Aristophanes on Escaping an Entanglement of Thought

"If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to start again."

-- Aristophanes

Aristophanes' Biography

Aristophanes, (born c. 450 bce—died c. 388 bce), the greatest representative of ancient Greek comedy and the one whose works have been preserved in greatest quantity. He is the only extant representative of the Old Comedy—that is, of the phase of comic dramaturgy (c. 5th century bce) in which chorus, mime, and burlesque still played a considerable part and which was characterized by bold fantasy, merciless invective and outrageous satire, unabashedly licentious humour, and a marked freedom of political criticism. But Aristophanes belongs to the end of this phase, and, indeed, his last extant play, which has no choric element at all, may well be regarded as the only extant specimen of the short-lived Middle Comedy, which, before the end of the 4th century bce, was to be superseded in turn by the milder and more-realistic social satire of the New Comedy.

To read additional Thoughts on Thinking, please click here.

Biography sourced from the Encyclopedia Britannica. Featured image sourced from The Famous People.