Birds concerns two older Athenians, escaping from the litigious nature and complications of their city. They seek a place of refuge and expect that Tereus, the mythic king of Thrace transformed into a hoopoe, can tell them of such a place from his bird travels.[2] Having found Tereus, Peisetairos, the protagonist, and his companion Euelpides decide that life among the birds is best of all. They organize the birds by establishing a city, Nephelokokkygia. Peisetairos has the idea that, since the birds occupy the middle 'ground' between heaven and earth, the new city can rule humans and blockade the gods. In order to persuade the birds of his plan, Peisetairos tells them that they used to rule the universe before the Olympian gods. The birds then desire to regain their former glory. Throughout the second half of the play, once Nephelokokkygia is established, various undesirables try to pry their way into Peisetairos' new world; the gods are among them. Peisetairos must deal with Iris, Prometheus, Poseidon and his diplomatic entourage in order to restore the birds and finally become, at the end of the play, δαιμόνων ὐπέρτατοc.