CL 223

Unit One is devoted to Aristophanes (c. 447 - c. 383 BCE), the most famous of the old comedians, whose political satire was a scathing as anything produced in modern times. We shall read seven of the poet's eleven surviving plays in chronological order, assessing the ever-deteriorating relationship between comedy and the polis.

January 25		Introduction to CL 223
Tuesday		Course syllabus and requirements Introduction to Greek drama The life and times of Aristophanes Introduction to The Acharnians


January 27		**The Acharnians** (Lenaea 425, first place)
Thursday		Reactions to the Acharnians Performance: Dikaiopolis v. Lamachus, v. Euripides Production: the Lenaea festival Genre: the parts of comedy Introduction to The Clouds

		Assignments for this class:
		Aristophanes, Archarnians Overview of Archaic and Classical Greek History by Thomas Martin, College of the Holy Cross (via Perseus) -- The Peloponnesian War and Athenian life (12) -- The course of the war (12.1) -- Thucydides on the causes of the war (12.1.2) -- Immediate causes (12.1.2.1) -- Deeper causes (12.1.2.2) -- Athenian strategy (12.1.3) -- Losses through Spartan invasions (12.1.4) -- The effects of the epidemic (12.1.5) -- Athenian resilience (12.1.6) -- The success of Cleon at Pylos (12.1.7) Plot the following locations on the Perseus Atlas: -- Athens -- Piraeus -- Acharnai (Acharnae) -- Sparta -- Megara


February 1		*The Clouds* (Dionysia 423, last place, revised after 419)
Tuesday		Reactions to The Clouds The comic and the philosophical Socrates Genre: the agon Performance: Right v. Wrong Introduction to The Wasps Production: The City Dionysia, part 1

		Reading for this class:
		Aristophanes, Clouds Plato, Symposium (selections in packet) Overview of Archaic and Classical Greek History by Thomas Martin, College of the Holy Cross (via Perseus) -- The Sophists (11.2.4) -- Protagoras (11.2.4.1) -- The subjectivism of Protagoras (11.2.4.2) -- Perceived dangers of relativism (11.2.4.3) -- Unsettling cosmologies (11.2.4.4) -- Socrates (14.6) -- Socratic ways (14.7) -- Socrates' search for justice (14.8) -- The effect of Socrates (14.9) -- Aristophanes on Socrates (14.10) -- Socrates' guilt by association (14.11) -- The prosecution of Socrates (14.12) -- The execution of Socrates (14.13) The death of Socrates Plato, Phaedo 116e ff. (via Perseus) -- Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3


February 3		The Wasps (Lenaea 422, second place)
Thursday		Production: The City Dionysia, part 2 Reactions to The Wasps Aristophanes and props Performance: The trial of Labes the dog Introduction to The Birds

		Assignments for this class:
		Aristophanes, Wasps Consider the following: -- How would you stage the mock trial with Labes the dog? -- If you had to explain how the Aristophanic stage works as a series of rules ("Rule #1...Rule #2..." and so on), what sort of rules would you enumerate?


February 8		The Birds (Dionysia 414, second place)
Tuesday		History: The Peloponnesian War through 414 -- Perseus Atlas: Amphipolis, Mantinea, Melos, Syracuse Reactions to The Birds Stagecraft: actors and choruses Performance: The parabasis of The Birds

		Assignments for this class:
		Aristophanes, Birds Overview of Archaic and Classical Greek History by Thomas Martin, College of the Holy Cross (via Perseus) -- The success of Cleon at Pylos (12.1.7) -- The unexpected tactics of Brasidas (12.1.8) -- The Peace of Nicias (12.1.9) -- An uneasy peace (12.1.10) -- Attack on Melos (12.1.11) -- Launching the expedition to Sicily (12.1.12) -- The mutilation of the Herms (12.1.12.1) The story of Tereus, Procne, and Philomela Ovid, Metamorphoses book 6 (via Perseus) -- Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 (NOTE: start from v. 686, "Now Tereus, then the mighty king...") Consider the following: -- How would you stage the parabasis of the chorus in this play (pp. 177 - 181)?


February 10		*Lysistrata* (Lenaea 411)
Thursday		Society: Anthenian women Reactions to Lysistrata Performance: The prologue of Lysistrata

		Assignments for this class:
		Aristophanes, Lysistrata Semester project guidelines Overview of Archaic and Classical Greek History by Thomas Martin, College of the Holy Cross (via Perseus) -- Property, social freedom, and Athenian women (11.1) -- Women's responsibilities and property rights (11.1.1) -- Inheritance and dowry (11.1.1.1) -- Heiresses (11.1.1.2) -- Women's lives at home and at work (11.1.2) -- Restrictions on the lives of upper-class women (11.1.3) -- Standards of beauty (11.1.3.1) -- Paternity and women's social standing (11.1.4) -- The value of sons (11.1.4.1) -- Prostitutes and "companions" (11.1.5) -- "Companions" and freedom of speech with men (11.1.5.1) -- Athenian defeat in Sicily (12.1.13) -- The aftermath of the defeat in Sicily (12.1.14) -- Revolts among the allies of Athens (12.1.15) -- Athenian resilience after defeat in Sicily (12.1.16) -- The oligarchic coup of 411 (12.1.17) -- The Lysistrata of Aristophanes (12.2.8) Consider the following: -- How would you stage the prologue of this play (pp. 180 - 189)?


February 14		Semester project deadline
Monday		Task 1 (Choosing the play) ends at midnight


February 15		*The Frogs* (Lenaea 405, first place)
Tuesday		Reactions to The Frogs Genre: The origins of tragedy and comedy Stagecraft: The Theater of Dionysus and its audience Performance: The parabasis of the Frogs Results of task 1 announced

		Assignments for this class:
		Aristophanes, Frogs Dr. J.'s Illustrated Greek Theater (Prof. Janice Siegel, Temple University) Staging an Ancient Greek Play (Prof. Walter Englert, Reed College) Consider the following: -- How would you stage the parabasis of the chorus in this play (pp. 181 - 183)?


February 17		*The Wealth* (388)
Thursday		History: The Peloponnesian War through 404 Reactions to The Wealth The end of Athens = the end of comedy? The role of the Chorus Middle comedy

		Reading for this class:
		Aristophanes, Wealth Overview of Archaic and Classical Greek History by Thomas Martin, College of the Holy Cross (via Perseus) -- The oligarchic coup of 411 (12.1.17) -- The restoration of democracy (12.1.18) -- The end of the war (12.1.19) -- The rule of the Thirty Tyrants (12.1.20)