（Enter　the　LACONIAN　ENVOYS　afflicted　like　their　herald。）　　Hail　to　you；
  first　of　all；　Laconians；　then　tell　us　how　you　fare。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  No　need　for　many　words；　you　can　see　what　a　state　we　are　in。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN
  Alas！　the　situation　grows　more　and　more　strained！　the　intensity　of
  the　thing　is　simply　frightful。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  It's　beyond　belief。　But　to　work！　summon　your　Commissioners；　and
  let　us　patch　up　the　best　peace　we　may。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN
  Ah！　our　men　too；　like　wrestlers　in　the　arena；　cannot　endure　a
  rag　over　their　bellies；　it's　an　athlete's　malady；　which　only
  exercise　can　remedy。
  （The　MAGISTRATE　returns；　he　too　now　has　an　evident　reason　to
  desire　peace。）
  MAGISTRATE
  Can　anybody　tell　us　where　Lysistrata　is？　Surely　she　will　have　some
  compassion　on　our　condition。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN　　（pointing）
  Look！　now　he　has　the　very　same　complaint。　　（To　the　MAGISTRATE）
  Don't　you　feel　a　strong　nervous　tension　in　the　morning？
  MAGISTRATE
  Yes；　and　a　dreadful；　dreadful　torture　it　is！　Unless　peace　is
  made　very　soon；　we　shall　find　no　recourse　but　to　make　love　to
  Clisthenes。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN
  Take　my　advice；　and　arrange　your　clothes　as　best　you　can；　one　of
  the　fellows　who　mutilated　the　Hermae　might　see　you。
  MAGISTRATE
  Right；　by　Zeus。
  （He　endeavours；　not　too　successfully；　to　conceal　his　condition。）
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  Quite　right；　by　the　Dioscuri。　There；　I　will　put　on　my　tunic。
  MAGISTRATE
  Oh！　what　a　terrible　state　we　are　in！　Greeting　to　you；　Laconian
  fellow…sufferers。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY　　（addressing　one　of　his　countrymen）
  Ah！　my　boy；　what　a　terrible　thing　it　would　have　been　if　these
  fellows　had　seen　us　just　now　when　we　were　on　full　stand！
  MAGISTRATE
  Speak　out；　Laconians；　what　is　it　brings　you　here？
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  We　have　come　to　treat　for　peace。
  MAGISTRATE
  Well　said；　we　are　of　the　same　mind。　Better　call　Lysistrata；
  then；　she　is　the　only　person　will　bring　us　to　terms。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  Yes；　yes…and　Lysistratus　into　the　bargain；　if　you　will。
  MAGISTRATE
  Needless　to　call　her；　she　has　heard　your　voices；　and　here　she
  comes。
  （She　comes　out　of　the　Acropolis。）
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN
  Hail；　boldest　and　bravest　of　womankind！　The　time　is　come　to　show
  yourself　in　turn　uncompromising　and　conciliatory；　exacting　and
  yielding；　haughty　and　condescending。　Call　up　all　your　skill　and
  artfulness。　Lo！　the　foremost　men　in　Hellas；　seduced　by　your
  fascinations；　are　agreed　to　entrust　you　with　the　task　of　ending
  their　quarrels。
  LYSISTRATA
  It　will　be　an　easy　task…if　only　they　refrain　from　mutual
  indulgence　in　masculine　love；　if　they　do；　I　shall　know　the　fact　at
  once。　Now；　where　is　the　gentle　goddess　Peace？　　（The　goddess；　in　the
  form　of　a　beautiful　nude　girl　is　brought　in　by　the　Machine。）　　Lead
  hither　the　Laconian　envoys。　But；　look　you；　no　roughness　or　violence；
  our　husbands　always　behaved　so　boorishly。　Bring　them　to　me　with
  smiles；　as　women　should。　If　any　refuse　to　give　you　his　hand；　then　take
  hold　of　his　tool。　Bring　up　the　Athenians　too；　you　may　lead　them　either
  way。　Laconians；　approach；　and　you；　Athenians；　on　my　other　side。　Now
  hearken　all！　I　am　but　a　woman；　but　I　have　good　common　sense；　Nature
  has　endowed　me　with　discriminating　judgment；　which　I　have　yet
  further　developed；　thanks　to　the　wise　teachings　of　my　father　and　the
  elders　of　the　city。　First　I　must　bring　a　reproach　against　you　that
  applies　equally　to　both　sides。　At　Olympia；　and　Thermopylae；　and
  Delphi；　and　a　score　of　other　places　too　numerous　to　mention；　you
  celebrate　before　the　same　altars　ceremonies　common　to　all　Hellenes；
  yet　you　go　cutting　each　other's　throats；　and　sacking　Hellenic
  cities；　when　all　the　while　the　barbarian　yonder　is　threatening　you！
  That　is　my　first　point。
  MAGISTRATE　　（devouring　the　goddess　with　his　eyes）
  Good　god；　this　erection　is　killing　me！
  LYSISTRATA
  Now　it　is　to　you　I　address　myself；　Laconians。　Have　you　forgotten
  how　Periclidas；　your　own　countryman；　sat　a　suppliant　before　our
  altars？　How　pale　he　was　in　his　purple　robes！　He　had　come　to　crave　an
  army　of　us；　it　was　the　time　when　Messenia　was　pressing　you　sore；　and
  the　Sea…god　was　shaking　the　earth。　Cimon　marched　to　your　aid　at　the
  head　of　four　thousand　hoplites；　and　saved　Lacedaemon。　And；　after
  such　a　service　as　that；　you　ravage　the　soil　of　your　benefactors！
  MAGISTRATE
  They　do　wrong；　very　wrong；　Lysistrata。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  We　do　wrong；　very　wrong。　　（Looking　at　the　goddess）　　Ah！　great
  gods！　what　a　lovely　bottom　Peace　has！
  LYSISTRATA
  And　now　a　word　to　the　Athenians。　Have　you　no　memory　left　of　how；
  in　the　days　when　you　wore　the　tunic　of　slaves；　the　Laconians　came；
  spear　in　hand；　and　slew　a　host　of　Thessalians　and　partisans　of　Hippias
  the　tyrant？　They；　and　they　only；　fought　on　your　side　on　that
  eventful　day；　they　delivered　you　from　despotism；　and　thanks　to　them
  our　nation　could　change　the　short　tunic　of　the　slave　for　the　long
  cloak　of　the　free　man。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY　　（looking　at　LYSISTRATA）
  I　have　never　see　a　woman　of　more　gracious　dignity。
  MAGISTRATE　　（looking　at　PEACE）
  I　have　never　seen　a　woman　with　a　finer　body！
  LYSISTRATA
  Bound　by　such　ties　of　mutual　kindness；　how　can　you　bear　to　be　at
  war？　Stop；　stay　the　hateful　strife；　be　reconciled；　what　hinders　you？
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  We　are　quite　ready；　if　they　will　give　us　back　our　rampart。
  LYSISTRATA
  What　rampart；　my　dear　man？
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  Pylos；　which　we　have　been　asking　for　and　craving　for　ever　so　long。
  MAGISTRATE
  In　the　Sea…god's　name；　you　shall　never　have　it！
  LYSISTRATA
  Agree；　my　friends；　agree。
  MAGISTRATE
  But　then　what　city　shall　we　be　able　to　stir　up　trouble　in？
  LYSISTRATA
  Ask　for　another　place　in　exchange。
  MAGISTRATE
  Ah！　that's　the　ticket！　Well；　to　begin　with；　give　us　Echinus；　the
  Maliac　gulf　adjoining；　and　the　two　legs　of　Megara。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  No；　by　the　Dioscuri；　surely　not　all　that；　my　dear　sir。
  LYSISTRATA
  Come　to　terms；　never　make　a　difficulty　of　two　legs　more　or　less！
  MAGISTRATE　　（his　eye　on　PEACE）
  Well；　I'm　ready　to　strip　down　and　get　to　work　right　now。
  （He　takes　off　his　mantle。）
  LACONIAN　ENVOY　　（following　out　this　idea）
  And　I　also；　to　dung　it　to　start　with。
  LYSISTRATA
  That's　just　what　you　shall　do；　once　peace　is　signed。　So；　if　you
  really　want　to　make　it；　go　consult　your　allies　about　the　matter。
  MAGISTRATE
  What　allies；　I　should　like　to　know？　Why；　we　are　all　erected；
  there's　no　one　who　is　not　mad　to　be　mating。　What　we　all　want　is　to
  be　in　bed　with　our　wives；　how　should　our　allies　fail　to　second　our
  project？
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  And　ours　too；　for　certain　sure！
  MAGISTRATE
  The　Carystians　first　and　foremost　by　the　gods！
  LYSISTRATA
  Well　said；　indeed！　Now　go　and　purify　yourselves　for　entering　the
  Acropolis；　where　the　women　invite　you　to　supper；　we　will　empty　our
  provision　baskets　to　do　you　honour。　At　table；　you　will　exchange
  oaths　and　pledges；　then　each　man　will　go　home　with　his　wife。
  MAGISTRATE
  Come　along　then；　and　as　quick　as　may　be。
  LACONIAN　ENVOY
  Lead　on；　I'm　your　man。
  MAGISTRATE
  Quick；　quick's　the　word；　say　I。
  （They　follow　LYSISTRATA　into　the　Acropolis。）
  CHORUS　OF　WOMEN　　（singing）
  Embroidered　stuffs；　and　dainty　tunics；　and　flowing　gowns；　and
  golden　ornaments；　everything　I　have；　I　offer　them　to　you　with　all　my
  heart；　take　them　all　for　your　children；　for　your　girls；　in　case　they
  are　chosen　Canephori。　I　invite　you　every　one　to　enter；　come　in　and
  choose　whatever　you　will；　there　is　nothing　so　well　fastened；　you
  cannot　break　the　seals；　and　carry　away　the　contents。　Look　about　you
  everywhere。　。　。　you　won't　find　a　blessed　thing；　unless　you　have
  sharper　eyes　than　mine。　And　if　any　of　you　lacks　corn　to　feed　his
  slaves　and　his　young　and　numerous　family；　why；　I　have　a　few　grains
  of　wheat　at　home；　let　him　take　what　I　have　to　give；　a　big　twelve…pound
  loaf　included。　So　let　my　poorer　neighbours　all　come　with　bags　and
  wallets；　my　man；　Manes；　shall　give　them　corn；　but　I　warn　them　not　to
  come　near　my　door；　but…beware　the　dog！
  （Another　MAGISTRATE　enters；　and　begins　knocking　at　the　gate。）
  SECOND　MAGISTRATE
  I　say；　you；　open　the　door！　　（To　the　WOMEN）　　Go　your　way；　I　tell
  you。　　（As　the　women　sit　down　in　front　of　the　gate）