Σφῆκες
Wasps
Aristophanes · first staged Lenaia, 422 BC · second prize
Old Philocleon is addicted to jury service. His son Bdelycleon locks him in the house and, when that fails, sets up a court at home for him.
Persons, in order of appearance
- Σω.Sosias
- Ξα.Xanthias
- Βδ.Bdelycleon
- Φι.Philocleon
- Χο.Chorus
- Πα.Boy
- Κυ.Dog
- ΑνηρMan
- Αρ.Bread-seller
- Κα.Accuser
Translations
- The Eleven Comediesprose · 1912 · aligned by speech · with MacDowell's Greek
- W. J. Hickieprose · 1853 · aligned by speech · with MacDowell's Greek
Greek texts
Cite as Ar. Vesp. 1–1537
Full synopsis (tells the ending)
Philocleon is addicted to sitting on juries. His son Bdelycleon has netted the house to keep him from the courts and has a guard on every door. The old man tries the chimney, the roof, the underside of a donkey. His fellow jurors, the wasps of the chorus, come to spring him. The son wins the argument and sets up a court at home, where the dog is tried for stealing cheese and Philocleon is tricked into acquitting, the first acquittal of his life. Taken out to a dinner party, he comes home drunk with a flute-girl and a trail of lawsuits.
Drawing: Line drawing after the Apulian red-figure bell-krater J. Paul Getty Museum 96.AE.112; traced from the museum's photograph (CC0), taken off the vase's curve.