Clouds is a comedic play by Aristophanes that satirizes the philosopher Socrates and the newfangled ideas of his followers. The play follows the story of Strepsiades, an elderly Athenian who is in debt and desperate to find a way to avoid paying his creditors. He enrolls in Socrates's Thinking Shop, hoping to learn how to use language to manipulate people and get out of his financial troubles. However, Socrates turns out to be a cynical and manipulative figure, and Strepsiades soon realizes that he has made a mistake. In the end, the play is a sharp critique of the new ideas that were sweeping through Athens at the time, and a celebration of the traditional values of the old guard.