer in full flood, the reek of a sick seal, the filthy testicles of a Lamia and the arse of a camel.
[Knights was Aristophane's first play which he produced (in 424 bc) using his own name. It highly satirised and lampooned Cleon.]
[Cynna, the courtesan, who beguiled men by flashing her eyes. Cynna's foreign-sounding name Κύννης, which to Athenians sounded much like κύων (kýon), meaning a dog and rhyming with Cleon. Indeed Aristophanes endows his Cynna, his androgynous beast, his Lamia with testicles.]
Upon seeing this monstrosity our poet did not take flight or allow himself to accept a bribe thereby abandoning you, rather he fought on for you He says he took on this ogre last year. He tackled with that thing, the plague which took hold of the city, which brought hot and cold fevers in its train, those demons which strangled both fathers and grandfathers by night in their beds, and crawled into the beds of honest people. This plague brought many a sworn testament, summonses and citations with it. Many citizens rose up in terror at these running to the Polemarch [Nicias?] to defend them from these demons [the sycophants — Cleon's agents, who like their master, preferred to attack people, peaceful people who hate business, extorting money from the surviving sons, blackmailing them, and for whom they became real nightmares].
Such is the hero poet you chose to rid our land of its evil. But last year you let him down, even though he had sown the seeds of many a new idea in your minds. But none of these took root because you did not appreciate their full and true value. In spite of this, by Dionysos, never before were heard better comic verses. It is a pity that you did not get their meaning straightaway, shame on all of you. Our poet nonetheless is well esteemed by judges who are discerning, but he never got his just reward for the new ideas.
Dear audience, you must love and honour those poets who seek to express their ideas in new ways. Make these ideas your own. Put them in a casket [in your heads] like sweet-smelling fruits. If you do this their fragrance will be instilled in your clothing and emit a sweet odour of wit the whole year through.
Chorus (chanting an ode):
Once upon a time we were strong and sturdy in the choral dances, and strong and sturdy in battle, but most of all we were once strong and sturdy with this (waving their mock penises strapped to their waists). But that was a long time ago. All that has gone now, and our hair now is whiter than a swan. But we must rise from being wrecks and revive our youthful strength, for we believe that old age more than surpasses the curly hair, the fancy clothing, and the shape of the wide and receptive nature of the anuses of the young men today.
Chorus:
We are like wasps. We behave like wasps: we swarm and live in nests. Some of us follow the Archon [magistrate]; others follow the Eleven [officials in charge of the prison]; some go to the Odeon [also used as a law court as well as a theatre]. There are yet others who hardly move at all. They are like larvae in their cells, stuck to the walls, and curled up on the ground. We listen to and learn about all the ways there are to exist. The first who appears we live at his expense. Finally, there are drones amongst us who have no sting [no weapons]. They steal our remuneration [or honey, the city's income] devouring it. This group grieves us the most. They are men who have never served their country IN ITS DEFENCE [stay-at-homes]. They enrich themselves at our expense and have no sores or blisters on their hands. In our opinion, in future, every citizen not possessed of a wasps sting [i.e. weaponless and not able to participate in the city's battles against its enemies] should not receive the triobolus [the three obols daily pay for attending the court].
Iambic Scene, 1122-1264.
Parabasis II, 1265-1291. Criticism of Cleon
The Chorus-Leader:
Often I have thought of myself as being naturally intelligent, and never dull-witted and awkward. But more adroit is Amynias (a known partisan of Cleon), the son of Sellos (known to be effeminate), and a descendant of Crobylos (crobylos is a kind of fancy and effeminate hairstyle), he whom I once saw, instead of satisfying himself with merely a quince and a pomegranate, was taking dinner with Legoras (a well-known epicure), for he was as hungry (for money) as Antiphon (the leading orator of the day, speechwriter in court cases). Well, our man was sent in a deputation to Pharsalus, and there he lived alone amongst only the Penests (similar to Helots) of Thessaly himself a "Penest" as well as none. (Amynias was sent by Cleon to Thessaly to establish a democratic regime there. There he consorted with the Penests (ie the poor) whom he wanted to rise up against their masters, himself being "poor" like them).
O blessed Automenes, how we do congratulate you on having bred three such sons excellent in their art. First of these is a man loved by all, so skilful and incomparable a lyre player, whom favour always followed; then the next, an actor, skilful beyond all expression; finally Ariphrades by far the most gifted: his father once swore that without having taken lessons from anyone, by his innate ability alone, he taught himself to imitate the speech of a whore each time he went into a brothel. There are people who mistakenly said that I was reduced to making peace with Cleon when he tried to flay me alive and disconcert me with his attacks and so viciously vexed me. As I was being flayed he stung me with investive. There were those who were exonerated but who laughed to see me scream so loudly; not caring about myself, but only wanting to know if in my distress I would make a joke of it all. Seeing this, I concealed my distress and made some jokes. And so after all the vine-pole [the demos, the people at large] has deceived (made a fool of) the vine [Aristophanes himself?).
Iambic Scenes, 1292-1449.
1326-1387 Scene with Dardanis, the naked sex-slave piper.
Enter Philokleon bearing a torch in one hand and with his other arm around a naked aulete, a sex slave-girl called Dardanis.
Philokleon: Make way for me. Some people inside are trying to chase me. If they don't back off I'll make fried fish of them with this torch.
One of the Victim of his assault: You'll answer for this tomorrow when we'll bring summonses and take you to court.
Philokleon (to the victims of his assault): How old-fashioned of you. Don't you know I can't stand courtcases any more. Go away!
His Victims run off to the side.
Philokleon (to Dardanis): Come my little cockchafer. Grab hold of this rope (proferring her his mock penis which is tied around his waist). Hang on, but take care the rope is old and worn out, but it doesn't mind being rubbed. Did you see how I managed to sneak you out of the orgy going on it there when you were meant to start sucking the other guests. You owe my dick a favour for this. No, I know you won't do this for me. You'll trick me and stick your tongue out at it. You've done this to other men, but if you don't act like a mean woman to me now, I promise you that as soon as my son dies I'll buy your freedom and keep you as my concubine, my little pussy. At the moment I don't control my own property, I'm too young and carefully guarded by my son who keeps watch over me; plus he's tight-fisted. And I'm the only father he has got. But here he comes! He seems to be chasing after you and me. Be quick now grab hold of this torch and stand still like a street lamp while I play some of the kind of tricks he played on me when I was initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries.
Enter Bdelykleon
Bdelykleon: You there, you old lascivious devil. You seem to be infatuated with a fresh-coffin. By Apollo, you won't get away with this. You filched this girl piper away from our orgy and our guests.
Philokleon: What girl piper? You're raving mad acting like a man who has taken leave of his tomb.
Bdelykleon: This has to be Dardanis whom you have got here.
Philokleon: No, it's only a street torch in the Agora burning for the gods.
Bdelykleon: A street torch?
Philokleon: Yes! A torch.
Bdelykleon: What's this dark patch in the centre?
Philokleon: Easy, pitch oozing out when it gets hot.
Bdelykleon: And behind here? Aren't these buttocks?
Philokleon: No, just a knothole in the wood.
Bdelykleon: Just a knothole? (To Dardanis) You get over here.
Philokleon: Hey! What are you doing?
Bdelykleon: Taking her away from you as you are quite unable to perform.
Philokleon: Listen! When I was on a visit to Olympia Ephudion, even as a old man put up quite a fight against Ascondas. The older man hits the younger man with his fist and knocks him over. Take this! (Philokleon knocks Bdelykleon down with his fists).
Bdelykleon: By god, you certainly have learnt the truth about Olympia.
[Olympia was located in the Elis region in the north-west of the Peloponnese]
Dardanis runs off.
Myrtia, the Bread Seller, Scene 1388-1414
Enter Myrtia, the baking woman and Chaerephon, the Sophist philosopher as her witness, via the central door of the stage. Myrtia is carrying an empty tray.
Myrtia (to Chaerephon): Help me, I beg you, in the name of the gods. Here is the man who struck me with his torch, and who caused my loaves to fall out of this tray. The damages done to me, fourteen obols worth.
Bdelykleon (to his father): Do you see what you have done? More trials and lawsuits will have to be endured because of your drunkeness.
Philokleon: Not at all. A tale will resolve all this adroitly. I'm sure I can make up with her.
Myrtia: O no you won't. By the two goddesses [Kore and Persephone] I Myrtia, daughter of Ancylion and Sostrate will not let you get away with this so easily after your having spoiled my merchandise in the manner that you did.
Philokleon: Listen woman! I want to tell you a nice tale.
Myrtia: No, by Zeus! Tell it to others.
Philokleon: Aesop was returning from dinner one evening, when a drunken and impudent bitch dog began to bark at him. He then said to the bitch dog: "Bitch, if, by Zeus, in trade for your wicked tongue, you could buy some wheat somewhere, you would be wise to do so, I believe."
Myrtia: You’re mocking me? I will have you summoned and charged whoever you are before the court in the Agora for the damage that you have done to my merchandise; I have Chaerephon here as my witness.
Philokleon: No, by Zeus, you won't, but listen to see if I tell you something good. Lasos and Simonides were training rival chorusesin a competition. Lasos, one day, disputed the prize in with Simonides; Lasos said to his rival: "It doesn't bother me."
Myrtia (to Chaerephon.): Really, my friend!
Philokleon: You, Chaerephon, look good to me which suits being the witness of a woman with the yellow coloured complexion of thapsia. You’ll be like the dying Ino clinging to the feet of Euripides.
Both Myrtia and Chaerephon retire angrily and exeunt to the side of the stage.
Victim Scene 1415-1449
Bdelykleon (to Philokleon.) Here is another one who is coming, it seems, to summon you to court. Look! He has brought his witness with him.
Enter a Victim with his head bandaged together with his Witness.
The Victim/Accuser: O unhappy me! (to Philocléon.) I am going to have you assigned (referred to the court), old man, for violent assault and battery.
Bdelykleon: For violent assault and battery? No, don't have him assigned in the name of the gods. I offer you instead such reparation as you will determine, and I will still be grateful to you.
Philokleon: I'd rather settle with him of my own free accord. I acknowledge that I kicked and threw stones at him. (speaking sweetly to the Victim) Come on, come here. Do you rely on me to specify the amount that I will have to pay you to be your friend from now on, or would you prefer to nominate it yourself?
The Victim: You say what you are prepared to. Because I don't need lawsuits, nor am I much of a business person.
Philokleon: A Sybarite once fell off a chariot and accidentally split his head very badly because he was not an expert in horse racing. A friend of his came up to him and said "Let everyone do the job they know how best to do!" And now you too should run to Pitallos' clinic to have your head seen to.
Bdelykleon: Once again this is worthy of the way how you dealt with all the others
The Victim (to Bdelykleon): Do you always know how he answers?
The Victim and his Witness make to leave the stage.
Philokleon: Wait and listen instead of running away. In Sybaris a woman once broke a pitcher.
The Victim (to his witness): Take note of all this.
Philokleon (continuing his story): So the pitcher, having a friend, called him to witness the incident. Then the Sybarite said: "By Kore, if, by leaving this evidence here, you had quickly bought some string [to tie the broken pot up with], that would have made much more sense".
The Victim: Continue being cheeky, until the archon calls the case and summons you to appear before him.
The Victim leaves with his Witness
Bdelykleon (to Philokleon): Ah! no! by Demeter. you won't remain here any longer. I'm going to lift you up and lock you up in there! (He grabs hold of Philokleon)
Philokleon: What are you doing?
Bdelykleon: What am I doing ? I’m carrying you back into the house; otherwise, there won’t be enough witnesses will soon be missing from the subpoenas.
Philokleon: Aesop was once with the Delphians...
Bdelykleon: I don't care.
Philokleon: He was accused of having stolen a sacred bowl belonging to the god [Apollo]. And he told them that a beetle had one day [had crawled in and taken it] … .
Bdelykleon: Shut up! I have heard enough from you and about your beetles!
Bdelykleon carries Philokleon off stage back into the house.
Stasimon, 1450-1473
The Chorus. We really envy the good luck of this old man who has now recovered fully from his hard life and frugal diet . Converted now to another philosophy, he will turn towards the delights [of old age] and soft delicacy. But perhaps this will not lend itself naturally to him, because it is difficult to strip away life’s habits that we have always had. Yet many have done so. In contact with the ideas of others, they have changed their ways.
Great praise, according to us and other sensible people, will fall upon the son of Philokleon, for his filial love and his wisdom. For never have we known such a pleasant man, never have manners so fascinated us and made us overflow with pleasure. How this young man has triumphed on every point in his discussions with his father, when he wanted to bring him back to more worthy and honourable tastes!
Exodos, 1474-1537.
Messenger Scene with Xanthias (as messenger), 1474-81.
Xanthias comes out of the house. He leaves the door open.
Xanthias: By Dionysos, there are some strange going-ons happening in our house. It was as if some unknown divine sprite has flown into it. The old master has drunk too much wine after a long lie-down and has become wildly ecstatic. He has heard the sound of the pipe and has become so animated by it that he is performing one of those antiquated dances that Thespis used to put on during the contests [dithyrambs?] of his time. The old master has called the modern tragic dancers old cronies and has challenged them to a competition.
Dialogue, anap. dim., 1482-95.
Philokleon come to the door from inside the house.
Philokleon: Who's that outside?
Xanthias: Things are going from bad to worse.
Philokleon: Unbar these doors.(He comes fully out of the house and starts to dance) Behold the opening steps.
Xanthias: The figure of madness.
Philokleon: My torso bends with a swing. How one snorts. How the backbone cracks.
Xanthias: Go take a drink made from hellebore.
Philokleon: Phrynichos crouches and cowers just like a cock.
Xanthias: They will be throwing stones at you soon.
Philokleon: With my leg I kick high pointing at the sky.
Xanthias: Thereby revealing your arsehole to all.
Philokleon: As the dancer leaps and whirls each joint in its socket twirls. What do you think of that? Wasn't it good?
Iambic scene, 1496-1515.
Xanthias: No it wasn't. I have already told you what I think; you're mad.
Philokleon: I issue my challenge. Is there any dancer of tragedy here who thinks he can dance as well as me? Let him make himself known. What? Is there no one?
Xanthias: There is one!
A dancer dressed like a crab enters.
Philokleon: Who is he?
Xanthias: One of the sons of Carcinus the Crab, the middle one.
Philokleon: I'll eat him alive. He's got no rhythm.
Xanthias: Another son of Carcinus enters.
Philokleon: What a meal he will make.
Xanthias: Wait! Another son of Carcinus is coming.
Philokleon: What is this thing crawling into our view? Is it a lobster or a tarantula?
Xanthias: This is the baby crab of Carcinus' family, the one who writes tragedies.
Philokleon: Well done, Carcinus, for your gifted children They are a like a flock of dancing birds which has swooped down upon us. (To Xanthias and going down into the orchestra) I must compete against them. I might win - I would like to eat them all with plenty of salt.
Choral finale, 1516-37.
Chorus: Let us help them. Let them spin round before us without being interfered with.
Chorus Leader: Come, all you illustrious children of the Sea Lord, dance on the sandy shore with your brothers, the prawns. Come where the ocean breaks its waves on the sands where you were born.
Whirl around in a circle with swift feet, and let one of you throw up their leg in a Phrynichus high-kick, so that when the spectators see that happen they are pleasurably surprised.
Admiral Carcinus enters dressed like a crab not dancing but watching the performance.
Chorus-Leader: Your father, the Lord and Master of the Seas, crawls this way. He is mighty pleased with you, his children, his three little chickens. If you like let him lead us off for never before has anyone ended a comedy sending the chorus off dancing.
Admiral Carcinus leads his three sons, Philokleon and the Chorus out of the orchestra, all but himself dancing.
References
The Wasps - Wikipedia
The Wasps - Wikidata
In Ancient Athens the basic economic unit of society, the family household, was the Oikos. The oldest male was the head of the Oikos which consisted of his wife, his sons and unmarried daughters, the sons' wives and children, and all his slaves.
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Catharsis and Dream-Interpretation in Aristophanes' Wasps
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Emmanuela Bakola. (2005). A Missed Joke in Aristophanes’ Wasps 1265-1274. The Classical Quarterly, 55(2), 609–613. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4493363
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Google Scholar Search = Aristophanes Wasps
JStor Search = Aristophanes Wasps
Core UK Search = Aristophanes+Wasps
Library of Congress Search = Aristophanes+Wasps
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Aristophanes: The Wasps (Summary & Analysis) - YouTube.
Mock Trial of Two Dogs lines 826-1008
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Sicilian Cheese
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Hestia's pigpen = Fireguard around Hestia's hearth?
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Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2017). Eleusinia. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eleusinia
A choirokomeion is a cage furnished with crossbars where pigs for sacrifice are reared. "Hestia's Pigpen": they raise pigs on the hearth. He brings in this instead of a dryphaktos [balustrade] or a kinklis. In (line 1073) he indicates (or exhibits?) a collar or peg, since the place where the pig is called by this name likewise. (b) The other servant appears on stage with a choirokom or dryphaktoi. It is the cage called zogreion with cross bars where pigs are reared.
Gerald Lalonde ("Topographical Notes on Aristophanes" in Thompson Studies pp. 77-79) "Reviews interpretations of "Hestia's pigsty".
D. W. Amundsen and C. J. Diers, “The Age of Menarche in Classical Greece and Rome.”
Presumably rags or wool were used to absorb menstrual blood. The female genitals were referred to by Aristophanes as choiros (pig), and he called a napkin for menstrual blood a choirokomeion (pigpen) (H. G. Liddell and R. Scott, eds.)
AMUNDSEN, D. W., & DIERS, C. J. (1969). THE AGE OF MENARCHE IN CLASSICAL GREECE AND ROME. Human Biology, 41(1), 125–132. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41448952
Parabasis
Cynna, a well-known prostitute in Athens. Her name was foreign-sounding to the Athenians, and is perhaps derived from κῠ́ων/kuon meaning a dog or bitch, and therefore could be seen to be a reference to Cleon, who like to think of himself as the Dog-Star itself, the brightest star in the sky.
κύων - Wiktionary
Lamia Monster - Theoi.com
Lamia - Wikipedia
Aesop's Fables and Aristophanes' Wasps
Rothwell, K. S. (1995). Aristophanes’ “Wasps” and the Sociopolitics of Aesop’s Fables. The Classical Journal, 90(3), 233–254. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3297527
Greek Comedy and the Discourse of Genres - Google Books
Edith Hall Chapter II The Aesopic in Aristophanes
The ancient fable : an introduction : Holzberg, Niklas - Internet ArchiveThe Politics of Aristophanes' Wasps Author(s): David Konstan Source: Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-2014), Vol. 115 (1985), pp. 27-46 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/284188.
Cultured animals and wild humans? Talking with the animals in Aristophanes’ Wasps. - CORE
https://core.ac.uk/download/111365152.pdf
The Oxford Handbook of Animals in Classical Thought and Life - Google Books
Sarah Miles: Cultured Animals and Wild Humans? Talking with the Animals in Aristophanes’ Wasps
Bowie, A. M. (1987). RITUAL STEREOTYPE AND COMIC REVERSAL: ARISTOPHANES’ “WASPS.” Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, 34, 112–125. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43646831
Sidwell, K. (1989). The Sacrifice at Aristophanes:, Wasps 860-90. Hermes, 117(3), 271–277. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4476692
Boegehold, Alan L. “Philokleon’s Court.” Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, vol. 36, no. 1, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 1967, pp. 111–20, https://doi.org/10.2307/147626.
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Rodgers, Raymond S. “The Wasps in Court: Argument and Audience in the Athenian Dicasteries.” The American Journal of Legal History, vol. 28, no. 2, [Temple University, Oxford University Press], 1984, pp. 147–63, https://doi.org/10.2307/845221. https://www.jstor.org/stable/845221
Bowie, A. M. “RITUAL STEREOTYPE AND COMIC REVERSAL: ARISTOPHANES’ ‘WASPS.’” Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, no. 34, Wiley, 1987, pp. 112–25, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43646831.
Wasps 1284-91 and the portrait of Kleon in Wasps | Scholia : Studies in Classical Antiquity https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC127587
Konstan, David. “The Politics of Aristophanes' Wasps.” Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), vol. 115, 1985, pp. 27–46. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/284188.
LONG, TIMOTHY. “The Parodos of Aristophanes' ‘Wasps.’” Illinois Classical Studies, vol. 1, 1976, pp. 15–21. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23061864.
Sidwell, Keith. “The Sacrifice at Aristophanes:, Wasps 860-90.” Hermes, vol. 117, no. 3, 1989, pp. 271–277. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4476692.
Borthwick, E. Kerr. “Observations on the Opening Scene of Aristophanes' Wasps.” The Classical Quarterly, vol. 42, no. 1, 1992, pp. 274–278. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/639164.
MCGLEW, JAMES. “‘SPEAK ON MY BEHALF’: PERSUASION AND PURIFICATION IN ARISTOPHANES' ‘WASPS.’” Arethusa, vol. 37, no. 1, 2004, pp. 11–36. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44578392
Aristophanes' Wasps. The Relevance of the Final Scenes by John Vaio
https://grbs.library.duke.edu/article/viewFile/9821/4465.
Cleon, Knights, and Aristophanes' Politics: Edmunds, Lowell - Internet Archive
Bowie, A. M. “RITUAL STEREOTYPE AND COMIC REVERSAL: ARISTOPHANES' ‘WASPS.’” Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, no. 34, 1987, pp. 112–125. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43646831.
Olson, S. Douglas. “Politics and Poetry in Aristophanes' Wasps.” Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), vol. 126, 1996, pp. 129–150. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/370175.Ole Thomsen; Karsten Friis-Jensen; Signe Isager (17 December 2001). Classica et Mediaevalia vol.45. 'Aristophanes Acharnians and Eupolis' by Sidwell, K (1994): Museum Tusculanum Press. pp. 71–. ISBN 978-87-7289-327-3
Papaioannou, Sophia and Serafim, Andreas. Comic Invective in Ancient Greek and Roman Oratory, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110735536.
Rothwell, K. S. (1995). Aristophanes’ “Wasps” and the Sociopolitics of Aesop’s Fables. The Classical Journal, 90(3), 233–254. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3297527.
Reckford, K. J. (1977). Catharsis and Dream-Interpretation in Aristophanes’ Wasps. Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), 107, 283–312. https://doi.org/10.2307/284040 https://www.jstor.org/stable/284040
Sommerstein, A. H. (1977). Notes on Aristophanes’ Wasps. The Classical Quarterly, 27(2), 261–277. http://www.jstor.org/stable/638419
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(A HISTORY OF SLAVERY: ARISTOPHANES, WASPS, SLAVES AND NATURE OF SLAVERY.
Madness on the Comic Stage: Aristophanes’ Wasps and Euripides' Heracles | simone beta - Academia.edu
Aristophanes' Wasps. The Relevance of the Final Scenes by John Vaio - Duke University
Ancient Greek Theatre: Ancient Greek Legal System
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Internet Archive Search: Aristophanes Wasps
JSTOR: Search Results Aristophanes Wasps
Aristophanes Wasps - Google Scholar Search
Laches (general) - Wikipedia
Laches (dialogue by Plato) - Wikipedia
Ino (Greek mythology) - Wikipedia
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Greek Versions
Aristophanes Wasps - Internet Archive
Aristophanous komoidiai. Comedies Volume 2 The Clouds and The Wasps - Internet Archive
Aristophanes : Wasps - Internet Archive
Vespae Aristophanis edited by Bergk
Equites ; Pax ; Vespae edited by J.W. Leeuwen
Aristophanes - Wasps [Sphekes] edited by W.J.M.Starkie
The Wasps of Aristophanes, with introduction, metrical analysis, critical notes, and commentary - Internet Archive W.J.M. Starkie
The Wasps; Aristophanes - Internet Archive
The Wasps of Aristophanes - Google Books
The Wasps of Aristophanes edited by T. Mitchell
Aristophanous Sphēkes; the Wasps of Aristophanes.Collection Budé - Internet Archive ARISTOPHANE TOME II LES GUÊPES — LA PAIX
Aristophanes, Wasps - Perseus
https://wasps.gr/sfikes.html
The Wasps; Aristophanes edited by W.W. Merry - Internet Archive
Aristophanis Vespae : cum prolegomenis et commentariis -| HathiTrust Digital Library
Translations
Aristophanes, Wasps - Perseus
ARISTOPHANES - Clouds; Wasps; Peace - Internet Archive Loeb edition translated by Jeffrey Henderson
Frogs and other plays (Penguin Books) : Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Aristophanes 1: Clouds, Wasps, Birds translated by Peter Meineck.
WASPS-Meineck.pdf
Collection Budé - Internet Archive ARISTOPHANE TOME II LES GUÊPES — LA PAIX
Frogs and other plays - Penguin Books translated by David Barrett
Aristophanes, 2: Wasps, Lysistrata, Frogs, The Sexual Congress - Aristophanes - Google Books
Frogs and other plays : Aristophanes - Internet Archive
The wasps ; The poet and the women ; The frogs : Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Three comedies: The birds; The clouds, translated by William Arrowsmith. The wasps: Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Aristophanes; tr. Alan H. Sommerstein (1983). Wasps. Volume 4 of Comedies of Aristophanes. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-85668-213-1.
Aristophanes I; with the English translation of Benjamin Bickley Rogers -Internet Archive
Loeb Edition - Clouds, Wasps and Peace by Aristophanes LCL 488 trans by J. Henderson
The Comedies of Aristophanes Volume 2 The clouds; The wasps [edited, translated and explained by Benjamin Bickley Rogers]
https://archive.org/details/ComediesOfAristophanesV.2/page/n276/mode/1up?view=theater
Page 143 The Wasps translated by Moses Hadas
Three comedies: Aristophanes Wasps - Internet Archive
Aristophanes 1: Clouds, Wasps, Birds translated by P. Meineck
Delphi Complete Works Of Aristophanes: The Wasps
Five comedies of Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Aristophanes: Wasps - Wikisource
Wasps (Aristophanes) - Wikisource
Aristophanes: Wasps - Aristophanes - Google Books
Aristophanes: The Eleven Comedies/Wasps - Wikisource
The Internet Classics Archive - The Wasps by Aristophanes
Aristophanes, Wasps - Perseus Library
Aristophanes - Wasps: Translated by George Theodoridis
Aristophanes: Vespae. A translation. By F.G. Plaistowe. - Full View - HathiTrust Digital Library
Aristophanes, 2 - Google Books
Aristófanes Las Avispas - Internet Archive
[A slave comes out of the house bringing a sword and hands it to Philokleon. The slave retires back into the house afterwards.]
Chorus: Now the man from our gymnasium school must demonstrate that he has some novel and clever verbal tricks if he is to prevail.
Bdelykleon (to his slaves): Quickly fetch me my writing box and memorandum tablets. I want to write down what he says. (To the Chorus) I wonder just what kind of man he will show himself to be if that is what you are advising him to do.
The Chorus: To be a far abler opponent speaker than this young man before us. For now let the crucial contest begin in which we hope he [Philokleon] gains the upper hand. He is going to defeat you [Bdelykleon].
[A slave brings out Bdelykleon's writing box containg some memorandum tablets and styli which to write with handing them to Bdelykleon. Bdelykleon opens the box.]
Bdelykleon: For sure I am going to make a memorandum of absolutely everything he says.
Philokleon (to the Chorus): What if he were to make the winning speech today?
The Chorus: If that should happen then our multitude of old would become worthless. The streets would be filled with idle wanton boys mocking us crying out that we are old decrepits fit for naught else than to carry olive branches [at the Panathenaia], shrivelled husks who appear in court when the charges are read out and when the accused makes their plea.
Chorus Leader: O friend, upon whom it is devolved to plead the cause of our regal power to-day, show us your best. Bring to the test each and every trick that an eloquent tongue can play.
Philokleon: I am intent to prove that our kingly power will win the race. What creature is alive today, happier, more to be envied or and more to be feared than a juror [dicast/heliast] even if he is an old man? First, when I arrive in the morning at the court, there are some tall men at the railings waiting for me. The one who has been accused puts his hand in mine, that very same hand which has pocketed some money from the public purse. They bow their heads in supplication to me, pleading: "Take pity on me, Sire, if you have ever yourself taken monies from the public purse when you managed the provisions on a distant campaign or served some office of state yourself." And this is a man who would not even have acknowledged my name if he had not been tried and acquitted before on a previous occasion.
Bdelykleon: Let me make a note of this first point you have made about these supplicant men. He writes: "Suppliant fellows implore your grace."
Bdelykleon: Let me make a note of this first point you have made about these supplicant men. He writes: "Suppliant fellows implore your grace."
Agon Wasps Line 560-
Philokleon: After I have been propositioned by the accused [by bribery or whatever] and my anger has towards them has subsided, and I have gone into the court, I ignore all the promises that I may have made to them. All I do is listen to the accused trying to get themselves off the charges that have been made against them, and the tricks they try to use to do this, especially if they try to flatter us heliasts. Some groan that they are poor, or they try to exaggerate the truth in an attempt to make their troubles seem equal to my own. Others try relating short anecdotes or comic incidents from Aesop: they try to joke or fancy that by joking I might be placated by laughing. If we have not been won over by these ploys, then they try dragging forward their children, both girls and boys, dragging them in their hands towards us with their heads bent low in supplication to us. Then their fathers begin by begging us to acquit them for their children's sake, as if we were gods. Then they make statements like the following: "If you delight in the hearing the bleats of a lamb I beg you to listen to my son's cry." Or failing this he suggests that we might prefer "pork" [χοῖρος (khoîros) = young female pig or (slang) female genitalia] he offers us his daughter. After such pleas we relax our wrath a little towards him. Is this not a very great power given to us that allows us to mock the wealthy?
Bdelykleon: I am now writing down your second point: "It allows us to mock the wealthy."
Philokleon: Further we are entrusted with the inspection of young men being registered for citizenship. They stand before us naked and we examine their private parts very closely. And if Oeagrus [a famous actor?] stands accused before us, we refuse to acquit him until after he has recited for us a passage from Niobé [a lost play by Aeschylus or Sophocles?], and chooses the best. Or if an aulete [aulos-player] stands before us he only wins his case if he straps on his phorbeia [φορβειά (phorbeiá) a leather mouth strap worn by an aulos player, said to soften the tones of an aulos] and then plays for us.
Act I - Scene 2
Lyric transition scene, 729-759.
Trial of the Dogs 760-1008
This episode parodies the confrontation between two ideologically opposed statesmen, the arch-demagogue Cleon and general Laches, in the last years of the Archidamian War.
[The first phase (431–421 BC) of the Peloponnesian War was named the Ten Years War, or the Archidamian War, after the Spartan king Archidamus II, who launched several invasions of Attica with the full hoplite army of the Peloponnesian League, the alliance network dominated by Sparta.]
[The image of the dogs may have come from Cleon's own rhetorical nickname. He liked to compare himself to the Dog-Star (Sirius in the constellation of Canis Major) the brightest star in the sky. Aristophanes and other comic poets liked to think of this particular demagogue as a hound, sometimes more specifically with Kerberos, the mythical hound which guarded Hades. Kerberos was often depicted as a three-headed dog with a serpent's tail.]
Bdelykleon begs his father to do as he asks, Philokleon says he will do as his son requests except one thing: he refuses to give up serving on a jury. He would rather die before he does that. Bdelykleon then suggests to his father why does he have to go all the way to the Heliaia (Agora or Pnyx) to judge a case? Why doesn't he just stay at home and simply try one concerning his own household? Bdelykleon suggests to Philokleon that it will be just the same as going there to the Agora or the Pnyx as he would be able to fine those whom he proves guilty just like as if he were there. For example, Bdelykleon suggests to his father trying the sly housemaid who is rather loose with her favours: she often leaves the door open giving them away to all and sundry who visit her . His father could fine her one drachma for her loose behaviour, the same as he would do so at the Heliaia. Also whatever the weather and season it would be better to hold his trials at home. And if he oversleeps no archon would be able to bar the door of the court to him in his own home.
[Heliaia = Court held in the open air under the sun. The jurors would have been under a sunshade.]
Philokleon approves of the whole idea.
Bdelykleon continues relating the benefits of this novel court system to his father. For example, if a speaker goes on tiringly and endlessly he wouldn't miss his meals at home. As for all the time spent swearing in that goes on there in the courts of the Helaia. It can now all take place here at home.
Philokleon gives in to the whole concept, but he wonders whether he would continue to receive his pay. Bdelykleon tells him that he will still receive his pay from him.
Philokleon then goes on to relate the story of how he was once cheated of his pay by a fellow juror named Lysistratus [a renowned practical joker]; that when they had at one time received their fee, they were given a drachma coin [worth 6 obols] which had to be changed into 6 obols to be able to split it between them. Lysistratus had gone to the fish market to ask one of the stallkeepers to change it for them. He returned and gave Philokleon what looked like three obol coins but which were in fact three fish scales. Philokleon put them in his mouth to test them with his teeth, but they were rotten, so he spat them out and throwing up. Mocking Philokleon Lysistratus told him that he had the gizzard of a cock, and could now digest hard pennies.
Bydelykleon and Philokleon both agreed that it was now time to commence some kind of trial.
Bdelykleon goes inside the house to rummage for some items, whatever was necessary to try a case at home. As he left Bdelykleon said it would all bring Philokleon great advantage, telling him to look at how much he would gain by trying cases at home. Philokleon urged him to start the trials as soon as possible.
Philokleon comments on how remarkable it was that the oracles of the soothsayers often came true. For he had frequently heard it foretold that the Athenians would come to try all lawsuits in their own homes. Each home would have a small courtroom specially built for the purpose complete with a shrine dedicated to Hecate, the Moon goddess, guarding its entrance.
At this point, Bdelykleon re-enters with house slaves carrying all the paraphernalia to set up a courtroom. He hangs a small jar on a peg near his father telling him that it's there for him to be able to relieve himself. Bdelykleon also lights a small fire setting down upon it a pot filled with lentil soup telling him if during the proceedings he felt hungry he could always help himself to it and that it was always ready whenever he wanted it.
Philokleon now said he was all set to try a case as he would not now lose his pay and food was all ready for him to consume. He asks Bdelykleon why he had also brought a cock with him. Bdelykleon tells him that if he ever nodded off to sleep whilst the plaintiff was pleading his case the cock would wake him up.
Philokleon asks his son whether he would still get his pay when he was sick. Bdelykleon answers: "Of course". He then asks his son whether a shrine to Lycus [king of Thebes] could be set up. Bdelykleon points at the theatre's altar and remarks "There it is!", directing a small boy-slave to go and stand on it like a statue, and then pointing at the boy and remarking, "There's the hero himself!"
Philokleon remarks "My Lord, I apologise, I hardly recognised you." He approaches the boy statue. Bdelykleon cracks a joke. Hard to recognise like Kleonymus who like a coward had thrown away his shield.
Bdelykleon tells his father to take his place and sit down so that the trials could begin. He then asks "What case shall we begin with father? Who in our household has done something bad? How about trying the Thracian girl slave who burnt our pot of soup yesterday? "
Philokleon interrupts saying "Do you mean to say you are going to start without having any court railings? They are sacred to the whole process!" [This is the bar to which prisoners are summoned, and the bars separating those who judge [the dikasts] from the general public. Philokleon gets up and goes inside the house to fetch some.]
At this juncture Xanthias, the slave, rushes out of the house onto the stage. He accuses Labes, the house dog, of having come into the kitchen and stealing an expensive wheel of Sicilian cheese, and not only taking it away but that he had also scoffed the lot. Xanthias asks his masters why they keep a dog like that.
Bdelykleon says that this is the perfect case to be tried, and orders Xanthias to stay and act as prosecutor of the dog, Labes [its name means snatcher]. Xanthias refuses to act in this role asking why doesn't the other dog take up this job. Bdelykleon orders Xanthias to bring the two dogs before the court. Xanthias exits to carry out this instruction.
[As Xanthias exits into the house Philokleon comes out with part of a fence.]
Philocleon: That ingenious. Even if I have a cold, I will still receive my salary. By staying here, I'll be swallowing my lentils. But why did bring you this cock?
Bdelycleon: Deliberately, in case you should fall asleep during a pleading; (he hangs the cage with the cock on the wall) by singing from above he will wake you up.
Philocleon: There is one more thing I regret; the rest is fine with me.
Bdelycleon: What?
Philocleon: The aedicula of Lycos, is there any way to bring it here. [Bdelykleon directs a boy slave to go stand on the theatre's altar.] Bdelycleon: Here he is, the lord himself.
Philokleon: O master, O hero, how disagreeable you are to look at!
Bdelykleon: Just as Cleonymos seems to us.
Philokleon: Yes, he has no weapons either, hero though he is. [The boy slave has no penis hanging from his belt. Cleonymos when fleeing threw his shield away.]
Bdelykleon: If you sat right away, I'd call a case right away."
Philokleon: Announce one then, for I have already been sitting here for long enough.
Bdelykleon (talking to himself): Come on! what case shall I bring before him first? What misdeed has one of the people in our house committed? (Aloud) Thratta [The female kitchen slave from Thrace] very recently let the pot burn...
Philokleon: Stop it; you almost killed me. eyes!
Bdelykleon: No, by Zeus, there are none.
Philokleon (getting up): Well, I'm running off to go and find myself one, just now, inside
Bdelykleon: What it is! What a terrible attachment you have for that place! [Xanthias, the slave, rushes out of the house onto the stage.] Slave: How can one feed such a dog?
Bdelykleon: What is the matter? Prithee tell me.
Slave: He, Labes the dog, ran into the kitchen and stole a fresh Sicilian cheese, which he has devoured.
[Labes is a corruption of the name, Laches.]
Bdelykleon: Well then this one here can serve as the first case that I can bring before my father. You can present yourself as the prosecutor..
Slave: No, by Zeus, not me; but let the other dog do it. He says he wants to be the accuser if the opportunity arises.
Bdelykleon (to a Slave): Go and bring both of the dogs here.
Slave: That is what I was going to do. (He goes into the house).
Bdelykleon (to Philokleon who has returned with some kind of makeshift bar): What is that?
Philokleon: The pigpen of Hestia. [This is the wicker rack behind which pigs waiting to be sacrificed to Hestia are penned during the Eleusina festival.]
Bdelykleon: That’s a sacrilegious theft. Why are you bringing it here?
Philokleon: No it’s not, as I want to begin with Hestia’s help to crush someone. (He sits down) but hurry up and read the indictment; I see that there is only one thing left for me to do, to set the penalty (if the accused is found guilty).
Bdelykleon: Come on, let me go and fetch the boards and other paraphernalia..
(Bdelykleon goes into the house)
Wicker rack behind which the pigs waiting to be sacrificed to Hestia were kept locked up during the Eleusinian festival
Philokleon (impatiently): Woe! How late you are! You will kill me wasting time! Me who was only asking to plough a furrow in my little field.
Bdelykleon (returning with some boards and tablets from the house): That's it. . I
Philokleon: Call now.
Bdelykleon: Let's begin. (Reading the boards.) Who is this, the first case registered?
Philokleon (Jumping up): To the crows! How boring! I forgot to bring the voting urns.
(He attempts to go inside the house. Bdelykleon stops him.)
Bdelykleon: Hey you! Where are you running off to now?
Philokleon: To fetch some voting urns.
Bdelykleon: Don't. I have these pots here.
(He places two bowls on the table)
Philokleon: Very well then. We have everything we need, except a Klepsydra [a water clock].
(He again gets up and attempts to go and fetch one)
Bdelykleon (pointing at the piss pot which he had brought in earlier): So what is this for if it isn’t a water clock?
Philokleon: You certainly know how to provide for everything.
Bdelykleon (to his Slaves): As quickly as possible go and fetch charcoal and fire, branches of myrtle and incense from within, so that we can begin to make our invocations to the gods. Slaves, go in and bring out the necessary items!
(The Slaves go into the house bringing the requested items out. Bdelykleon lights the fire and he and the Chorus begin to make their prayers to the gods.)
The Chorus-Leader: And we, on the occasion of these libations, and these prayers, we will make our good wishes to you, in mortar, Hestia, protector of the home, to whom we offer the first libation; because generously, after the war and the dispute, you came to an agreement. First of all, let's gather now, and pray that the divine powers bring peace between father and son
The Chorus: O Phoebus Apollo [god of light] of the Delphic oracle, may with happiness the matter that this man arranges before his front door, succeeds and we all are delivered from our errors. Io, io Paean.
Bdelykleon: “O master, Lord Apollo Agyieus, my neighbour and guardian of my entrance, accept this new ceremony, O Lord, which we inaugurate for my father; make it no longer that he has a too acerbic and hard character like an oak tree; Sweeten with a little Anticyre honey his temper so that he will henceforth be gentle towards people, and more merciful to the accused than to the accuser; let him weep with those who implore him; that, corrected of his sorrowful spirit, he removes the stinging nettles of his anger.
[By the frontdoor of the houses in Athens was often placed an altar or a stele in honour of Apollo Agyieus (guardian of the streets) and the protector of houses during the day. Hecate was protector goddess at night-time.
Anticyre honey, perhaps honey where the bees have collected nectar from hellebore plants. These have a root with a nauseous taste. They are very acrid, and bitter, with a virulent smell; hellebore is also violently purgative. The ancients praised the use of hellebore from Anticyre against madness and imbecility. An infusion made from it cleanses old insensitive ulcers. When pulverized, the powder promptly excites sneezing so strong and if used repeatedly some very unfortunate accidents can occur.]
The Chorus: We join in your prayers and accompany you with our odes for your new duties, because of what you have just said. Because we are devoted to you since we recognise you as a friend of the people more than any other man amongst the young.
(A Slave enters leading two characters disguised in masks and costumes as dogs, one called Labes (name means Grabber) which has the features of Laches, the general who led the expedition against the Sicilians, the other called the Kydathenian Dog having a resemblance to Kleon, the populaist politician.)
[Kleon was from the deme Kydatheneus, Laches from the deme Aixone.]
Bdelykleon: If there is some other heliast [juror] still outside, let him now enter; because, once the debates and proceedings have started, no one else will be let in.
Philokleon: Who stands accused?
Bdelykleon (pointing at the dog, Labes): Him.
Philokleon (aside): How condemned he is going to be!
Bdelykleon: Now listen to the indictment. A complaint has been brought by Dog Kydathenian against Dog Labes Aixonien, guilty of having single-handedly devoured a cheese from Sicily. Penalty - made to wear a yoke of a sycophant – a collar [a conehead collar?] made from the wood of fig-tree.
Pun:- fig-wood (from Ancient Greek σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”). σύκινος (sukinos genitive)
Sukophantes = Sycophants. Ancient Greek συκοφάντης (sukophántēs), itself from σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”) + φαίνω (phaínō, “I show, demonstrate”. [fig-wood has no strength].
sycophant - Wiktionary
Philokleon: Rather he should die a dog's death, if he is convicted.
Bdelykleon: But here is Snatcher, the accused, (the dog Labes appears).
Philokleon: What a scoundrel! He looks just like a thief!
(The accused dog laughs, baring his teeth just like a dog)
How he thinks that just by gritting his teeth he can deceive me! But where is the plaintiff, the Kydathenian Dog?
Kydathenian Dog: Bow wow!
Bdelykleon: Here he is.
Philokleon: Another Labes, that one.
Bdelykleon: Good at least at barking.
Philokleon: And also licking pots clean.
Bdelykleon (performing the role of archon (magistrate) of the court, to Philocleon):
Silence and sit down. (To the Kydathenian Dog.) You climb up there and make your accusation.
(The Kydathenian Dog climbs up onto a bench.)
(Philokleon does as he is told and sits down in his place.)
Philokleon: Come on! In the meantime, I will pour myself some lentil soup and gulp it down.The Kydathenian Dog: Gentlemen of the dikasts you have heard the complaint I wrote against the accused here. He did the worst kind of deed against me and the sailor people. For having fled into his dark corner, he "Sicilised" a whole large wheel of cheese and filled himself with it in the shadows.
[Laches ended up in Sicily after having allowed himself to be corrupted.]
Philokleon: By Zeus! it's obvious he is guilty. In my nose I smell it and you heard it, Labes has just belched and there’s a filthy odour of cheese in the air. It’s disgusting.
The Kydathenian Dog: Plus he refused to give me my share of the cheese which I asked for.
So who will do me a favour if someone doesn't throw some food for me to eat as your house dog?
Philokleon: He doesn't share anything with me, either. It's because he burns, the guy, just as much as my lentils.
Bdelykleon: In the name of the gods, do not condemn him, father, until at least you have heard both sides of the case.
[The accused cries out.]
Philokleon: But, my dear fellow, the matter is clear; his guilt cries out loud all by itself. The Kydathenian Dog: Don't absolve him. For of all dogs he is the most selfishly gluttonous beast, a being who, by navigating around the mortarboard, he has robbed its cities of their crust and eaten it.
[Sicily is compared to a mortarboard because of its shape. Sicilian cheeses were encased in mortar for transportation purposes in order to preserve them. σ𝜒ϊρο𝜈, the crust or rind of cheese, which is also said to be made from a gypsum-type material, a kind of plaster of paris, with which one can also use fill up the cracks in a broken pot,
Philokleon: And I do not even have enough left with which to plaster my pitcher.
The Kydathenian Dog: Consequently, chastise him, because a single bush could never feed two thieves. I didn't bark in the void and for nothing; otherwise, in the future I won't do anymore barking.
Philokleon: Oh! Oh! how many villainies he has accused him of! It is the same flight as this man! Isn't that your opinion too, my cock? By Zeus, he nods at me with a wink, positively. Thesmothete [addressing Bdelykleon] pass me the piss pot.
Bdelykleon: Pick it up yourself, because I'm now going to call the witnesses. (Philocleon uses the vase to pee in.) Let the witnesses in favour of Labes appear: mortar bowl, pestle, cheese grater, grill, pot and all the utensils assigned.
[The said utensils are represented by stagehands bearing insignia signifying which kitchen utensils they are.]
Bdelykleon (continuing to speak to Philocleon: Ah, you, you're still having a pee so don't sit down yet.
Philocleon: (Setting down the pot and pointing at the accused.) That one, I believe, will do under him today.
Bdelykleon: Won't you stop, on your part, being harsh and surly, and that towards the accused, and holding them to their teeth?" (To Labes, the accused dog) Get in there, defend yourself. (Labes climbs onto a bench and is silent.) Why are you silent? Speak.
Philokleon: But he seems to me, that one, to have nothing to say in his defence.
Bdelykleon: It's not that. That happens to him, it seems to me just like the same thing which happened to Thucydides when he stood trial. Thucydides’ jaw suddenly became paralyzed when he stood in the dock (To Labes) Step down. I will take up your defence.
[He mounts the bench in place of the dog and continues]. It is a difficult task, gentlemen, to plead the cause of a dog which has been slandered; nevertheless, all the same, I will speak on his behalf . He is good and chases wolves away from our flocks..
Philokleon: Rather say that he is a thief, this dog, and a conspirator.
BnecycLeon. No! By Zeus he is the best of dogs. He is capable of being in charge of many sheep.
Philokleon: What good is he if he steals cheese?
Bdelykleon: What? He fights to defend you. He guards your door and in every other way he is excellent. If he has committed theft, forgive him for he doesn't even know how to play the lyre.
Philokleon: I wish he didn't even know his letters. He couldn't have falsified the account he gave us.
Bdelykleon: Listen, my dear man, my witness. Step up here, Cheese Grater, and speak out loud. Wasn’t it you who was acting as quartermaster [steward] at the time? [The actor playing the Cheese Grater comes forward.) Now answer clearly, unambiguously and truthfully: didn't you grate (help yourself to) a share of the spoil that you had received on the soldiers’ behalf? (The Cheese Grater nods) He says he did.
Philokleon: But, by Zeus, he is lying.
Bdelykleon: You devil of a man, have pity on those who are in pain. This Labes only eats the scraps we give him: fish heads and bones, and he never sits still. Whilst this other one here is nothing more than a house dog. He does not stray from the house and everything that we bring back home here, he claims and wants his share of it. And if you refuse him, he bites you.
Philokleon: O horror! what is this strange evil feeling that is coming over me? Something is bothering me? An evil circumvents me and am I allowing myself to be persuaded?
Bdelykleon: O come now, I implore you to take pity on him, O my father, and don't lose him. Where are his little ones? (Some children acting and costumed as puppies come out of the house on stage, crying and whining) Climb up upon his lap (pointing at his father), O unhappy ones, and yelp, pray, beg, and weep.
Philokleon: Down, get down, get down. (Pointing downwards at his feet) heel.
Bdelykleon: I am going to step down. Although many a person has been deceived by this word 'down', nevertheless I will step down.
Philokleon (drying his eyes from his tears and eating some lentil soup to keep his countenance): To the crows! How bad it is to swallow! I have come to cry now; I'm sure it's only because of this mush I have filled myself with.
Bdelykleon: So you’re not acquitting him after all?
Philokleon: It's hard to know.
Bdelykleon: Come on, little father, a good move. Take this voting pebble, go quickly to the second balloting urn with your eyes closed, and absolve him, father.
Philokleon (rising up): Certainly not! I also don't know how to play the lyre.
Bdelykleon: Let's see, I'll lead you around here, by the shortest route.
[He takes his hand and leads him quickly around the table and stopping in front of the second urn]
Philokleon: This is the first urn!
Bdelykleon: Yes, that one.
Philokleon (dropping his voting pebble into the balloting urn): Here, my vote is now in there.
Bdelykleon (aside): He's been fooled. He has acquitted Labes without him wanting to. (To Philocleon) Let's see. I’ll empty the balloting urns (and count the votes).
Philokleon: So, what is the result of our discussions?
Bdelykleon: Apparently we'll see. (Bdelykelon empties the two balloting urns one after the other and announces the result) Labes, you have been absolved. (Philocleon collapses) Father, father, what has happened to you? O Misfortune! Where’s the water? (A slave brings water and Bdelycleon tries to revive his father) Get up.
Philokleon: Tell me one thing. Was he really acquitted?
Bdelykleon: Yes, by Zeus.
Philokleon: So I no longer exist.
Bdelykleon: Do not worry, devil of a man, and get back on your feet. (Z straightens him.) Philokleon: How shall I bear this fact in my conscience?" I absolved an accused! What will I become? O most revered gods, forgive me. It was in spite of myself that I did it and against my temper.
Bdelykleon: Yes, and don't worry. Me, my father, I'll feed you well, I'll take you with me everywhere, to dinners, to banquets, to shows; you will spend the rest of your days in joy and you will not be taunted and duped by Hyperbolos.. Come on, let's go in. Philokleon: So be it, since we want it.
(They all go back inside the house; the slaves carry away all the objects which had been brought out brought. Only the Chorus is left in the Orchestra. They turn to face the audience.)
Parabasis I, 1009-1121.
The Chorus Leader or Coryphaeus (to the actors who have just left the stage): Go merrily where you please.
[The Chorus and their Leader now do an about turn to face the spectators.]
The Chorus Leader (addresses the audience):
You, myriads without number, good people, pay attention and listen carefully. Our poet has a bone to pick with you. He claims you have treated him badly, yet he has rendered you many services. He has helped many other playwrights in secret and anonymously to shape their work. He has done this just like as if he were Eurycles, the famous ventriloquist, diviner and soothsayer; Eurycles claimed he had a hidden genie in his belly who spoke the prophesies that he delivered. So it was with our poet he penetrated the bellies of these other poets, there to spread humour with many famous jokes and quips in stealth. Now uncovered he publicly leads his own Muse. Since he did that he has been raised to much glory and been honoured as no one previously. Though overburdened with success more than any other poet he has shown no kind of arrogance nor any conceit as a result of this. Neither did he seek to seduce the youths at the Palaestra. He is only inspired by honourable motives. Our poet denies that he was afraid and let himself be hated because he has a sense of propriety which prevents him from allowing his Muse to be a go-between ordinary men.
From the outset of his dramatic career, he only maligned those men who were formidable monsters. He attacked them with the courage of Hercules. In particular, he went straight for that jagged-tooth beast [Cleon], the creature which had eyes that flashed like lightning like Cynna's, this Cynna, this witch who allowed himself to have a hundred heads of odious sycophants all around him licking his head. This Cynna had the voice of a sewer in full flood, the reek of a sick seal, the filthy testicles of a Lamia and the arse of a camel.
[Knights was Aristophane's first play which he produced (in 424 bc) using his own name. It highly satirised and lampooned Cleon.]
[Cynna, the courtesan, who beguiled men by flashing her eyes. Cynna's foreign-sounding name Κύννης, which to Athenians sounded much like κύων (kýon), meaning a dog and rhyming with Cleon. Indeed Aristophanes endows his Cynna, his androgynous beast, his Lamia with testicles.]
Upon seeing this monstrosity our poet did not take flight or allow himself to accept a bribe thereby abandoning you, rather he fought on for you He says he took on this ogre last year. He tackled with that thing, the plague which took hold of the city, which brought hot and cold fevers in its train, those demons which strangled both fathers and grandfathers by night in their beds, and crawled into the beds of honest people. This plague brought many a sworn testament, summonses and citations with it. Many citizens rose up in terror at these running to the Polemarch [Nicias?] to defend them from these demons [the sycophants — Cleon's agents, who like their master, preferred to attack people, peaceful people who hate business, extorting money from the surviving sons, blackmailing them, and for whom they became real nightmares].
Such is the hero poet you chose to rid our land of its evil. But last year you let him down, even though he had sown the seeds of many a new idea in your minds. But none of these took root because you did not appreciate their full and true value. In spite of this, by Dionysos, never before were heard better comic verses. It is a pity that you did not get their meaning straightaway, shame on all of you. Our poet nonetheless is well esteemed by judges who are discerning, but he never got his just reward for the new ideas.
Dear audience, you must love and honour those poets who seek to express their ideas in new ways. Make these ideas your own. Put them in a casket [in your heads] like sweet-smelling fruits. If you do this their fragrance will be instilled in your clothing and emit a sweet odour of wit the whole year through.
Chorus (chanting an ode):
Once upon a time we were strong and sturdy in the choral dances, and strong and sturdy in battle, but most of all we were once strong and sturdy with this (waving their mock penises strapped to their waists). But that was a long time ago. All that has gone now, and our hair now is whiter than a swan. But we must rise from being wrecks and revive our youthful strength, for we believe that old age more than surpasses the curly hair, the fancy clothing, and the shape of the wide and receptive nature of the anuses of the young men today.
Chorus:
We are like wasps. We behave like wasps: we swarm and live in nests. Some of us follow the Archon [magistrate]; others follow the Eleven [officials in charge of the prison]; some go to the Odeon [also used as a law court as well as a theatre]. There are yet others who hardly move at all. They are like larvae in their cells, stuck to the walls, and curled up on the ground. We listen to and learn about all the ways there are to exist. The first who appears we live at his expense. Finally, there are drones amongst us who have no sting [no weapons]. They steal our remuneration [or honey, the city's income] devouring it. This group grieves us the most. They are men who have never served their country IN ITS DEFENCE [stay-at-homes]. They enrich themselves at our expense and have no sores or blisters on their hands. In our opinion, in future, every citizen not possessed of a wasps sting [i.e. weaponless and not able to participate in the city's battles against its enemies] should not receive the triobolus [the three obols daily pay for attending the court].
Iambic Scene, 1122-1264.
Parabasis II, 1265-1291. Criticism of Cleon
The Chorus-Leader:
Often I have thought of myself as being naturally intelligent, and never dull-witted and awkward. But more adroit is Amynias (a known partisan of Cleon), the son of Sellos (known to be effeminate), and a descendant of Crobylos (crobylos is a kind of fancy and effeminate hairstyle), he whom I once saw, instead of satisfying himself with merely a quince and a pomegranate, was taking dinner with Legoras (a well-known epicure), for he was as hungry (for money) as Antiphon (the leading orator of the day, speechwriter in court cases). Well, our man was sent in a deputation to Pharsalus, and there he lived alone amongst only the Penests (similar to Helots) of Thessaly himself a "Penest" as well as none. (Amynias was sent by Cleon to Thessaly to establish a democratic regime there. There he consorted with the Penests (ie the poor) whom he wanted to rise up against their masters, himself being "poor" like them).
O blessed Automenes, how we do congratulate you on having bred three such sons excellent in their art. First of these is a man loved by all, so skilful and incomparable a lyre player, whom favour always followed; then the next, an actor, skilful beyond all expression; finally Ariphrades by far the most gifted: his father once swore that without having taken lessons from anyone, by his innate ability alone, he taught himself to imitate the speech of a whore each time he went into a brothel. There are people who mistakenly said that I was reduced to making peace with Cleon when he tried to flay me alive and disconcert me with his attacks and so viciously vexed me. As I was being flayed he stung me with investive. There were those who were exonerated but who laughed to see me scream so loudly; not caring about myself, but only wanting to know if in my distress I would make a joke of it all. Seeing this, I concealed my distress and made some jokes. And so after all the vine-pole [the demos, the people at large] has deceived (made a fool of) the vine [Aristophanes himself?).
Iambic Scenes, 1292-1449.
1326-1387 Scene with Dardanis, the naked sex-slave piper.
Enter Philokleon bearing a torch in one hand and with his other arm around a naked aulete, a sex slave-girl called Dardanis.
Philokleon: Make way for me. Some people inside are trying to chase me. If they don't back off I'll make fried fish of them with this torch.
One of the Victim of his assault: You'll answer for this tomorrow when we'll bring summonses and take you to court.
Philokleon (to the victims of his assault): How old-fashioned of you. Don't you know I can't stand courtcases any more. Go away!
His Victims run off to the side.
Philokleon (to Dardanis): Come my little cockchafer. Grab hold of this rope (proferring her his mock penis which is tied around his waist). Hang on, but take care the rope is old and worn out, but it doesn't mind being rubbed. Did you see how I managed to sneak you out of the orgy going on it there when you were meant to start sucking the other guests. You owe my dick a favour for this. No, I know you won't do this for me. You'll trick me and stick your tongue out at it. You've done this to other men, but if you don't act like a mean woman to me now, I promise you that as soon as my son dies I'll buy your freedom and keep you as my concubine, my little pussy. At the moment I don't control my own property, I'm too young and carefully guarded by my son who keeps watch over me; plus he's tight-fisted. And I'm the only father he has got. But here he comes! He seems to be chasing after you and me. Be quick now grab hold of this torch and stand still like a street lamp while I play some of the kind of tricks he played on me when I was initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries.
Enter Bdelykleon
Bdelykleon: You there, you old lascivious devil. You seem to be infatuated with a fresh-coffin. By Apollo, you won't get away with this. You filched this girl piper away from our orgy and our guests.
Philokleon: What girl piper? You're raving mad acting like a man who has taken leave of his tomb.
Bdelykleon: This has to be Dardanis whom you have got here.
Philokleon: No, it's only a street torch in the Agora burning for the gods.
Bdelykleon: A street torch?
Philokleon: Yes! A torch.
Bdelykleon: What's this dark patch in the centre?
Philokleon: Easy, pitch oozing out when it gets hot.
Bdelykleon: And behind here? Aren't these buttocks?
Philokleon: No, just a knothole in the wood.
Bdelykleon: Just a knothole? (To Dardanis) You get over here.
Philokleon: Hey! What are you doing?
Bdelykleon: Taking her away from you as you are quite unable to perform.
Philokleon: Listen! When I was on a visit to Olympia Ephudion, even as a old man put up quite a fight against Ascondas. The older man hits the younger man with his fist and knocks him over. Take this! (Philokleon knocks Bdelykleon down with his fists).
Bdelykleon: By god, you certainly have learnt the truth about Olympia.
[Olympia was located in the Elis region in the north-west of the Peloponnese]
Dardanis runs off.
Myrtia, the Bread Seller, Scene 1388-1414
Enter Myrtia, the baking woman and Chaerephon, the Sophist philosopher as her witness, via the central door of the stage. Myrtia is carrying an empty tray.
Myrtia (to Chaerephon): Help me, I beg you, in the name of the gods. Here is the man who struck me with his torch, and who caused my loaves to fall out of this tray. The damages done to me, fourteen obols worth.
Bdelykleon (to his father): Do you see what you have done? More trials and lawsuits will have to be endured because of your drunkeness.
Philokleon: Not at all. A tale will resolve all this adroitly. I'm sure I can make up with her.
Myrtia: O no you won't. By the two goddesses [Kore and Persephone] I Myrtia, daughter of Ancylion and Sostrate will not let you get away with this so easily after your having spoiled my merchandise in the manner that you did.
Philokleon: Listen woman! I want to tell you a nice tale.
Myrtia: No, by Zeus! Tell it to others.
Philokleon: Aesop was returning from dinner one evening, when a drunken and impudent bitch dog began to bark at him. He then said to the bitch dog: "Bitch, if, by Zeus, in trade for your wicked tongue, you could buy some wheat somewhere, you would be wise to do so, I believe."
Myrtia: You’re mocking me? I will have you summoned and charged whoever you are before the court in the Agora for the damage that you have done to my merchandise; I have Chaerephon here as my witness.
Philokleon: No, by Zeus, you won't, but listen to see if I tell you something good. Lasos and Simonides were training rival chorusesin a competition. Lasos, one day, disputed the prize in with Simonides; Lasos said to his rival: "It doesn't bother me."
Myrtia (to Chaerephon.): Really, my friend!
Philokleon: You, Chaerephon, look good to me which suits being the witness of a woman with the yellow coloured complexion of thapsia. You’ll be like the dying Ino clinging to the feet of Euripides.
Both Myrtia and Chaerephon retire angrily and exeunt to the side of the stage.
Victim Scene 1415-1449
Bdelykleon (to Philokleon.) Here is another one who is coming, it seems, to summon you to court. Look! He has brought his witness with him.
Enter a Victim with his head bandaged together with his Witness.
The Victim/Accuser: O unhappy me! (to Philocléon.) I am going to have you assigned (referred to the court), old man, for violent assault and battery.
Bdelykleon: For violent assault and battery? No, don't have him assigned in the name of the gods. I offer you instead such reparation as you will determine, and I will still be grateful to you.
Philokleon: I'd rather settle with him of my own free accord. I acknowledge that I kicked and threw stones at him. (speaking sweetly to the Victim) Come on, come here. Do you rely on me to specify the amount that I will have to pay you to be your friend from now on, or would you prefer to nominate it yourself?
The Victim: You say what you are prepared to. Because I don't need lawsuits, nor am I much of a business person.
Philokleon: A Sybarite once fell off a chariot and accidentally split his head very badly because he was not an expert in horse racing. A friend of his came up to him and said "Let everyone do the job they know how best to do!" And now you too should run to Pitallos' clinic to have your head seen to.
Bdelykleon: Once again this is worthy of the way how you dealt with all the others
The Victim (to Bdelykleon): Do you always know how he answers?
The Victim and his Witness make to leave the stage.
Philokleon: Wait and listen instead of running away. In Sybaris a woman once broke a pitcher.
The Victim (to his witness): Take note of all this.
Philokleon (continuing his story): So the pitcher, having a friend, called him to witness the incident. Then the Sybarite said: "By Kore, if, by leaving this evidence here, you had quickly bought some string [to tie the broken pot up with], that would have made much more sense".
The Victim: Continue being cheeky, until the archon calls the case and summons you to appear before him.
The Victim leaves with his Witness
Bdelykleon (to Philokleon): Ah! no! by Demeter. you won't remain here any longer. I'm going to lift you up and lock you up in there! (He grabs hold of Philokleon)
Philokleon: What are you doing?
Bdelykleon: What am I doing ? I’m carrying you back into the house; otherwise, there won’t be enough witnesses will soon be missing from the subpoenas.
Philokleon: Aesop was once with the Delphians...
Bdelykleon: I don't care.
Philokleon: He was accused of having stolen a sacred bowl belonging to the god [Apollo]. And he told them that a beetle had one day [had crawled in and taken it] … .
Bdelykleon: Shut up! I have heard enough from you and about your beetles!
Bdelykleon carries Philokleon off stage back into the house.
Stasimon, 1450-1473
The Chorus. We really envy the good luck of this old man who has now recovered fully from his hard life and frugal diet . Converted now to another philosophy, he will turn towards the delights [of old age] and soft delicacy. But perhaps this will not lend itself naturally to him, because it is difficult to strip away life’s habits that we have always had. Yet many have done so. In contact with the ideas of others, they have changed their ways.
Great praise, according to us and other sensible people, will fall upon the son of Philokleon, for his filial love and his wisdom. For never have we known such a pleasant man, never have manners so fascinated us and made us overflow with pleasure. How this young man has triumphed on every point in his discussions with his father, when he wanted to bring him back to more worthy and honourable tastes!
Exodos, 1474-1537.
Messenger Scene with Xanthias (as messenger), 1474-81.
Xanthias comes out of the house. He leaves the door open.
Xanthias: By Dionysos, there are some strange going-ons happening in our house. It was as if some unknown divine sprite has flown into it. The old master has drunk too much wine after a long lie-down and has become wildly ecstatic. He has heard the sound of the pipe and has become so animated by it that he is performing one of those antiquated dances that Thespis used to put on during the contests [dithyrambs?] of his time. The old master has called the modern tragic dancers old cronies and has challenged them to a competition.
Dialogue, anap. dim., 1482-95.
Philokleon come to the door from inside the house.
Philokleon: Who's that outside?
Xanthias: Things are going from bad to worse.
Philokleon: Unbar these doors.(He comes fully out of the house and starts to dance) Behold the opening steps.
Xanthias: The figure of madness.
Philokleon: My torso bends with a swing. How one snorts. How the backbone cracks.
Xanthias: Go take a drink made from hellebore.
Philokleon: Phrynichos crouches and cowers just like a cock.
Xanthias: They will be throwing stones at you soon.
Philokleon: With my leg I kick high pointing at the sky.
Xanthias: Thereby revealing your arsehole to all.
Philokleon: As the dancer leaps and whirls each joint in its socket twirls. What do you think of that? Wasn't it good?
Iambic scene, 1496-1515.
Xanthias: No it wasn't. I have already told you what I think; you're mad.
Philokleon: I issue my challenge. Is there any dancer of tragedy here who thinks he can dance as well as me? Let him make himself known. What? Is there no one?
Xanthias: There is one!
A dancer dressed like a crab enters.
Philokleon: Who is he?
Xanthias: One of the sons of Carcinus the Crab, the middle one.
Philokleon: I'll eat him alive. He's got no rhythm.
Xanthias: Another son of Carcinus enters.
Philokleon: What a meal he will make.
Xanthias: Wait! Another son of Carcinus is coming.
Philokleon: What is this thing crawling into our view? Is it a lobster or a tarantula?
Xanthias: This is the baby crab of Carcinus' family, the one who writes tragedies.
Philokleon: Well done, Carcinus, for your gifted children They are a like a flock of dancing birds which has swooped down upon us. (To Xanthias and going down into the orchestra) I must compete against them. I might win - I would like to eat them all with plenty of salt.
Choral finale, 1516-37.
Chorus: Let us help them. Let them spin round before us without being interfered with.
Chorus Leader: Come, all you illustrious children of the Sea Lord, dance on the sandy shore with your brothers, the prawns. Come where the ocean breaks its waves on the sands where you were born.
Whirl around in a circle with swift feet, and let one of you throw up their leg in a Phrynichus high-kick, so that when the spectators see that happen they are pleasurably surprised.
Admiral Carcinus enters dressed like a crab not dancing but watching the performance.
Chorus-Leader: Your father, the Lord and Master of the Seas, crawls this way. He is mighty pleased with you, his children, his three little chickens. If you like let him lead us off for never before has anyone ended a comedy sending the chorus off dancing.
Admiral Carcinus leads his three sons, Philokleon and the Chorus out of the orchestra, all but himself dancing.
References
The Wasps - Wikipedia
The Wasps - Wikidata
In Ancient Athens the basic economic unit of society, the family household, was the Oikos. The oldest male was the head of the Oikos which consisted of his wife, his sons and unmarried daughters, the sons' wives and children, and all his slaves.
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A choirokomeion is a cage furnished with crossbars where pigs for sacrifice are reared. "Hestia's Pigpen": they raise pigs on the hearth. He brings in this instead of a dryphaktos [balustrade] or a kinklis. In (line 1073) he indicates (or exhibits?) a collar or peg, since the place where the pig is called by this name likewise. (b) The other servant appears on stage with a choirokom or dryphaktoi. It is the cage called zogreion with cross bars where pigs are reared.
Gerald Lalonde ("Topographical Notes on Aristophanes" in Thompson Studies pp. 77-79) "Reviews interpretations of "Hestia's pigsty".
D. W. Amundsen and C. J. Diers, “The Age of Menarche in Classical Greece and Rome.”
Presumably rags or wool were used to absorb menstrual blood. The female genitals were referred to by Aristophanes as choiros (pig), and he called a napkin for menstrual blood a choirokomeion (pigpen) (H. G. Liddell and R. Scott, eds.)
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Parabasis
Cynna, a well-known prostitute in Athens. Her name was foreign-sounding to the Athenians, and is perhaps derived from κῠ́ων/kuon meaning a dog or bitch, and therefore could be seen to be a reference to Cleon, who like to think of himself as the Dog-Star itself, the brightest star in the sky.
κύων - Wiktionary
Lamia Monster - Theoi.com
Lamia - Wikipedia
Aesop's Fables and Aristophanes' Wasps
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Edith Hall Chapter II The Aesopic in Aristophanes
The ancient fable : an introduction : Holzberg, Niklas - Internet ArchiveThe Politics of Aristophanes' Wasps Author(s): David Konstan Source: Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-2014), Vol. 115 (1985), pp. 27-46 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/284188.
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Thorburn, J. E. (2005). Philocleon’s Addiction. Classics Ireland, 12, 50–61. https://doi.org/10.2307/25528417 https://www.jstor.org/stable/25528417
Rodgers, Raymond S. “The Wasps in Court: Argument and Audience in the Athenian Dicasteries.” The American Journal of Legal History, vol. 28, no. 2, [Temple University, Oxford University Press], 1984, pp. 147–63, https://doi.org/10.2307/845221. https://www.jstor.org/stable/845221
Bowie, A. M. “RITUAL STEREOTYPE AND COMIC REVERSAL: ARISTOPHANES’ ‘WASPS.’” Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, no. 34, Wiley, 1987, pp. 112–25, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43646831.
Wasps 1284-91 and the portrait of Kleon in Wasps | Scholia : Studies in Classical Antiquity https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC127587
Konstan, David. “The Politics of Aristophanes' Wasps.” Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), vol. 115, 1985, pp. 27–46. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/284188.
LONG, TIMOTHY. “The Parodos of Aristophanes' ‘Wasps.’” Illinois Classical Studies, vol. 1, 1976, pp. 15–21. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23061864.
Sidwell, Keith. “The Sacrifice at Aristophanes:, Wasps 860-90.” Hermes, vol. 117, no. 3, 1989, pp. 271–277. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4476692.
Borthwick, E. Kerr. “Observations on the Opening Scene of Aristophanes' Wasps.” The Classical Quarterly, vol. 42, no. 1, 1992, pp. 274–278. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/639164.
MCGLEW, JAMES. “‘SPEAK ON MY BEHALF’: PERSUASION AND PURIFICATION IN ARISTOPHANES' ‘WASPS.’” Arethusa, vol. 37, no. 1, 2004, pp. 11–36. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44578392
Aristophanes' Wasps. The Relevance of the Final Scenes by John Vaio
https://grbs.library.duke.edu/article/viewFile/9821/4465.
Cleon, Knights, and Aristophanes' Politics: Edmunds, Lowell - Internet Archive
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Olson, S. Douglas. “Politics and Poetry in Aristophanes' Wasps.” Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), vol. 126, 1996, pp. 129–150. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/370175.Ole Thomsen; Karsten Friis-Jensen; Signe Isager (17 December 2001). Classica et Mediaevalia vol.45. 'Aristophanes Acharnians and Eupolis' by Sidwell, K (1994): Museum Tusculanum Press. pp. 71–. ISBN 978-87-7289-327-3
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Rothwell, K. S. (1995). Aristophanes’ “Wasps” and the Sociopolitics of Aesop’s Fables. The Classical Journal, 90(3), 233–254. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3297527.
Reckford, K. J. (1977). Catharsis and Dream-Interpretation in Aristophanes’ Wasps. Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), 107, 283–312. https://doi.org/10.2307/284040 https://www.jstor.org/stable/284040
Sommerstein, A. H. (1977). Notes on Aristophanes’ Wasps. The Classical Quarterly, 27(2), 261–277. http://www.jstor.org/stable/638419
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(A HISTORY OF SLAVERY: ARISTOPHANES, WASPS, SLAVES AND NATURE OF SLAVERY.
Madness on the Comic Stage: Aristophanes’ Wasps and Euripides' Heracles | simone beta - Academia.edu
Aristophanes' Wasps. The Relevance of the Final Scenes by John Vaio - Duke University
Ancient Greek Theatre: Ancient Greek Legal System
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Internet Archive Search: Aristophanes Wasps
JSTOR: Search Results Aristophanes Wasps
Aristophanes Wasps - Google Scholar Search
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Laches (dialogue by Plato) - Wikipedia
Ino (Greek mythology) - Wikipedia
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Greek Versions
Aristophanes Wasps - Internet Archive
Aristophanous komoidiai. Comedies Volume 2 The Clouds and The Wasps - Internet Archive
Aristophanes : Wasps - Internet Archive
Vespae Aristophanis edited by Bergk
Equites ; Pax ; Vespae edited by J.W. Leeuwen
Aristophanes - Wasps [Sphekes] edited by W.J.M.Starkie
The Wasps of Aristophanes, with introduction, metrical analysis, critical notes, and commentary - Internet Archive W.J.M. Starkie
The Wasps; Aristophanes - Internet Archive
The Wasps of Aristophanes - Google Books
The Wasps of Aristophanes edited by T. Mitchell
Aristophanous Sphēkes; the Wasps of Aristophanes.Collection Budé - Internet Archive ARISTOPHANE TOME II LES GUÊPES — LA PAIX
Aristophanes, Wasps - Perseus
https://wasps.gr/sfikes.html
The Wasps; Aristophanes edited by W.W. Merry - Internet Archive
Aristophanis Vespae : cum prolegomenis et commentariis -| HathiTrust Digital Library
Translations
Aristophanes, Wasps - Perseus
ARISTOPHANES - Clouds; Wasps; Peace - Internet Archive Loeb edition translated by Jeffrey Henderson
Frogs and other plays (Penguin Books) : Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Aristophanes 1: Clouds, Wasps, Birds translated by Peter Meineck.
WASPS-Meineck.pdf
Collection Budé - Internet Archive ARISTOPHANE TOME II LES GUÊPES — LA PAIX
Frogs and other plays - Penguin Books translated by David Barrett
Aristophanes, 2: Wasps, Lysistrata, Frogs, The Sexual Congress - Aristophanes - Google Books
Frogs and other plays : Aristophanes - Internet Archive
The wasps ; The poet and the women ; The frogs : Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Three comedies: The birds; The clouds, translated by William Arrowsmith. The wasps: Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Aristophanes; tr. Alan H. Sommerstein (1983). Wasps. Volume 4 of Comedies of Aristophanes. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-85668-213-1.
Aristophanes I; with the English translation of Benjamin Bickley Rogers -Internet Archive
Loeb Edition - Clouds, Wasps and Peace by Aristophanes LCL 488 trans by J. Henderson
The Comedies of Aristophanes Volume 2 The clouds; The wasps [edited, translated and explained by Benjamin Bickley Rogers]
https://archive.org/details/ComediesOfAristophanesV.2/page/n276/mode/1up?view=theater
Page 143 The Wasps translated by Moses Hadas
Three comedies: Aristophanes Wasps - Internet Archive
Aristophanes 1: Clouds, Wasps, Birds translated by P. Meineck
Delphi Complete Works Of Aristophanes: The Wasps
Five comedies of Aristophanes - Internet Archive
Aristophanes: Wasps - Wikisource
Wasps (Aristophanes) - Wikisource
Aristophanes: Wasps - Aristophanes - Google Books
Aristophanes: The Eleven Comedies/Wasps - Wikisource
The Internet Classics Archive - The Wasps by Aristophanes
Aristophanes, Wasps - Perseus Library
Aristophanes - Wasps: Translated by George Theodoridis
Aristophanes: Vespae. A translation. By F.G. Plaistowe. - Full View - HathiTrust Digital Library
Aristophanes, 2 - Google Books
Aristófanes Las Avispas - Internet Archive
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