Aristophanes' Acharnians: pursuing peace with an iambic Peitho

296 Pages·2010·3.86 MB·English

Ari stophanes 'A charnians:
Pursuing Peace with an Iambic Peitho
Eleni Panagiotarakou
A Thesis
In the Special Individualized Program
Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at
Concordia Univeristy
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
May 2009
© Eleni Panagiotarakou
1*1 Library and Archives Bibliotheque et
Canada Archives Canada
Published Heritage Direction du
Branch Patrimoine de I'edition
395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington
Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 OttawaONK1A0N4
Canada Canada
Your file Votre reference
ISBN: 978-0-494-63382-3
Our Tile Notre reference
ISBN: 978-0-494-63382-3
NOTICE: AVIS:
The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive
exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives
Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver,
publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public
communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter,
telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le
loan, distribute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur
worldwide, for commercial or non support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou
commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats.
paper, electronic and/or any other
formats.
The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur
ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni
thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extra its substantiels de celle-ci
substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement
printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation.
without the author's permission.
In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne sur la
Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privee, quelques
may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont ete enleves de
thesis. cette these.
While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans
in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu
removal does not represent any loss manquant.
of content from the thesis.
1+1
Canada
ABSTRACT
Aristophanes'Acharnians: Pursuing Peace with an Iambic Peitho
Eleni Panagiotarakou, Ph.D.
Concordia University, 2009
The focus of this dissertation is the Acharnians, a play written in 425 BC by the
comic playwright Aristophanes. This comedy, or trugodia as Aristophanes refers to it,
was written in the sixth year of the Peloponnesian War and revolves around the trials and
tribulations of an Attic farmer named Dikaiopolis (Just Polis) in his quest for peace.
Three main arguments are made in the course of this dissertation. The first is that the
Acharnians is an anti-war/pro-peace play and not a pro-war or a neutral play. The second
argument is that Dikaiopolis is a non-selfish, compassionate, conciliatory figure with a
deep concern for the common good of his community. Dikaiopolis' deliberations about
the war policies take place with Athens' well-being in mind. Dikaiopolis' preoccupation
with his (seemingly) private welfare, I argue, is a dramatic, rhetorical ploy whose
objective is to demonstrate that peace is preferable to war. My third argument is that
Aristophanes had a clear intention in writing this play; the persuasion of the rural voting
population, or, at the very least, the historical Acharnians, to the side of the "peace party".
According to Dikaiopolis' political philosophy, the road to peace lies in a sustainable
society which engages in just relations with other states. Part of that justice entails, among
other things, not meddling into the affairs of other states.
111
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The writing of a dissertation is a long journey of untold accumulating influences.
To my principal advisor, Horst Hutter, I can find no words to express my profound debt
and depth of gratitude. He was, and will always remain, my teacher. To Franziska
Schlosser whose constructive comments and friendly advise was always there for the
taking. To Charles Blattberg (Universite de Montreal) for his meticulous attention to
detail and his perceptive comments. To Darlene Dubiel for her courteous assistance. To
Efie Gavaki (Hellenic Scholarship Foundation) and Nikos Metallinos (Hellenic Studies
Unit); I am grateful for the financial support of both scholarships. To the Chair, Peter
Stoett, for making my defence an enjoyable experience. To Sean Gurd, Nikos
Poulopoulos (McGill University) and Tom Darby (Carleton University) for kindly
agreeing to act as my examiners (with special thanks to Tom Darby for his constructive
remarks). I am grateful to all of the above for their thought-provoking comments which
helped improve this dissertation. I remain solely responsible for any errors or omissions
that may unwittingly remain.
Thanks also go to my husband, Panagioti, and my children Yianni and Demetra
for their patience, understanding and support. Exnv oucoysveia jxou crrnv 7ipd)xr| \iox>
7iaxpi8a, EXkada. Exov rcaxepa |xou Tvwpyo, xrjv urjxspa uou AuaXia, KOU GXIC; aSekiptc,
uou Koovaxavxiva, BaaiA.iKf| Kai Eoqna. Urn uvf|un xtov yiayid8a)v uxn>, Kcovaxavxivaq
icon Ektvr\q. Sxnv uvf|jjr| xou nannov u.ou, Mava>A.n; r\ 7ipoaco7riKf| xot> £7iippof| r|xav
xepdcxia. Edv f|xav zrti C,(QX]c, stuai Pepain oxi 9a Ttspvdyaus ajxexpnxsq cbpec; ae
OeoA.oyiKe<; cru£nxf|aeic; axiq 07iote<; u7iopei va Siacpcovouoaue eni £,ryzr\\ia (pvoxtcqc, r\Q\KX\q,
aAXd stum aiyoupn oxi 9a ot>^(p(ovot)Gau£ £7ri xov XSAXKO OTOXO; JiayKOouia eipf|vn.
iv
DEDICATION
Sxov yio (aot), Tidwri NiKfjxa Kai OTT|V Kopt] \iox>, Af||j.r|Tpa A\iakia.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. THE POLITICIZATION OF DIONYSUS 1
1.1 Methodology 4
1.2 Why Achamians and Why Now? 11
1.3 The Emergence of Democracy and Old Comedy in Athens 17
1.3.1 Dionysian Festivals & Drama 23
1.3.2 The Ritual Elements of Old Comedy 26
1.3.3 Old Comedy and the Peloponnesian War 33
1.4 Laughter & Comedy 38
CHAPTER II. A HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: WAR & OLD COMEDY..... 42
2.1 The Peloponnesian War 42
2.2 Aristophanes" Babylonians 49
2.3 The Achamians 54
2.3.1 The "Achamians" and the Peloponnesian War 56
2.3.2 Aristophanes" Motivations in Naming his Achamians the "Achamians" 62
2.3.3 The Achamians: Summary Plot 64
CHAPTER III. DESIRING PEACE." . 67
3.1 Achamians' Opening Scene: Lines 1-60 67
3.2 Overconfidence and War. The Persian Embassy: Lines 61-134 80
3.3 Self-Reliance During War: The Thracian Mercenaries: Lines 135-173 93
3.4 A Just Treason? The Making of a Private Peace: Lines 174-202 105
3.5 The Anger of the Acharnian Chorus: Lines 203-279 115
3.6 The Achilles' Heel of Persuasion: Refusal to Listen: Lines 280-392 120
3.7 In Search of a Piteous Mask: Lines 393-479 132
CHAPTER IV. PERSUASION & SPEECH 139
4.1 Dikaiopolis" Defence Speech: Lines 480-556 139
4.2 A People Divided: The Split of the Acharnian Chorus 557-625 156
4.3 Aristophanes" Apology & Thucydides" Defence: Lines 626-718 168
4.3.1. Incantational Music Song and Dance in the Achamians 172
CHAPTER V. ARISTOPHANIC COMPASSION 194
5.1 The Megarian Trader: Lines 719-859 194
5.2 The Theban Trader: Lines 860-958 218
5.3 The Justice of Dionysus in Dikaiopolis" Agora: Lines 959-1068 224
5.4 The Pleasures of Peace Versus the Pains of War: Lines 1069-123 236
CHAPTER VI. CONCLUSION: A RECAPULATION 251
BIBLIOGRAPHY 262
APPENDICES 275
Appendix I. The Spartan Phalanx 275
Appendix II: The Agon Between Poetry and Philosophy 278
Appendix III: Cratinus and Aristophanes 282
Appendix IV: Trugodia 288
VI
CHAPTER I. THE POLITICIZATION OF DIONYSUS
War is not a mere act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political
activity by other means.
Carl von Clausewitz1
War is not the continuation of politics with different means, it is the greatest mass-crime
perpetrated on the community of man.
Alfred Adler2
The focus of this dissertation is the Acharnians, a play written in 425 BC by the comic
poet Aristophanes. This play was written in the sixth year following the onset of the
Peloponnesian War, a 27-year war between the democratic city-state of Athens and the
oligarchic city-state of Sparta. The plot of the play revolves around the trials and
tribulations of a peace-seeking Attic farmer, Dikaiopolis (Just-Polis). His foremost desire
is to return to his pre-war lifestyle in the countryside (making the historical setting a
fundamental element). The play opens onto the Athenian Assembly, an inherently
political space, making the Acharnians our first extant political comedy in the Western
tradition as well as our earliest anti-war comedy.
With the exception of Leo Strauss' insightful but short (barely 22 pages)
commentary in Socrates and Aristophanes (1966), not much has been written about this
play. Also, whatever has been written, has been for the most part critical. Classical
scholars compare it to Peace, (421 BC) a later Aristophanic comedy, and find it lacking.
1 Carl von Clausewitz, On War, trans, and ed. Michael Howard and Peter Paret (Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1976), 69.
2 Alfred Adler, "Psychology of Power" Journal of Individual Psychology 22 (1966): 166-172, 172.
1
Much of what has been written about the Acharnians takes two forms. The first format is
that of articles that focus on parts of the play; for example, the Megarian episode. The
second format is articles that focus on a specific theme; for example, the theme of justice.
Very rarely does one find a work that analyzes the Acharnians as a comprehensive whole.
The only two authors, that I am aware of, who do this are Alan Sommerstein and Leo
Strauss. Sommerstein's excellent commentary on the Acharnians, however, focuses
exclusively on the historical aspect of the Acharnians. Strauss' equally excellent
commentary focuses exclusively on the theoretical aspects of the Acharnians. Indeed,
Sommerstein and Strauss represent two polar opposites to the study of the Acharnians;
one temporal and space-bound, the other eternal and universal. What is needed is an
examination of the Acharnians that takes both of these elements into consideration. This
dissertation aims at doing exactly that.
Overall, the Acharnians is a play that seems to generate more divergence than
convergence of opinion amongst scholars. It has been called both an anti-war and pro-war
comedy. It has also been called a neutral comedy; neither in favour nor in opposition to
the war. Some have called the Acharnians an inherently political work; others a light-
hearted escapist fantasy. The play's protagonist, Dikaiopolis, has been called both a just
and unjust man. The only common point of agreement amongst scholars is Dikaiopolis
supposed hedonism and selfishness.3 That is, even those who argue that the Acharnians is
Those making this argument include in chronological order, Bowie, "The Parabasis in Aristophanes:
Prolegomena, Acharnians," 40; Foley, "Tragedy and Politics in Aristophanes' Acharnians," 38, 45-7;
Olson, "Dikaiopolis' Motivations in Aristophanes' Acharnians," 200; and Fisher, "Multiple Personalities
and Dionysiac Festivals: Dikaiopolis in Aristophanes' 'Acharnians," 40-4.
2
an anti-war play with a clear political agenda and Dikaiopolis a just man, do not fail to
point out Dikaiopolis supposed selfish hedonism.
A number of claims will be made in the course of this dissertation. One claim is
that Aristophanes had a triple agenda in the Acharnians consisting of (a) rehabilitating his
reputation in the court of public opinion following Cleon's impeachment; (b) continuing
the message of anti-imperialism first laid out in the Babylonians; and (c) the advocation
of negotiated peace talks between Athens and Sparta. Another claim is that the
Acharnians is not a neutral or pro-war play but an anti-war play. More than that, I will
claim that the Acharnians is imbued with a fundamental anti-war ethos. That ethos seems
to be endemic to the genre of Old Comedy and it traces its origins to iambic poetry.
In terms of the play's protagonist, Dikaiopolis, contra to the prevailing sentiment
in the literature, I would argue that he is not a selfish figure. On the contrary. I will claim
that he is a pan-Hellenic figure who cares deeply for Athens. His actions, while seemingly
selfish, upon closer examination are shown to stem from a concern for the well-being of
the community. Dikaiopolis deliberations about the war are deeply rooted in the interests
of the Athenian and Hellenic society as a whole. In his advocacy of peace, the playwright,
Aristophanes uses numerous rhetorical techniques. These include, among others, appeals
to xenophophic sentiments; the slandering of politicians; personal gossip; the politics of
envy; the ridicule of military figures; and the dishonouring of military symbols.
Scholars who do consider the Acharnians to be an anti-war comedy, fail to
provide a detailed, comprehensive analysis to sustain this thesis. I undertake this venture
not only to reinforce the notion that the Acharnians is indeed an anti-war play, but also to
investigate how, and in what manner, Aristophanes synthesized various literary and
3
theatrical traditions, namely Euripidean tragedy, sophistic oratory and iambic poetry in
his advocacy of peace.
It should be pointed out that in the Acharnians one comes across various themes.
One theme is an attack on erotic conventions as seen by Dikaiopolis' comment that the
war begun over three whores. Another theme is that of old versus young men in Athens.
This theme becomes evident in the songs of the Chorus and the Chorus Leader
respectively when they complain that Athens treats her old veterans unfairly in the Law
Courts by allowing younger men to act as their persecutors (676-718). Yet another theme
is that of the braggart soldier, the precursor to the Miles Gloriosus character of Latin
comedy: The above-mentioned themes are explored, to varying degrees, in the course of
this dissertation.
1.1 Methodology
This thesis is an interplay between context and text. The context is the
Peloponnesian War and the economic, historical and political aspects that lead to that
war; the text is Aristophanes' Acharnians. Chapter one provides a general theoretical
background. The question of what relevance and/or lessons an ancient anti-war play could
hold that would still resonate in contemporary times is examined. Also examined is the
suitability of comedy as an anti-war medium. This is followed by an inquiry into the
supposed symbiotic relationship between Athenian democracy and Old Comedy. This is
undertaken because Old Comedy, and Aristophanic comedy in particular, was noted for
its element of frank speech that included satire and slandering. That culture of self-
questioning, not only of political figures, but of institutions as well, presupposed the
4