Source edition
Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This ancient Greek comedy depicts Athenian women disguised as men who successfully take over the Assembly and establish a radical new society. Led by the clever Praxagora, the women practice dressing and speaking like men, ultimately passing a decree that hands the governance of the state over to women. Once in power, Praxagora institutes a system of complete communism, where all property, food, and even sexual relations are shared equally among all citizens. However, this seemingly egalitarian society soon leads to chaotic and humorous situations, as a skeptical citizen tries to hoard his property while enjoying the free banquets, and a young man is comically hounded by increasingly hideous old women invoking the new law. The play concludes with a grand, festive feast where all the citizens celebrate the victory of this bizarre yet jovial new order.