Aristophanes (445-380 BC) - Greek comic playwright who wrote in the style
known as Old Comedy, a free and farcical form that allowed him to ridicule
the public figures and institutions of his time. Despite difficulties in
translation, most of his sharp-witted humor still comes through today.
The Knights (424 BC) - Criticizes the Athenian demagogue Cleon, one of the
primary targets of Aristophanes' ridicule. Legend has it that rather than
finding a brave actor, Aristophanes himself played the part of Cleon.
