The Acharnians
By Aristophanes
()
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Aristophanes
Often referred to as the father of comedy, Aristophanes was an ancient Greek comedic playwright who was active in ancient Athens during the fourth century BCE, both during and after the Peloponnesian War. His surviving plays collectively represent most of the extant examples of the genre known as Old Comedy and serve as a foundation for future dramatic comedy in Western dramatic literature. Aristophanes’ works are most notable for their political satire, and he often ridiculed public figures, including, most famously, Socrates, in his play The Clouds. Aristophanes is also recognized for his realistic representations of daily life in Athens, and his works provide an important source to understand the social reality of life in Ancient Greece. Aristophanes died sometime after 386 BCE of unknown causes.
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The Acharnians - Aristophanes
The Acharnians
by
Aristophanes
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Characters In The Play
Dicaeopolis
Herald
Amphitheus
Ambassadors
Pseudartabas
Theorus
Daughter of dicaeopolis
Slave of euripides
Euripides
Lamachus
A megarian
Two young girls, daughters of the Megarian
An informer
A boeotian
Nicarchus
Slave of lamachus
A husbandman
A wedding guest
Chorus of acharnian charcoal burners
[Scene:-The Orchestra represents the Pnyx at Athens; in the background are the usual houses, this time three in number, belonging to Dicaeopolis, Euripides, and Lamachus respectively.]
Dicaeopolis [alone]
What cares have not gnawed at my heart and how few have been the pleasures in my life! Four, to be exact, while my troubles have been as countless as the grains of sand on the shore! Let me see! of what value to me have been these few pleasures? Ah! I remember that I was delighted in soul when Cleon had to cough up those five talents; I was in ecstasy and I love the Knights for this deed; it is an honour to Greece.
But the day when I was impatiently awaiting a piece by Aeschylus, what tragic despair it caused me when the herald called, Theognis, introduce your Chorus!
Just imagine how this blow struck straight at my heart! On the other hand, what joy Dexitheus caused me at the musical competition, when right after Moschus he played a Boeotian melody on the lyre! But this year by contrast! Oh! what deadly torture to hear Chaeris perform the prelude in the Orthian mode!-Never, however, since I began to bathe, has the dust hurt my eyes as it does to-day. Still it is the day of assembly; all should be here at daybreak, and yet the Pnyx is still deserted. They are gossiping in the market-place, slipping hither and thither to avoid the vermilioned rope. The Prytanes even do not come; they will be late, but when they come they will push and fight each other for a seat in the front row. They will never trouble themselves with the question of peace. Oh! Athens! Athens! As for myself, I do not fail to come here before all the rest, and now, finding myself alone, I groan, yawn, stretch, fart, and know not what to do; I make sketches in the dust, pull out my loose hairs, muse, think of my fields, long for peace, curse town life and regret my dear country home, which never told me to buy fuel, vinegar or oil
; there the word buy,
which cuts me in two, was unknown; I harvested everything at will. Therefore I have come to the assembly fully prepared to bawl, interrupt and abuse the speakers, if they talk of anything but peace. [The Orchestra begins to fill with people.] But here come the Prytanes, and high time too, for it is midday! There, just as I said, they are pushing and fighting for the front seats.
Herald [officiously]
Step forward, step forward; get within the consecrated area.
Amphitheus [rising]
Has anyone spoken yet?
Herald
Who asks to speak?
Amphitheus
I do.
Herald
Your name?
Amphitheus
Amphitheus.
Herald
Are you not a man?
Amphitheus
No! I am an immortal! Amphitheus was the son of Ceres and Triptolemus; of him was