Books by Aristophanes

This is the first complete verse translation of Aristophanes' comedies to appear for more than twenty-five years and makes freshly available one of the most remarkable comic playwrights in the entire Western tradition, complete with an illuminating introduction including play by play analysis and detailed notes. Contains: Birds; Lysistrata; Assembly-Women; Wealth.

The Frogs follows interpersonal conflicts between men and women, Greek gods, and the natural and supernatural. Using extraordinary circumstances, the author provides commentary on multiple public figures spanning religion, politics and literature. The Frogs is one of Aristophanes'' most notable works. The story centers on Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine, who''s also known as a patron of the arts. In an effort to restore Greek tragedy to its former glory, Dionysus travels to the underworld to bring the late playwright Euripides back to life. While on this mission he encounters other prominent figures such as Aeschylus, the "Father of Tragedy," and Heracles, the Greek demigod. Aristophanes'' work is filled with biting humor and colorful commentary that has stood the test of time. Unlike his peers, a portion of his plays (11 out of 40) survived his death and remain fully intact. The Frogs offers a glimpse into the impressive catalog that made Aristophanes one of the greatest playwrights of his era. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Frogs is both modern and readable.

The Plays of Aristophanes (425 BC-388 BC) is a collection of comedies by Athenian playwright Aristophanes. Noted for his exploration of fantasy, sexuality, and contemporary politics, Aristophanes was a leading figure in Old Attic Comedy whose award-winning plays continue to delight and inspire nearly 2,500 years after they were first performed. This collection includes some of his best-known work, showcasing his talent as an unmatched humorist and shrewd social commentator whose words drew ire from Athenian general Cleon, Socrates, and Plato. In The Clouds, an indebted Athenian aristocrat enters a philosophical school despite his advanced age in order to sharpen his argumentative skills. There, he learns the recent teachings of Socrates and gets a chance to meet the legendary figure himself. Despite his earnest desire for enlightenment, Strepsiades proves shockingly inept and is forced to beg his young son for help. The Birds follows a pair of middle-aged men on a walk through the wilderness, where they encounter a former king who has been transformed into a bird. When a group of enraged birds holds them captive, suspecting the men of ill-intent, the two devise a plan to inspire the birds to challenge the Olympians and assert their power in the universal order. In Lystistrata, the title heroine leads a courageous campaign to put an end to the brutal Peloponnesian War. Her bold plan involves encouraging women throughout the warring city states of Greece to withhold sex from men until the violence is stopped. The Plays of Aristophanes is an invaluable collection of comedies from a leading playwright of Ancient Greece, a man whose work has survived for centuries while inspiring countless writers, readers, and audiences around the world. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Aristophanes' The Plays of Aristophanes is a classic of Ancient Greek literature reimagined for modern readers.

In "e;Die Vogel"e; erzahlt der griechische Komodiendichter Aristophanes in funf Akten von der Machtergreifung der Vogel mithilfe der beiden Athener Peisthetairos, dem Berater, und Euelpides, der guten Hoffnung. Beide verlassen Athen, um eine eigene Stadt zu erbauen, in der dem Geld entsagt werden soll. Auf ihrem Weg gelangen sie ins Reich der Vogel, wo sie auf Konig Wiedehopf treffen, der ebenfalls Exil-Athener ist. Peisthetairos rat ihm eine Stadt im Himmel zu bauen, um von dort aus wieder zu Macht zu kommen, denn schlielich sei der Himmel das Reich der Vogel - und die Stadt konne den Zugang der Menschen zu den Gottern kontrollieren. Doch musse sie gebaut werden, ohne, dass die Gotter davon erfahren. Die Helden stehen vor einem schwierigen Unterfangen.-

In dieser griechischen Komodie macht sich Dionysos, der Gott des Weins, auf den Weg in die Unterwelt, um Euripides, den groen klassischen Dramatiker, wieder in die Oberwelt zuruckzuholen. In der Unterwelt muss Dionysos als Schiedsrichter bei einem Wettbewerb zwischen Euripides und dem anderen groen Dichter der Antike, Aischylos, fungieren. Nur einer der beiden wird nach diesem Wettbewerb die Erlaubnis erhalten, ins Diesseits zuruckzukehren. -

Der Bauer Strepsiades klagt uber sein Leben: Er hat uber seine Verhaltnisse geheiratet und der Sohn zu viel Geld fur Pferde und Wagenrennen verschwendet. Nun fordern die Glaubiger ihr Geld zuruck und der alte Bauer wei nicht weiter. So entschliet er sich seinen Sohn an die Schule des Sokrates zu schicken, um ihn dort zum Anwalt ausbilden zu lassen. Sein Sohn hat jedoch keine Lust darauf und so macht sich derr alte, senile Bauer selbst auf den Weg dorthin. Strepsiades wird in der Schule aufgenommen, doch lernt er nicht und so muss letztlich doch sein Sohn fur ihn einspringen, obwohl die Wolken Unheil prophezeien.-

Lysistrata ist das wohl bekannteste und am haufigsten aufgefuhrte Werk des griechischen Komodienschreibers Aristophanes. Es wurde im Jahr 411 v. Chr. uraufgefuhrt und ist eines von drei Stucken des Autors, die den Krieg als Leitthema haben. In diesem Stuck verschworen sich die Frauen aus Athen und Sparta, um ihre Manner zum Frieden zu zwingen. Unter Fuhrung von Lysistrata besetzen sie die Akropolis und verweigern ihren Gatten Sex. Nach dem Prinzip "e;Make Love, not War"e;, soll dieser Liebesentzug die Krieger zum Aufgeben zwingen. Doch bald versuchen auch liebestolle Frauen wieder zu ihren Mannern zu gelangen.-

Demos, ein seniler, leicht reizbarer Herr, holt einen neuen Sklaven, Paphlagos, zu sich. Paphlagos ist hinterhaltig, manipulativ und verlangt Schutzgeld von anderen Sklaven. Nach der Prophezeiung eines Orakels, dass Paphlagos nur von einem noch groeren Bosewicht geschlagen werden kann, machen sich die namengebenden Ritter auf, um genau diesen zu finden. Kein leichtes Unterfangen, denn das Bose hat andere Plane.-

In Aristophanes' Komodie legt sich ein einfacher Winzer mit den Gottern an. Trygaos macht sich auf einem Mistkafer auf den Weg in den Olymp, um mit Zeus uber das Schicksal der Griechen zu sprechen, die sich seit jeher im Krieg befinden. Im Olymp angekommen erfahrt er von Hermes, dass sich die Gotter wegen des Larms, der in Griechenland herrscht, auf hohere Ebenen zuruckgezogen haben und dass Polemos, der personifizierte Krieg, in den Stadten Griechenlands sein Unwesen treibt. Der Gott hat zuvor Eirene, die Gottin des Friedens, in einer Schlucht eingesperrt. Nun liegt es an Trygaos, die Gottin zu befreien und Frieden nach Griechenland zu bringen. So beginnt ein waghalsiges Abenteuer fur den Winzer.-

A "zany [and] inventive" (Emily Wilson) translation that for the first time captures both the antic outrageousness and lyrical brilliance of antiquity's greatest comedies.

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From the fifth to the second century BC, innovative comedy drama flourished in Greece and Rome. This collection brings together the greatest works of Classical comedy, with two early Greek plays: Aristophanes' bold, imaginative Birds, and Menander's The Girl from Samos, which explores popular contemporary themes of mistaken identity and sexual misbehaviour; and two later Roman comic plays: Plautus' The Brothers Menaechmus - the original comedy of errors - and Terence's bawdy yet sophisticated double love-plot, The Eunuch. Together, these four plays demonstrate the development of Classical comedy, celebrating its richness, variety and extraordinary legacy to modern drama.