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Behold the son of Aithr! The First-Born () [86]! The Shining One ()! [73 &
74] Who by his nature illumines everything and was the first to appear in the Aithr! [75] Witness
his four eyes looking everywhere [76] and marvel at his four horns! Behold his golden wings
which flutter all about! [78] He bellows like a massive bull and roars like a lion! [79] He is
Irikpaios (), both male and female [81], who harbors in his heart blind and
swift rohs() [82]! He is Mtis (), the progenitor of the Gods, who call him the Revealer
and First-born [85]! He is the one with the mighty voice (); he is all-seeing
() Zefs () [170] ! He can be seen only by his daughter, but his effulgent light shining
in the Aithr draws wonder for those who behold it, illuminating the world with great
brilliance. [86]
Strategic displacement of the gods
Conceived as military exercise in human terms
Peisthetairus wins when marries personification of power, Basileia
Achieves Zeus thunderbolt
Ostensibly does this for the Birds, but really men benefit
Bird-Myths
Story of Hoopoe: Tereus, Philomela, Procne
Orphic Theogony vs. Hesiodic
Apollo on swan chariot to Hyperboreans (Pindar)
Eros as winged
Prometheus and Eagle
Hera and peacock
Birds close to many gods-depicted on their heads:
Athena, Zeus, Hera, etc.
Birds
Harpies w/ Phineus
Birds, Food and Reversal
Birds were preferred food for Greeks
P. is able to play on this in order to get their support
Inversion of Norms: utopian theme like Krates Beasts
Birds start slaving for P., building fortress of power
Music and Poetry
Many more lyric passages in play
Musical solos by Procne, and another aulist
Tereus would have sung call to Birds
Many descriptions of Birds are less farcical and more poetic
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/hb/hb_1981.11.10.jpg
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/Hpix/1990.14.0078.jpeg
http://www.theoi.com/image/Z26.1DStymphalides.jpg
http://www.theoi.com/image/T20.1Titanes.jpg
https://www.usu.edu/markdamen/ClasDram/images/08/comicchorusbirds.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Rider_BM_B1.jpg/1200px-Rider_BM_B1.jpg
http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/paula_chabot/zeus_ganymede2.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a9/cf/fc/a9cffc7345461271cb43923cb82c6620.jpg
http://www.cornellcollege.edu/classical_studies/comedy/web%20project/media/Birds.jpg
http://www.theoi.com/image/K2.1BPoseidon.jpg
https://content.ngv.vic.gov.au/col-images/api/EPUB000959/1280
http://www.theoi.com/image/P20.1Harpyiai.jpg
http://www.cairn-int.info/loadimg.php?FILE=E_CLIO1/E_CLIO1_042/E_CLIO1_042_0217/E_CLIO1_idPAS_D_ISBN_pu2015-
02s_sa12_art12_img011.jpg
God with bird on head?
Owl coin?
Trygaeus and Dung-Beetle
Productions of As Birds: costumes
Songs/lyrics of birds
Procne/Tereus myth
Orphic vs. Hesiodic Theogony
Portrait Alcibiades