The Wasps (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781162711959)

The Wasps is a Greek comedy play written by Aristophanes. It was first performed in Athens in 422 BC. The play is a satire of the Athenian legal system and the political culture of the time. The story revolves around a father and son, Philocleon and Bdelycleon, who are both obsessed with serving as jurors in the Athenian courts. Philocleon is addicted to the power and prestige that comes with being a juror, while Bdelycleon is frustrated with his father's obsession and decides to take matters into his own hands. He locks Philocleon up in his house and stages a mock trial to help him see the error of his ways. The play also features a chorus of wasps, who represent the jurors and the legal system. The Wasps is a humorous and insightful commentary on the flaws of Athenian democracy and the dangers of excessive legalism. It is considered one of Aristophanes' greatest works and a classic of Greek literature.XANTHIAS (turning to the audience): Come, I must explain the matter to the spectators. But first a few words of preamble: expect nothing very high-flown from us, nor any jests stolen from Megara; we have no slaves, who throw baskets of nuts to the spectators, nor any Heracles to be robbed of his dinner, nor does Euripides get loaded with contumely.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Author: Aristophanes
ISBN-10: 1162711957
ISBN-13: 9781162711959
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
Language: English
Published: 09/10/2010
Pages: 80
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.34lbs
Size: 9.25h x 7.50w x 0.17d