The Chorus and Their Garden in the Second Parabasis of Aristophanes’ Acharnians
Nikolsky Boris M.
The article offers a new interpretation of the antistrophe of the second parabasis in Aristophanes’ Acharnians. The antistrophe refers to the chorus’ desired union with Diallage (Peace) and their dreams of planting a garden. According to the common view, the chorus emphasizes the ability to plant grapes, figs and olives and thus convinces the Diallage of its masculine power. By understanding the meaning of the chorus’ words about the garden in this way, commentators see here a sexual subtext. The paper argues that such an interpretation is absurd and that basis for it is provided only by the verse 997. Since verse 997 itself contains several problems and since it is omitted in the earliest source of the text, Aelianus’ paraphrase, it is suggested that it should be athetised. Now, the antistrophe sounds different: the chorus speaks here of the opportunity to grow a garden, which they will have when peace comes. The reason for the insertion of v. 997 may have been a desire of an ancient editor to have an equal number of verses in the strophe and antistrophe, although a strict correspondence of verse numbers was not necessary in comedy.
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