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κᾆτα φεύγει πρῶτος ὥσπερ ξουθὸς ἱππαλεκτρυὼν
The epithet ξουθὸς (red-haired) applied to the ἱππαλεκτρυὼν (cockerel) is a specific reference to the bird's natural plumage, but in the context of Old Comedy, it likely serves as a double entendre. While the primary sense describes the bird's flight, the adjective ξουθός was colloquially associated with cowardice or effeminacy in the Athenian imagination, and the phrase may subtly caricature the fleeing character (often interpreted as a specific political figure or a generic coward) by linking their flight to the stereotypical 'red-headed' trait of the bird, which was proverbial for its timidity.
Peace. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.