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Why does Trygaeus ride a dung beetle to heaven in Peace?
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Aristophanes
Aristophanes, portrait bust, c. 4thâ1st century bce; in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.
In the comedy Peace by Aristophanes, the protagonist Trygaeusâa war-weary farmerârides a monstrous dung beetle to heaven specifically to search for the lost goddess Peace.12
Upon arriving in heaven, he discovers that the God of War has imprisoned the goddess by burying her in a deep pit. With the assistance of a chorus of fellow farmers, Trygaeus successfully rescues her, leading to a conclusion marked by celebrations of fertility and marriage. The play, performed in 421 BCE, served as a satirical commentary on the Peloponnesian War and anticipated the Peace of Nicias.12