ARISTOPHANES' BANQUETERS AND THE DESIGN OF REPUBLIC I.

Aristophanes says that Clouds, a recognized model for Plato’s Republic, is a reworking of his first play Banqueters (Δαιταλεῖς). Plato uses the δαιτ- stem only at Rep. 1.345c and Timaeus 17a, where Socrates calls yesterday’s hosts of Republic "banqueters" (δαιτυμόνων). Aristophanes’ Banqueters featured two sons and educations, one traditional and prudent, the other, called Thrasymachus, rhetorical and "buggered." The blush of Plato’s Thrasymachus likely suggests the "buggering" of his argument. The chorus of Banqueters were θιασῶται of Herakles, which explains the rowdy mock–kidnapping of Socrates in the proemion and Herakles imagery throughout. Banqueters’ early date (427 BC) could explain Thrasymachus’ role in Republic I, if the dialogue is tracing the fall of Athenian democracy in the Peloponnesian War, using the theme of failed education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]