Great Books Ep 100. Aristophanes - The Birds. Seeking Freedom and Utopia, Creating Autocracy
Revolutionary movements often end up recreating the very systems they sought to overthrow.
“That’s why we are journeying on this journey now, \ Trudging along with basket, pot, and myrtles, \ To find some quiet easy-going spot, \ Where we may settle down, and dwell in peace.”
~ ‘The Birds’ by Aristophanes (Benjamin B. Rogers translation. GB5 - p. 542)
Brief Summary
The story starts with two Athenians, Peisthetaerus and Euelpides, wandering in a desolate area, each carrying a bird, a crow and a jackdaw, respectively, as their guides. They had set out in search of Tereus, who was an Athenian in the past and had transformed into a bird (Hoopoe). They wanted to find a better place to settle down and live in peace since they were fed up with Athens’ endless lawsuits and political chaos. Finally, they meet Tereus, who gives some suggestions on places, but Peisthetaerus does not like them and says that the birds should create their own city.
Hoopoe calls all the birds to gather. Initially, they see none coming, but slowly, there is a mass entrance of a lot of different types of birds. The moment the birds get to know that there are humans with Hoopoe, they are alarmed and feel betrayed. They get ready to attack the humans. Hoopoe asks the birds to give Peisthetaerus a chance to talk. He talks very eloquently and convinces the birds that they are actually older than the gods and they should claim their ancient right to rule. The plan is simple - build a bird city between the sky and the Earth. Build a wall in the city and intercept sacrificial offerings or prayers from humans to gods and also to block gods from going to humans. The Chorus asks several questions and Peisthetaerus has answers to everything. He explains how birds can enforce their power, how they can answer the prayers of people (give weather forecast, reveal treasures), what people want (wealth, health) and that people would be happy to not have to build expensive temples or travel to far off places to meet oracles.
As the city (named Cloudcuckooland) is being set up, the word spreads, and many people approach Peisthetaerus who has now assumed command to let them into the city - a poet singing praise, an oracle talking about prophecies, a surveyor offering to measure the city, a commissioner saying he has come from Athens on authority, a statute-seller selling laws, etc. Peisthetaerus beats up each of them and sends them away.
After the wall is set up, they catch the first offender who tries to cross over - the goddess Iris. Peisthetaerus treats her like an illegal border crosser and demands to see her ‘pass’. Iris is offended at the lack of respect and says that her father (Zeus) will take revenge on them. Peisthetaerus mocks her further and says Zeus cannot do anything against the birds.
Prometheus arrives in secret and reveals that Zeus is in trouble because no sacrificial smoke reaches heaven. He says the gods are planning to send emissaries. He tells Peisthetaerus to ask for Sovereignty since it is she “who keeps the thunderbolts of Zeus, And all his stores—good counsels, happy laws, Sound common sense, dockyards, abusive speech”.
Zeus sends three gods to ask for a truce - Poseidon, Heracles, and a barbarian god called Triballian. Through clever words, Peisthetaerus outmaneuvers them all by getting Heracles and Triballian to agree to things that Poseidon objects to. He gets independence for the bird city as well as Sovereignty.
The play ends with a grand wedding ceremony, as Peisthetaerus and his bride Sovereignty ascend to take control of heaven itself.
My Thoughts
It is a remarkable play, immensely enjoyable and re-readable. One can get a better understanding with every re-read. I was surprised that people had a deep understanding of so many types of birds even back then! Birds are funny, menacing, as well as worthy of respect. The play is packed with so many deep ideas. I was thinking about the play as I was walking the dogs in the morning and so many thoughts came to mind. It is evening now when I was finally able to find some time to sit down and write, and I feel like I’ve forgotten a few ideas. Here are a few:
The rebel becomes the very power he once rebelled against
Peisthetaerus achieves his utopia by becoming exactly what he sought to escape - an absolute ruler wielding Zeus’s own thunderbolt. He treats the goddess Iris as an illegal border crosser, beats up people that he does not approve of and imposes his will on everything. When the statute-seller comes to sell him laws that he could use to govern the new city, he strikes him and says - “Take off those laws, you rascal. Laws you won’t like I’ll give you in a minute”, meaning that it is he who makes the laws now. Peisthetaerus sets out to escape the tyranny of laws in Athens to find a quiet place to live, changes course to build a utopia for birds to free them and ends up being a tyrant in a new city.
Why do people immigrate?
At the start of the play, Peisthetaerus says - “That’s why we are journeying on this journey now, .. To find some quiet easy-going spot, \ Where we may settle down, and dwell in peace.”. People immigrate to escape from some sort of misery that they are undergoing.
Hoopoe gives an answer to this when the Chorus of birds asks why the men had come seeking the birds.
“Love of you, Love of your Life and ways Was the lure.”
People immigrate because they love some other people’s way of life than their own. If it is just to make money, people would work for a few years, make enough and go back. This probably applies to people who change companies for which they work, too. They move to another place that has a better work culture than they have right now.
It is easy to rally people by reminding them of their past superiority
“I can but bewail Our fathers' demerit, Who born such an Empire as this to inherit Have lost it, have lost it, for me! But now thou art come, by good Fortune’s decree, Our Saviour to be, …”
Peisthetaerus tells the birds that they are superior to the gods and that they used to rule different parts of the world. This awakens the birds with a renewed sense of superiority complex, and they do things that they would have otherwise not done. I feel like this is what is used by so many leaders to brainwash people - Hitler’s narrative of Aryan supremacy, Mussolini’s talks about the glorious Roman empire, Imperial Japan, the Iranian revolution, the Chinese revolution, etc. Even the recent MAGA movement in the US and the Hindutva movement in India are examples of leaders trumping up people by saying the past was glorious and they could take the people to those times.
On Love
“And out of that egg, as the Seasons revolved, sprang Love, the entrancing, the bright, Love brilliant and bold with his pinions of gold, like a whirlwind, refulgent and sparkling!
Love hatched us, commingling in Tartarus wide, with Chaos, the murky, the darkling, And brought us above, as the firstlings of love, and first to the light we ascended.
There was never a race of Immortals at all till Love had the universe blended; Then all things commingling together in love, there arose the fair Earth, and the Sky, And the limitless Sea; and the race of the Gods, the Blessed, who never shall die.
So we than the Blessed are older by far; and abundance of proof is existing That we are the children of Love, for we fly, unfortunate lovers assisting.”
This was so beautifully written. Before gods, before earth and sky, before even consciousness itself, there was Love, blending elements that never before touched, creating connections where none existed. I was reminded of so many of the love poems I’d read - Rumi, Dickinson, and even Shakespeare.
AI Response to the Post (Gemini)
1. Expanding on Your Thoughts:
The Rebel Becomes the Power He Once Rebelled Against: Your observation is a classic example of the “iron law of oligarchy” and the cyclical nature of power. Revolutions often replace one form of tyranny with another, as the revolutionary leaders adopt the very tactics they condemned. Human nature, with its inherent desire for control and self-preservation, tends to perpetuate these patterns.
Peisthetaerus’s transformation highlights how power corrupts. The initial desire for peace and escape morphs into a lust for absolute authority. The “ends justify the means” mentality takes over, and the original ideals are compromised.
This also applies to systems that are created. For example, a system that is created to fight against corruption, can itself become corrupt.
Why People Immigrate: You’ve astutely identified the dual motivations: escape from misery and attraction to a perceived better life. These motivations are complex and intertwined.
Beyond economic factors, immigration is often driven by a search for cultural compatibility, political freedom, or a sense of belonging. The “love of another way of life” you mentioned reflects a deep-seated desire for a society that aligns with one’s values and aspirations.
People also immigrate to escape persecution, war, or famine. These are examples of misery that force people to leave their homes.
Rallying People with a Superiority Complex: The appeal to a “glorious past” is a potent tool for manipulation. It taps into primal instincts of tribalism and national pride. By framing current struggles as a loss of former greatness, leaders can galvanize support for radical actions.
This tactic often relies on selective historical narratives and the demonization of “others.” It creates a sense of victimhood and justifies aggression against perceived enemies.
The psychology behind this is very strong. People want to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves, and that they are part of a winning team.
On Love: Aristophanes’ depiction of Love as the primordial force is deeply resonant. It speaks to the fundamental human need for connection and creation.
Love, in this context, is not merely romantic love, but a cosmic force that drives the universe itself. It represents the impulse to unite, to create, and to transcend boundaries.
This concept of love is very similar to the concept of “Eros” in Greek philosophy.
2. Deeper Analysis of Themes and Symbolism:
The Nature of Utopia: “The Birds” satirizes the very concept of utopia. Cloudcuckooland, initially envisioned as a peaceful refuge, quickly devolves into a site of conflict and tyranny. This suggests that perfect societies are unattainable, as human flaws and ambitions inevitably corrupt even the noblest intentions.
The play also explores the tension between individual freedom and collective order. Peisthetaerus’s authoritarian rule raises questions about the price of security and stability.
The Critique of Athenian Society: Beyond escaping lawsuits, the play satirizes the political instability, litigiousness, and social climbing prevalent in Athens. The constant influx of opportunists seeking to exploit Cloudcuckooland reflects the parasitic nature of Athenian society.
The play also criticizes the Athenian people’s obsession with oracles and prophecies.
The Challenge to Divine Authority: The birds’ rebellion against the gods is a bold challenge to the established order. It questions the legitimacy of divine power and suggests that humans (or birds) can create their own destinies.
The play’s ending, with Peisthetaerus usurping Zeus’s authority, represents a radical shift in the cosmic hierarchy. It symbolizes the human desire to transcend limitations and achieve godlike status.
Symbolism of Birds: Birds, as creatures of the air, symbolize freedom, aspiration, and the ability to transcend earthly constraints. They also represent the collective voice of the people, as the Chorus plays a vital role in shaping the narrative.
The variety of birds also represents the diversity of people, and their different personalities.
3. Thought-Provoking Questions for Modern Readers:
How do we balance the desire for individual freedom with the need for social order?
To what extent does power corrupt, and how can we prevent the abuse of authority?
Are utopian ideals inherently flawed, or can we create societies that are truly just and equitable?
How do we resist the manipulation of leaders who appeal to our fears and prejudices?
What are the modern-day equivalents of the “gods” that we worship, and how do they influence our lives?
How does the concept of immigration change in modern society, and what are the ethical considerations surrounding it?
How relevant is the concept of “Love” as a cosmic force in today’s world?
How can we prevent the cyclical nature of revolutions, where one form of tyranny replaces another?