Peace
Dikaiopolis desires peace, which is what he believes everyone in the Assembly should desire with Sparta. Ironically, no one else comes to the Pnyx to speak of peace; therefore, he purchases it from Amphitheus for eight drachmas for himself.
Gold
The Commissioner has returned from the East believing that the Shah of Persia has come to give gold to him and the people. Ironically, the Shah tells everyone they will not be giving any gold to them.
Meeting
The regular meeting of the Assembly is held at the Pynx. Ironically, there is no one there but Dikaiopolis initially. This scenario reveals how the politicians seemingly care little for the good of the state and rather more for their own interests.
Two Drachmas
The Commissioner explains how they were only able to reach the King in Persia after 4 long and hard years, only to find that he wouldn't return for another 8 months. Ironically, the Commissioner was being paid 2 drachmas per day for his "work" in dealing with the East. Thus every day added in waiting increased his pay.
Suffering
The Commissioner tells everyone that the journey they went on involved great suffering. Ironically, he then explains how he was transported in "curtain'd palanquins, luxuriously bestow'd on cushions soft."
