Aristophanes, III：Volume III. Birds. Lysistrata. Women at the Thesmophoria. (Loeb Classical Library, No.179)

Aristophanes(ca.446-386b.c.),oneoftheworld'sgreatestcomicdramatists,hasbeenadmiredsinceantiquityforhisiridescentwitandbeguilingfantasy,exuberantlanguage,andbrilliantsatireofthesocial,intellectual,andpoliticallifeofAthensatitsheight.InthisthirdvolumeofanewLoebClassicalLibraryeditionofAristophanes'plays,JeffreyHendersonpresentsafreshlyeditedGreektextfacingalively,unexpurgatedtranslationwithfullexplanatorynotes.InBirdsAristophanesturnsfromthepointedpoliticalsatirecharacteristicofearlierplaystoafantasythatsoarsliterallyintotheairinsearchofacarefreeworld.Heretheenterprisingprotagonistscreateautopiancounter-Athens,calledCloudcuckooland,ruledbybirds.Lysistratablendsuninhibitedcomedyandanearnestcallforpeace.Lysistrata,ourfirstcomicheroine,organizesapanhellenicconjugalstrikeofyoungwivesuntiltheirhusbandsendthewarbetweenAthensandSparta.AthenianwomenagaintakecenterstageinWomenattheThesmophoria,thistimetopunishEuripidesforportrayingthemaswicked.ParodyofEuripides'plotsenlivensthiswittyconfrontationofthesexes.