Source edition
Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This grand comedy depicts how humans, seeking escape from the troublesome realities of society, build an ideal city in the sky together with the birds. Disgusted by the endless lawsuits and civic duties in Athens, Pisthetaerus and Euelpides set out to find a peaceful new home and visit the bird king Tereus (the Hoopoe). Pisthetaerus proposes a bold plan to the birds: to construct a massive airborne city called "Nephelococcygia" (Cloudcuckooland) between heaven and earth, thereby starving out the gods and reclaiming the birds' ancient sovereignty over the universe. Although initially hostile toward humans, the birds are won over by his persuasion and unite to construct a fortified wall. As the city takes shape, various opportunistic humans arrive from the earth seeking profit, but Pisthetaerus ruthlessly drives them away. Soon, the gods, suffering from starvation due to the lack of human sacrifices, send an embassy to negotiate; Pisthetaerus skillfully outmaneuvers them, winning Zeus's scepter and the hand of the goddess Basileia. The play concludes with a grand wedding celebration for Pisthetaerus and Basileia, with the chorus of birds singing joyfully to celebrate their new king and the dawn of their reign.