This course will focus on the rivalrous relations between comedy and philosophy through a close reading of a handful of Aristophanes’ plays, particularly those that take aim at Socrates (directly or indirectly), as well as those that offer pointed political critiques later reprised by Plato; e.g., the Clouds, Birds, Frogs, Wasps, Knights and Thesmophoriazusae. We will consider comedy’s role in Athens as both a provocateur and an accuser of philosophy and political life; and ask if certain dialogues in the Platonic corpus might be better understood as “comedies.” Are philosophy’s tragic comic looks the origin of its apparently longstanding dispute with more serious "poets"? Does philosophy's proximity to comedy disallow it a legitimate political debut? Knowledge of Greek is not required for this course but it would be an asset.