Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The Wasps is a comedic play written by Aristophanes that was first performed in Athens in 422 BCE. The play centers around a man named Philocleon, who is obsessed with serving as a juror in the Athenian court system. His son, Bdelycleon, tries to cure him of this obsession by creating a mock court in their home, where Philocleon can act as a judge and sentence imaginary criminals. However, this plan backfires when Philocleon becomes too powerful and begins to abuse his authority. The play also features a chorus of wasps, who represent the Athenian court system and the corrupt practices that take place within it. The wasps are eventually convinced to abandon their loyalty to the court and join Philocleon in his mock court, which leads to chaos and hilarity. The Wasps is a satirical commentary on the Athenian legal system and the power dynamics that exist within it. It is also a commentary on the nature of power and the dangers of becoming too obsessed with it. The play is known for its witty dialogue, clever wordplay, and absurd situations, and is considered one of Aristophanes' most popular works.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.