Demoi
Demoi is a comedy by Eupolis that only survives in fragments. Another political satire, it speaks against corruption, partisanship and putting the needs of the people as subordinate to personal gain. The Athenians romanticized the political leaders of the past just as many people tend to do in modern society today. That corruption of the present day and the belief the politicians of the past were infinitely better form the basis of the play.
Pyronides, the main character in the play, wants to restore Athens to its former cultural and political glory and decides there is only one way to do this. He goes to the underworld and brings back four former great leaders from Athens’ past, Pericles, Miltiades, Aristeides, and Solon the Lawgiver. The four politicians are eagerly welcomed in Athens. A series of jokes from the people arises as they imagine these four great men dealing with the inadequate politicians and military leaders of the present day.
The chorus, which represents the 139 communities in the Athenian democracy, come to the men with their complaints about the current leaders and the state of Athens. These comments are often very specific and very sarcastic. The four men resolve to deal with their corrupt and laughable counterparts. Miltiades deals with the current general though scholars debate on which general this may have been.
Aristeides drives away a member of the “accuser” class, a group of politicians who would bring false charges against their political enemies which would result in substantial legal fees and in some cases the enemy would lose property. Solon takes on either a judge or a Sophist known for distorting the laws to argue for their own benefit. There is very little left of the person that Pericles takes on and the end of the play is lost. While the work of the four great men is cheered by the Athenians there is information on if they stay in Athens or return to the underworld.