Εἰρήνη
Peace
Aristophanes · first staged City Dionysia, 421 BC · second prize
Trygaeus, a vine-grower sick of the war, flies up to heaven on a giant dung-beetle, finds the goddess Peace buried in a pit, and with the farmers of Greece hauls her out.
Persons, in order of appearance
- Οι. ΑʹFirst Slave
- Οι. ΒʹSecond Slave
- Τρ.Trygaeus
- Πα.Daughter
- Ερ.Hermes
- Πο.War
- Κυ.Tumult
- Χο.Chorus
- Οι.Slave
- Ιε.Hierocles
- Δρ.Sickle-maker
- Οπ.Arms-dealer
- Πα. ΑʹFirst Boy
- Πα. ΒʹSecond Boy
Translations
- The Eleven Comediesprose · 1912 · aligned by speech · with Coulon's Greek
- W. J. Hickieprose · 1853 · aligned by speech · with Coulon's Greek
- Ian Johnston (VIU)verse · aligned by speech · with Coulon's Greek
Greek texts
- Coulon & van Daele, Aristophane, vol. 21924
- F. W. Hall and W. M. Geldart, Aristophanis Comoediae, vol. 11906
Cite as Ar. Pax 1–1359
Full synopsis (tells the ending)
Trygaeus, a vine-grower sick of the war, fattens a dung-beetle and flies to heaven on it to see Zeus. The gods have moved out; War is in residence and has buried Peace in a pit. Trygaeus calls up the farmers of all Greece to haul her out, and they do. He comes home with Peace's two companions, Harvest and Festival, hands Festival to the Council, and marries Harvest. The play ends with the wedding, arms-dealers ruined and farmers feasting.
Drawing: Line drawing after the 1853 plate of the Reckoning Painter's krater (Wieseler, Annali dell'Instituto 25, tav. d'agg. C-D, 6); retraced.