Peace

Written in the fifth century B.C. by Aristophanes, the Greek playwright regarded as the “Father of Comedy,” Peace was produced in celebration of a brief respite from the war that plagued Greece throughout most of Aristophanes lifetime. The central character is a feisty man who flies to Mount Olympus to complain to the gods about the situation on earth. Unfortunately, the only way to get to Mount Olympus is to risk a precarious trip on the back of a monstrous dung beetle. When he arrives, he learns from Hermes that the gods have fled, leaving War and Greed in charge, with Peace buried under a trash heap. With much hullabaloo and the help of a chorus of farmers, Peace is rescued and an extended celebration takes place.