Discuss the extent to which the power of a character in a classical text was affected

by others
In Aristophanes play Wasps, the power of Philocleon (cleon lover) was affected by the
Demagogues. This is because Philocleon believed that the jurors were in a “position of
power” whilst the power was really in the hands of the Demagogues.

Philocleon believes that jurors are in a position of power because they had power over
others, were paid “well” and were flattered constantly. Jurors believe that they have power
over others because “if a council or assembly can’t make an important decision; they hand
the prisoner over to the jury courts”. Additionally; jurors also feel important and powerful
when they give out the maximum punishment. Hence why they are very harsh on the
convicts as shown in Philocleons statement of conviction regarding Labes (the dog) “No,
No! Death if he's convicted”. Jurors in Athens were paid three obols which didnt even
“amount to 10% of the national income”. Jurors are flattered constantly in court as shown by
Philocleon’s statement “ there’s nothing they wont say to flatter the jury”.This is because the
convicts will try to say anything or do anything to get out of their sentence.

However, Power was really in the hands of the Demagogues. This was because they were
paid a substantial amount of money, were manipulative and corrupt and made promises that
benefitted them. After the amount paid to the jurors, “the rest of the money goes towards
those fellow (demagogues) and on top of that are the bribes they get from the subject cities”.
Power is in the hand of the Demagogues as they are paid well and live comfortable lives.
Demagogues give the jurors an amount that does not significantly impact them and the city
of Athens and “trains them to know the hand that feeds them” . This also ensures that the
jurors are fooled into thinking that they are important and never rise into an uprising against
them. Demagogues are corrupt as they accept bribes that sway their decisions which in turn
affects the decision the jurors make whether they have knowledge of this or not.
Demagogues are manipulative as they manipulate the jurors into believing they hold a
special position in the law courts and make important decisions. Demagogues are
untrustworthy and make many false promises such as when “they offered the whole of
Euboea and 75 bushels of wheat, but five bushels were only given to the jurors” . They went
back on their promise to save these resources for themselves. These only benefit the
demagogues and keep them in power.

Philocleon ends up realising that he is not powerful and that he is being negatively affected
by the demagogues. He realises that all the reasons that he believed that jurors held
supreme power in Athens were lies that were fabricated and that these decisions impacted
the demagogues positively.
discuss the extent to which one or more relationships between characters might be
described as unconventional or unique

● what a traditional relationship should look like

● role resersal; how bdelycleon acts like father and philocleon acts like son
●

In Aristophanes Wasps, Bdelycleon and Philocleon relationship is unconventional because it

diverges from the traditional norm. Their relationship is reversed as Bdelycleon acts like the
father while Philocleon acts like the son.

In a traditional father-son relationship; Philocleon would act as the kyrios, would be the main
breadwinner, would discipline his son and would look after and introduce his son to society.
This could be through politics, symposia or religion. However this is reversed due to
Philocleon’s sickness; trialophilia. Philocleon is sick due to his obsession with the law courts
and the manipulation of the demagogues. Bdelycleon tries to cure Philocleon because his
trialophilia affects how the oikos are run. This in turn then impacts the family negatively and
causes problems in Athenian society as it disrupts societal expectations. This role reversal
challenges the traditional hierarchy within an Athenian family, with the father being the
kyrios. Additionally; Philocleon being a juror impacts all his other responsibilities to his family
and to Athenian society.

As the roles are reverse; Bdelycleon acts as the father (kyrios) while Philocleon acts as the
son. Bdelycleon is responsible for the household as he acts as the kyrios, is the main
breadwinner, teaches Philocleon how to act at a symposium and rescues him after he gets
into mischief. Bdelycleon also locks him in the house and calms him down from his tantrums.
Alongside Bdelycleon taking the responsibility of the kyrios he has social expectations to
answer to; He as a son is expected to look after his father(philocleon) when he is old and
unwell. Bdelycleon tries his best to look after his father and cure him of his sickeness
through; locking him in his house and talking to him, trying to cure his illness through ritual
washing, purification rites, and taking him to the priests of Bacchus and the temple of
Asclepius. We see how hard Bdelycleon tried to cure his fathers illlness throught the
statment “ he tried all the usual treatments for madness”. Bdelycleon is successful in curing
Philocleon of his disease when he stops him from going to court with the Chorus and
convinces him that being a juror is not a good position in society as they are manipulated.
This is because jurors do not receive enough pay, they are fed broken promises and
manipulated into believing they have an important job. We see how convinced Philocleon is
of his importance as a juror throught the statement “ I who hold supreme power” . When he
manages to convince him instead of going to court; he offers the solution of a mock trial in
his home. However he tricks Philocleon into acquitting Labes which cures his trialophilia.
This is because he has never once “acquitted” a prisoner/ or someone who was guilty
because he and the other jurors loved the power they had, were biased and made up their
minds even before the case was over as seen in this statement “he scratches a long line on
his tablet every time they get a conviction-full damages”.
“He tried all kinds of arguments to stop him wearing his juryman cloak or to get him to stay
home,he just wouldnt listen”
“So we covered the whole hall with nets round about and kept guard”
“No,no! Death if hes convicted” “trialophilia”
“Dont you realise what kind of creature we’re guarding”
“Tried all the usual treatments for madness”
“Recline gracefully” “ with an elegent affluent swagger” “ take off that tattered old cloaks and
put on this gown”
“Obols which you yourself have battled and laboured into existence”
“There’s nothing they wont say to flatter the jury”
“He scratches a long line on his tablet for every conviction-full damages”
“Ha! Wait till he hears the sentence”
“Just think how rich youd be if it wasnt for this gang of demaogogues who keep you trapped”
“They want you to be poor.to know the hand that feeds you”
“Our pay doesnt even amount to 10% of the national income”
Oh im a slave, i who hold supreme power” “youre a slave without realsiing it”
“And on top of that are the bribes they get from the subject cities”
“If the council or assembly cant make secision, they hand the prisoner over to the jury
courts”
“Where does the rest of the money go? To those fellow you jst mentioned now”
“They offer you the whole euboae and 75 bushels of wehat, yet they gave u only 5 ? you
neveerg got that did you”

Discuss the extent to which a sense of responsibility held by a character(s) leads them to
try to protect and / or save others.

Discuss the extent to which a character(s) in a classical text successfully solved the
problems of others.
Bdelycleon successfully solved Philocleon’s problem of “trialophilia”. This is accomplished
throught Bdelycleon trying the “usual treatments for madness” , debating with Philocleon
where he sees the truth when Bdelycleon convinces him and holding a mock trial that cures
Philocleon.
How he is influenced by the demagogues and the treatment
Debate where bdelycleon convinces him
Mock trial which officailly cures him aqcuits labes

Bdelycleon attempts to solve Philocleon’s trialophilia through trying a variety of treatments

which do not work out. Bdelycleon tries ritual washing, purification rites, and even takes
Philocleon to the priests of Bacchus and to the temple of Asclepuis to cure him of his
disease. With the ritual washing and purificiation rites he tried to cleanse Philocleon
spiritually and mentally. Bdelylceon was probably hoping that philocleons conditions would
heal after visiting the temple as Asclepuis was known for healing and medicine in the greek
world. When this does not work out, he tries to talk to Philocleon about this growing problem
that affected Philocleon and when that did not work out, he locked him in the house and kept
him under guard as stated so in this statement made by the Slaves; Xanthias and Sosias
“So we covered the whole hall with nets round about and kept guard”. Philocleon manages
to escape with the help of the chorus that are also going to jury duty . This shows the
significant extent to which Philocleon is obsessed with jury duty; that he will climb out a
window to get out of the house even though he is being kept guard with 2-3 slaves. This is a
temporary action as it does not end up working out in Bdelycleon’s favour as he can not
control his fathers actions. Philocleon as a juror is a slave of the demagogues with how obsessed
he is with the jury system which is stated by bdelycleon “ You’re a slave without realising it” . Sadly
Philocleon believes that jurors are powerful and not slaves as he replies “Oh Im a slave, I who hold
supreme power”.