Reading Aristophanes: Birds

Birds differs from all other surviving 5th-century Aristophanes plays in having no obvious connection with a topical question of public interest, whether political, literary-theatrical or intellectual-educational. It has plenty of topical & satirical content; in particular as Cuckooville begins to take shape. It proves in many ways to be a replica of Athens & is soon visited by many of the less desirable elements of the Athenian population. But satire is kept firmly subordinate to fantasy. As fantasy Birds has no rival in what we possess of Greek literature, until we reach Lucian nearly six centuries later. 1st published in 1987, current edition 1992. Parallel Greek text & English translation.