Aristophanes

Aristophanes (450–385 B.C.), comic dramatist of ancient Greece. His works feature political, social, and literary satire, witty dialogue, vigorous rivalry, cleverly contrived comic situations, and choral lyrics. Eleven of his 40 plays survive, notably The Frogs (satirizing Euripides), The Clouds (satirizing Socrates), Lysistrata (a plea for pacifism), and The Birds (a fantasy about a sky city).

See also: Greece, Ancient; Theater.