Commentary

[1208-1210] The names of the father and son translate to ‘Cleon-lover’ and ‘Cleon-hater’ respectively. These are both about the Athenian politician, Cleon, who after 430 BCE, was the most influential in Athens, having gathered a following by promising material gains (Schmitz 2006). 

[1212] “stretch out the knees” Bdelykleon’s corrections convey that his father laid on the couch in a manner almost like the fetal position. The proper reclining position has the knees less bent and the symposiast holding their upper body up by resting their left elbow on a cushion of some sort, as shown in countless vase depictions. Click here for a depiction of a symposiast reclining. 

[1213] “fluidly pour yourself” This exact phrase and even the word ‘pour’ (χύτλασον) is only attested in this work (Thesaurus Linguae Graecae© Digital Library). However, Biles and Olson point out that ‘fluidly’ (ὑγρόν) is used elsewhere concerning reclining, ‘the entire body resting fluidly’ (2015, 437).

[1214] “appraise one of the bronzes” Typically, as decoration for a symposium, bronze armor and weaponry were hung up on the walls to display the wealth of a household (Biles and Olson 2015, 438). Such decor is shown in this red-figure cup’s illustration, here being a suspended quiver.

[1216-1217] “Water over our hands…now we make libations” The first two orders are towards imaginary slaves, initiating the start of their “dinner”, while the next three quickly go through the meal, the clean-up, and the post-meal sacrificial offerings. This all is imaginary, as shown by Philokleon’s confused reaction in the next line (Biles and Olson 2015, 438).

[1219] “the flute-girl” Symposia frequently had some sort of hired entertainment, with a female aulos (αὐλός) player as a common example (Biles and Olson 2015, 439). The aulos is a reeded wind instrument, consisting of two separate pipes with finger holes (Zaminer 2006). It is typically translated as ‘flute’ despite the evident differences between the two instruments. Here’s a depiction of an aulos player at a symposium.

[1220] “Theoros, Aeschines, Phanos, Cleon” The inclusion of Cleon and some of his companions at this imaginary symposium helps emphasize the extravagance with which Bdelykleon envisions the symposium but also anticipates the jokes Philokleon makes about the abuse of these men later on in the play (Pütz 2007, 91).

[1222] “crooked songs” these crooked songs (σκόλια) are short traditional or patriotic songs symposiasts performed at symposia by passing a branch around to signify the lead singer (Biles and Olson 2015, 440). The branch bearer could either sing a complete verse or, after beginning a verse, hand the branch off for another guest to finish the song, which is part of what makes the songs ‘crooked’ in comparison to the precise structure of the libation hymns.

[1223] “As none of the Diacrioi” The Diacrioi were the Greek regional group living in the inland hilly region of Attica, but it was also the name of another inland group near Mt. Parnes (Biles and Olson 2015, 440-441). The word itself means something like “hill-men”, which may have been Philokleon’s intention, referring to shepherds.

[1227] “a scoundrel and a thief” Philokleon takes the opportunity to insult Cleon instead of finishing the song with the proper line. Despite his name and initial pro-Cleon opinion, he has flipped opinions at this point in the play. As Pütz explains, “Such a quick change is possible in comedy, though, and at the same time it helps to underline the fact that Philokleon is mostly interested in his own pleasure” (2007, 92).

[1228] “You’ll be shouted to death!” This exact phrasing is borrowed from an existing translation (Henderson 1998, 379).

[1236] “reclining at your feet” Referring back to my comments on line 1212, in addition to reclining position, the guests of a symposium would recline two to a couch. The second symposiast on the couch would recline on a provided cushion by the first’s feet. The phrase also can extend to the guest on the next couch when referring to the second reclining. As Biles and Olson explain, there is much deliberation over the exact layout of Bdelykeon’s imaginary symposium, but Theorus must be on a couch on Philokleon’s right (2015, 439).

[1241] “to play the fox” This is the literal translation of the Greek ἀλωπεκίζειν, but as the next line illustrates, the word means “to act in a duplicitous, scheming fashion” (Biles and Olson 2015, 444).

[1251] “pack a dinner” It was a common practice in ancient Greece for the guests of a symposium to bring their own dinner or pay for dinner, with Pütz citing that such dinners were usually called σύνδειπνα (2007, 94). Biles and Olson explain further that a host provided a venue, wine, entertainment, and snacks for the symposium, but left their guests to provide their dinner (2015, 446). Several depictions of symposia also show baskets hung on the walls, with this being one example.

[1259] “Aesopian joke” Aesop was a famous Greek writer of fable, which is referred to here as a potential source of humor Philokleon could draw from (Luzzatto 2006). “a Sybaritic one” Sybaris is a city found in southern Italy that was destroyed in 510 BCE, but it’s also the site where the Panhellenic Greek city colony, Thurii, was founded in 444 BCE (Muggia 2006). There are no specific records of famous residents, but presumably, since Aristophanes directly references it as a source of comedy, some Greek writer was associated with the colony.

Sources

Biles, Zachary P., and S. Douglas Olson. 2015. Aristophanes’ Wasps. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Henderson, Jeffery. 1998. Clouds. Wasps. Peace. Loeb Classical Library 488. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Luzzatto, Maria Jagoda (Florence). 2006. ‘Aesop’. In Brill’s New Pauly, edited by Hubert Cancik and, Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, and English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e110970.

Muggia, Anna (Pavia). 2006. ‘Sybaris’. In Brill’s New Pauly, edited by Hubert Cancik and, Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, and English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e1126420.

Pütz, Babette. 2007. The Symposium and Komos in Aristophanes. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.

Schmitz, Winfried (Bielefeld). 2006. “Cleon.” In Brill’s New Pauly, edited by Hubert Cancik and, Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, and English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e616310.

Thesaurus Linguae Graecae© Digital Library. Ed. Maria C. Pantelia. University of California, Irvine. http://stephanus.tlg.uci.edu (accessed Jan. 26, 2024).

Zaminer, Frieder (Berlin). 2006. ‘Musical Instruments’. In Brill’s New Pauly, edited by Hubert Cancik and, Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, and English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e812990.