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    Aristophanes The Performance of Utopia PDF

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    Verónica Russo

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    Performance culture and Athenian democracy ina by ‘Simon Goldhill and Robin Osborne CAMBRIDGE 9 UNiversity PRESS 155 Pr Baaning q sors uterine colt cl spice and author Tei etonanee ase both at ee sed na oe {8 the Grok langage bre perened wi te ‘the theatre. _ — Aristophanes: the performance of utopia in the Ecclesiazousae Seon Gan 5 Froma 2, Zeitlin 1. Performance ‘Given the theme ofthis volume, ‘performance culm and Atenian| Stempocracy’, which focuses oa what might be called the "heatialae- tio? of ei experience in a wide varie of istiutonal contexts and dincurive practices then Aristophanes’ Ealsiasrsae might serve 8 fan exemplary prooltexe to rubstantate these lnm" Old Comedy pethape the sie a form move Wdentied wid the democratic city of the fifth century. Asa species of public performance, wholly rocred in fs contemporary pole and social mibes, the genre clint iy ‘pdt foedom co represent vista’ every aspect and space of cic i Iie“ iyweourt, Assembly, mackeplae, theatre, temple, eymnasam, | symposium. The pays ls olen tke us Deind the seen ast Were, to ge wea glimpse af the degree to which thee spaces and those ho act wid them are act themselves actor, Primed ply thle oles fn susted rocety of compere public dipay,incading their ‘performance in the comic theatre feel In #229 to expore the eee Tensions and mpostures of i elite zen body fa rl a 0 ex the forbidden seurungs and ambivlent fentaiee of the commen people, Old Comedy as commonly observed lo delights ina sei onscious ayarenese of own ehencay and exploits the iplca- tions of vel-representation in wicked parodies of dramatic and other “The opening of the Fslaacouae conde this comic operon in| patsdigmatic way om to fonts ar the same time. The coxnming, hear and roleplaying of momen, who are donning male des crder to infiltnge she all-male Assembly, confront the issue of Pet feemance in the public aren inthe fit lstance and, inthe second, | the isu of gender dierence in cy ith a highly coded division {ind igs in‘Arinophanes Bilan” resemted we th Quebec mecing oe ‘Eidaze emo sor Cu EC ot between the sexss. By means of dhe women's masquerade, the play ‘makes cleat that “the workings of the dheave are dieedy linked to the ‘workings of government*To carry off their disguise, the women need {0 look lke men, dress and comport themselves like mens they aso ‘ced to speak ike them rehearsing ther ine, shaping thei ion end ‘hetorc toa masculine norm, This sene demonstrates, a elsewhere in Aristophanes, an awarenst of the diference in speech patterns be- ‘ween men and women in both sje and substance, but the very ide of ‘Yebearsal ise suggests that any and all appearances in the Assembly “ein other public vente ~ could be considered «species of pefor- ‘mance. Tus, Old Comedy and the Felotaouzain particular Puts 09 {fine show ofthe erm in which this books project ie concsved hina (gare, epidens sply), ogo (cones) ~ and dra Crewing)? ‘Comedy generally works both sides ofthe sect i a series of mit- roring and ionic reflections, Ifthe rehearsal cene pokes fun sr omen pretending tobe orators their version of public speaking also parodies ‘he veal thing, evealng ‘expert orator’ cavefl preparations aad ras parent aempts to appear epontancou,incding the topos of i= faperence at public addres” (110-23, 190-3)" Even Praxagora’s harengue before the Assembly, cridcixing the corrent state of poe afliry, makes use ofa numb of well-known shetorica themes? whose purely conventional nature is brought othe fre, when incongroousy "ered by female voices. The mimetic exerise, however, ha larger Implications than 2 comic display of women perorming av men with Sauical gestures to oth ids, since it stated sim, in penetrating the ‘masculine space ofthe Assembly, normally closed to women, if re- ‘ere the gender ales once and foralln the condct of pola his Hence crosteresing itself the fandamenal pont of enty into the conduct and outcome ofthe plot and consequently deserves to take ‘eae stage in out enguiy "But Hist, let us note tat there fo cea consensus at the i rifeance of thi masquerade. Tani, at one pole relies on Judit Buse’ arguments about the perlormativity of gender when she sks whether te notion of women dressed as men implies that "the wad- 1 Tae op sn ‘Oke and Sir (pe) 364-5. The heel pl ty meson we (9) havea fat are neta ful ae eo Set te pine ond ‘Seniesa mw lide (9 ebm hte ay Pertrmance of opin the Fane % sional division of authoriy, based on sexual dirence, no longer functions normally. "Does the pla’, she continues, “therefore show an evanescent illusion of gender that exist in the eapily chang ‘Ans’ of this period in the easly fourth century? Bren more, she ‘would go so far ato claim that he scene s meant to demonstrate hat ‘gender definitions and representations can be contested and taken spertcnly’ In tia rending rescliny aod sin are caiwed be unstable categorie, ible to permutations and reversals though series of consciously adopted gestures, costumes, and ston. Schima ‘makes the man! "AL another pole, given the wansparency of the disguise and the women’s bumbling efor in zcearal, i could be argued with Sa ‘that costume never modifies anything but apperance and has no power to transform character" in any way. “Even if they are dressed at ‘en’ iis laimed, women ac incapable of exresing themselves in a ‘manly way and never stop talking ike women’, even though, under ‘Pranagora's tutelage, its acknowledged tat ‘they do overcome these ‘rors ad play dhe ole na convincing Way inthe Assemby of which they have only heard tll” From thie perspective, the performance ‘would consist preci in demonstrating the imposbiity of ercping {pended ident that both defines and is defined by any effort ats ‘varon either in coatume or speech, Ta diferent ven, which qualifes both of these contrasting views vers have wondered whether the womens eucces inthe Assembly i in fact more "natural than might be asumed. tera, Prasagors’s shill a an orator in miming political spech s ooeasoned by the fact, that seductive thetoric elf understood in way at aleady fei nized through the cosmetic enhancement of speech that gives ita deceptive allure When, for example, the wornen atk "how wil | female-minded section of women addres the people” Praxagors an reply: "Quite wel. For they say shar the yous who are buggered the mont are the mow sill ypesher’ (110-14 That, even among, the orators, the mort “womanly” ae also the best speaker which implies that ‘real women should be beter sil. In any cae, Any ‘ios, # prominent politician, is sid to have had to borrow « beard {bom one Pronomes, because formerly he Wasa gun? (Woman, 102-3). Applied toa pedersstic partner, the pejorative abe, so, nht seem to imply © dvet equialence berveen the einer and & WOMAN, Bug ap) ap. Sd ar 3 at or ey eS a, Raed ie Fas ee eR oy, ar an a reinforced by the fact that the women preparing for the Assembly "gly consider beards an indispensable part of ther masculine atize. ‘At the same tie, when the oder Women abk Prseagora how is that ‘She speais with such sil, how i she 50 0p (lever) and dint {eloguend, she pus ford the claim tha she learned her thetorc by lstening to the orators when the war quartered temporarily with het Inasband on the Payx (241~6)." Who then i he model for whom in the arena of etoric and public pesking? Women for mea, or men for ‘women? “There io paral validity to each ofthese readings, depending on which aspect of eros-dresing or role ceveral ie chosen for emphasis, Ta the frat place,» tanarestce duguie onthe comie wage mutt be tsident to the spectators or the transpresive point of the humour is low, brn thi ear ano mit scceed mith ts internal atence oF the plot would founder before it begins. Moreover, sce the sim ofthe ‘women’s intrigue i the fit place ir vote themselves as rulers of he fine because of che guaies of leadership they esi as specially feminine (he bss of Praxagor’s speech in dhe Assembly) thee di ‘guise is only a temporary expedient, meant wo be dicardd sb soon a they wiamphaatly zeturn bome. Even so, they can never quite look ike ‘real men. Despite the fact that they had tied to emulate the asco line idea by sending in the sun ar much a porble beforehand and ceasing to deplae ther body hat (os standards of feminine beauty Fequired), the men atthe Assembly remarked on thir ple-aced ap Petrance, but took them to be shoemaker, who, Uke other arsas pent hel me indoors (5). Between the teo poles of sit gender dletaion there are obviously recognizable gradation, which fr men, specially, extend t the estegories of arian and more pariculs 0 ‘fleminates, a frvourite but of Arstophane satire, Atthe sume time, the very premise of pot that stages women, who take over public leadership fem men, already suggests not jst the flue of masculine plicies, but of manliness sual an inference that «am be performed on the comic stage when male characters in turn are ° hg gph i he Tis, a io = Ge Gta, mre ral, Crp mcr bs ‘oso permanence hs le morn SERS a a me op ek es Pr ‘SEES eats nel of or atc ne 3! ; | | compelled to don female ate: The lope of erosbressing therefore ‘works in fo opposite but complementary ways ~ to empower the Wromen and to subject dhe men to public embuerassment. To make the point clear, the Exoazowae overloads this message: fst, Hace the women have stlen their husbands clothing for their cw di fie, che men have nothing to wear but the feminine garment the Srver ave TeR Behind, an second, isthe scetologieal mature of the Saceeeding sene chat promprs the men's urgent need t come outside fn the fs place, Los of vl and hyperemininty goad in handy featantated not just in the exchange of costumes, but inthe rlasre case with which women, su to thee eputason for clever pling, {Supe the men and prove them gulible fol. 1 wil return &o these "Whether he pays taken, for example, at sae of current poi practices and philosophical principles, ora dsconcerting symptom of ‘waning morale inthe public city of en, or jst a canivlesque diver- tsemene of tope-curydom, or finally, mixtre ofall tre, it ‘should be emphasized, however, hat once de rule of women is put {to operation and the plot acs out its socal consequences for mle land female alike, the outcome shows that gender boundaies ae ac- ‘cordingly both bresched and reinforced - providing we recall that Aristophanic comedy, like all Athenian theatre, i performed by ma ‘cor for ¢ male audience, whether women were present inthe deste ‘My’ si i his essay, derfore, ls not to focus onthe more obvious (i conented)sepects of performance in the play, as discussed above, bout rather what we might learn about its Meological pater from the * toi wa ci eden ol ‘Fitmprsoin an sd ence nas ceed ws women, an Bailes ee eee be eae oerecae LL 22 onsen ae Seco ire sifanterecemo rat Be gt 1a Mare cry Ghe ndSes ph re pai em See ee eee es Erotic ar Sc Sat conduct ofthe plot fel 1 would tke to shift stenton tothe per formative natre of utopia itself a an imagined word of what i” and is coincidence inthe theatre with a “lay work, which construct 4 ‘omic version of another totalizing social reali for Athens in the real Space and time ofthe theatical performance. Whe the Bids suites is sntebullding fantacy eer in an imagicary avian rela ia the heavens, the Helnasousar has come down to earth. Even more, it takes place in Athene fel before an Athenian sence to propor &| radical new style of goverament dough the women's plan to Put ‘themselves in charge ad legislate the abaliion of both pvte property tnd the instiution of marrage. The pay therefore dizecty represents {othe clizen audience an image of is eolecve selon stage, bu roms 2 reversed pint of view, by which the concerns of contemporary fe fe tered through the antics ofa come plot tet tranvlte sme believe into the immediacy of the theatre and gives life and form seat ideas and conceptual frames of acon. Praagora, with the onnivance of her author, would have us believe in the novely of hee invention, Buc i is distinctive forte of the gave of Old Comedy that an outrageous novation ia the presen alo looks to dhe pat 10 the mythico-inal bai of cic existence. There ia jst such a myth, vl argue, whichis creened behind the Beson of the ply, one with profound implications inthe ideology of the city an its mapined pre- Fistory. The tact presence of this myth not only brings the conte ‘ions ofthe plot and its vexed frees lato semper focut but also ‘underwrite the entire scenario, Indeed, it import goes beyond the {omic sage to join up With to momentous ci artefacts whose i ‘Buence in shaping the cultsral atts ofthe period ean hardly be ‘overstate the tape theatre in Acshylas” Ora, andthe relpres fon the Parthenon, whose general iconopaphical programme, 1 will suggest, drety pertains to the gynaccocrati station ofthe Eee {enaeand the terms of ts enactment. MY question in short “what Isbeingporormed in and by the Blaiazoase’?> Paradoxes ofthe plot Inthe many and varie imerpremive approaches tothe Exsiazow, one consisteny shared observation has been to note the paradox of the Scheme tar the women puriato action once they have guned power "Ths paradox ia cwofld: ie evalves around the oppositions of conser= ‘atm vers innovation onthe one hand and individual scfnterert ersus public spirit and concern forthe community, on the other. Praxagora the tnsigator of the women's revolution, agues dati of women who ee the bedrock f tradition and contin in the cy. By ‘Conta with ther male counterparts who in their eal for novelty ae tthe mercy of every fotsh scheme that comes slong, women can fsure the salvation of the city precisely because they ate "aly one ‘entlonal naure-born conserves" ‘ur pot ate beue, Praxagor claims in her fs exhortaon othe woane, because we do things according tothe echoes nme byte FRonoured eusom, jot as we have always dane. We dje wool fa hot svete, st down while we cook, carey burdens on our hen, jst as we iva hve, Women celebrate she Thesmophor, thei pei fer just as before, and Ukewise bake Hatake, annoy their husbands, enjoy ‘hei overs inside the house, buy ite exes from the market on the ‘de, retain their fondness for unmixed wine, and Sally delighe in {etng ad, jst as before (214-28). In dis elPcharoteriation that ‘rites the homely deta of household tasks with ee perennial cichés bout the files of the female sex inthe comic theatre, Praxagora can point other, more soi, vires that equip women to rue: matemal Concern for thei solder sons, sl in asing money fr eity manage- ‘meng and as arch-dceivers themselves, not being suscepible others poliscal deceptions. Above al, dhe women can promise ale of hap- pines and prosper fr al eizen,a goal whic the sate bas led to “The bil passes not only because the disguised women, who have crowed out many of thet menfolk, gin a majority of he votes; but in Feepng with current polteal polity, appeal aso lies in he fact, ‘hat di the single remalaing scheme the cy has wa ied before. Ta ber words, handing over the city the community of women inthe ame of civic stability is ye anodher novely sn slong list of desperate "tempat are the ols in time of need. Just how nove tie wl be revealed in Prazagot's plan of such clever invention (sophow sno ‘xeurdnats, 577) that i ay have been the seu of dreams but i as fever been orci or decreed before in publi, either in the politel tena ori the theave (578-80), Political policy and comic ingenuity Converge, The udience of izes in both ietances require hee poet ‘nd politicians to come up with tome newfangled idea each time to Pique their interest and keep ther atenton “This clever woman does not disappoint expecations. Her radical scheme of cise reform isitutes community of propery in order 10 sure equal benchis for all and goes ofr abo include community of ‘oxas well Inthe name of the ot, the conservator of cae Vales, "The phe ker a tod ie 21-6 4 Proms Zee the line between pois and oir ditappeae to make the iy single ‘aiged household (aoa, 674). Inthe nase of ada democracy, laren ideale ate pushed vo thet farthest dgice to reste © at” ‘moniows commonwealth, wher all wil sre in saying their mate fal need: plenty of clothing, shelter, food drink, and sex (20 fa ‘oi won os Boron val 7o07e"Sybe, 394) Pola, exonomi, ‘id socal lie wll undergo drastic change: no Inwssit, no cou, 20 ‘ena informer; no line benreen ich and poor, ut aso en end the nations of marge ad patrlines inip so dhe pol “This happy scheme hea fe meant fo eliminate poate interests i favour of pubic sharing. In eft, the new aw lg to reste an conomy of satiety ands peace existene, with lens of ibidinal ‘portunity forall under the hegemony ofa benevolent feminine nit- ‘rance. In the second pat of the play the quirement ro tara a one's Foureold stasis igo the common sore mest with some resistance in the igure of septic, who ret ane fils wo dsuade ir neighbour fom obeying the law hoping nevertheles to cadge a fre diner fr Insel? along withthe lswabiding citizens (729-873). But a6 the comedy approaches its conclusion, the new regime seems to falter ‘more sesously inthe two seenes that stage a vary between alder seomen forthe sexual fours ofa young man. The fst is between an ‘ld woman and the young man’s sweetheart (877-1043) the pecond [etween the young man anda pair of ay hase who, each vying Yor his sttetion, nearly tear him apart ro4g-11), To gurante equi, hi ‘ime between od and young, Praxagora had earlier decreed tht che ‘ol folk wl have fst prion in accesso sex before the young sad ‘beaut may coupe with thei oma Kind (630-33) ‘But by puting thi principle into practice on sage forthe benefit of | old women and not old men (asi more ual in comedy), various problems immediately arte. We seen, as many have claimed, ro have feturned precisely tothe Yery socal il dhe gynaccocratc plan Rad ‘etenled fo eliminate ffom the ty when men were in charge. The women's vaunted solidarity fas Broken dow, In the Assembly the ‘guid Praagora had chimed that sale men, women can keep cre they nee no contacts or wines to hel uaneatons since ‘hey ely borrow and repay meng themselves (441-34). Now took 2s though women are all to ready to Invoke the tranny of egal sanc- tions ~and wy? For sex, of course. Libidinl desir takes precedence tove the pestle sharing that made female community into a model forthe sate "Yes how are we to read thi ostcome? Is ther usurpation of male power and pivlage sponsible forthe tamabost i ee behavior 50 7 Peformance af tpn the Hone ms that women ae now mimicking ther men fllin the very nds off interned competion they had formesy decried? Hierarchical pol ‘sl positon in other word i the ete ator that sciey ee ls to be played. Or converses, does the ge mich pits one womat sgunst another in the pursuit of gratification ~ whether old aunt ‘Young i a confict between generations or one Between the wo cot ‘eting has only confit men's suspicion tha the imperaives of e- ‘ale seuality would led yo far soch contents, were st ox hope under Control by the normative rules of society? Once again, the mater is _undeciable, Comedy generally insists on this view of women's sexual ature cven at als consstenlyexpoce itr male polis to abuse their powers over the citizens, What count i te play's terdon of ‘democratic politic. Inthe wake of the new policy which enorces community of property as well ranting fe feeding an fice sx the lot acems hereto have reached alow point of degradation, one tht fn the name of « hype-ezltaraniem proves 0 ed al cas and lence, not the salaion the sti ce cy hasbeen seeing. 'A double paradox ten. Tae Hest between the old and the net > da and innovation, an appeal to sablty to effect revoltons the $econdin the short-lived it! of communal value that gives ray 0 ‘ngleminded purl of private interes on both side, whowe cs, Ios woul sa, are aot uly mitigated by the servant gis cloning ine ‘vaion to the joyous cle Benguet which rounds ost the play. AE she ‘ery least. despite the obserance of formal comic conventions a the Ftrdcure ofthe pot the ambiguities a the ad sugges that te pay fers no answer ar 0 whether the Ae ropa was 4 nicest OF faire” For some sets, these apparent contdions are in kesping if ln somewhat extreme formy with comedy’s wanown licence fr dramatic inconsistency o the aame of fuscia play and laughtcr- producing aonsenge, Wea 20 dismissed as an cseapit farce spy layed for lng, however, he ply is sometimes taken as a sign, ven fs 2 proot ofthe ling powers ofthe comie poe in thst tage of his eter. Aristophanes is deemed aping or overied or ‘ldery and pcre, described ay the “broken man who could snk tothe Bred tirinese of the Feloesouse' Perhaps, a8 one ingens cle #ut- ties, Aristophanes may even have efered a stroke.” * ona Sua 9) st. 3 Rees army 8 6 MacDev 9) 208 Ta p20 1 BO Gee csp ne rt ‘eine tres ee es eens oem ade ae For others intent on ting che play a8 an accurate barometer to ‘sug de climate offi mes the emphasis falls on the supposed iden Sta demornlaed Athens afc itv defeat inthe Peloponnesian war, ‘Shen thcgen yer before. Bren if the historical facts suggest «bot State of airs, the city inthe pays shown as foundering a moras of Socal and economic lls, engendered from within. It ciizens are all Selish egodsts, gouded by poverty ox, more generally, det to appeals to civi ninue andthe rule olay. Above al, the luna ole ofthe play is aken as both a satire on and a symptom ofthe lamentable di ‘ara in public policies ~ unreliable and folsh Iawmaker, an wnend- ing string of halbaked ideas taken up and discarded in rapid socees- ‘sion, wheter in public policy or in philosophical urpianspeculaons ‘ofthe intellectual elie. In this tope-turey world of comic role rever~ ‘ala fantasy not only provides a welcome repte fom everyday Woes, {tthe fanany taf that tieora the eoadiion of the very toe it sms to amune. Realty overtakes representations comic conventions | fn topical reference merge reflect the detine both of the comm nity and of the genre, Whereas wtopan schemes of «fee and just society and dreams of a Golden Age of abundance and saifiction| ‘of material needs consi the very backbone of the plow af Old Comedy ~ fact that accouns for Is happy merger of fntive elebra- tion and political str ~ the Eecsicmoee is ged by many ah the {inal ruta asa of the entire comic pater, ‘Above all cis contended, the eritel distance between an imagined ‘skewhere and the actual space ofthe city of Athens is ered. This conjanedon does not bring the longedfor rejuvenation af the by poli in the exercae of a creative if anomie energy. It doer not ‘Unblock walled economy, both material and woes inthe exuberant land liberating schemes ofthe eomic hero. Rater ab Auger obervesy it ‘oes amy mith the symbolic sjtem of the city which i founded on ‘Colifed exchanges, whether in the marketplace atthe altars (ao gods fre ever mentioned), ib the exchange of Women, ora plies. Mar- ‘age abolahed, and impicidy, sacri too, along with agicalare, sega of ropeny an ee ns mons ino ee ‘Sie ne pope's py ght mere ting vy a ee Seg sind he a cae te neh he opt ‘net Sec ommansa, n ander comloe tome sre nat a bce sermon nS of pia opp ey he a $B urs ub coset en at ye te tien echt nce ene enamine MacDowel 8 > Become 92) sd 979, tno hohe, erormance of pan the Banos ” which so be conducted by slaves." The line between public and pi ‘ate ir ered, at sche analogical exchange between household nd fate" All dierentiaton diseppeats into the colette, all symbolic ‘icnings ae "Desten back nto the materiality of consumable goods semplid in the scene where kitchen utensils are penoniiod and lined up to parody the solemn procession (pomps) of Athenian partc~ pants in the Pansthensne ferval(730-48)" Fal, jn thie most ‘bieane of Antophunes’ extant Work the desublimated body eins sspreme, subject fo a verginous mix of oral genital and anal fan ‘es, evoked in various combinations.” “The Bekannuae i the thi and lst play i Aristophanes’ suvi- ing coi rpertory tat retorts othe theme of women in charge, and, ‘though it scending or descending oder (Gepending on how one Feads the npc of women's claims to power inthe ei) hiss the one that goes to te furthest extreme, rane the mater of erowtesing to new levels of selbconscious theta play, commutes he socal ‘lefntone of marcline and feminine identy, ands above all takes the unasnl step of leaving the women in power to enforce cel wo- plan scheme, which by dislring the insiation of mariage and ofthe Individual oo isl asures he permanence of thee rule in dhe new “The comic exuberance of ole reversal normally cede in es em porary duration -» source of revising energy that closes on 8 Tee- ‘naliation between male and female element, and more importantly 2 zeurn eo the accepted norms in the restoration of masculine domi ‘hance, Ia both the Lyitata and the Thermophiazousae, women may Challenge tei male counterparts and compe then to come to tems ‘with feminine demands, Bu the final scenes ae trcracons Between Er Ue rn gem gcc mn SECs ett cece Soot cecamseeancone EERE Sat tan "Bie inate om fae mare ease fin ane ene perenne oy ye te ur cena Cow Saseocaacaneuar neem chaepsece one gee Seomermes Sema eae ‘Sige fare ac he pny does ot ed i tr date might be enw Sinan aes ee aa ren whether becween the men of Athens and Spat inthe Zits, tr inthe second ese, Euripides” collusion with bis Kinsman to eags- hee the later esape from the Scythian policeman, Bair in the Themophoracousa, the Binsman had been surtounded by women, ‘who having penetrated his igule, theaten him bodily harm. But the ‘iil spreentative of masculine law and order takes ort albeit in the eflminate figure of Clenthenes, who bots aide fn detecting the tina's transpressive costume and sends fr that same policeman sad the prisoner unt the magistrates arrival By contrast under the dispensation of the new la, te eapdvigy ofthe young man is the [ctoiasowac atthe hands of he ol has a sign of ua entralinent 0 women, which, despite his protests, he ear subvert or ald, now oF Inthe fur, ‘Finally all three comedies emphasize the theme of seria (aration). ‘The Lasaraa and the Esclssusae concoct their chemes inorder sve the cy, in the in intance, from the rinodsefects of at nd inthe recond, from the ruinogr eect of greed and povery. The Thomophorazowae modulates the theme to confont Eide and his kinsman with the need to re-enact the poe’ well-known tera plow in the ogress ofthe two men’s own aration. The young tn i the ‘Bedeasowae reguies the same, and, i fact, 8 he i dragged of by the tre hags he ella directly co Zeus sr for reac, but fo n0 ea, although thet ofthe women’s pla, as Praxagort hod argued in the frst pce sto bring sation tothe ailing ety. The pont made expleit. The young man's piteous cy, o poor unlucky, tice unlucky, tee dusdaimon, itskakedaomin (2098) i matched ia reverse BY the Serving gts apostrophe ro the matarics dines, blessed cizenry, the ‘damon athe lucky land (1112-14), whor she has jst invited the joyous fest. The price men must pay fr happy feeding, it seems, ust be pai in advance by unhappy se, and ifmen ae to ejoy a maternal bounty ofinexhaustible murtare in filing their eles, the women ma, in final reverse of fles, exact (or extort) sexual enjoyment fom ‘hem a thei reward. “Tals specue of sexual coercion is precisely what Praxagor's hus bund, Blepyro, had inaly feared when confonted by his eagbour CChremcs with the news tht the Blois had voted to hand over the ‘i's governance tothe women (465-70). Performance of another sor. is very much on his mind. But Praagora subsoquendy relieved his ‘aes, reassuring him that as an older and uglier man, he wil benef fom the new las and have fist ight o enjoy the fours of young wemea (611-29). Blpyros may go off with che dancing pls Pafonnance of tpn the Haina 1 the end to enjoy the fsivites,fellowing the lead ofthe servant gi. nso doing the pay may gesture beefy tote typical comic pattern of rejuvenated masculine atength tht symbolizes renee fealty in the ‘gy and anew vigour vested in te body polit, which ele a ‘Comedy i often, in fic, enacted in the form of'e marrage, But te feversal of thin pater in the igure of un old woman and a no0- ‘compliant young coneort seems to lt in We opposite direction to Seni stenliy, and according to the unhappy foung min, it even poreends death” ‘Whi then does Aritopbanes promise rex to older men but actually stage the revere? What logic links the theme of gymaecocracy to the ‘vo paradores I have outined ~ the epparent discrepancy betwee ‘onserraem and isnovadon, on the one hand, and on the others the ‘everel of comminal ideale of civic harmony into fet another and ‘more graphic instance of selfnerested pred, one which now escalates {nto apical violence that replaces the dered image of eve whole- ‘est with the contary model of a Dionysaevparagmai? My response ito sagas hat certain longlivedcelral scenarios may be Iunang ‘behind the social engineering of utopian sebemes that find it fullest tnd for some, i mot seldefeatng, exemplar in the spectacle (and Spectr) ofan Athens and its male cen body given over to women’s fle. therefore propose that we listen for responsive chords whose shoes we might hearin the comie conventions of mythic plot and losophical utopian schemes, ar dese ae performed in the testi lieu. Even closer to home, behind the seeming inventive resources office comic pla, we may well detect resonances ofthe stories that [Athens tells about ie about i own tdidons and is city’s found ‘ion In shor within the Heaiascune’sglering comic manipulation fof te performances of Athenian clzeny, there fe further, older ‘ory at Thope to demonstrate, thatthe play aertably lo enact eis this evel of peformance with which the remainder of this chapce wil ‘be concerned, med at ey i Ba rt in 2H Ree Sal tp ts AT do Sead ESSE So 10m Soaeeins BO OS ed al eh SCS ata are oe Cate wry Secrets meaty a sauna co os ‘an 9m Boe aye seul sgt tone al pea Pt ea nea ene pa rome = > f Prom Zin mn Veopla and say, By taking this approsch tothe Revasowas ay emphasis lies on the «sneepton and construction ofa plot that act ut the terms and con- sequences of gynsecocratic rule. Given «pay whore premio erase the lines of dierence in the ety, I prefer to maintaln the line of i= ference between the imaginary andthe Teal in assessing what motives might lie Behind the pla, succumbing neither a whol "sociological ‘luson” nor to one tha is simply ‘exua ax Vide Naguet has ment ‘orably put” Neither a Iteral rendition of rty nor purely meta ‘hori signifier, the gure af ‘woman’ sting in the henre must be onsidered in the Hight ofthe more ambiguous and ambivalent nee tintions Becween past and proent, convencon and orginlity, theme sand variation, on which the gente of Old Comedy depends. "The mediating ore benveen the imasigzy and the el precisely the doublesded interplay between mth and lop, between en to the pax and a projection of defined socal rues for the fare that ‘met inthe propectof a magical renewal of decadent society and its {bration fom an unhappy ad chaciepesent in the proposition ad fakiment of rome great omic idea. That pastas we have coe 10 ‘understand iti eypialy represented a the pre-Olympin age o the fag: of Kronos the ume before Zeus came to power” It sharnctcr= ists ae arcuate in atcha poet, in Homer and especialy in Hesiod in the myth ofthe Five Ages, the contrasting visions ofthe just, and unjust citys and the account of Prometheus and Pandora» These fe themes and paroens are reflected also in sapects of cetin fe tials (cluding the Keonia ia Athens) which a cerzain times of the your eslbrats the carivlesque rereral of roles of gender, socal {lass and stats ~ informs of controlled anarchy, not uke the Be ‘asowae alfa many of til Tais ae of Keonos i eo sided, ‘cparcipaes ina cultural schema of human development tat leads from savagery to ciizatin, fom thes othe cooked rom anatchy to the exablishment of socal rules, But the price tobe pad for these ‘benefie i a eurender of priitive, natural sate of origin, of ecee dom spontanely abundance, peace, and rice in favour of regime oflibidinal constant, social herrchies, equal division and those Inesapablenecesitet of toil pai, old age ~ and above al, of mor- 1 yeh Sea Lame 0 = SS Spey Ato Gn One tne taf ere ee daca Von 9801535 wi ‘Soar. Peformance of wp in the Belsaonone oo tal. Utopia, the brane concoction ofa eountertealiny she in the same smpiratons and the se ambivalences that end the age of Kronos, In'het search to reinstate of, beter, © Tenent joter socies, as filtered through contemporary democratic ideas, eropian Schemes that answer wo the concems of contemporary poles harmest the archaic powers of myth co purposeful design The Bird, hat other flkblown wtopian fantasy, cece engages with this pattern, fines the new rime depends on daplcing the gods in favour ofthe birds who, ie argued, prceded the Olympian deies now ia power “There are echoes of the Gigantomachy throughout and Promethexs spetrs onstage athe end In tht reaps to an eriertheogoic rate, {he comic her, Psteairos, even ends up byinstling htself a the ‘ew universal ramos over Zeus In shor if my we peychonaltic terms, Old Comedy places the id of unepeesed desire, characteristic fof the age of Kronos, over the “superego” of Olympian rae in the present day, and mies a nostalgic dsr for innocent origins With & [lfcntred wilt master. Ins imposition of new laws ta cond- tion for procuring tha new society, comic wtopat may therefore tend, ts Jean-Claude Camite has put ito produce a disturbing best of ‘Woes or even dangerous dsapia tat ends notin progress But in ‘egress, o atleast nan ionic ambitalence abou se limiess extent fof human desires.” These concepts deserve fuller elaboration, But in the limited space at my dnpoel I want purse a pariular version lof story that belongs to this age of Kronos, one that i directly sit fed in the Tocltraiions of Aca and which [hope may cst i ‘ructive light on the utopian project ofthe Belesiazozae and the logic ‘fie paradeneal comic perfomance, 1m, ‘The age of Kekrops In thie mth, we are inthe age of Kekrops the fit hing of Athens. He is of autochthonous origin, «hid gure, par man, part serpent, who played a hey sole in establishing the basic institatons of the ‘Athenian way of fe chat marked the passage ffor natare to cltre, ‘om savagery o ciation In heeping perhaps with that be form 0a Kumi, sc pc, VeeNuae 9) aan ft, Vee! 80) » Brfbon, Cen Ag sod the mh of one epee x {ei epi of Carre Gs) 848, ane te ume (79. ++ Sh Stern tte cay, oe poche smi of Ea st oe tha roma Zein Kelzop ams to represent both side ofthe ide. He consolidates or commemorates the cater age By satutng tual chat honoured the id gods who came before Zeus. Specialy, he erect the fit altar 19 Kronos and Ope (Rhes) and founds the fetal ofthe Krona, whose defining fearare was precisely the temporary reversal of oles mates tnd slaves, amen and women, At he sane time, during his reign, Keke ops Gansforms the socal organization of the people whom he has ‘organized into a seed community, “venting many lavs for mans’ ‘the echoliant to Artophanes' Potor 773, species, Te parca ory Ihave in mind ir et inthe fexme of train to the Olypian fonder. Te source is of ate provenance, Augustine inthe City af God (48.9), quoting Varo, bat is typology ie falar in mythic accounts of the ace and casa period and he sesumpons tat govern can ‘nly refer vo the workings ofa democrat city." "The orenible motive forthe myth is Ue naming ofthe city which sem ffom the dipute betveen Athens and Poseidon for control of [Athens Two portents announce thei dvaky: 2 mysterious olive eee ‘at seals appears onthe Acropolis and «source of gushing wat. KKeizops sent to the Delphic oracle to find out what this meaat and ‘what was tobe doae. Apolo replied thatthe olive signed Atnena and {he sping Poseidon, and that it was upto the elzens wo decde fom whic of the evo go (whose symbols these were) the city should take fits name. Kets then eile together the ctaene ofboth rexes~ for {at chat time ie was the custom that women too shou have part in publi deliterations, The men voted for Poseidon and the women for ‘Aihena,and beeause the wonien outnumbered the anen by exactly one, ‘Athena won the victory. The Women, it seem did aot. Quite the ‘contrary, In sesponse ta Poseidon's wrath (he flooded the land), Keke opr decreed thatthe women matt lore the vot, no child eal ake {he mother’s name, and they themselves cannot be called Athenian ‘women, Athnait- The same schollas to the Powos who had chimed ‘hat Keizope brought the Athenians our of sate of wildness rst) Pa on rm V's pr pa ama 7 HR He ‘pis Rom er a Ree ema ‘eran cern onl oe nen node scr coy ip. Men's o's sre tain (ows oe spe ae hs ‘Eloy abet Seca emt ne et nee sys we Si eye rs ear fe wet eo asomance ofan in the Haase 1 {nwo tmeness hams) specifies that this autochthonous ing was the inventor of marrage: ‘Some say e found mea and women ving fetercourse quite casually, so that no son coud tell who was his father, ‘no father who was his on. Kekvope accordingly drew up the lw mak {ng them colubit openly and in pairs. He aio discovered the wo piturer of the father and the mother Oz, a8 another source puts “Refropslelated that women, who before mated lke Best Gen), bergen a mariage to one maa.” “This sy ie at exemplary version ofthe ‘vention of patriarchy” which both sugit men their fle in sexs reprodedon and esta lished the rule f pailineal Kinship in a system of monogamous mar- ‘age that brought worsen unde de sexual conto of thee mats cor under the fursietion of thei fathers The srikngsigalicance ‘fh my, we sold not, Hes in the coneation of ll the eras =i the poi, social, and religious spheres. To wte inthe plital pro- ‘ess is equivalent to or matched hy claims to the rights over progeny, te in ths primitive ccy which has no et etablshed the roles of te ‘Sexual dvson of labou or the distinction between public end private ‘domains, between oto and polis or even between moral women and {oddesses, women exercise more power than men, ‘The wornea’s Bue erica majority of singe exten wore not ony face-aving device © sccount forthe embarrassing anomaly of godess verry in what wl Inter become a cy of men. Te also assumes a sufcientafeence be- ‘ween the sexes and thelr respecve interest to promote an unguer= ‘oning loyalty to one's cw Kod, But ore’ i so “attonger and in thir ne of omtenible party benacen the sexes hele mutual ih ‘ote, thee ir more than hint of symaccocrcy, or mere accurately, ‘uatrarehy, zcclling atime when women wer i charge, indulged it ‘ezual ecm to mat a they pleased, and by « mothers prerogative five ther names tothe euldren they bore, Insiuing the ea, hte fro unkown, will put her and ep her in her place, and to make ‘erin of her subordinate statu, she can no longer be called an Ache ‘aia in gendered symmetry with an Athoaion a change that both {Sinfoees her exclusion fom the politcal sphere of action and obviates. ‘ny semantic confusion with the tuelary goddess or the oficial name ofthe ay. Jt Asin in FG 4 13. te son ain he aon ‘ear ye Rte 8 pp a ess ned Ae oss Hcy yrs fan 2d Ca oP et og Res Det is. Absa ith: ar aca se Poe Ge) Seah ial Sout it) 6 Pal os 33 Roland Rome yy 267 an Pe Gan 90 1 hg Prom Zein ‘The relevance ofthis story to the plo andthe tle of the Bets couse should be obvious.” The women go Io the Assembly. This i the fis estetia step. They woe themselves int power ~ unanimity of ‘pinion is given ~and thei plan, a ture ost ents consequenees that are perfectly consistent withthe conditions ofthe fist Staged the reign of Kekrops:dimante the invita roy, and wih iy he ht of private property slog with the insetuion of monogamous mariage, ‘With the dissolution of matrimony come sexu feeds and i = evitable outcome ~ no man wil be able wo rcognie his com citron fl no children thee Sather. Blepyros ively voces tis ans bout the new arrangements that dispense with an alteady threatened iternalauthsiy "Il adeed,everone inthe Younger gencraton il, ‘consider all older men tobe thee father’ be a), then sons wil ake {his a8 ieee wo beat up any old man, lace thy aleady do this ‘thet own fates" (638-9) Finally, in addon w the abrogation of patel Anship i the spectre of incest that asses fom te decree ‘hat ges priority in sexs the older generation, provoking the young 9078 exclamation: "I you put this la into fect, yo Bl the land ‘with Ocaipases" (2038-42) Ia shot the women’s decree wil produce fatheess ofbpiag, encourage seal promiscuity, and lead so the ‘mixing of generations, butt also coupled withthe promise of sbune dance, prosperity, and feedom fom tol that etl the conditions of ‘he primitive commonity andthe age of Kronos, “This goaecoctati scheme gives an expecially elegant demonstration ofthe dialectical elatonship between myth and wtopia, he archaic and the revolutionary, the peimisve and the decadent. ‘The bai of the ‘women's decision to setk power inthe city let us sel, ets on the chic traditions they claim t represen, the a ways they maintain ‘ntl now, and their iil maternal concerns. We might be rete 0 Hesiod's depiction ofthe Siver Age, where men never grew pnd stayed beside their mothers for + hundred year. But those feminine ‘ales (nd the women’s experie in management) derive fom tlt ‘Stats inthe os ise the sig of reliable conserves inthe reteat Time of the polically impotent cy, What ie coded a yt and p= ‘mordil state of asics i represented in the plot as an insurrection ci eo Reo nx ai ee if Be tah fc (eho ime la pei bs coy ea Peformance of pi in the Besse as szsinst male authory and an outlandish staan of role reversal wo ‘overt an exiting onde. fit, much fd humorous ony well {rth anaery inthe ply rele on the miro effec of revere, when ‘ualtaian pincipes prove tobe just what they mean and old women ‘demand the same prolges tht had been promised to men. Tis neat turnabout inthe distibuion ef sexual favours isnot oe, of course, that Blepjos, ten on securing his own benefits with a Younger and rete in the new capensation had ever seriously cootemplated "The old women, accused of being on the threshold of death, represent ‘theo in tr most threatening form, an in the confrontation Between the old and the young, the question ofthe new vers the ol recurs ‘no in embodied form, where the women revert "ype by disclosing { vorsly of appetite that socal constraints had previously kepe onder fontol IC precisely the framing of uropia ha cher that engages the simakancouly innovative and regressive rule of women Which sccount, I soages, fr the problems eric hive faced in evaluating the structure ofthe ploy. And iis precisely the unstated ambivalence bout the mixture of masculine desive and anxiety that dictates the ‘mosdy negative responses of modem day cis, who diplace that Ambitlence om the substance ~ what really at sake ~ (he acing ‘of emle libido) vo risque ofthe form (Uh patterns of ain inthe ‘omic sen). Tn the myrhic perspective, men have not yet acquired dhe socal markers of pateniy abd property tht define thee masculine identi: ‘They have not yet learned Anstoe'sprecep es enunciated in the PO- fies that men are by nature more ft command than women (Po ‘riz, 12996 1-3), oe thatthe relationship of male to female i by ature superior, one governing and the other govemed (POL 15.7, 3541 15-14). Prom the point of view of present time, however, aynaccocracy, es ealerobverved, marks the Topical result ia city ‘where the men are no Jonger lly mea, The ina ploy of crost- ‘eesing when women steal their husbands’ clothes and don fle ‘ened and the men in tum have no other choice than to put on thir ‘wie safon dretes and Persian slipper already ats to ths state ‘of the mir, and the play om several occasions scornful mabes an is fre (eg) tl ne 9 Prey tl ern Pee Spey ees RS eC oar noe i ene rae) ey aan ems ey ie plicit point of men's effeminacy. The spectators confront seither betoie nr civic values there sno gesture fo the manly arts of war oF Agriculture They are shown no other if fr men except one tht utes benween the Rowre and the Assembly, where the credloue ‘Sizne prove ae fighty and unstable a women are nuppennt to be, ‘sable penetrate the disguise of thee palesfaced ntetioers sn all, too ready to vote the women into power, No wonder the city needs its real women when there ae nomen Worthy of the name and when the Tending policen, we may recalls himself accused of having bor- rowed a bear becaure he once wes a Woman. This an extreme ex- Ample of the general rule ar expressed in the [yiarata, where the ‘women claim they have feted the men themtcves going abot the ‘ret ying publicly "here iso man inthis town’ (524). Thi prior ‘lominizaton, dhl condition of Being les than a mt isa extra prereuiste for any scenario, api or comic, where women gain the ‘Upper hand. For when in defines of socal norms women take charge, the logic of gener opponition goes into eflac and decest that men ut Rave alendy descended fom superior to inferior statu, thei ‘atcaline deci Paving ready been defaed by the exibition of feminine strength (how otervise coud women enforce tet wil) nthe comle Kon, the power gre i played above ll onthe Held of sex. ll hee plas fearing ‘women on top ek female seertions ‘of power the cultura construcion of women’s Ubidral desires and ‘ie tat sexual a the underfing source of comic ambivalence which drives the plot, The Losiraa stages sx ark preciey in order 0 tring husband back tothe sara bed; the women of he Thomo- ‘phoriasowgerevent Pipes islosore oftheir sexual secrets on the tage stage, because prompts men inthe audience to supe helt fm wives an hence, among other rstction, to iit their amo- ‘out abr, Te Bloiazowae opens with Praxagor’ssokloguy om he lamp, the ght of the Indoor, which iluminate all the hidden recestes of women’s domin, whether for sex inthe hod, pilferase ‘Ehousehold store, or genital deplation (1-16). As this most openly ‘obscene ofall Aristophanes’ plays proceed, the tue impor of gyaie= ‘ocracy i ceva i the apparentiy seamless connection establehed ‘benween pica nd sensal enfranchisement Ths tsociaton apie thar women, once piven She fcedom of pola speech, wil ato ox fercise a rev eedom that can outstip and finaly deft hall Dover once and fr al. That same imp, which knows ow 1 keep tromen's secrets indoor, i browpht ouride to be ued ae 4 Beacon ‘gna, summoning the women tos peda rendezvous to PU hele FT Peformance of opin in theBedoise * plan for inflating he Anembiy into eect The double teat of {omen in charge culminates in the need to pack all shese anxieties {he maging ofthe wort posible scenario ofthe female grotesque body “gly hags, Empousas, mare with white lad looking like monkeys, ‘eatures who have come up from the dead, and worse, demonic fg- ‘re, pounce on ther unwiling tim (¢-g, 94 935 1055, 1071— 3). The hapless fellow himself expects to die apd pray for an even swore fet nih of is purser ‘ety me ey out fe harbour ed ar ove her om ‘STopotie bay pg wn aes es SSeS OSE ee ar oop PEPE Goma clap This hype come cape he rogue cee of he tu asap asa of cca elec hat oa he a ok Tat Sand cee ed women, hr rp with econ Seven fern ethon tte be ie tatu {be pac upe down a moment over he ve" The cou ing festa ant riya cong of an wo nd Dike maa in srtapon th caps ie er soc B= {toa lag nd enh wo set inne ht Come eh ioe hanes pn far cdg he ap es Bir ee ticket pro elk he ome hate Tae he Stenson ef women deg wue Senge to rere he se tines bln mor and commit las poms ofsandance td lender al Br only se fo nny he theme of ie SipP bara epedacve poe ded cate ines se of byron, we wn coopeded apes in wens de, wae ecnetgs tom hc house gro lesb ml gad 0 Mice tecomtgnion saath ge bath oad retagu nr cunt er bend fre ence wa am ra eee en tac wi 93 2 {ES ol chrome casi ch al Eine Oe Ont nl be Fen ee nominees meieeeeeeemer Saueeoacwe eens ps. an, tsp 0), se Bowe 99) a to iby see a ae Zoninacnanam ae yy 88 Prom Zain te have boen ening a pregnant tend who was jus giving birth to ‘male child (549). This, ofcourse, i aor wus in this casey but Pease ‘gor’ ab points to the one ural source of polial empowerment {br women in the pols as mothers of eitaen sons. This is one of the srguments in fact, which the disguised Praxagoa makes to the Ase Seb forgiving political rte to women, since mother, not fathers, fre the ones ho are most concerned with preserving the lives of theit Seldies boys (233-3), and who beter than a mother, she sys to assure ‘he provision of ood (233-5) Whether giving, saving, or sustaining ‘ie, matemalconcems legitimate women’s hegemony i the household snd the surance of prospere in the new polite epime, founded, {3 Tailardat pus ison a polis of the Bell." But when, on the Snalogy of motherioed, women's selfless concern for the wellte of ‘he state turns into selfinterested concer fortes the psscholog fanslety at ares in the station stems fom the threatened tans feral of the tabooed line beoween maternity and sexuality. The Young gt ~ who hava selGiatereted cules onthe young man heel ‘apres this panic in tems uneguivoal enough to drive of the Sst You behis moter er han wi [you eb hw be ew (noe ‘Your the county vp with Despre — Most erie simply assume thatthe paiing ofan old woman and a young man i contrary to “narre’ and that these scenes ustate a ‘duc ad abvson ofan atria scheme that would use noma 0 legislate plow But while we hear «great dea inthe play about lav snd decrees (iomot and puiphimats), we should bere of ssumins Some ica of immutable ‘ature’ a its counterpart, especialy in a {octet there by convention men tended eo mary wives far younget ‘han themeelies andthe bloom of Youth was hypetideaied ia and of * on oe i math ch Ly Hed ‘lt Ae pn Se rept eae a ‘ts eye i eg ies A los 1 Tate 69 spek Sao) et * Se ne Ci 9-3. Sa Perfomance of tpn inthe Fine a seit A any rae tis worth noting that the word, pny o seguir alent, i never even mentioned in the play. This otto overlook the {aot that ed old women (and not men) are often subjected to sour lous abuse comedy, ner tha the public legislation of pete ‘stincs i also noe at wake. But the ee i ar more one of roa) Propriety, which dictate, nthe saving goes: 'A woman who lave he Fouse shouldbe ata stage of life when those who meet her ask ot tnhose wife but whose mother she is" Hyperides spud Stob. 7433. Hence, i is more the promiscuous mixing of categories, old and young, parents and children, slong wit the confusion in publi and tate domains that teaties 10 the anareie aspects of the age of ronos (and Keloop), Estbodied inthe figure of a sexlned crone, ‘here overtake and undermine the bial stopian dresn ofa sid Primisve community, fostered by fantasies of a benevolent maternal Iago." the ple then ends in the wlumph of a gyaaecoratic rule, i so tear the stamp that naka the and many other ‘nye of enaiaechy? ofthis Kind with the ideological overload that relates ove i the past ‘women once role. Such myths are normally found i societies where {here alo exist «set of clara rules and procedures for determining Sexual dimorphism in socal and cultural tusks. Women once hed power 80 the story goes, but they abused i hough “ickery and un- Sled sexuality, thus fonterng “chaos and misule’. The men, there- fore elle, They assumed contol and took steps to istiutonalie the rubondiaton of women. The point of the myth i no the recors- ing of some historical or prehistorial state of airs, as Bichofen ‘would have liked (ad instantiated with this ply, among ochers), but Father the demonstration that Women are not Bt fo rule, nly to be ‘leds Tht myth is ‘aot a memory of history, but a social carter, ‘which “may be part of socal history In providing jsicaan for Present and peraps permanent eaty by giving an invented “histone {aD explanation of how thi reality was crested” "The senaro enacted inthe ime of Kekops involving race re- form of socal and political arrangements, and its reverse, performed * Sr ug ne 7, Tale 8 nt Helen ghar 9) {espe scene a deste te ge + Ohare Sn fel tt en Se Hae 27. Rint vn op. 199 Prema Zin in Asitophanes’ Eiuisouis, when women venture out of thei homes to takeover the sue inthe ci nly confirms the same pater ‘women's “arle’ and on the same grounds In aden to lusty ‘este, women are ricky. They dross men and lay their plot ‘lasing ae» vir that hey cannot be deceived in fice bees he) te such arch-decevers themselves (236-1). Some cites have posited Some greater role for women in postwar Athens, ofa greater sy chological lteet in dhs portspa™ Te may ever be argued that by ‘hei ial eros aresing, wosieh ave somehow turned into men. IF ‘hey lok ke men to take over the Assembly, dey must aso eventually fa lke men when they takeover the state Bus if topes concerns, ‘om with new forms of lepton andthe renwal of civic herons, lend a unelyeumoyphere tthe ply, there sno doubsig, hink hat the constrain ofthe plo obey the ruler of an already pescaibed ‘scenario. These lyperfeminine women porayed in the comic theatre fe only reverting to the predictable tm enshrined inthe ultra Imaginary, in which women, indeed, re perceived as beng too cose 10 nature othe imperious demands ofthe bells, whether fo fod or for sex. In tuming fom maternal aurturng to sexual predation or rather in combining the two, they are only doing what they woud always do, ‘stems, ifglven haa chance. Hence Kebrops invested mariage For all the on-stage cros-dressing and gender games, what the perfor tance ofthe Eeonasowse nll ent sls the oldest mesage Of ‘Mt about gender propeiry. The Ovesteia “Tal pauern ofa myth ofmatrarchy’ may sound fair to some er Tognfes used t once before in general ferme in apiece I wrote ong time ago on the Omi, wit the alm of demonstrating how closely he ‘condact of he logy followed this base guting, ltr relive, howe ‘ever that dhe same myth of Kekrops might also be operating Behind the scenes, at mere 0 state the ending of Acschylu’ ily 8 tore local frame of reference, one that would align it ety withthe seocterom os dn jas tomes and near coon EE aly anatase rae Fete aoe 3 cig of Athens, its patron goddess and hence reinforce se ideologies “ality ofthe decisive part ken by Athena's ek ia the resolution of ‘Acgive Oreste’ case" The status of Athens herelis tissue hee. For however Athens may glory in Achena's prestige, 2 cersin paradox esis inthe fet that thi ty of pateineal Kinship is ram fr and belongs to + femo divinity, and more than one mythic wadison stcempts account for this dsurbing moral.” Aristophanes pus i eaiy wih comie twist inthe Bind "Mow could iy be well ordered od is bors a Woman, wears complete armour, Jha a spinale? (429-33). Although the Emon ehowe an Athena Simly ensconced ia power, the ci ia the ciy whlch claim her ‘eotion repays several significant elements inthe myth of Kebzops — including confice between diferent deities and opposition between male and female inert on both human and divine level The si laity of pattern to he tems of this mth fT am comect in my saris, would lend powerful supporto what we have seamed to be Aesefua! “Tavenive’ solutions regarding Adena sucenful mediation benweea Apollo and the Braye, Bachofen hitelfiovoked the sath of Kelrops in support of his theory of matinrhy a indeed he did forthe Eumoide, bathe aly Futaposed the two on the bass of mother right without noting he ‘more extensive resemblances berween them." The mth of Kelrop#| fod the Onseis, let us roca, both ate how women by exercising power, lost alg with thei superior poston Inthe household and ‘heir seston ip sexual aus. In thin reading ofthe Ors, {Ghremnenr's bid for plea! power would be the eorsaive of the ‘ght to vote’ since inthe Bt play, the choros honours er author (ra) a regen i her sand’ sbsence (Aes 2$8- 60, and in the second, Orestes, ar king his modser and Aegis, proclaims his ‘etry over the evin “yan” (Choe. 973. The “domestication” ofthe Erinyer in Athenian cult, howeves, fancons to reduce tel oid power over men's airs, and they are defeated of couse in thle Sefence of a mother's right. Apollos telling argument, ecioed by “Athena tha the father i the only te begetr and the mosher merely a recepiacle-nurs is bute mote exteme versio ofthe Kekropian is, which decreed thet henceforeh children wil be known only by te Same of thie her, ‘Both the myth of Kekops and the Euncides share te sting of & * war tats aay xan en ofa dd oth rie ey 8) ‘hs ayn ptaton nase og) sr Enno 098) Got ade 9) 9-5 Bio eso 92 Prone Zan juridical dapat beeween competing mle ana female eaims and both ‘hare the loge that insists om the inne Hnks beeen pola end Alomestis hegemony. Both ae alo clear in eating te baie aout of women’s power as matemal dominance. Hence fe solution that “merge i to tenuate (or deny) that powe, wile athe same time ‘serving honour for a vipial goddes (Athena). Seis ally the key figure in both contests, whether inthe role of adjudicated mph of Kekrop) or in that of adadiestor (Eumenide). mn Acschyus, the jury that isto decide the cae of Orestes is unde 1p of Athenian citizen, who, a ia the quatel between Athena and Poseidon, are summoned to arbitrate a dpute beeen opposing

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