Making the Case for the Oligarchs’ Amnesty: A Close Reading of Aristophanes Frogs 686–705

In 1993, in the introduction to his commentary on Aristophanes’ Frogs, Kenneth James Dover wrote: “Aristophanes had made his contribution to the rehabilitation of some of his friends, and they, influential in the changed climate of opinion, showed their gratitude”. [1] Of course, Dover refers to the memorable epirrhema of the parabasis, where Aristophanes urged the Athenian citizens to grant amnesty and restore to full citizenship those who participated in the oligarchic coup of the Four Hundred in 411 BCE; [2] for this advice Aristophanes was famously awarded an olive wreath and the play was allowed to be reperformed. [3]

Regardless of whether we agree with Dover’s perspective, the truth remains that the epirrhema of Frogs is an exceptionally powerful text, which—enveloped by the previous events at Arginusae and the following events at Aigos Potamoi—contributed (to an unknown degree) to the amnesty of 403 BCE. The present study engages in a close reading of this text, [4] in an attempt to demonstrate how Aristophanes peerlessly choreographed the entire piece and how he meticulously selected almost every single word, in order to produce an exemplarily wrought text and fervently advocate the case in favor of amnesty for the oligarchs and their collaborators.

First, I consider it useful that we remind ourselves of the Greek text, the twenty lines that make the epirrhema (686—705):

In 1993 (the same year when Dover’s commentary appeared) Aristophanes’ Frogs was performed in the ancient theatre of Epidaurus by the Greek Art Theatre (Theatro Technis) Karolos Koun, with a Modern Greek translation by Kostas Stamatiou. The play’s parabasis is featured at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5teDm7WSXc. The epirrhema can be found at 1:02–3:30.

Stamatiou’s translation is faithful enough; yet he did add a tiny bit that is absent from the original text. In line 692 the Greek text reads εἶτ᾿ ἄτιμόν φημι χρῆναι μηδέν᾿ εἶν᾿ ἐν τῇ πόλει, which means “next I say that no one in the city should be disenfranchised.” Instead, Stamatiou has the chorus saying (1:54–2:02 in the video) κανένας μες στην πόλη, ό,τι κι αν κάνει, τα δικαιώματά του δεν πρέπει να τα χάνει “no one in the city, no matter what they do, should ever be disenfranchised.” The part ό,τι κι αν κάνει “no matter what they do” is Stamatiou’s own addition to the text. Aristophanes’ assertion in this line that “no one in the city should be disenfranchised,” which epitomizes the epirrhema’s advice, is highly questionable as it is. Stamatiou’s supplement adds to the line’s debatability from both a political and an ethical point of view. The assertion that no one should ever lose their citizenship regardless of what they do (and in the case of the oligarchic coup this included political assassinations and cold-blooded murders) is highly problematic and precarious for a city-state.

But let me now delve into the very threads of the textual fabric. This Aristophanic epirrhema, which sets off with an idiosyncratic introductory statement in third-person speech (686 and the first half of 687), is unusual for more than one reason. From the very beginning, line 686, Aristophanes describes the chorus as being ἱερός (sacred). This characterization is presented as a fact, a given, and serves Aristophanes for what is to follow next. Of course, one might associate this claim with the fact that the chorus members of the Frogs are initiates celebrating in Hades; yet no reference to their dramatic identity is made [6] and, after all, for the parabasis the chorus members used to famously remove their masks—thus symbolically stepping out of character. It is conspicuous and noteworthy that nowhere else in Greek drama (comedy or tragedy) is the adjective ἱερός used to describe the chorus. [7] To label the chorus as sacred is Aristophanes’ strategic trick, since the notion of sanctity appeals directly to the subconscious of the spectators, making them susceptible to unconditionally accepting anything that the sacred chorus will say next. And indeed this is how Aristophanes proceeds: it is δίκαιον, fair, right, and proper, for the sacred chorus to give beneficial advice (χρηστά) to the city (τῇ πόλει) and instruct the citizens. Already in the very first line of the epirrhema (686) Aristophanes masterfully manages to call upon three notions that are fundamental for the city: the notion of sanctity (ἱερόν), justice (δίκαιον), and virtuous serviceability (χρηστά). The quality of sanctity is prioritized and the importance of the agent, the sacred chorus, is memorably emphasized. Thus, in the first line of the epirrhema the poet has already delineated the frame of his advice to his fellow citizens; it is all about sanctity, justice, and good service to the city. In addition, this entire introductory claim in third-person speech (which extends to the first half of the next line, 687) is aptly articulated as a non-negotiable programmatic statement, [8] which seizes the attention and takes the audience by surprise. To put this exceptionally uncommon statement into perspective, we need to remind ourselves that the rest of the surviving Aristophanic epirrhemas lack this kind of introductory, third-person point-of-view statement and simply begin with a verb in first-person plural or else with a second-person plural address to the audience before switching to first-person plural narrative. [9] Yet at the beginning of the epirrhema of the Frogs we hear the poet’s voice subtly controlling our emotions, directing our thoughts, and anticipating our judgement; Aristophanes assumes, albeit briefly, the role of an omniscient narrator, reassuring the audience about the infallibility of the comic chorus.

Once the righteous nature of the chorus has been irrevocably established, the poet’s voice recedes to the background, along with the third-person narrative. Now the chorus can speak for themselves for the first time (second half of line 687): πρῶτον (first) is what the chorus leader says—appositely enough—as the first-person plural is used for the first time; what dominates the chorus’ thoughts (πρῶτον οὖν ἡμῖν δοκεῖ) is the belief that (688) “all citizens should be made equal” (ἐξισῶσαι τοὺς πολίτας). If isolated from its original context, this claim can most easily sound like (and be misinterpreted as) a radical, revolutionary aspiration that resists and rejects all sorts of discriminations. But if we carefully study the text in combination with the historical data, we understand that what Aristophanes advocates is not citizens’ equality but a crooked and distorted version of equity. The infinitive ἐξισῶσαι, which is emphatically positioned first in line 688, does not advocate equality, but instead champions a highly controversial political equity, since it would mean (as it eventually meant after the amnesty implementation) that the righteous and law-abiding citizens are to be reduced to a level with the culpable and disgraced individuals who were involved in the oligarchic coup of 411 BCE. This situation could never be described as “equality.” This is one of the many cases where Aristophanes handles with exemplary dexterity the diachronic tool of populism. As Ruffell argues (2020:60):

In the Frogs, Aristophanes’ call for civic equity, which is camouflaged as equality, is a textbook example of populist argumentation.

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Footnotes

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