"Epopopoi popoi popopopoi popoi, here, here, quick, quick, quick, my comrades in the air; all you who pillage the fertile lands of the husbandmen, the numberless tribes who gather and devour the barley seeds, the swift flying race that sings so sweetly. And you whose gentle twitter resounds through the fields with the little cry of tiotiotiotiotiotiotiotio; and you who hop about the branches of the ivy in the gardens; the mountain birds, who feed on the wild olive-berries or the arbutus, hurry to come at my call, trioto, trioto,totobrix; you also, who snap up the sharp-stinging gnats in the marshy vales, and you who dwell in the fine plain of Marathon, all damp with dew, and you, the francolin with speckled wings; you too, the halcyons, who flit over the swelling waves of the sea, come hither to hear the tidings; let all the tribes of long-necked birds assemble here; know that a clever old man has come to us, bringing an entirely new idea and proposing great reforms. Let all come to the debate here, here, here, here. Torotorotorotorotix, kikkabau, kikkabau, torotorotorolililix."
Aristophanes, The Birds
(Tr. by Eugene O'Neill, Jr.)
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5 comments:
Priscilla - this is fascinating! Is this little song by Aristophanes? And was he referring to himself as the "clever old man"?
What were the new ideas and possible reforms?
Is there a context and political statement behind the words?
I know I'm showing my ignorance of such literature but you are presenting such fascinating tidbits - can't help to want to know more!
It's from a satirical play by Aristophanes (5th cen. BC). To get a summary of "The Birds" do a Google search. Sorry, I don't mean to pass the buck, but others could explain it better than I.
It seems to be relevant to every political silly season.
I just came back from linking thru various pages in Wikipedia on the subject of Aristophanes and his play "The Birds". I agree that it is a very complex setting. The intellectual environment in ancient Greece in contrast to the wars between competing Greek States and this "comedy" writer's attempt to mock conditions via his lines is too much to absorb by just skimming thru it like I did.
Apparently this is a call by the "chorus" to the listening audience to listen to what the writer (i.e., Aristophanes), via the actors, is trying to point out to them about certain absurdities in their everyday and political lives.
I can see why you directed me to internet references - this is a very complex form of entertainment - don't think it would "fly" very far on today's general TV programs .....
This is not the chorus speaking, Biddie. This is one character, Epops, the king of the birds. Apparently the play was not relevant enough for the Greek judges, as another play (which hasn't survived)won the prize that day. The ironies of literature!
I warned you! This plog is devoted to birds and the classics (mostly) and in this post I managed to combine the two. Wheeeee!
Thank you, I think, for taking it seriously.
Oh, the posting was taken with a great appreciation for being introduced to something I didn't have an inkling about!
But I did get the birds/words connection - I quietly smiled to myself about that ....
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