Aristophanes Birds 1263

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Birds. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.

Current edition Experimental

English (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) (English) (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)
Ὄρνιθες Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.) — 1263 focus
Translations (2)
Birds Perseus (Aristophanes. The Complete Greek Drama, Vol. 2. Anonymous, translator. O'Neill, Eugene; Oates, Whitney Jennings, editors. New York: Random House, 1938 (printing).)

No corresponding passage available

Birds (OCR draft) Experimental (Anonymous translation, 1938 compilation; legacy Perseus source migration. Preserved separately from the revised canonical perseus-eng2 at the project owner's request.) — 1263 focus

Commentary

Commentary (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.) focus

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ἐκόμων ἐπείνων ἐρρύπων ἐσωκράτουν
The verb σωκράτουν is a hapax legomenon in this form, a present active indicative third-person plural (or possibly a contracted form of a present subjunctive) derived from the proper name Σωκράτης. The construction relies on the comic convention of 'verbing' proper names to denote the characteristic activity of the person named (here, the Socratic practice of conversing or 'Socratizing' in the agora). While similar formations exist (e.g., πλάτωνεῖν for Plato's philosophical discourse), the specific formation and usage here serve as a pointed, satirical compression of Socrates' daily routine into a list of bodily and social needs, implying that his 'conversations' are as essential and inescapable as eating or bathing. This is a rare instance of a proper name being treated as a verbal stem in Aristophanic comedy to create a rhythmic, almost onomatopoeic effect in a tricolon.

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ἶβις Λυκούργῳ, Χαιρεφῶντι νυκτερίς,
The phrase ἶβις Λυκούργῳ functions as a specific, contemporary allusion to the trial of the general Nicias in 415 BCE, where he was mocked for his alleged resemblance to the ibis (or, more accurately in this context, the grotesque association of the ibis with the effeminate or foreign). However, the primary force here is the juxtaposition of the ibis (a bird associated with Egypt and the god Thoth) with Lycurgus, the legendary Spartan lawgiver. This creates a jarring anachronism and cultural clash: Lycurgus is the archetype of Spartan austerity, while the ibis is an Egyptian symbol. The scholia suggest this may be a reference to a specific physical resemblance or a metaphorical insult regarding Lycurgus's character or appearance that was current in the 410s, though the precise nature of the 'resemblance' is lost to history. The second half, Χαιρεφῶντι νυκτερίς, is a direct insult to the philosopher Chaerephon (Socrates' friend), calling him a 'night-jar' or 'owl,' likely alluding to his nocturnal habits or, more likely, his association with Socrates (who was often compared to a gadfly or associated with the owl of Athena, but here the 'night-jar' is a derogatory term for a bird of ill omen or a clumsy, nocturnal creature). The sentence relies entirely on the audience's knowledge of these specific individuals and the cultural connotations of the birds in 5th-century Athens.

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Συρακοσίῳ δὲ κίττα· Μειδίας δʼ ἐκεῖ
The genitive Σειρακοσίῳ (Syracusian) modifies κίττα (a type of cake or pastry, attested in this specific context of a 'Syracusan cake'), a construction where the adjective functions as a substantive genitive of origin or association, a usage distinct from the more common attributive position. The phrase likely alludes to a specific culinary tradition or a proverbial reference to Syracusan sweets, which would have been a recognizable cultural touchstone for an Athenian audience in the 5th century BCE, particularly given Syracuse's reputation for its wealth and cuisine.
The particle δέ following the genitive phrase and preceding the name Μειδίας (Meidias) serves a distinct connective function here, linking the reference to the Syracusan cake with the subsequent mention of Meidias. This Meidias is likely the same individual as the famous Athenian litigant and comic target, though the specific context of his presence 'there' (ἐκεῖ) in relation to the cake suggests a particular scene or allusion within the play that may be lost without the full dramatic context, potentially indicating a specific location or a metaphorical 'place' where such a cake is relevant to his character.