DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52591#0229
WAR MONUMENTS IN DELPHI
213
To create the desire of peace, Aristophanes speaks to
the people’s stomachs, and from the Acharnians onwards
(v. 878) reminds them of all the fine dishes the Boeotians
formerly brought to market, of which the Athenians have
been deprived for six years» In the Peace, four years
later, this is repeated with increased strength and effect.
The poet reminds the audience of hours spent in the country
under fig, olive, and myrtle trees, in a bed of violets by a
spring, where they drank the unfermented newly pressed
wine, and where the vines and young fig-trees and all the
other plants, smiling, stretched out their fruits. “ Free us
then, Peace, from battle and evil deeds 1 Free us from
our too subtle suspicions, which we hurl against each other I
Mix us Greeks together as before, with the juice of friend-
ship, and fill our minds with a milder forbearance, and
fill our market with good and cheap wares, with onions
and early figs, with apples and pomegranates, and small
warm clothes for slaves I And let us see the country-folk
come to the market with geese and ducks, with pigeons and
sand-pipers 1 ” But to the dream of peace of the common
soldier the poet gives an expression which would suit the
soldier of to-day : ** Ah, by Zeus I to live one’s life in
peace, and sit by the hearth with one’s lass and rake up the
coals I ”
213
To create the desire of peace, Aristophanes speaks to
the people’s stomachs, and from the Acharnians onwards
(v. 878) reminds them of all the fine dishes the Boeotians
formerly brought to market, of which the Athenians have
been deprived for six years» In the Peace, four years
later, this is repeated with increased strength and effect.
The poet reminds the audience of hours spent in the country
under fig, olive, and myrtle trees, in a bed of violets by a
spring, where they drank the unfermented newly pressed
wine, and where the vines and young fig-trees and all the
other plants, smiling, stretched out their fruits. “ Free us
then, Peace, from battle and evil deeds 1 Free us from
our too subtle suspicions, which we hurl against each other I
Mix us Greeks together as before, with the juice of friend-
ship, and fill our minds with a milder forbearance, and
fill our market with good and cheap wares, with onions
and early figs, with apples and pomegranates, and small
warm clothes for slaves I And let us see the country-folk
come to the market with geese and ducks, with pigeons and
sand-pipers 1 ” But to the dream of peace of the common
soldier the poet gives an expression which would suit the
soldier of to-day : ** Ah, by Zeus I to live one’s life in
peace, and sit by the hearth with one’s lass and rake up the
coals I ”