Aristophanes
Aristophanes
Aristophanes, son of Philippus, of the deme Kydathenaion, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete. These, together with fragments of some of his other plays, provide the only real examples of a genre of comic drama known as Old Comedy, and are used to define it...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPoet
voice politician breeding
Characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.
father men age
Do not bandy words with your father, nor treat him as a dotard, nor reproach the old man, who has cherished you, with his age.
men gold honest
There is no honest man! not one, that can resist the attraction of gold!
poverty monsters fearful
Poverty, the most fearful monster that ever drew breath.
men slavery half
A slave is but half a man.
wealth excellent
Wealth--the most excellent of all gods.
ifs
Even if you persuade me, you won’t persuade me.
work circles four
Meton (astronomer in 5th century BC): With the straight ruler I set to work To make the circle four-cornered .
habit crabs walks
You cannot make a crab walk straight.
war winning men
[Y]ou [man] are fool enough, it seems, to dare to war with [woman=] me, when for your faithful ally you might win me easily.
atheist believe religion
Surely you do not believe in the gods. What's your argument? Where's your proof?
dream race darkness
Weak mortals, chained to the earth, creatures of clay as frail as the foliage of the woods, you unfortunate race, whose life is but darkness, as unreal as a shadow, the illusion of a dream.
age today vices
Times change. The vices of your age are stylish today.
children childhood age
Old age is but a second childhood.