Aristophanes Birds 1737

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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.) — 1737 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.) — 1737 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

1739. mvp-tlg0019-tlg006-sanjaya-com-eng1-104

Line 1739

ηὔθυνε παλιντόνους,
The verb αὐθύνειν (here ἠύθυνε) in this context denotes 'to steer' or 'to guide' a vessel, but the construction with the accusative object παλιντόνους (literally 'those with reversed rudders' or 'those steering backward') is a striking example of Aristophanic wordplay. The adjective παλίντονος is rare and likely coined for the comic effect of the birds' chaotic flight, suggesting a deliberate inversion of the normal direction of travel. The use of the aorist ἠύθυνε indicates a specific, completed action within the narrative flow, contrasting with the ongoing or habitual nature of the birds' flight described elsewhere in the play.