The Eleven Comedies, vol 2

The Eleven Comedies, by
Aristophanes et al

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Title: The Eleven Comedies
Author: Aristophanes et al
Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8689] [This file was first posted

on August 1, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO Latin-1
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE
ELEVEN COMEDIES ***

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The Athenian Society
ARISTOPHANES
THE ELEVEN COMEDIES
Now For The First Time Literally And Completely Translated From
The Greek Tongue Into English
With Translator's Foreword An Introduction To Each Comedy And
Elucidatory Notes
The Second Of Two Volumes
* * * * *
CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME
THE WASPS Introduction Text And Notes
THE BIRDS Introduction Text And Notes

THE FROGS Introduction Text And Notes
THE THESMOPHORIAZUSAE Introduction Text And Notes
THE ECCLESIAZUSAE Introduction Text And Notes
PLUTUS Introduction Text And Notes
INDEX

THE WASPS

INTRODUCTION
"This Comedy, which was produced by its Author the year after the
performance of 'The Clouds,' may be taken as in some sort a
companion picture to that piece. Here the satire is directed against the
passion of the Athenians for the excitement of the law-courts, as in the
former its object was the new philosophy. And as the younger
generation--the modern school of thought--were there the subjects of
the caricature, so here the older citizens, who took their seats in court as
jurymen day by day, to the neglect of their private affairs and the
encouragement of a litigious disposition, appear in their turn in the
mirror which the satirist holds up."
There are only two characters of any importance to the
action--Philocleon ('friend of Cleon') and his son Bdelycleon ('enemy
of Cleon'). The plot is soon told. Philocleon is a bigoted devotee of the
malady of litigiousness so typical of his countrymen and an enthusiastic
attendant at the Courts in his capacity of 'dicast' or juryman.
Bdelycleon endeavours to persuade his father by every means in his
power to change this unsatisfactory manner of life for something nobler
and more profitable; but all in vain. As a last resource he keeps his
father a prisoner indoors, so that he cannot attend the tribunals.

The old man tries to escape, and these attempts are conceived in the
wildest vein of extravaganza. He endeavours to get out by the chimney,
pretending he is "only the smoke"; and all hands rush to clap a cover on
the chimney-top, and a big stone on that. He slips through a hole in the
tiles, and sits on the roof, pretending to be "only a sparrow"; and they
have to set a net to catch him. Then the Chorus of Wasps, representing
Philocleon''s fellow 'dicasts,' appear on the scene to rescue him. A
battle royal takes place on the stage; the Wasps, with their formidable
stings, trying to storm the house, while the son and his retainers defend
their position with desperate courage. Finally the assailants are repulsed,
and father and son agree upon a compromise. Bdelycleon promises, on
condition that his father gives up attending the public trails, to set up a
mock tribunal for him in his own house.
Presently the theft of a Sicilian cheese by the house-dog Labes gives
the old fellow an opportunity of exercising his judicial functions. Labes
is duly arraigned and witnesses examines. But alas! Philocleon
inadvertently casts his vote for the defendant's acquittal, the first time
in his life "such a thing has ever occurred," and the old man nearly dies
of vexation.
At this point follows the 'Parabasis,' or Author's personal address to the
audience, after which the concluding portion of the play has little
connection with the main theme. This is a fault, according to modern
ideas, common to many of these Comedies, but it is especially marked
in this particular instance. The final part might almost be