Birds

Orphic Hymns and the Sicilian Expedition

8 years
Between the Wasps and Birds almost a decade of history
422 Cleon dies fighting Brasidas in Amphipolis
In their absence, no more barrier to temporary peace of Nicias
Rise of Hyperbolus in Assembly
421 Aristophanes writes Peace
Trygaeus and the Dung-Beetle
Uneasy peace until 416: Seige of Melos by Athens
Sicilian Expedition
415: Ambassadors from Sicily arrive
Alcibiades convinces assembly to go to war: Thuc. 6.
Huge gathering of forces
On eve of Expedition: Mutilation of the herms
Alcibiades reputation: he is suspected of crime
After expedition arrives in Sicily, he is recalled to Athens on a graphe
He takes asylum in Sparta instead, begins counseling the Spartans
Birds: 414 BCE
Aristophanes writes Birds at about 34
Callistratus didaskalos again
Atmosphere of military optimism in Athens
Athenians and the character Thucydides gives them: polypragmosyne
Peishetairos-persuasive friend: quintessential Athenian
Escapist apragmosyne becomes the opposite
String of Athenian visitors to Cloudcuckooland.
Utopian fantasy, all rules easily broken
Subversion of power structures, but which ones?
Religion
Birds are traditionally part of religious divination
become a replacement for Olympic pantheon
Orphic type Theogony:
Phanes: Primal deity from egg>Eros: principle of reproduction
 Orphus (), the founder of Mysteries (), tells us that within this
undifferentiated mixture are Earth and Water [54] and it is from the dance of these two that
everything which is comes to be. For Ageless () Time () was moved by Necessity
() [54] and gave birth to Aithr () and a limitless chasm () which extended in
every direction, and everything was in tumult. [66] In the Aithr, Time formed a silvery egg (
or ) [70], the offspring of Aithr and Khos () [79]. And the egg began to move in an
enormous and wondrous circle [71] and from the egg Phnis () emerged, and as he was
born, the Aithr and the Chasm were torn apart () [72].

Behold the son of Aithr! The First-Born () [86]! The Shining One ()! [73 &
74] Who by his nature illumines everything and was the first to appear in the Aithr! [75] Witness
his four eyes looking everywhere [76] and marvel at his four horns! Behold his golden wings
which flutter all about! [78] He bellows like a massive bull and roars like a lion! [79] He is
Irikpaios (), both male and female [81], who harbors in his heart blind and
swift rohs() [82]! He is Mtis (), the progenitor of the Gods, who call him the Revealer
and First-born [85]! He is the one with the mighty voice (); he is all-seeing
() Zefs () [170] ! He can be seen only by his daughter, but his effulgent light shining
in the Aithr draws wonder for those who behold it, illuminating the world with great
brilliance. [86]
 Strategic displacement of the gods
Conceived as military exercise in human terms
Peisthetairus wins when marries personification of power, Basileia
Achieves Zeus thunderbolt
Ostensibly does this for the Birds, but really men benefit
Bird-Myths
Story of Hoopoe: Tereus, Philomela, Procne
Orphic Theogony vs. Hesiodic
Apollo on swan chariot to Hyperboreans (Pindar)
Eros as winged
Prometheus and Eagle
Hera and peacock
Birds close to many gods-depicted on their heads:
Athena, Zeus, Hera, etc.
Birds
Harpies w/ Phineus
Birds, Food and Reversal
Birds were preferred food for Greeks
P. is able to play on this in order to get their support
Inversion of Norms: utopian theme like Krates Beasts
Birds start slaving for P., building fortress of power
Music and Poetry
Many more lyric passages in play
Musical solos by Procne, and another aulist
Tereus would have sung call to Birds
Many descriptions of Birds are less farcical and more poetic
 https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/hb/hb_1981.11.10.jpg
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/Hpix/1990.14.0078.jpeg
http://www.theoi.com/image/Z26.1DStymphalides.jpg
http://www.theoi.com/image/T20.1Titanes.jpg
https://www.usu.edu/markdamen/ClasDram/images/08/comicchorusbirds.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Rider_BM_B1.jpg/1200px-Rider_BM_B1.jpg
http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/paula_chabot/zeus_ganymede2.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a9/cf/fc/a9cffc7345461271cb43923cb82c6620.jpg
http://www.cornellcollege.edu/classical_studies/comedy/web%20project/media/Birds.jpg
http://www.theoi.com/image/K2.1BPoseidon.jpg
https://content.ngv.vic.gov.au/col-images/api/EPUB000959/1280
http://www.theoi.com/image/P20.1Harpyiai.jpg
http://www.cairn-int.info/loadimg.php?FILE=E_CLIO1/E_CLIO1_042/E_CLIO1_042_0217/E_CLIO1_idPAS_D_ISBN_pu2015-
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 God with bird on head?
Owl coin?
Trygaeus and Dung-Beetle
Productions of As Birds: costumes
Songs/lyrics of birds
Procne/Tereus myth
Orphic vs. Hesiodic Theogony
Portrait Alcibiades