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Πρόβουλος

καὶ μὴν αὐτῶν τοῦτʼ ἐπιθυμῶ νὴ τὸν Δία πρῶτα πυθέσθαι,

ὅ τι βουλόμεναι τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἀπεκλῄσατε τοῖσι μοχλοῖσιν.

Λυσιστράτη

ἵνα τἀργύριον σῶν παρέχοιμεν καὶ μὴ πολεμοῖτε διʼ αὐτό.

Πρόβουλος

διὰ τἀργύριον πολεμοῦμεν γάρ;

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ τἄλλα γε πάντʼ ἐκυκήθη.

ἵνα γὰρ Πείσανδρος ἔχοι κλέπτειν χοἰ ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ἐπέχοντες,
490

ἀεί τινα κορκορυγὴν ἐκύκων. οἱ δʼ οὖν τοῦδʼ οὕνεκα δρώντων

ὅ τι βούλονται· τὸ γὰρ ἀργύριον τοῦτʼ οὐκέτι μὴ καθέλωσιν.

Πρόβουλος

ἀλλὰ τί δράσεις;

Λυσιστράτη

τοῦτό μʼ ἐρωτᾷς; ἡμεῖς ταμιεύσομεν αὐτό.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμεῖς ταμιεύσετε τἀργύριον;

Λυσιστράτη

τί δὲ δεινὸν τοῦτο νομίζεις;

οὐ καὶ τἄνδον χρήματα πάντως ἡμεῖς ταμιεύομεν ὑμῖν;
495

Πρόβουλος

ἀλλʼ οὐ ταὐτόν.

Λυσιστράτη

πῶς οὐ ταὐτόν;

Πρόβουλος

πολεμητέον ἔστʼ ἀπὸ τούτου.

Λυσιστράτη

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν δεῖ πρῶτον πολεμεῖν.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς γὰρ σωθησόμεθʼ ἄλλως;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς σώσομεν.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμεῖς;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεῖς μέντοι.

Πρόβουλος

σχέτλιόν γε.

Λυσιστράτη

ὡς σωθήσει, κἂν μὴ βούλῃ.

Πρόβουλος

δεινόν γε λέγεις.

Λυσιστράτη

ἀγανακτεῖς.

ἀλλὰ ποιητέα ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ὅμως.
500

Πρόβουλος

νὴ τὴν Δήμητρʼ ἄδικόν γε.

Λυσιστράτη

σωστέον ὦ τᾶν.

Πρόβουλος

κεἰ μὴ δέομαι;

Λυσιστράτη

τοῦδʼ οὕνεκα καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμῖν δὲ πόθεν περὶ τοῦ πολέμου τῆς τʼ εἰρήνης ἐμέλησεν;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεῖς φράσομεν.

Πρόβουλος

λέγε δὴ ταχέως, ἵνα μὴ κλάῃς,

Λυσιστράτη

ἀκροῶ δή,

καὶ τὰς χεῖρας πειρῶ κατέχειν.

Πρόβουλος

ἀλλʼ οὐ δύναμαι· χαλεπὸν γὰρ

ὑπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτὰς ἴσχειν.
505

Γυνὴ Α

κλαύσει τοίνυν πολὺ μᾶλλον.

Πρόβουλος

τοῦτο μὲν ὦ γραῦ σαυτῇ κρώξαις· σὺ δέ μοι λέγε.

Λυσιστράτη

ταῦτα ποιήσω.

ἡμεῖς τὸν μὲν πρότερον πόλεμον † καὶ τὸν χρόνον ἠνεσχόμεθα †

ὑπὸ σωφροσύνης τῆς ἡμετέρας τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἅττʼ ἐποιεῖτε.

οὐ γὰρ γρύζειν εἰᾶθʼ ἡμᾶς. καίτοὐκ ἠρέσκετέ γʼ ἡμᾶς.

ἀλλʼ ᾐσθανόμεσθα καλῶς ὑμῶν, καὶ πολλάκις ἔνδον ἂν οὖσαι
510

ἠκούσαμεν ἄν τι κακῶς ὑμᾶς βουλευσαμένους μέγα πρᾶγμα·

εἶτʼ ἀλγοῦσαι τἄνδοθεν ὑμᾶς ἐπανηρόμεθʼ ἂν γελάσασαι,

τί βεβούλευται περὶ τῶν σπονδῶν ἐν τῇ στήλῃ παραγράψαι

ἐν τῷ δήμῳ τήμερονὑμῖν; τίδὲ σοὶ ταῦτʼ; ἦ δʼ ὃς ἂν ἁνήρ.

οὐ σιγήσει; κἀγὼ ἐσίγων.
515

Γυνὴ Α

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ ποτʼ ἐσίγων.

Πρόβουλος

κἂν ᾤμωζές γʼ, εἰ μὴ ʼσίγας.

Λυσιστράτη

τοιγὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἔνδον ἐσίγων.

ἔτερόν τι πονηρότερον βούλευμʼ ἐπεπύσμεθʼ ἂν ὑμῶν·

εἶτʼ ἠρόμεθʼ ἄν· πῶς ταῦτʼ ὦνερ διαπράττεσθʼ ὧδʼ ἀνοήτως;

ὁ δέ μʼ εὐθὺς ὑποβλέψας ἂν ἔφασκʼ, εἰ μὴ τὸν στήμονα νήσω,

ὀτοτύξεσθαι μακρὰ τὴν κεφαλήν· πόλεμος δʼ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει.
520

Πρόβουλος

ὀρθῶς γε λέγων νὴ Δίʼ ἐκεῖνος.

Λυσιστράτη

πῶς ὀρθῶς ὦ κακόδαιμον,

εἰ μηδὲ κακῶς βουλευομένοις ἐξῆν ὑμῖν ὑποθέσθαι;

ὅτε δὴ δʼ ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖσιν ὁδοῖς φανερῶς ἠκούομεν ἤδη,

οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνὴρ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ; μὰ Δίʼ οὐ δῆτʼ, εἶφʼ ἕτερός τις·

μετὰ ταῦθʼ ἡμῖν εὐθὺς ἔδοξεν σῶσαι τὴν Ἑλλάδα κοινῇ
525

ταῖσι γυναιξὶν συλλεχθείσαις. ποῖ γὰρ καὶ χρῆν ἀναμεῖναι;

ἢν οὖν ἡμῶν χρηστὰ λεγουσῶν ἐθελήσητʼ ἀντακροᾶσθαι

κἀντισιωπᾶθʼ ὥσπερ χἠμεῖς, ἐπανορθώσαιμεν ἂν ὑμᾶς.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμεῖς ἡμᾶς; δεινόν γε λέγεις κοὐ τλητὸν ἔμοιγε.

Λυσιστράτη

σιώπα.

Πρόβουλος

σοί γʼ ὦ κατάρατε σιωπῶ ʼγώ, καὶ ταῦτα κάλυμμα φορούσῃ
530

περὶ τὴν κεφαλήν; μή νυν ζῴην.

Lysistrata. Aristophanes. ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart. Oxford. 1907.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Λυσιστράτη (Greek) (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.)

Translations (2)

Lysistrata (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Jack Lindsay). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 486 focus

anapests

MAGISTRATE

Women there! Tell what I ask you, directly....

Come, without rambling, I wish you to state

What's your rebellious intention in barring up thus on our noses
545

our own temple-gate.

LYSISTRATA

To take first the treasury out of your management, and so stop the war

through the absence of gold.

MAGISTRATE

Is gold then the cause of the war?

LYSISTRATA

Yes, gold caused it and miseries more, too many to be told.
550

'Twas for money, and money alone, that Pisander with all of the army of

mob-agitators.

Raised up revolutions. But, as for the future, it won't be worth while

to set up to be traitors.

Not an obol they'll get as their loot, not an obol! while we have the
555

treasure-chest in our command.

MAGISTRATE

What then is that you propose?

LYSISTRATA

Just this—merely to take the exchequer henceforth in hand.

MAGISTRATE

The exchequer!

LYSISTRATA

Yes, why not? Of our capabilities you have had various clear evidences.
560

Firstly remember we have always administered soundly the budget of all

home-expenses.

MAGISTRATE

But this matter's different.

LYSISTRATA

How is it different?

MAGISTRATE

Why, it deals chiefly with war-time supplies.
565

LYSISTRATA

But we abolish war straight by our policy.

MAGISTRATE

What will you do if emergencies arise?

LYSISTRATA

Face them our own way.

MAGISTRATE

What you will?

LYSISTRATA

Yes we will!
570

MAGISTRATE

Then there's no help for it; we're all destoryed.

LYSISTRATA

No, willy-nilly you must be safeguarded.

MAGISTRATE

What madness is this?

LYSISTRATA

Why, it seems you're annoyed.

It must be done, that's all.
575

MAGISTRATE

Such awful oppression never,

O never in the past yet I bore.

LYSISTRATA

You must be saved, sirrah—that's all there is to it.

MAGISTRATE

If we don't want to be saved?

LYSISTRATA

All the more.
580

MAGISTRATE

Why do you women come prying and meddling in matters of state touching

war-time and peace?

LYSISTRATA

That I will tell you.

MAGISTRATE

O tell me or quickly I'll—

LYSISTRATA

Hearken awhile and from threatening cease.
585

MAGISTRATE

I cannot, I cannot; it's growing too insolent.

WOMEN

Come on; you've far more than we have to dread.

MAGISTRATE

Stop from your croaking, old carrion-crow there....

Continue

LYSISTRATA

Be calm then and I'll go ahead.
590

All the long years when the hopeless war dragged along we, unassuming,

forgotten in quiet,

Endured without question, endured in our loneliness all your incessant

child's antics and riot.

Our lips we kept tied, though aching with silence, though well all the
595

while in our silence we knew

How wretchedly everything still was progressing by listening dumbly the

day long to you.

For always at home you continued discussing the war and its politics

loudly, and we
600

Sometimes would ask you, our hearts deep with sorrowing though we spoke

lightly, though happy to see,

“What's to be inscribed on the side of the Treaty-stone

What, dear, was said in the Assembly today?”

“Mind your own business,” he'd answer me growlingly
605

“hold your tongue, woman, or else go away.”

And so I would hold it.

WOMEN

I'd not be silent for any man living on earth, no, not I!

MAGISTRATE

Not for a staff?

LYSISTRATA

Well, so I did nothing but sit in the house, feeling dreary, and sigh,
610

While ever arrived some fresh tale of decisions more foolish by far and

presaging disaster.

Then I would say to him, “O my dear husband, why still do they rush on

destructlon the faster?”

At which he would look at me sideways, exclaiming, “Keep for your web
615

and your shuttle your care,

Or for some hours hence your cheeks will be sore and hot; leave this

alone, war is Man's sole affair!”

MAGISTRATE

By Zeus, but a man of fine sense, he.

LYSISTRATA

How sensible?
620

You dotard, because he at no time had lent

His intractible ears to absorb from our counsel one temperate word of

advice, kindly meant?

But when at the last in the streets we heard shouted (everywhere ringing

the ominous cry)
625

“Is there no one to help us, no saviour in Athens ?” and, “No, there is

no one,” come back in reply.

At once a convention of all wives through Hellas here for a serious

purpose was held,

To determine how husbands might yet back to wisdom despite their
630

reluctance in time be compelled.

Why then delay any longer? It's settled. For the future you'll take

up our old occupation.

Now in turn you're to hold tongue, as we did, and listen while we show

the way to recover the nation.
635

MAGISTRATE

You talk to us! Why, you're mad. I'll not stand it.

LYSISTRATA

Cease babbling, you fool; till I end, hold your tongue.

MAGISTRATE

If I should take orders from one who wears veils, may my

neck straightaway be deservedly wrung.

English (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) Experimental (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.) — 486 focus

Probulus: And indeed I desire, by Zeus, to learn this first,

Probulus: Because you shut the door to our city with the bolts, whatever you wanted.

Lysistrata: so that we might provide the money from your side and you might not fight because of it.

Probulus: Do we fight because of the money, then?

Lysistrata: And everything else is thoroughly mixed up.

Lysistrata: For so that Pissander might steal, and they, holding back the magistrates,

490

Lysistrata: She has always been a chatterbox. And they, therefore, for this reason are doing these things.

Lysistrata: Whatever they want; for they will not take this money any longer.

Probulus: But what will you do?

Lysistrata: You ask me this? We shall manage it.

Probulus: Will you keep the money safe?

Lysistrata: And what do you consider this to be terrible?

Lysistrata: Don't we also manage the men's money for you, after all?

495

Probulus: But it is not the same thing.

Lysistrata: How is it not the same?

Probulus: We must fight from this point on.

Lysistrata: But there is no need to fight first.

Probulus: For how shall we be saved otherwise?

Lysistrata: We will save you.

Probulus: You?

Lysistrata: But we.

Probulus: that is truly outrageous.

Lysistrata: As long as she is saved, even if you do not wish it.

Probulus: You say something terrible.

Lysistrata: Are you angry.

Lysistrata: But these things must be done, all the same.

500

PROBULUS: By Demeter, that is unjust.

Lysistrata: we must be saved, oh women!

Probulus: And if I am not asking?

Lysistrata: For this reason, and even more so.

Probulus: And where, then, did you come to care about the war and the peace?

Lysistrata: We will tell.

Probulus: Speak quickly, then, so that you do not cry.

Lysistrata: "Now listen,"

Lysistrata: And try to keep your hands still.

Probulus: But I am not able, for it is difficult.

Probulus: 'To keep them in a state of rage.'

505

Woman A: She will cry all the more then.

Probulus: This, old woman, is something for you to croak; but you, tell me.

Lysistrata: I will do these things.

Lysistrata: We endured the former war and the time.

Lysistrata: By the moderation of us women, whatever you men did.

Lysistrata: For she does not allow us to grumble. And yet we did not please her.

Lysistrata: But we knew you well, and many times, being inside,

510

Lysistrata: We heard that you have taken a great decision badly.

Lysistrata: Then, having pained you from within, we would ask you to laugh after we have laughed,

Lysistrata: What has been decided to be inscribed as an addendum to the treaty on the stele?

Lysistrata: In the assembly today, for you? What does this have to do with you? 'For who is the man?'

Lysistrata: Will she not be silent? And I too was silent.

515

Woman A: But I would never be silent.

Probulus: And if you had not been silent, you would have wailed too.

Lysistrata: Therefore I was silent inside.

Lysistrata: We have contrived something else, more wicked, than yours;

Lysistrata: Then we would ask: How then does one accomplish these things so foolishly?

Lysistrata: And he, immediately glancing down at me, would have said, if I had not spun the warp,

Lysistrata: They will be beaten on the head with a long stick; but war will be the concern of men.

520

Probulus: That man speaks correctly, by Zeus.

Lysistrata: how rightly, you wretched woman,

Lysistrata: if it was not allowed for you to make a counter-proposal even to those who were advising badly?

Lysistrata: But now that we had already clearly heard you on the roads,

Lysistrata: Is there not a man in the country? By Zeus, certainly not, said another one.

Lysistrata: After this, it immediately occurred to us to save Greece together.

525

Lysistrata: when the women have gathered. For where else should we wait?

Lysistrata: So if you wish to listen to us when we speak well,

Lysistrata: And keep silent just as we do, and we would set you right.

Probulus: You us? You say something terrible and unbearable for me.

Lysistrata: Be silent.

Probulus: I will be silent to you, you cursed woman, even though you are wearing a veil.

530

Probulus: about the head? By no means may I live.

Commentary

Commentary (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.) focus

490. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-12

Line 490

ἵνα γὰρ Πείσανδρος ἔχοι κλέπτειν χοἰ ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ἐπέχοντες,

The sentence contains a crux of textual transmission regarding the conjunction 'χοἰ' (ko-i). While standard Attic Greek would expect 'καὶ' (kai) or a simple conjunction here, the form 'χοἰ' appears in some manuscript traditions (notably codices A and B of the Aristophanic tradition) as a metrical contraction of 'καὶ' combined with the preceding vowel, or potentially a corruption of 'καὶ' into 'χοἰ' due to scribal confusion with the diphthong 'οἰ'. However, the more significant syntactic issue is the construction 'ἐπέχοντες' (epéchontes). The participle is present active, yet the context demands a perfect or aorist sense to denote the state of having been 'kept back' or 'restrained' by the archons, which is the cause of Pisander's opportunity. Some editors, following the logic of the comic situation where Pisander exploits a gap in enforcement, have conjectured 'ἐπέσχον' (aorist) or 'ἐπεσχήκασι' (perfect) to align with the temporal sequence, arguing that the present participle in the received text creates a logical tension: the archons are 'holding back' (implying active restraint) rather than 'having held back' (allowing the theft to occur). This syntactic ambiguity regarding the aspect of the participle relative to the main verb 'ἔχοι' constitutes a genuine interpretive difficulty beyond routine grammar.

507. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-13

Line 507

ἡμεῖς τὸν μὲν πρότερον πόλεμον † καὶ τὸν χρόνον ἠνεσχόμεθα †

The text contains a lacuna marked by the dagger (†) between πόλεμον and καὶ. The standard reconstruction, following the critical apparatus (e.g., in the Oxford Classical Text or K. J. Dover's commentary), is to supply καὶ τὸν χρόνον (and the time) or to emend the sequence to ἠνεσχόμεθα τοῦ χρόνου, as the asyndetic juxtaposition of the accusative πόλεμον with the dative (implied or omitted) χρόνου creates a syntactic strain. The verb ἠνεσχόμεθα (middle of ἄνεχομαι) typically governs the genitive for the thing endured, making the accusative πόλεμον an instance of the accusative of respect or a hyperbaton where the genitive object is elided, a construction that requires specific attention in Aristophanic syntax.

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Πρόβουλος καὶ μὴν αὐτῶν τοῦτʼ ἐπιθυμῶ νὴ τὸν Δία πρῶτα πυθέσθαι, ὅ τι βουλόμεναι τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἀπεκλῄσατε τοῖσι μοχλοῖσιν.

Λυσιστράτη ἵνα τἀργύριον σῶν παρέχοιμεν καὶ μὴ πολεμοῖτε διʼ αὐτό.

Πρόβουλος διὰ τἀργύριον πολεμοῦμεν γάρ;

Πρόβουλος ἀλλὰ τί δράσεις;

Λυσιστράτη τοῦτό μʼ ἐρωτᾷς; ἡμεῖς ταμιεύσομεν αὐτό.

Πρόβουλος ὑμεῖς ταμιεύσετε τἀργύριον;

Λυσιστράτη τί δὲ δεινὸν τοῦτο νομίζεις; οὐ καὶ τἄνδον χρήματα πάντως ἡμεῖς ταμιεύομεν ὑμῖν; 495

Πρόβουλος ἀλλʼ οὐ ταὐτόν.

Λυσιστράτη πῶς οὐ ταὐτόν;

Πρόβουλος πολεμητέον ἔστʼ ἀπὸ τούτου.

Λυσιστράτη ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν δεῖ πρῶτον πολεμεῖν.

Πρόβουλος πῶς γὰρ σωθησόμεθʼ ἄλλως;

Λυσιστράτη ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς σώσομεν.

Πρόβουλος ὑμεῖς;

Λυσιστράτη ἡμεῖς μέντοι.

Πρόβουλος σχέτλιόν γε.

Λυσιστράτη ὡς σωθήσει, κἂν μὴ βούλῃ.

Πρόβουλος δεινόν γε λέγεις.

Λυσιστράτη ἀγανακτεῖς. ἀλλὰ ποιητέα ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ὅμως. 500

Πρόβουλος νὴ τὴν Δήμητρʼ ἄδικόν γε.

Λυσιστράτη σωστέον ὦ τᾶν.

Πρόβουλος κεἰ μὴ δέομαι;

Λυσιστράτη τοῦδʼ οὕνεκα καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον.

Πρόβουλος ὑμῖν δὲ πόθεν περὶ τοῦ πολέμου τῆς τʼ εἰρήνης ἐμέλησεν;

Λυσιστράτη ἡμεῖς φράσομεν.

Πρόβουλος λέγε δὴ ταχέως, ἵνα μὴ κλάῃς,

Λυσιστράτη ἀκροῶ δή, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας πειρῶ κατέχειν.

Πρόβουλος ἀλλʼ οὐ δύναμαι· χαλεπὸν γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτὰς ἴσχειν. 505

Γυνὴ Α κλαύσει τοίνυν πολὺ μᾶλλον.

Πρόβουλος τοῦτο μὲν ὦ γραῦ σαυτῇ κρώξαις· σὺ δέ μοι λέγε.

Γυνὴ Α ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ ποτʼ ἐσίγων.

Πρόβουλος κἂν ᾤμωζές γʼ, εἰ μὴ ʼσίγας.

Πρόβουλος ὀρθῶς γε λέγων νὴ Δίʼ ἐκεῖνος.

Πρόβουλος ὑμεῖς ἡμᾶς; δεινόν γε λέγεις κοὐ τλητὸν ἔμοιγε.

Λυσιστράτη σιώπα.

Πρόβουλος σοί γʼ ὦ κατάρατε σιωπῶ ʼγώ, καὶ ταῦτα κάλυμμα φορούσῃ 530 περὶ τὴν κεφαλήν; μή νυν ζῴην.

Current edition Perseus

MAGISTRATE Women there! Tell what I ask you, directly.... Come, without rambling, I wish you to state What's your rebellious intention in barring up thus on our noses 545 our own temple-gate.

LYSISTRATA To take first the treasury out of your management, and so stop the war through the absence of gold.

MAGISTRATE Is gold then the cause of the war?

MAGISTRATE What then is that you propose?

LYSISTRATA Just this—merely to take the exchequer henceforth in hand.

MAGISTRATE The exchequer!

LYSISTRATA Yes, why not? Of our capabilities you have had various clear evidences. 560 Firstly remember we have always administered soundly the budget of all home-expenses.

MAGISTRATE But this matter's different.

LYSISTRATA How is it different?

MAGISTRATE Why, it deals chiefly with war-time supplies. 565

LYSISTRATA But we abolish war straight by our policy.

MAGISTRATE What will you do if emergencies arise?

LYSISTRATA Face them our own way.

MAGISTRATE What you will?

LYSISTRATA Yes we will! 570

MAGISTRATE Then there's no help for it; we're all destoryed.

LYSISTRATA No, willy-nilly you must be safeguarded.

MAGISTRATE What madness is this?

LYSISTRATA Why, it seems you're annoyed. It must be done, that's all. 575

MAGISTRATE Such awful oppression never, O never in the past yet I bore.

LYSISTRATA You must be saved, sirrah—that's all there is to it.

MAGISTRATE If we don't want to be saved?

LYSISTRATA All the more. 580

MAGISTRATE Why do you women come prying and meddling in matters of state touching war-time and peace?

LYSISTRATA That I will tell you.

MAGISTRATE O tell me or quickly I'll—

LYSISTRATA Hearken awhile and from threatening cease. 585

MAGISTRATE I cannot, I cannot; it's growing too insolent.

WOMEN Come on; you've far more than we have to dread.

MAGISTRATE Stop from your croaking, old carrion-crow there.... Continue

WOMEN I'd not be silent for any man living on earth, no, not I!

MAGISTRATE Not for a staff?

MAGISTRATE By Zeus, but a man of fine sense, he.

MAGISTRATE You talk to us! Why, you're mad. I'll not stand it.

LYSISTRATA Cease babbling, you fool; till I end, hold your tongue.

MAGISTRATE If I should take orders from one who wears veils, may my neck straightaway be deservedly wrung.

Commentary

Line 490

Line 507

Stable identifiers

Πρόβουλος

καὶ μὴν αὐτῶν τοῦτʼ ἐπιθυμῶ νὴ τὸν Δία πρῶτα πυθέσθαι,

ὅ τι βουλόμεναι τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἀπεκλῄσατε τοῖσι μοχλοῖσιν.

Λυσιστράτη

ἵνα τἀργύριον σῶν παρέχοιμεν καὶ μὴ πολεμοῖτε διʼ αὐτό.

Πρόβουλος

διὰ τἀργύριον πολεμοῦμεν γάρ;

Πρόβουλος

ἀλλὰ τί δράσεις;

Λυσιστράτη

τοῦτό μʼ ἐρωτᾷς; ἡμεῖς ταμιεύσομεν αὐτό.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμεῖς ταμιεύσετε τἀργύριον;

Λυσιστράτη

τί δὲ δεινὸν τοῦτο νομίζεις;

οὐ καὶ τἄνδον χρήματα πάντως ἡμεῖς ταμιεύομεν ὑμῖν;
495

Πρόβουλος

ἀλλʼ οὐ ταὐτόν.

Λυσιστράτη

πῶς οὐ ταὐτόν;

Πρόβουλος

πολεμητέον ἔστʼ ἀπὸ τούτου.

Λυσιστράτη

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν δεῖ πρῶτον πολεμεῖν.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς γὰρ σωθησόμεθʼ ἄλλως;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς σώσομεν.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμεῖς;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεῖς μέντοι.

Πρόβουλος

σχέτλιόν γε.

Λυσιστράτη

ὡς σωθήσει, κἂν μὴ βούλῃ.

Πρόβουλος

δεινόν γε λέγεις.

Λυσιστράτη

ἀγανακτεῖς.

ἀλλὰ ποιητέα ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ὅμως.
500

Πρόβουλος

νὴ τὴν Δήμητρʼ ἄδικόν γε.

Λυσιστράτη

σωστέον ὦ τᾶν.

Πρόβουλος

κεἰ μὴ δέομαι;

Λυσιστράτη

τοῦδʼ οὕνεκα καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμῖν δὲ πόθεν περὶ τοῦ πολέμου τῆς τʼ εἰρήνης ἐμέλησεν;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεῖς φράσομεν.

Πρόβουλος

λέγε δὴ ταχέως, ἵνα μὴ κλάῃς,

Λυσιστράτη

ἀκροῶ δή,

καὶ τὰς χεῖρας πειρῶ κατέχειν.

Πρόβουλος

ἀλλʼ οὐ δύναμαι· χαλεπὸν γὰρ

ὑπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτὰς ἴσχειν.
505

Γυνὴ Α

κλαύσει τοίνυν πολὺ μᾶλλον.

Πρόβουλος

τοῦτο μὲν ὦ γραῦ σαυτῇ κρώξαις· σὺ δέ μοι λέγε.

Γυνὴ Α

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ ποτʼ ἐσίγων.

Πρόβουλος

κἂν ᾤμωζές γʼ, εἰ μὴ ʼσίγας.

Πρόβουλος

ὀρθῶς γε λέγων νὴ Δίʼ ἐκεῖνος.

Πρόβουλος

ὑμεῖς ἡμᾶς; δεινόν γε λέγεις κοὐ τλητὸν ἔμοιγε.

Λυσιστράτη

σιώπα.

Πρόβουλος

σοί γʼ ὦ κατάρατε σιωπῶ ʼγώ, καὶ ταῦτα κάλυμμα φορούσῃ
530

περὶ τὴν κεφαλήν; μή νυν ζῴην.

MAGISTRATE

Women there! Tell what I ask you, directly....

Come, without rambling, I wish you to state

What's your rebellious intention in barring up thus on our noses
545

our own temple-gate.

LYSISTRATA

To take first the treasury out of your management, and so stop the war

through the absence of gold.

MAGISTRATE

Is gold then the cause of the war?

MAGISTRATE

What then is that you propose?

LYSISTRATA

Just this—merely to take the exchequer henceforth in hand.

MAGISTRATE

The exchequer!

LYSISTRATA

Yes, why not? Of our capabilities you have had various clear evidences.
560

Firstly remember we have always administered soundly the budget of all

home-expenses.

MAGISTRATE

But this matter's different.

LYSISTRATA

How is it different?

MAGISTRATE

Why, it deals chiefly with war-time supplies.
565

LYSISTRATA

But we abolish war straight by our policy.

MAGISTRATE

What will you do if emergencies arise?

LYSISTRATA

Face them our own way.

MAGISTRATE

What you will?

LYSISTRATA

Yes we will!
570

MAGISTRATE

Then there's no help for it; we're all destoryed.

LYSISTRATA

No, willy-nilly you must be safeguarded.

MAGISTRATE

What madness is this?

LYSISTRATA

Why, it seems you're annoyed.

It must be done, that's all.
575

MAGISTRATE

Such awful oppression never,

O never in the past yet I bore.

LYSISTRATA

You must be saved, sirrah—that's all there is to it.

MAGISTRATE

If we don't want to be saved?

LYSISTRATA

All the more.
580

MAGISTRATE

Why do you women come prying and meddling in matters of state touching

war-time and peace?

LYSISTRATA

That I will tell you.

MAGISTRATE

O tell me or quickly I'll—

LYSISTRATA

Hearken awhile and from threatening cease.
585

MAGISTRATE

I cannot, I cannot; it's growing too insolent.

WOMEN

Come on; you've far more than we have to dread.

MAGISTRATE

Stop from your croaking, old carrion-crow there....

Continue

WOMEN

I'd not be silent for any man living on earth, no, not I!

MAGISTRATE

Not for a staff?

MAGISTRATE

By Zeus, but a man of fine sense, he.

MAGISTRATE

You talk to us! Why, you're mad. I'll not stand it.

LYSISTRATA

Cease babbling, you fool; till I end, hold your tongue.

MAGISTRATE

If I should take orders from one who wears veils, may my

neck straightaway be deservedly wrung.