Classics

Clouds

By Aristophanes

Translated by Ian Johnston

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The comic drama Clouds (423 BC) is one of the most famous and popular satires ever written. In it Aristophanes, the greatest comic dramatist of ancient times, takes issue with the intellectual and moral depravity of his fellow Athenians, particularly with their thirst for radical innovations in traditional ways of thinking and for their unscrupulous self-interest. The play is particularly famous for its portrayal of Socrates, the target of much of the very robust satire. Here, he is pictured as a caricature of the arch sophist, eager to earn money by training young Athenians so that they can successfully use corrupt notions of language, law, and just dealing to their own advantage. The portrait is clearly at considerable odds with what we know about Socrates from other sources; nonetheless his character here is very famous as an unforgettable picture of a sly intellectual rogue. The Athenians come in for their share of humorous satiric criticism as well, given how greedy they are to use people like Socrates to escape unwelcome obligations. Aristophanes obviously exaggerates considerably for comic effect, but the ominous tone in the play's ending reminds us that some years later these citizens turned against the historical Socrates and condemned him to death.

Ian Johnston's new verse translation of Aristophanes' Clouds stays close to the original text yet offers an accessible and fluent English version, which conveys the full range of Aristophanes' style - ribald humor, lyric expressiveness, and underlying ironic seriousness - in a text full of dramatic energy. The translation also offers explanatory footnotes to assist the reader with any potentially confusing references.

Category: Classics
ISBN (softcover): 978-0-9797571-3-6
e-ISBN: 978-1-935238-19-5
Author: Aristophanes
Translator: Ian Johnston

On behalf [of our] Classics Society, I would like to request your permission to use your translation of Aristophanes' Clouds for our performance of the play in February. Dr Paola Ceccarelli recommend your translation which is by far our favourite and we would be most grateful if you would permit us to use it. I realize that it would be something of a trek from Canada, but should you find yourself in the country we would, of course, be delighted if you'd care to attend as our guest of honour.

— Durham, England
These new dramatic releases provide us once again with that powerful and direct style of translation for which Professor Johnston has become known. Students reading these translations will have no doubt of the passion and issues raised by the plays.

— Princeton Professor Emerita Elaine Fantham
I'm a student at the University of Illinois - Chicago and am a big fan of your work. I strangely find myself coming back again and again to your work... leaving each time with a satisfying reading experience. As I'm sure you are acutely aware, your work has a certain pristine quality to it that other translations fall short of. The clarity of your expression (and the accuracy too) is quite remarkable.
Excellent translation, easy to read, wonderful entry to epic Greek poems.