410　BC
  LYSISTRATA
  by　Aristophanes
  anonymous　translator
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  LYSISTRATA
  CLEONICE
  MYRRHINE
  LAMPITO
  MAGISTRATES
  CINESIAS
  CHILD　OF　CINESIAS
  HERALD　OF　THE　LACEDAEMONIANS
  ENVOYS　OF　THE　LACEDAEMONIANS
  AN　ATHENIAN　CITIZEN
  CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN
  CHORUS　OF　WOMEN
  LYSISTRATA
  LYSISTRATA
  （SCENE：…At　the　base　of　the　Orchestra　are　two　buildings；　the　house
  of　LYSISTRATA　and　the　entrance　to　the　Acropolis；　a　winding　and
  narrow　path　leads　up　to　the　latter。　Between　the　two　buildings　is　the
  opening　of　the　Cave　of　Pan。　LYSISTRATA　is　pacing　up　and　down　in
  front　of　her　house。）
  LYSISTRATA
  Ah！　if　only　they　had　been　invited　to　a　Bacchic　revelling；　or　a
  feast　of　Pan　or　Aphrodite　or　Genetyllis；　why！　the　streets　would　have
  been　impassable　for　the　thronging　tambourines！　Now　there's　never　a
  woman　here…ah！　except　my　neighbour　Cleonice；　whom　I　see　approaching
  yonder。。。。　Good　day；　Cleonice。
  CLEONICE
  Good　day；　Lysistrata；　but　pray；　why　this　dark；　forbidding　face；　my
  dear？　Believe　me；　you　don't　look　a　bit　pretty　with　those　black
  lowering　brows。
  LYSISTRATA
  Oh；　Cleonice；　my　heart　is　on　fire；　I　blush　for　our　sex。　Men　will
  have　it　we　are　tricky　and　sly。。。。
  CLEONICE
  And　they　are　quite　right；　upon　my　word！
  LYSISTRATA
  Yet；　look　you；　when　the　women　are　summoned　to　meet　for　a　matter　of
  the　greatest　importance；　they　lie　in　bed　instead　of　coming。
  CLEONICE
  Oh！　they　will　come；　my　dear；　but　it's　not　easy；　you　know；　for
  women　to　leave　the　house。　One　is　busy　pottering　about　her　husband；
  another　is　getting　the　servant　up；　a　third　is　putting　her　child　asleep
  or　washing　the　brat　or　feeding　it。
  LYSISTRATA
  But　I　tell　you；　the　business　that　calls　them　here　is　far　and
  away　more　urgent。
  CLEONICE
  And　why　do　you　summon　us；　dear　Lysistrata？　What　is　it　all　about？
  LYSISTRATA
  About　a　big　thing。
  CLEONICE　　（taking　this　in　a　different　sense；　with　great　interest）
  And　is　it　thick　too？
  LYSISTRATA
  Yes；　very　thick。
  CLEONICE
  And　we　are　not　all　on　the　spot！　Imagine！
  LYSISTRATA　　（wearily）
  Oh！　if　it　were　what　you　suppose；　there　would　be　never　an　absentee。
  No；　no；　it　concerns　a　thing　I　have　turned　about　and　about　this　way　and
  that　so　many　sleepless　nights。
  CLEONICE　　（still　unable　to　be　serious）
  It　must　be　something　mighty　fine　and　subtle　for　you　to　have　turned
  it　about　so！
  LYSISTRATA
  So　fine；　it　means　just　this；　Greece　saved　by　the　women！
  CLEONICE
  By　the　women！　Why；　its　salvation　hangs　on　a　poor　thread　then！
  LYSISTRATA
  Our　country's　fortunes　depend　on　us…it　is　with　us　to　undo
  utterly　the　Peloponnesians。
  CLEONICE
  That　would　be　a　noble　deed　truly！
  LYSISTRATA
  To　exterminate　the　Boeotians　to　a　man！
  CLEONICE
  But　surely　you　would　spare　the　eels。
  LYSISTRATA
  For　Athens'　sake　I　will　never　threaten　so　fell　a　doom；　trust　me
  for　that。　However；　if　the　Boeotian　and　Peloponnesian　women　join　us；
  Greece　is　saved。
  CLEONICE
  But　how　should　women　perform　so　wise　and　glorious　an
  achievement；　we　women　who　dwell　in　the　retirement　of　the　household；
  clad　in　diaphanous　garments　of　yellow　silk　and　long　flowing　gowns；
  decked　out　with　flowers　and　shod　with　dainty　little　slippers？
  LYSISTRATA
  Ah；　but　those　are　the　very　sheet…anchors　of　our　salvation…those
  yellow　tunics；　those　scents　and　slippers；　those　cosmetics　and
  transparent　robes。
  CLEONICE
  How　so；　pray？
  LYSISTRATA
  There　is　not　a　man　will　wield　a　lance　against　another。。。
  CLEONICE
  Quick；　I　will　get　me　a　yellow　tunic　from　the　dyer's。
  LYSISTRATA
  。。。or　want　a　shield。
  CLEONICE
  I'll　run　and　put　on　a　flowing　gown。
  LYSISTRATA
  。。。or　draw　a　sword。
  CLEONICE
  I'll　haste　and　buy　a　pair　of　slippers　this　instant。
  LYSISTRATA
  Now　tell　me；　would　not　the　women　have　done　best　to　come？
  CLEONICE
  Why；　they　should　have　flown　here！
  LYSISTRATA
  Ah！　my　dear；　you'll　see　that　like　true　Athenians；　they　will　do
  everything　too　late。。。。　Why；　there's　not　a　woman　come　from　the
  shore；　not　one　from　Salamis。
  CLEONICE
  But　I　know　for　certain　they　embarked　at　daybreak。
  LYSISTRATA
  And　the　dames　from　Acharnae！　why；　I　thought　they　would　have　been
  the　very　first　to　arrive。
  CLEONICE
  Theagenes'　wife　at　any　rate　is　sure　to　come；　she　has　actually　been
  to　consult　Hecate。。。。　But　look！　here　are　some　arrivals…and　there　are
  more　behind。　Ah！　ha！　now　what　countrywomen　may　they　be？
  LYSISTRATA
  They　are　from　Anagyra。
  CLEONICE
  Yes！　upon　my　　word；　'tis　a　levy　en　masse　of　all　the　female
  population　of　Anagyra！
  （MYRRHINE　enters；　followed　by　other　women。）
  MYRRHINE
  Are　we　late；　Lysistrata？　Tell　us；　pray；　what；　not　a　word？
  LYSISTRATA
  I　cannot　say　much　for　you；　Myrrhine！　you　have　not　bestirred
  yourself　overmuch　for　an　affair　of　such　urgency。
  MYRRHINE
  I　could　not　find　my　girdle　in　the　dark。　However；　if　the　matter
  is　so　pressing；　here　we　are；　so　speak。
  CLEONICE
  No；　let's　wait　a　moment　more；　till　the　women　of　Boeotia　arrive　and
  those　from　the　Peloponnese。
  LYSISTRATA
  Yes；　that　is　best。。。。　Ah！　here　comes　Lampito。　　（LAMPITO；　a　husky
  Spartan　damsel；　enters　with　three　others；　two　from　Boeotia　and　one
  from　Corinth。）　　Good　day；　Lampito；　dear　friend　from　Lacedaemon。　How
  well　and　handsome　you　look！　what　a　rosy　complexion！　and　how　strong　you
  seem；　why；　you　could　strangle　a　bull　surely！
  LAMPITO
  Yes；　indeed；　I　really　think　I　could。　It's　because　I　do
  gymnastics　and　practise　the　bottom…kicking　dance。
  CLEONICE　　（opening　LAMPITO'S　robe　and　baring　her　bosom）
  And　what　superb　breasts！
  LAMPITO
  La！　you　are　feeling　me　as　if　I　were　a　beast　for　sacrifice。
  LYSISTRATA
  And　this　young　woman；　where　is　she　from？
  LAMPITO
  She　is　a　noble　lady　from　Boeotia。
  LYSISTRATA
  Ah！　my　pretty　Boeotian　friend；　you　are　as　blooming　as　a　garden。
  CLEONICE　　（making　another　inspection）
  Yes；　on　my　word！　and　her　〃garden〃　is　so　thoroughly　weeded　too！
  LYSISTRATA　（pointing　to　the　Corinthian）
  And　who　is　this？
  LAMPITO
  'Tis　an　honest　woman；　by　my　faith！　she　comes　from　Corinth。
  CLEONICE
  Oh！　honest；　no　doubt　then…as　honesty　goes　at　Corinth。
  LAMPITO
  But　who　has　called　together　this　council　of　women；　pray？
  LYSISTRATA
  I　have。
  LAMPITO
  Well　then；　tell　us　what　you　want　of　us。
  CLEONICE
  Yes；　please　tell　us！　What　is　this　very　important　business　you　wish
  to　inform　us　about？
  LYSISTRATA
  I　will　tell　you。　But　first　answer　me　one　question。
  CLEONICE
  Anything　you　wish。
  LYSISTRATA
  Don't　you　feel　sad　and　sorry　because　the　fathers　of　your
  children　are　far　away　from　you　with　the　army？　For　I'll　wager　there
  is　not　one　of　you　whose　husband　is　not　abroad　at　this　moment。
  CLEONICE
  Mine　has　been　the　last　five　months　in　Thrace…looking　after
  Eucrates。
  MYRRHINE
  It's　seven　long　months　since　mine　left　for　Pylos。
  LAMPITO
  As　for　mine；　if　he　ever　does　return　from　service；　he's　no　sooner
  home　than　he　takes　down　his　shield　again　and　flies　back　to　the　wars。
  LYSISTRATA
  And　not　so　much　as　the　shadow　of　a　lover！　Since　the　day　the
  Milesians　betrayed　us；　I　have　never　once　seen　an　eight…inch　gadget
  even；　to　be　a　leathern　consolation　to　us　poor　widows。。。。　Now　tell
  me；　if　I　have　discovered　a　means　of　ending　the　war；　will　you　all
  second　me？
  CLEONICE
  Yes　verily；　by　all　the　goddesses；　I　swear　I　will；　though　I　have　to
  put　my　gown　in　pawn；　and　drink　the　money　the　same　day。
  MYRRHINE
  And　so　will　I；　though　I　must　be　split　in　two　like　a　flat…fish；　and
  have　half　myself　removed。
  LAMPITO
  And　I　too；　why　to　secure　peace；　I　would　climb　to　the　top　of
  Mount　Taygetus。
  LYSISTRATA
  Then　I　will　out　with　it　at　last；　my　mighty　secret！　Oh！　sister
  women；　if　we　would　compel　our　husbands　to　make　peace；　we　must
  refrain。。。
  CLEONICE
  Refrain　from　what？　tell　us；　tell　us！
  LYSISTRATA
  But　will　you　do　it？
  MYRRHINE
  We　will；　we　will；　though　we　should　die　of　it。
  LYSISTRATA
  We　must　refrain　from　the　male　altogether。。。。　Nay；　why　do　you
  turn　your　backs