Summary:
After the initial encounter with the birds, a dramatic shift unfolds as the birds agree to collaborate on building a magnificent city in the sky. In a bold and decisive move, the birds fly out to human settlements and deliver an ultimatum: if humans persist in offering sacrifices to the gods, the birds will destroy their crops. This threat is designed to force the mortals to reconsider their age-old traditions. Not stopping there, the birds make a daring journey to Mount Olympus, seeking to persuade Zeus to relinquish (چھوڑ دینا) his supreme power. When Zeus stubbornly refuses, the birds escalate their threat by declaring that they will block the gods from descending to Earth. This would prevent the deities from engaging with human women and maintaining their influence over mortal affairs.
Meanwhile, Pisthetaerus and Euelpides take a crucial step in their transformation. They consume a special root provided by Epops—a root known for its mystical properties. This root triggers a partial transformation (تبدیلی) in both men: they sprout wings, symbolizing their newfound alignment with the bird community, yet they remain essentially human. This physical change is emblematic of their internal transition from discontented citizens to revolutionary architects of a new society.
Emboldened by their transformation, the two men set to work on constructing the new city, which they envision as a utopia suspended in the sky—a place that exists between the divine realm and human existence. They organize elaborate rituals (تقریب) and ceremonies to honor the birds, who are now seen as the true rulers and protectors of this emerging society. Their plans, however, face continuous disruption. Traders and citizens from Athens begin to swarm the construction site, eager to join this novel society and offer their professional skills. Each of these interruptions threatens to dilute the purity of the new order that Pisthetaerus so desperately wants to create. In response, frustrated and determined, Pisthetaerus forcefully sends the interlopers away, insisting on strict criteria for those who can join his visionary project.
As the city nears completion, the pace of events intensifies with the arrival of heralds (پیغامبر). The first herald arrives with the exciting news that the construction of Cloud-cuckoo-land is finished. Along with this announcement comes unsettling information: a spy has infiltrated the city. The spy turns out to be none other than the goddess Iris (پیغام رسان), who was sent by Zeus to monitor the progress of the new society. Pisthetaerus meets Iris, and in a display of arrogance and disdain, he insults and demeans her before sending her back to Zeus, asserting his dominance over divine scrutiny.
Not long after, a third herald brings even more startling news: thousands of people are now converging on the new city. These individuals, driven by a mix of self-interest (خود غرض) and a desire to escape the constraints of conventional society, all claim similar reasons for wanting to join. Among them is one particularly extreme individual who argues that the bird city’s laws should allow sons to beat and even kill their fathers to secure an inheritance. In a darkly ironic twist, this man is named Parricide (والدین کو مار ڈالنا), a label that underscores the absurdity and moral decay inherent in the prevailing social order.
Analysis:
In this section, the establishment of the bird city is portrayed as a transformative event that blends fantastical elements with pointed social and religious critique. The birds’ decisive threats to both humans and gods expose the deep-seated dissatisfaction with existing systems of power. The ultimatum against sacrificing to the gods reflects a radical rethinking of traditional religious practices and the exploitation inherent within them.
Pisthetaerus’s partial transformation—gaining wings yet remaining human—serves as a powerful metaphor for the incomplete, yet profound, nature of change. His determination to build a city in the sky is juxtaposed with the chaotic influx of Athenian traders and citizens, highlighting the tension between revolutionary ideals and the inevitable pull of familiar, albeit flawed, societal norms.
Moreover, the arrival of the heralds and the capture of the spy Iris further amplify the conflict between the emerging order and the established divine hierarchy. Pisthetaerus’s derisive treatment of Iris underscores his readiness to confront and subvert divine authority. Lastly, the bizarre and extreme reasons given by the masses for joining the city not only expose human hypocrisy but also serve as a critique of how radical ideas can sometimes be embraced for the wrong reasons. This detailed portrayal reflects Aristophanes’s critical perspective on both human nature and the institutional structures of power, emphasizing the paradoxes that arise when new ideals are built upon the foundations of old corruption.
Related Questions
✅Biography of Aristophanes
✅ Overview
✅Key Facts, Historical Context, and Related Books
> The Encounter With the Birds
