Peace

Acts

• Prologue

  Trygaeus, an Athenian farmer, is fed up with the war. He fattens a giant dung beetle and rides it to heaven to confront the gods.

  247 lines
• Parodos

  Trygaeus arrives at the palace of the gods. Hermes tells him that Zeus and the Olympians have moved away in disgust at the Greeks' endless fighting. War now occupies the house.

  47 lines
• First Episode

  War has thrown the cities of Greece into a mortar and plans to grind them up. But his pestle is missing — both Cleon and Brasidas are dead.

  310 lines
• Parabasis

  Trygaeus rallies farmers, merchants, and labourers from across Greece to haul the goddess Peace out of the cave where War has imprisoned her.

  Not yet imported
• Second Episode

  The Greeks work together to dig out Peace. Various factions pull against each other, but the farmers heave hardest and succeed.

  72 lines
• Third Episode

  Peace is freed, along with her attendants Harvest and Festival. Hermes explains how the war started and who profited from prolonging it.

  80 lines
• Fourth Episode

  The parabasis: the chorus of farmers addresses the audience about the blessings of peace and the poet's service to Athens.

  223 lines
• Stasimon

  Trygaeus returns to earth with Harvest as his bride. He prepares a wedding feast and sacrifice. Arms dealers arrive to sell their wares and are turned away.

  64 lines
• Fifth Episode

  The war profiteers — helmet-makers, spear-polishers, trumpet-sellers — are devastated. Trygaeus suggests they repurpose their stock as household items.

  40 lines
• Exodos

  The wedding procession begins. Trygaeus and Harvest celebrate their marriage as the chorus sings of the joys of farming, feasting, and the end of fighting.

  54 lines