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Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἔασον ὦ. τουτὶ τί ἦν; ὦνδρες πόνῳ πόνηροι·
350

οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἂν χρηστοί γʼ ἔδρων οὐδʼ εὐσεβεῖς τάδʼ ἄνδρες.

Χορὸς γερόντων

τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἡμῖν ἰδεῖν ἀπροσδόκητον ἥκει·

ἑσμὸς γυναικῶν οὑτοσὶ θύρασιν αὖ βοηθεῖ.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

τί βδύλλεθʼ ἡμᾶς; οὔ τί που πολλαὶ δοκοῦμεν εἶναι;

καὶ μὴν μέρος γʼ ἡμῶν ὁρᾶτʼ οὔπω τὸ μυριοστόν.
355

Χορὸς γερόντων

ὦ Φαιδρία ταύτας λαλεῖν ἐάσομεν τοσαυτί;

οὐ περικατᾶξαι τὸ ξύλον τύπτοντʼ ἐχρῆν τινʼ αὐταῖς;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

θώμεσθα δὴ τὰς κάλπιδας χἠμεῖς χαμᾶζʼ, ὅπως ἂν

ἢν προσφέρῃ τὴν χεῖρά τις μὴ τοῦτό μʼ ἐμποδίζῃ.

Χορὸς γερόντων

εἰ νὴ Δίʼ ἤδη τὰς γνάθους τούτων τις ἢ δὶς ἢ τρὶς
360

ἔκοψεν ὥσπερ Βουπάλου, φωνὴν ἂν οὐκ ἂν εἶχον.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

καὶ μὴν ἰδοὺ παταξάτω τις· στᾶσʼ ἐγὼ παρέξω,

κοὐ μή ποτʼ ἄλλη σου κύων τῶν ὄρχεων λάβηται.

Χορὸς γερόντων

εἰ μὴ σιωπήσει, θενών σου ʼκκοκκιῶ τὸ γῆρας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἅψαι μόνον Στρατυλλίδος τῷ δακτύλῳ προσελθών.
365

Χορὸς γερόντων

τί δʼ ἢν σποδῶ τοῖς κονδύλοις; τί μʼ ἐργάσει τὸ δεινόν;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

βρύκουσά σου τοὺς πλεύμονας καὶ τἄντερʼ ἐξαμήσω.

Χορὸς γερόντων

οὐκ ἔστʼ ἀνὴρ Εὐριπίδου σοφώτερος ποιητής·

οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω θρέμμʼ ἀναιδές ἐστιν ὡς γυναῖκες.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

αἰρώμεθʼ ἡμεῖς θοὔδατος τὴν κάλπιν ὦ Ῥοδίππη.
370

Χορὸς γερόντων

τί δʼ ὦ θεοῖς ἐχθρὰ σὺ δεῦρʼ ὕδωρ ἔχουσʼ ἀφίκου;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

τί δαὶ σὺ πῦρ ὦ τύμβʼ ἔχων; ὡς σαυτὸν ἐμπυρεύσων;

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἐγὼ μὲν ἵνα νήσας πυρὰν τὰς σὰς φίλας ὑφάψω.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἵνα τὴν σὴν πυρὰν τούτῳ κατασβέσαιμι.

Χορὸς γερόντων

τοὐμὸν σὺ πῦρ κατασβέσεις;
375

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

τοὔργον τάχʼ αὐτὸ δείξει.

Χορὸς γερόντων

οὐκ οἶδά σʼ εἰ τῇδʼ ὡς ἔχω τῇ λαμπάδι σταθεύσω.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

εἰ ῥύμμα τυγχάνεις ἔχων, λουτρόν γʼ ἐγὼ παρέξω.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἐμοὶ σὺ λουτρὸν ὦ σαπρά;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

καὶ ταῦτα νυμφικόν γε.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἤκουσας αὐτῆς τοῦ θράσους;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἐλευθέρα γάρ εἰμι.

Χορὸς γερόντων

σχήσω σʼ ἐγὼ τῆς νῦν βοῆς.
380

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἀλλʼ οὐκέθʼ ἡλιάζει.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἔμπρησον αὐτῆς τὰς κόμας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

σὸν ἔργον ὦχελῷε.

Χορὸς γερόντων

οἴμοι τάλας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

μῶν θερμὸν ἦν;

Χορὸς γερόντων

ποῖ θερμόν; οὐ παύσει; τί δρᾷς;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἄρδω σʼ ὅπως ἂν βλαστάνῃς.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἀλλʼ αὖός εἰμʼ ἤδη τρέμων.
385

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ πῦρ ἔχεις, σὺ χλιανεῖς σεαυτόν.

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.) — 350 focus

STRATYLLIS
(caught)

Let me go!

WOMEN

You villainous old men, what's this you do?
395

No honest man, no pious man, could do such things as you.

MEN

Ah ha, here's something most original, I have no doubt:

A swarm of women sentinels to man the walls without.

WOMEN

So then we scare you, do we? Do we seem a fearful host?

You only see the smallest fraction mustered at this post.
400

MEN

Ho, Phaedrias, shall we put a stop to all these chattering tricks?

Suppose that now upon their backs we splintered these our sticks?

WOMEN

Let us lay down the pitchers, so our bodies will be free,

In case these lumping fellows try to cause some injury.

MEN

O hit them hard and hit again and hit until they run away,
405

And perhaps they'll learn, like Bupalus, not to have too much to say.

WOMEN

Come on, then—do it! I won't budge, but like a dog I'll bite

At every little scrap of meat that dangles in my sight.

MEN

Be quiet, or I'll bash you out of any years to come.

WOMEN

Now you just touch Stratyllis with the top-joint of your thumb.
410

MEN

What vengeance can you take if with my fists your face I beat?

WOMEN

I'll rip you with my teeth and strew your entrails at your feet.

MEN

Now I appreciate Euripides' strange subtlety:

Woman is the most shameless beast of all the beasts that be.

WOMEN

Rhodippe, come, and let's pick up our water-jars once more.
415

MEN

Ah cursed drab, what have you brought this water for?

WOMEN

What is your fire for then, you smelly corpse? Yourself to burn?

MEN

To build a pyre and make your comrades ready for the urn.

WOMEN

And I've the water to put out your fire immediately.

MEN

What, you put out my fire?
420

WOMEN

Yes, sirrah, as you soon will see.

MEN

I don't know why I hesitate to roast you with this flame.

WOMEN

If you have any soap you'll go off cleaner than you came.

MEN

Cleaner, you dirty slut?

WOMEN

A nuptial-bath in which to lie!
425

MEN

Did you hear that insolence?

WOMEN

I'm a free woman, I.

MEN

I'll make you hold your tongue.

WOMEN

Henceforth you'll serve in no more juries.

MEN

Burn off her hair for her.
430

WOMEN

Now forward, water, quench their furies!

MEN

O dear, O dear!

WOMEN

So ... was it hot?

MEN

Hot! ... Enough, O hold.

WOMEN

Watered, perhaps you'll bloom again—why not?
435

MEN

Brrr, I'm wrinkled up from shivering with cold.

WOMEN

Next time you've fire you'll warm yourself and leave us to our lot.

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.) — 350 focus

Chorus of Women: Let go, oh! What was this? Men, villains through toil;

350

Chorus of Women: For these men would never have done such good deeds, nor pious ones.

Chorus of old men: This affair has come to us to see unexpectedly.

Chorus of old men: This band of women comes again to help at the doors.

Chorus of Women: Why do you disgust us? Are we not thought to be many?

Chorus of Women: And indeed, you do not yet see even a ten-thousandth part of us.

355

Chorus of Old Men: Shall we let these women chatter so much, Phaedria?

Chorus of old men: Should someone not have struck the wood and pounded it?

Chorus of Women: Let us also sit down on the ground, so that...

Chorus of Women: If anyone holds out his hand, let not this hinder me.

Chorus of old men: If by Zeus I have already [seen] their jaws twice or three times

360

Chorus of old men: He cut [it] like Boupalos; he would not have had a voice.

Chorus of Women: And indeed, look, let someone strike; standing aside, I will step out,

Chorus of Women: Nor will any other dog of the dancers ever seize you.

Chorus of old men: If he does not be quiet, I will paint your old age with a red hue.

Chorus of Women: Touch only Strattis's [breast] with your finger, having approached.

365

Chorus of old men: "What did you do with the ash to the joints? What will the terrible thing do to me?"

Chorus of Women: Your lungs will swell, and I will make your intestines burst.

Chorus of old men: No poet is wiser than Euripides;

Chorus of old men: For there is no creature so shameless as women.

Chorus of Women: Let us women lift the water-pitcher, Rhodippe.

370

Chorus of old men: Why, you who are hateful to the gods, have you come here carrying water?

Chorus of Women: And what, you, having fire, you grave, are you going to burn yourself?

Chorus of old men: As for me, in order to set fire to the pyres of your beloved ones, I will kindle them.

Chorus of Women: But as for me, that I might extinguish your fire with this.

Chorus of old men: will you extinguish my fire?

375

Chorus of Women: The deed itself will soon show.

Chorus of Old Men: I do not know whether I shall set myself firmly in this lighted torch.

Chorus of Women: If you happen to have a cloth, I will provide a bath.

Chorus of old men: You give me a bath, you rotten one?

Chorus of Women: And this is, at least, a wedding song.

Chorus of old men: Did you hear of her audacity?

Chorus of Women: for I am free.

Chorus of old men: I will stop your shouting now.

380

Chorus of Women: But she is no longer basking in the sun.

Chorus of old men: Burn her hair.

Chorus of Women: Your work is to be annoying.

Chorus of old men: woe is me, wretched man.

Chorus of Women: Was it not warm?

Chorus of old men: Where is the heat? Will she not stop? What are you doing?

Chorus of Women: I shall water you so that you may sprout.

Chorus of old men: But now I am shaking.

385

Chorus of Women: So since you have fire, you will pamper yourself.

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

361. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-8

Line 361

ἔκοψεν ὥσπερ Βουπάλου, φωνὴν ἂν οὐκ ἂν εἶχον.

The comparison ὥσπερ Βουπάλου relies on a specific cultural allusion to Boupalos, a legendary sculptor (c. 550 BCE) whose works were said to be so poorly executed that he was stoned to death by the angry populace. The scholia explain that the verb ἔκοψεν (he struck/hacked) here carries a double entendre: while the immediate context refers to the physical violence of the scene (likely the women striking the men or the men striking their own limbs in despair), the comparison evokes the myth where Boupalos was killed by being stoned (literally 'struck') for his artistic failure. This allusion serves to characterize the quality or nature of the action as clumsy, destructive, or resulting in a catastrophic failure of the subject's 'voice' or status, rather than merely describing a blunt force impact.

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Χορὸς Γυναικῶν ἔασον ὦ. τουτὶ τί ἦν; ὦνδρες πόνῳ πόνηροι· 350 οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἂν χρηστοί γʼ ἔδρων οὐδʼ εὐσεβεῖς τάδʼ ἄνδρες.

Χορὸς γερόντων τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἡμῖν ἰδεῖν ἀπροσδόκητον ἥκει· ἑσμὸς γυναικῶν οὑτοσὶ θύρασιν αὖ βοηθεῖ.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν τί βδύλλεθʼ ἡμᾶς; οὔ τί που πολλαὶ δοκοῦμεν εἶναι; καὶ μὴν μέρος γʼ ἡμῶν ὁρᾶτʼ οὔπω τὸ μυριοστόν. 355

Χορὸς γερόντων ὦ Φαιδρία ταύτας λαλεῖν ἐάσομεν τοσαυτί; οὐ περικατᾶξαι τὸ ξύλον τύπτοντʼ ἐχρῆν τινʼ αὐταῖς;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν θώμεσθα δὴ τὰς κάλπιδας χἠμεῖς χαμᾶζʼ, ὅπως ἂν ἢν προσφέρῃ τὴν χεῖρά τις μὴ τοῦτό μʼ ἐμποδίζῃ.

Χορὸς γερόντων εἰ νὴ Δίʼ ἤδη τὰς γνάθους τούτων τις ἢ δὶς ἢ τρὶς 360 ἔκοψεν ὥσπερ Βουπάλου, φωνὴν ἂν οὐκ ἂν εἶχον.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν καὶ μὴν ἰδοὺ παταξάτω τις· στᾶσʼ ἐγὼ παρέξω, κοὐ μή ποτʼ ἄλλη σου κύων τῶν ὄρχεων λάβηται.

Χορὸς γερόντων εἰ μὴ σιωπήσει, θενών σου ʼκκοκκιῶ τὸ γῆρας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν ἅψαι μόνον Στρατυλλίδος τῷ δακτύλῳ προσελθών. 365

Χορὸς γερόντων τί δʼ ἢν σποδῶ τοῖς κονδύλοις; τί μʼ ἐργάσει τὸ δεινόν;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν βρύκουσά σου τοὺς πλεύμονας καὶ τἄντερʼ ἐξαμήσω.

Χορὸς γερόντων οὐκ ἔστʼ ἀνὴρ Εὐριπίδου σοφώτερος ποιητής· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω θρέμμʼ ἀναιδές ἐστιν ὡς γυναῖκες.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν αἰρώμεθʼ ἡμεῖς θοὔδατος τὴν κάλπιν ὦ Ῥοδίππη. 370

Χορὸς γερόντων τί δʼ ὦ θεοῖς ἐχθρὰ σὺ δεῦρʼ ὕδωρ ἔχουσʼ ἀφίκου;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν τί δαὶ σὺ πῦρ ὦ τύμβʼ ἔχων; ὡς σαυτὸν ἐμπυρεύσων;

Χορὸς γερόντων ἐγὼ μὲν ἵνα νήσας πυρὰν τὰς σὰς φίλας ὑφάψω.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἵνα τὴν σὴν πυρὰν τούτῳ κατασβέσαιμι.

Χορὸς γερόντων τοὐμὸν σὺ πῦρ κατασβέσεις; 375

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν τοὔργον τάχʼ αὐτὸ δείξει.

Χορὸς γερόντων οὐκ οἶδά σʼ εἰ τῇδʼ ὡς ἔχω τῇ λαμπάδι σταθεύσω.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν εἰ ῥύμμα τυγχάνεις ἔχων, λουτρόν γʼ ἐγὼ παρέξω.

Χορὸς γερόντων ἐμοὶ σὺ λουτρὸν ὦ σαπρά;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν καὶ ταῦτα νυμφικόν γε.

Χορὸς γερόντων ἤκουσας αὐτῆς τοῦ θράσους;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν ἐλευθέρα γάρ εἰμι.

Χορὸς γερόντων σχήσω σʼ ἐγὼ τῆς νῦν βοῆς. 380

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν ἀλλʼ οὐκέθʼ ἡλιάζει.

Χορὸς γερόντων ἔμπρησον αὐτῆς τὰς κόμας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν σὸν ἔργον ὦχελῷε.

Χορὸς γερόντων οἴμοι τάλας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν μῶν θερμὸν ἦν;

Χορὸς γερόντων ποῖ θερμόν; οὐ παύσει; τί δρᾷς;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν ἄρδω σʼ ὅπως ἂν βλαστάνῃς.

Χορὸς γερόντων ἀλλʼ αὖός εἰμʼ ἤδη τρέμων. 385

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ πῦρ ἔχεις, σὺ χλιανεῖς σεαυτόν.

Current edition Perseus

STRATYLLIS (caught) Let me go!

WOMEN You villainous old men, what's this you do? 395 No honest man, no pious man, could do such things as you.

MEN Ah ha, here's something most original, I have no doubt: A swarm of women sentinels to man the walls without.

WOMEN So then we scare you, do we? Do we seem a fearful host? You only see the smallest fraction mustered at this post. 400

MEN Ho, Phaedrias, shall we put a stop to all these chattering tricks? Suppose that now upon their backs we splintered these our sticks?

WOMEN Let us lay down the pitchers, so our bodies will be free, In case these lumping fellows try to cause some injury.

MEN O hit them hard and hit again and hit until they run away, 405 And perhaps they'll learn, like Bupalus, not to have too much to say.

WOMEN Come on, then—do it! I won't budge, but like a dog I'll bite At every little scrap of meat that dangles in my sight.

MEN Be quiet, or I'll bash you out of any years to come.

WOMEN Now you just touch Stratyllis with the top-joint of your thumb. 410

MEN What vengeance can you take if with my fists your face I beat?

WOMEN I'll rip you with my teeth and strew your entrails at your feet.

MEN Now I appreciate Euripides' strange subtlety: Woman is the most shameless beast of all the beasts that be.

WOMEN Rhodippe, come, and let's pick up our water-jars once more. 415

MEN Ah cursed drab, what have you brought this water for?

WOMEN What is your fire for then, you smelly corpse? Yourself to burn?

MEN To build a pyre and make your comrades ready for the urn.

WOMEN And I've the water to put out your fire immediately.

MEN What, you put out my fire? 420

WOMEN Yes, sirrah, as you soon will see.

MEN I don't know why I hesitate to roast you with this flame.

WOMEN If you have any soap you'll go off cleaner than you came.

MEN Cleaner, you dirty slut?

WOMEN A nuptial-bath in which to lie! 425

MEN Did you hear that insolence?

WOMEN I'm a free woman, I.

MEN I'll make you hold your tongue.

WOMEN Henceforth you'll serve in no more juries.

MEN Burn off her hair for her. 430

WOMEN Now forward, water, quench their furies!

MEN O dear, O dear!

WOMEN So ... was it hot?

MEN Hot! ... Enough, O hold.

WOMEN Watered, perhaps you'll bloom again—why not? 435

MEN Brrr, I'm wrinkled up from shivering with cold.

WOMEN Next time you've fire you'll warm yourself and leave us to our lot.

Commentary

Line 361

Stable identifiers

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἔασον ὦ. τουτὶ τί ἦν; ὦνδρες πόνῳ πόνηροι·
350

οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἂν χρηστοί γʼ ἔδρων οὐδʼ εὐσεβεῖς τάδʼ ἄνδρες.

Χορὸς γερόντων

τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἡμῖν ἰδεῖν ἀπροσδόκητον ἥκει·

ἑσμὸς γυναικῶν οὑτοσὶ θύρασιν αὖ βοηθεῖ.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

τί βδύλλεθʼ ἡμᾶς; οὔ τί που πολλαὶ δοκοῦμεν εἶναι;

καὶ μὴν μέρος γʼ ἡμῶν ὁρᾶτʼ οὔπω τὸ μυριοστόν.
355

Χορὸς γερόντων

ὦ Φαιδρία ταύτας λαλεῖν ἐάσομεν τοσαυτί;

οὐ περικατᾶξαι τὸ ξύλον τύπτοντʼ ἐχρῆν τινʼ αὐταῖς;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

θώμεσθα δὴ τὰς κάλπιδας χἠμεῖς χαμᾶζʼ, ὅπως ἂν

ἢν προσφέρῃ τὴν χεῖρά τις μὴ τοῦτό μʼ ἐμποδίζῃ.

Χορὸς γερόντων

εἰ νὴ Δίʼ ἤδη τὰς γνάθους τούτων τις ἢ δὶς ἢ τρὶς
360

ἔκοψεν ὥσπερ Βουπάλου, φωνὴν ἂν οὐκ ἂν εἶχον.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

καὶ μὴν ἰδοὺ παταξάτω τις· στᾶσʼ ἐγὼ παρέξω,

κοὐ μή ποτʼ ἄλλη σου κύων τῶν ὄρχεων λάβηται.

Χορὸς γερόντων

εἰ μὴ σιωπήσει, θενών σου ʼκκοκκιῶ τὸ γῆρας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἅψαι μόνον Στρατυλλίδος τῷ δακτύλῳ προσελθών.
365

Χορὸς γερόντων

τί δʼ ἢν σποδῶ τοῖς κονδύλοις; τί μʼ ἐργάσει τὸ δεινόν;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

βρύκουσά σου τοὺς πλεύμονας καὶ τἄντερʼ ἐξαμήσω.

Χορὸς γερόντων

οὐκ ἔστʼ ἀνὴρ Εὐριπίδου σοφώτερος ποιητής·

οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω θρέμμʼ ἀναιδές ἐστιν ὡς γυναῖκες.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

αἰρώμεθʼ ἡμεῖς θοὔδατος τὴν κάλπιν ὦ Ῥοδίππη.
370

Χορὸς γερόντων

τί δʼ ὦ θεοῖς ἐχθρὰ σὺ δεῦρʼ ὕδωρ ἔχουσʼ ἀφίκου;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

τί δαὶ σὺ πῦρ ὦ τύμβʼ ἔχων; ὡς σαυτὸν ἐμπυρεύσων;

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἐγὼ μὲν ἵνα νήσας πυρὰν τὰς σὰς φίλας ὑφάψω.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἵνα τὴν σὴν πυρὰν τούτῳ κατασβέσαιμι.

Χορὸς γερόντων

τοὐμὸν σὺ πῦρ κατασβέσεις;
375

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

τοὔργον τάχʼ αὐτὸ δείξει.

Χορὸς γερόντων

οὐκ οἶδά σʼ εἰ τῇδʼ ὡς ἔχω τῇ λαμπάδι σταθεύσω.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

εἰ ῥύμμα τυγχάνεις ἔχων, λουτρόν γʼ ἐγὼ παρέξω.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἐμοὶ σὺ λουτρὸν ὦ σαπρά;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

καὶ ταῦτα νυμφικόν γε.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἤκουσας αὐτῆς τοῦ θράσους;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἐλευθέρα γάρ εἰμι.

Χορὸς γερόντων

σχήσω σʼ ἐγὼ τῆς νῦν βοῆς.
380

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἀλλʼ οὐκέθʼ ἡλιάζει.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἔμπρησον αὐτῆς τὰς κόμας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

σὸν ἔργον ὦχελῷε.

Χορὸς γερόντων

οἴμοι τάλας.

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

μῶν θερμὸν ἦν;

Χορὸς γερόντων

ποῖ θερμόν; οὐ παύσει; τί δρᾷς;

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

ἄρδω σʼ ὅπως ἂν βλαστάνῃς.

Χορὸς γερόντων

ἀλλʼ αὖός εἰμʼ ἤδη τρέμων.
385

Χορὸς Γυναικῶν

οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ πῦρ ἔχεις, σὺ χλιανεῖς σεαυτόν.

STRATYLLIS
(caught)

Let me go!

WOMEN

You villainous old men, what's this you do?
395

No honest man, no pious man, could do such things as you.

MEN

Ah ha, here's something most original, I have no doubt:

A swarm of women sentinels to man the walls without.

WOMEN

So then we scare you, do we? Do we seem a fearful host?

You only see the smallest fraction mustered at this post.
400

MEN

Ho, Phaedrias, shall we put a stop to all these chattering tricks?

Suppose that now upon their backs we splintered these our sticks?

WOMEN

Let us lay down the pitchers, so our bodies will be free,

In case these lumping fellows try to cause some injury.

MEN

O hit them hard and hit again and hit until they run away,
405

And perhaps they'll learn, like Bupalus, not to have too much to say.

WOMEN

Come on, then—do it! I won't budge, but like a dog I'll bite

At every little scrap of meat that dangles in my sight.

MEN

Be quiet, or I'll bash you out of any years to come.

WOMEN

Now you just touch Stratyllis with the top-joint of your thumb.
410

MEN

What vengeance can you take if with my fists your face I beat?

WOMEN

I'll rip you with my teeth and strew your entrails at your feet.

MEN

Now I appreciate Euripides' strange subtlety:

Woman is the most shameless beast of all the beasts that be.

WOMEN

Rhodippe, come, and let's pick up our water-jars once more.
415

MEN

Ah cursed drab, what have you brought this water for?

WOMEN

What is your fire for then, you smelly corpse? Yourself to burn?

MEN

To build a pyre and make your comrades ready for the urn.

WOMEN

And I've the water to put out your fire immediately.

MEN

What, you put out my fire?
420

WOMEN

Yes, sirrah, as you soon will see.

MEN

I don't know why I hesitate to roast you with this flame.

WOMEN

If you have any soap you'll go off cleaner than you came.

MEN

Cleaner, you dirty slut?

WOMEN

A nuptial-bath in which to lie!
425

MEN

Did you hear that insolence?

WOMEN

I'm a free woman, I.

MEN

I'll make you hold your tongue.

WOMEN

Henceforth you'll serve in no more juries.

MEN

Burn off her hair for her.
430

WOMEN

Now forward, water, quench their furies!

MEN

O dear, O dear!

WOMEN

So ... was it hot?

MEN

Hot! ... Enough, O hold.

WOMEN

Watered, perhaps you'll bloom again—why not?
435

MEN

Brrr, I'm wrinkled up from shivering with cold.

WOMEN

Next time you've fire you'll warm yourself and leave us to our lot.