Aristophanes I first heard about Aristophanes when he was present during of Plato's famous dialogues. During the conversation he was thoroughly rebuffed on each of his points. Later I was to learn that Aristophane's plays most likely had something to do with the roughness in which he was treated. So, I came into reading his works with a state of mind like, "Who is this fool who thinks he can stand up to Socrates? Surely his works will reveal his foolhardiness." My opinion completely changed after reading him. Not only does he have more intellect than given to him by Plato, he had a tremendously funny sense of humor, satire and irony. I've read more than a few pieces of comedic literature, and these definitely rank high upon my list. Have you ever heard the saying "there would be no war if only mothers forbade it"? 'Lysistrata' takes on a similar tone of reasoning, but in this case it is the wives who attempt to end war. How? By refusing to have sexual relations with their husbands until all conflict had been settle. With great planning and effort, even the women of enemy villages became involved with the plot. The ensuing mayhem is quite entertaining. Men from warring countries are desperately trying to appease each others demands, while all the time "stiff with pleasure." Amazingly, things were said that would be censored on today's television screens. A very worthwhile read indeed. 'The Birds' is a complete satire showing Aristophane's contempt for the dreamers and philosophers of Greece. It is a story of two men who seek to leave the community of men in order to form a utopian society amongst the birds. To do so they'll build their city in sky. By doing so, they'll force the humans to first sacrifice to the birds, who stand in the way of the heavens; the birds will become gods and rulers of the world. Aside from the satire, I must admit that I was shocked upon hearing the utter blasphemy shown in this work. Socrates was executed for much less than this work. This contrast alone makes this work a must read. Finally, there is 'The Clouds,' the very work that had so offended Socrates and Plato. In it, the dislike of philosophers is expounded upon and Socrates himself is in the play. Socrates first appears as an absentminded mystic who believes that sleeping in a basket high above the ground will keep his thoughts heavenly and profound. Though I was somewhat annoyed at the misrepresentation of Socrates as a sophist, I give great credit to Aristophane's audacity in this work. A man comes to Socrates in order to learn how to escape certain legal contracts. Upon finding that the man is too old to learn, his son takes his place. With his new learning, the son learns to argue out of contracts, and also makes an argument unrefutable by his father that it is just for a son to beat his father. The father, humiliated, burns down Socrates' school. Understandably, this is Aristophane's most famous work. The fact that he would so disparagingly take on the near-god Socrates is awing. Overall, this trilogy is very short and worthwhile for its comedy, irony, satire, historical comparisons, and amusingly arrogant condemnations.