The Wasps

The Wasps (Greek Σφῆκες, Sphekes ) is a comedy by the Greek poet Aristophanes. It was 422 BC, published and awarded to the Lenaea the second prize, which she " Messenger " landed behind Aristophanes second performance Proagon and before Leukons.

Content

In this comedy is Aristophanes takes the Athenian judicial system, which is significantly affected by the litigiousness of many Athenians to the chest. As in other pieces it is Cleon, is alluded to in particularly, on the one hand to his defeat in a recent embezzlement process, on the other hand on the soundness of its increase in the Richter olds to three obols. The latter served in the piece the older man Philocleon ( "friend of Cleon " ) for the benefit because it can be abused for this reward as a judge of the demagogues. As the majority of his fellow citizens, he is addicted to the profession downright boastful he makes judgments with his pen, which is equated with a wasp sting. His son Bdelykleon ( " enemy of Cleon " ) wants to put an end to this bustle and locks the father in his house a. The theme of generational conflict so also occurs here. Although the father complained to the chorus, which consists mostly of him inclined towards people, but in the end finds his child the more persuasive arguments and making it clear to everyone how much the court gentlemen are exploited. For now Philocleon is set up at home, a court, but miraculously he will later be completely cured by Dionysos, and then a final feast follows.

The piece served as the inspiration for Jean Racine 's only comedy Les Plaideurs ( " The litigants ).