Acharnians

Acts

• Prologue

  Cyrus organises his empire. He establishes a postal system, a network of garrisons, and a court. The practicalities of ruling an empire built from conquest.

  230 lines
• Parodos

  Dicaeopolis sits alone in the empty Pnyx, waiting for an Assembly that nobody seems interested in attending. He is desperate for peace.

  26 lines
• First Episode

  The Assembly convenes. Ambassadors return from Persia with empty promises. A Thracian mercenary contingent arrives — useless and expensive.

  39 lines
• Second Episode

  Disgusted with the Assembly, Dicaeopolis sends Amphitheus to negotiate a private peace treaty with Sparta for his household alone.

  63 lines
• Agon

  Amphitheus returns with three sample peace treaties of different vintages — five, ten, and thirty years. Dicaeopolis tastes and accepts the thirty-year peace.

  152 lines
• Third Episode

  The chorus of Acharnian charcoal-burners discovers that Dicaeopolis has made a private peace with the enemy who burned their vines. They are furious.

  145 lines
• Parabasis

  Dicaeopolis celebrates the Rural Dionysia — a private peace-time festival. The Acharnians chase him with stones.

  84 lines
• Fourth Episode

  Dicaeopolis seizes a basket of charcoal as a hostage (parodying Euripides' Telephus) and threatens to kill it if the Acharnians don't listen.

  146 lines
• First Stasimon

  Dicaeopolis visits Euripides to borrow tragic rags and props for his defense speech. Euripides reluctantly strips his wardrobe of every pathetic costume.

  24 lines
• Fifth Episode

  Dressed as Telephus, Dicaeopolis delivers his defense of the Spartans. The war, he argues, started over trivial provocations on both sides.

  83 lines
• Second Stasimon

  The chorus is divided. Half are convinced by Dicaeopolis; half call in the general Lamachus to champion the war. A debate follows.

  35 lines
• Sixth Episode

  The parabasis: the chorus speaks directly to the audience about Aristophanes' courage and the city's debt to honest comedy.

  14 lines
• Second Parabasis

  Dicaeopolis opens a private marketplace where he trades freely with former enemies. A Megarian sells his daughters disguised as pigs.

  26 lines
• Seventh Episode

  A Boeotian arrives to trade regional delicacies. An informer tries to confiscate the goods; Dicaeopolis drives him off.

  75 lines
• Eighth Episode

  Various Athenians beg Dicaeopolis for a taste of peace. He refuses everyone except a bride who asks on behalf of her husband's safety.

  105 lines
• Ninth Episode

  Lamachus is called to arms: border raiders have struck. Dicaeopolis is summoned to a feast. Their parallel preparations are contrasted scene by scene.

  51 lines
• Exodos

  Lamachus returns wounded and miserable. Dicaeopolis returns drunk and happy between two girls. Peace wins.

  8 lines