Aristophanes was presumably born around 449 BC and died around 386-380 BC He wrote and produced his first comedy, The Banqueters, in 428 at the festival of strong pieces in the city of Dionysia . The following year Aristophanes won first prize with his work The Babylonians. This production, however, caused the politician Cleon to accuse him of defaming the Athenian people and state. In all, Aristophanes was accused twice, the second time for his comedy The Knights in which he again attacked the politician Cleon. However, in 405 Aristophanes was publicly honored and crowned for promoting Athenian unity in his comedy The Frogs. Over the course of his life Aristophanes wrote forty plays, eleven of which have survived to this day. A recurring theme in Aristophanes' works is that of comic spectacle, as he uses his works as a stage to mock, slander and criticize prominent people and events in Athenian society and politics. The three productions focused on here are The Acharnians, The Clouds and one of the most famous pacifist comedies, Lysistrata. In the Acharnians the main theme is peace with the Spartans during the Peloponnesian War. Diceopoli is the protagonist of the work, his name literally translates to "Honest Citizen". Diceopolis, along with Amphiteo, try to make their point known to the Assembly and convince them to seek an official peace. Dikaipolis however, after being denied freedom of speech, acts without the will of the community (Assembly) and instead enters into a private peace. After taking the risk of acting against the norm in the form of Assembly and community consensus, Dikaipolis is rewarded by winning the prize of the Jug Day festival and the blessing of civic officials, where he attends......half of paper ......y from war, as the main reason for not declaring peace. Pericles would also deny that the leaders of Athens are unfit for leadership, as he believes that “no subject can complain of being governed by people unfit for their responsibilities” (Pericles Funeral Oration, Perry pg. 64). Aristophanes interprets The Acharnians and Lysistrata exposes both leaders as corrupt and incapable of doing what is necessary for peace, such as the lack of negotiations by the Assembly and Lamachus in the Acharnians and the failures of political men and leaders to stop the war at Lysistrata. Overall Pericles' funeral oration was intended to boost morale, lift spirits, and uplift the Athenian people in a time of crisis. Aristophanes' goal was to send a message of peace by exposing the flaws of Athenian society, which I believe even Pericles would not have taken kindly to during a time of war.