Lysistrata

Amidst the tone of war around us, and speak of possible defeat, the festival of Dionysos will be held the fall of this great year, 411 BCE. Many ideas of entertainment have been suggested, most of which plays from various credible playwrights. One that has caught my eye in many ways is a work by Aristophanes. It is titled Lysistrata, and is a comedy based on our current status of war. Now considering our present situation, this may seem like a ludicrous idea. The wrong choice of words in a public address can result in a revolt, let alone a play that will be seen by many more citizens than will a public speaking. Why choose such an idea? Well, there are many reasons, and I intend to explain them to you.
First, the mentalities of most citizens are that of following the crowd. If small groups of people change their view of our status in activities of war, they will influence other people to change their minds, and so on. Slowly we will find that large areas of Athens will alter their opinions, not only because they feel that they are right, but also so that they may fit in with the majority, therefore spreading the idea of peace and retraction from fighting. Then if the decision is made to withdraw from battle, the public will agree rather than oppose the idea. Any government, let alone ours, far too seldom achieves such support by a city-state’s citizens.
Second, the idea of the women of Athens assembling and planning out schemes on their own would cause alarm amongst the men of our society. Such is the idea of Lysistrata. The women of Athens, along with Sparta and other cities, band together and form a plot to stop the fighting among all of Greece. If an audience viewed this type of activity, perhaps they would fear the same happening in our own community. Imagine the reaction of those here and how they would act to prevent such an event. Why, our troops would be withdrawn almost immediately. Is it not more important to fight a war of internal affairs, than that of great distance? Most would agree that a “crisis at home,” if you will, is of higher demand. With empires falling as they do, a problem from within is not something that is yearned for.
Also, with the talk of peace and an end to fighting mentioned in the work, people who feel that...

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... rather than concerning themselves with the homestead. A threat that falls close to home is the quickest way to make your point, and this play does just that. An almost complete downfall is the result of a plan to promote peace. What is the more probable outcome: an easy victory or a long drawn out battle, which yields no winner? I for one would rather not find out.
The production of the work Lysistrata would not be in vane. Aristophanes had the right attitude when writing such a work. After reviewing the script I feel it would be to the benefit of our society if we produce this play to the great city of Athens. It will provide entertainment, a gathering for all citizens, and an insight on what we should consider for ourselves. A sense of the reality of war and its fundamentals will set in most likely after viewing the production. There are no winners in a war, only those who are lost, or have lost various things. This could start a trend of peace throughout the area of Greece, and nothing but good can come of that. No edits, no rewording, just the work as it was intended would be mostly beneficial to the Athenian community. Consider the alternatives.