Dialettica del pacifismo: la pace degli uomini e la pace delle donne nelle commedie di Aristofane

This study explores Aristophanes’ so-called ‘pacifism’, a hallmark of his works, highlighting the different approaches to condemning war in three of his extant plays: Acharnians (425 BCE), Peace (421 BCE), and Lysistrata (411 BCE). The analysis reveals a “dialectic of pacifism,” contrasting a competitive and exclusive model (Acharnians), an inclusive and corrective one (Lysistrata), and a symbolic compromise between the two extremes (Peace). Special focus is given to gender differences and the concept of ‘entitlement’, shaping the protagonists’ roles: Diceopolis acts as a sovereign individual, substituting himself for a state entity in political decisions and realising himself in the exclusion of his opponents from the benefits of peace, while Lysistrata leads a collective action that aims to reconcile the warring parties and include them all in a shared festivity. Trigeus has traits of Diceopolis’ heroic features but shares with Lysistrata the collectivist and inclusive attitude. The three different dynamics represented offer a complex and multifaceted picture of pacifism, modulated according to the historical and cultural context of the individual plays.