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Λυσιστράτη

ἀλλʼ ἤνπερ ὅ τε γλυκύθυμος Ἔρως χἠ Κυπρογένειʼ Ἀφροδίτη

ἵμερον ἡμῶν κατὰ τῶν κόλπων καὶ τῶν μηρῶν καταπνεύσῃ,

κᾆτʼ ἐντήξῃ τέτανον τερπνὸν τοῖς ἀνδράσι καὶ ῥοπαλισμούς,

οἶμαί ποτε Λυσιμάχας ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησι καλεῖσθαι.

Πρόβουλος

τί ποιησάσας;
555

Λυσιστράτη

ἢν παύσωμεν πρώτιστον μὲν ξὺν ὅπλοισιν

ἀγοράζοντας καὶ μαινομένους.

Γυνὴ Α

νὴ τὴν Παφίαν Ἀφροδίτην.

Λυσιστράτη

νῦν μὲν γὰρ δὴ κἀν ταῖσι χύτραις κἀν τοῖς λαχάνοισιν ὁμοίως

περιέρχονται κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ξὺν ὅπλοις ὥσπερ Κορύβαντες.

Πρόβουλος

νὴ Δία· χρὴ γὰρ τοὺς ἀνδρείους.

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν τό γε πρᾶγμα γέλοιον,

ὅταν ἀσπίδʼ ἔχων καὶ Γοργόνα τις κᾆτʼ ὠνῆται κορακίνους.
560

Γυνὴ Α

νὴ Δίʼ ἐγὼ γοῦν ἄνδρα κομήτην φυλαρχοῦντʼ εἶδον ἐφʼ ἵππου

ἐς τὸν χαλκοῦν ἐμβαλλόμενον πῖλον λέκιθον παρὰ γραός·

ἕτερος δʼ αὖ Θρᾷξ πέλτην σείων κἀκόντιον ὥσπερ ὁ Τηρεύς,

ἐδεδίσκετο τὴν ἰσχαδόπωλιν καὶ τὰς δρυπεπεῖς κατέπινεν.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς οὖν ὑμεῖς δυναταὶ παῦσαι τεταραγμένα πράγματα πολλὰ
565

ἐν ταῖς χώραις καὶ διαλῦσαι;

Λυσιστράτη

φαύλως πάνυ.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς; ἀπόδειξον.

Λυσιστράτη

ὥσπερ κλωστῆρʼ, ὅταν ἡμῖν ᾖ τεταραγμένος, ὧδε λαβοῦσαι,

ὑπενεγκοῦσαι τοῖσιν ἀτράκτοις τὸ μὲν ἐνταυθοῖ τὸ δʼ ἐκεῖσε,

οὕτως καὶ τὸν πόλεμον τοῦτον διαλύσομεν, ἤν τις ἐάσῃ,

διενεγκοῦσαι διὰ πρεσβειῶν τὸ μὲν ἐνταυθοῖ τὸ δʼ ἐκεῖσε.
570

Πρόβουλος

ἐξ ἐρίων δὴ καὶ κλωστήρων καὶ ἀτράκτων πράγματα δεινὰ

παύσειν οἴεσθʼ ὦ ἀνόητοι;

Λυσιστράτη

κἂν ὑμῖν γʼ εἴ τις ἐνῆν νοῦς,

ἐκ τῶν ἐρίων τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐπολιτεύεσθʼ ἂν ἅπαντα.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς δή; φέρʼ ἴδω.

Λυσιστράτη

πρῶτον μὲν ἐχρῆν, ὥσπερ πόκου ἐν βαλανείῳ

ἐκπλύναντας τὴν οἰσπώτην, ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ κλίνης
575

ἐκραβδίζειν τοὺς μοχθηροὺς καὶ τοὺς τριβόλους ἀπολέξαι,

καὶ τούς γε συνισταμένους τούτους καὶ τοὺς πιλοῦντας ἑαυτοὺς

ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀρχαῖσι διαξῆναι καὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτῖλαι·

εἶτα ξαίνειν ἐς καλαθίσκον κοινὴν εὔνοιαν, ἅπαντας

καταμιγνύντας τούς τε μετοίκους κεἴ τις ξένος ἢ φίλος ὑμῖν,
580

κεἴ τις ὀφείλει τῷ δημοσίῳ, καὶ τούτους ἐγκαταμεῖξαι·

καὶ νὴ Δία τάς γε πόλεις, ὁπόσαι τῆς γῆς τῆσδʼ εἰσὶν ἄποικοι,

διαγιγνώσκειν ὅτι ταῦθʼ ἡμῖν ὥσπερ τὰ κατάγματα κεῖται

χωρὶς ἕκαστον· κᾆτʼ ἀπὸ τούτων πάντων τὸ κάταγμα λαβόντας

δεῦρο ξυνάγειν καὶ συναθροίξειν εἰς ἕν, κἄπειτα ποιῆσαι
585

τολύπην μεγάλην κᾆτʼ ἐκ ταύτης τῷ δήμῳ χλαῖναν ὑφῆναι.

Πρόβουλος

οὔκουν δεινὸν ταυτὶ ταύτας ῥαβδίξειν καὶ τολυπεύειν,

αἶς οὐδὲ μετῆν πάνυ τοῦ πολέμου;

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν ὦ παγκατάρατε

πλεῖν ἤ γε διπλοῦν αὐτὸν φέρομεν, πρώτιστον μέν γε τεκοῦσαι

κἀκπέμψασαι παῖδας ὁπλίτας.
590

Πρόβουλος

σίγα, μὴ μνησικακήσῃς.

Λυσιστράτη

εἶθʼ ἡνίκα χρῆν εὐφρανθῆναι καὶ τῆς ἥβης ἀπολαῦσαι,

μονοκοιτοῦμεν διὰ τὰς στρατιάς. καὶ θἠμέτερον μὲν ἐᾶτε,

περὶ τῶν δὲ κορῶν ἐν τοῖς θαλάμοις γηρασκουσῶν ἀνιῶμαι.

Πρόβουλος

οὔκουν χἄνδρες γηράσκουσιν;

Λυσιστράτη

μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἶπας ὅμοιον.

ὁ μὲν ἥκων γάρ, κἂν ᾖ πολιός, ταχὺ παῖδα κόρην γεγάμηκεν·
595

τῆς δὲ γυναικὸς σμικρὸς ὁ καιρός, κἂν τούτου μὴ ʼπιλάβηται,

οὐδεὶς ἐθέλει γῆμαι ταύτην, ὀττευομένη δὲ κάθηται.

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.) — 551 focus

anapests

LYSISTRATA

O tender Eros and Lady of Cyprus , some flush of beauty I
665

pray you devise

To flash on our bosoms and, O Aphrodite, rosily gleam on

our valorous thighs!

Joy will raise up its head through the legions warring and

all of the far-serried ranks of mad-love
670

Bristle the earth to the pillared horizon, pointing in vain to

the heavens above.

I think that perhaps then they'll give us our title—

Peace-makers.

MAGISTRATE

What do you mean? Please explain.
675

LYSISTRATA

First, we'll not see you now flourishing arms about into the

Marketing-place clang again.

WOMEN

No, by the Paphian.

LYSISTRATA

Still I can conjure them as past were the herbs stand or crockery's sold

Like Corybants jingling (poor sots) fully armoured, they noisily round
680

on their promenade strolled.

MAGISTRATE

And rightly; that's discipline, they—

LYSISTRATA

But what's sillier than to go on an errand of buying a fish

Carrying along an immense. Gorgon-buckler instead the usual platter

or dish?
685

A phylarch I lately saw, mounted on horse-back, dressed for the part

with long ringlets and all,

Stow in his helmet the omelet bought steaming from an old woman who

kept a food-stall.

Nearby a soldier, a Thracian, was shaking wildly his spear like Tereus
690

in the play,

To frighten a fig-girl while unseen the ruffian filched from her

fruit-trays the ripest away.

MAGISTRATE

How, may I ask, will your rule re-establish order and justice in lands

so tormented?
695

LYSISTRATA

Nothing is easier.

MAGISTRATE

Out with it speedily—what is this plan that you boast you've invented?

LYSISTRATA

If, when yarn we are winding, It chances to tangle, then, as perchance you

may know, through the skein

This way and that still the spool we keep passing till it is finally clear
700

all again:

So to untangle the War and its errors, ambassadors out on all sides we will

send

This way and that, here, there and round about—soon you will find that the

War has an end.
705

MAGISTRATE

So with these trivial tricks of the household, domestic analogies of

threads, skeins and spools,

You think that you'll solve such a bitter complexity, unwind such political

problems, you fools!

LYSISTRATA

Well, first as we wash dirty wool so's to cleanse it, so with a pitiless
710

zeal we will scrub

Through the whole city for all greasy fellows; burrs too, the parasites,

off we will rub.

That verminous plague of insensate place-seekers soon between thumb and

forefinger we'll crack.
715

All who inside Athens ' walls have their dwelling into one great common

basket we'll pack.

Disenfranchised or citizens, allies or aliens, pell-mell the lot of them

in we will squeeze.

Till they discover humanity's meaning.... As for disjointed and far
720

colonies,

Them you must never from this time imagine as scattered about just like

lost hanks of wool.

Each portion we'll take and wind in to this centre, inward to Athens

each loyalty pull,
725

Till from the vast heap where all's piled together at last can be woven

a strong Cloak of State.

MAGISTRATE

How terrible is it to stand here and watch them carding and winding at

will with our fate,

Witless in war as they are.
730

LYSISTRATA

What of us then, who ever in vain for our children must weep

Borne but to perish afar and in vain?

MAGISTRATE

Not that, O let that one memory sleep!

LYSISTRATA

Then while we should be companioned still merrily, happy as brides may,

the livelong night,
735

Kissing youth by, we are forced to lie single.... But leave for a moment

our pitiful plight,

It hurts even more to behold the poor maidens helpless wrinkling in

staler virginity.

MAGISTRATE

Does not a man age?
740

LYSISTRATA

Not in the same way. Not as a woman grows withered, grows he.

He, when returned from the war, though grey-headed, yet

if he wishes can choose out a wife.

But she has no solace save peering for omens, wretched and

lonely the rest of her life.
745

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.) — 551 focus

Lysistrata: But if both sweet-tempered Eros and Aphrodite, the Cyprus-born,

Lysistrata: May the desire of us against the bosoms and the thighs breathe upon,

Lysistrata: And then you will weave a pleasant fleece for the men and will sway them,

Lysistrata: I suppose that at some time we shall be called Lysimachides among the Greeks.

Probulus: What did you do?

555

Lysistrata: If we stop, first of all, with weapons

Lysistrata: buying and raging.

Woman A: By Aphrodite of Paphos.

Lysistrata: For now, indeed, both in the pots and in the vegetables alike

Lysistrata: They are walking about the market armed, like Corybantes.

Probulus: By Zeus, for it is necessary for the brave.

Lysistrata: And indeed the matter is ridiculous,

Lysistrata: Whenever someone has a shield and buys a Gorgon and then a raven's-feather.

560

Woman A: By Zeus, I at least saw a long-haired man riding a horse.

Woman A: Into the bronze helmet that is being thrown, a ladle from a pot.

Woman A: And again another Thracian, shaking a pelt and javelin, like Tyreus,

Woman A: She was worried about the prostitute and was swallowing the figs.

Probulus: How then are you able to calm so many troubled matters?

565

Probulus: In the fields and to dissolve?

Lysistrata: very poorly.

Proboulos: How? Prove it.

Lysistrata: just as a spindle, whenever it is in a confused state, take it thus,

Lysistrata: 'Having borne the spindles to the one here and to the other there,'

Lysistrata: Thus we will also dissolve this war, if someone lets [it].

Lysistrata: Carry it through by means of embassies, the part here and the part there.

570

Probulus: Indeed, from wool, spindles, and distaffs come terrible things.

Probulus: Do you think, you fools, that you will stop?

Lysistrata: And if there were some sense in you,

Lysistrata: All things would have been governed by our wool.

Proboulos: How so? Let me see.

Lysistrata: first of all, it was necessary, just as in a bathhouse

Lysistrata: washing out the chamber pot, from the city onto a couch.

575

Lysistrata: to strike with a staff the wicked and to pick out the troublemakers,

Lysistrata: and those who are conspiring and those who are pillaging themselves

Lysistrata: to drag the ancient women out and to cut off their heads.

Lysistrata: Then let us all together throw our goodwill into a basket, everyone.

Lysistrata: mixing in both the metics and any stranger or friend of yours,

580

Lysistrata: 'And if anyone owes something to the state, let them also be mixed in with these;'

Lysistrata: And by Zeus, the cities, as many as are colonies of this land,

Lysistrata: I understand that these things are laid down for us just like broken bones.

Lysistrata: Let each go separately; and then, taking the fracture from all of these

Lysistrata: gather here and bring together into one, and then do it.

585

Lysistrata: I should have spun a great fleece and then from that a cloak for the people.

Probulus: Won't it be terrible to beat these women with rods and to beat them?

Probulus: Are you not even very much a participant in the war?

Lysistrata: And moreover, you most accursed one.

Lysistrata: we carry him over twice as far, first of all because we gave birth to him.

Lysistrata: and having sent away the hoplite boys.

590

Probulus: Hush, do not bear a grudge.

Lysistrata: 'Then at the time when I ought to have been joyful and enjoyed my youth,'

Lysistrata: We sleep alone because of the armies. And you, leave our part alone,

Lysistrata: As for the young women growing old in the bedrooms, I am distressed.

Probulus: But surely the men grow old too?

Lysistrata: By Zeus, but you have not said the same thing.

Lysistrata: For the one who has come, even if he is grey-haired, has quickly married a boy to a girl.

595

Lysistrata: the time for the woman is short, and if she does not seize even this,

Lysistrata: No one wants to marry this woman, and so she sits, being pursued.

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

562. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-16

Line 562

ἐς τὸν χαλκοῦν ἐμβαλλόμενον πῖλον λέκιθον παρὰ γραός·

The participle ἐμβαλλόμενον (aorist middle/passive participle of ἐμβάλλω) governs the accusative object πῖλον ('felt hat'), creating a rare construction where the participle is used in a periphrastic sense with the implied action of 'putting on' or 'inserting' the hat upon the head, rather than the more common transitive use of 'throwing into'. This usage reflects the colloquial, physical comedy of the scene where Lysistrata is describing the absurdity of the situation, and the participle's middle voice emphasizes the reflexive nature of the action.

578. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-17

Line 578

ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀρχαῖσι διαξῆναι καὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτῖλαι·

The infinitive διαξῆναι (diaxēnai) is a rare future active form of διαξίω, meaning 'to lead through' or 'to conduct across,' used here in a legal or judicial context to describe the process of bringing someone to trial. The construction with ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀρχαῖσι (upon the magistrates) suggests the magistrates are the agents or the setting of the action, which is syntactically unusual and may reflect a specific rhetorical emphasis on the role of the magistrates in the judicial process. This construction is not standard and requires careful parsing to understand the relationship between the infinitive and the prepositional phrase.

581. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-18

Line 581

κεἴ τις ὀφείλει τῷ δημοσίῳ, καὶ τούτους ἐγκαταμεῖξαι·

The verb ἐγκαταμεῖξαι is a hapax legomenon in the Attic corpus (unique to this passage in Aristophanes), formed from the rare compound ἐγκαταμιγνύμι. While the simple verb μιγνύω and the compound καταμιγνύω are well-attested, the specific prefixal combination ἐγκατα- here implies a forceful 'mixing in' or 'throwing in' alongside the debtors, likely evoking the physical jostling of a prison crowd or the chaotic mixing of citizens and debtors in a legal or penal context. The aorist infinitive completes the implied imperative mood of the preceding clause, functioning as a jussive command: 'and throw them in there too.'

Aristophanes Lysistrata 551

ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart

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Πρόβουλος

τί ποιησάσας;
555

Λυσιστράτη

ἢν παύσωμεν πρώτιστον μὲν ξὺν ὅπλοισιν

ἀγοράζοντας καὶ μαινομένους.

Γυνὴ Α

νὴ τὴν Παφίαν Ἀφροδίτην.

Λυσιστράτη

νῦν μὲν γὰρ δὴ κἀν ταῖσι χύτραις κἀν τοῖς λαχάνοισιν ὁμοίως

περιέρχονται κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ξὺν ὅπλοις ὥσπερ Κορύβαντες.

Πρόβουλος

νὴ Δία· χρὴ γὰρ τοὺς ἀνδρείους.

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν τό γε πρᾶγμα γέλοιον,

ὅταν ἀσπίδʼ ἔχων καὶ Γοργόνα τις κᾆτʼ ὠνῆται κορακίνους.
560

Πρόβουλος

πῶς οὖν ὑμεῖς δυναταὶ παῦσαι τεταραγμένα πράγματα πολλὰ
565

ἐν ταῖς χώραις καὶ διαλῦσαι;

Λυσιστράτη

φαύλως πάνυ.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς; ἀπόδειξον.

Πρόβουλος

ἐξ ἐρίων δὴ καὶ κλωστήρων καὶ ἀτράκτων πράγματα δεινὰ

παύσειν οἴεσθʼ ὦ ἀνόητοι;

Λυσιστράτη

κἂν ὑμῖν γʼ εἴ τις ἐνῆν νοῦς,

ἐκ τῶν ἐρίων τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐπολιτεύεσθʼ ἂν ἅπαντα.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς δή; φέρʼ ἴδω.

Πρόβουλος

οὔκουν δεινὸν ταυτὶ ταύτας ῥαβδίξειν καὶ τολυπεύειν,

αἶς οὐδὲ μετῆν πάνυ τοῦ πολέμου;

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν ὦ παγκατάρατε

πλεῖν ἤ γε διπλοῦν αὐτὸν φέρομεν, πρώτιστον μέν γε τεκοῦσαι

κἀκπέμψασαι παῖδας ὁπλίτας.
590

Πρόβουλος

σίγα, μὴ μνησικακήσῃς.

Πρόβουλος

οὔκουν χἄνδρες γηράσκουσιν;

Current edition Perseus

MAGISTRATE

What do you mean? Please explain.
675

LYSISTRATA

First, we'll not see you now flourishing arms about into the

Marketing-place clang again.

WOMEN

No, by the Paphian.

LYSISTRATA

Still I can conjure them as past were the herbs stand or crockery's sold

Like Corybants jingling (poor sots) fully armoured, they noisily round
680

on their promenade strolled.

MAGISTRATE

And rightly; that's discipline, they—

MAGISTRATE

How, may I ask, will your rule re-establish order and justice in lands

so tormented?
695

LYSISTRATA

Nothing is easier.

MAGISTRATE

Out with it speedily—what is this plan that you boast you've invented?

MAGISTRATE

So with these trivial tricks of the household, domestic analogies of

threads, skeins and spools,

You think that you'll solve such a bitter complexity, unwind such political

problems, you fools!

MAGISTRATE

How terrible is it to stand here and watch them carding and winding at

will with our fate,

Witless in war as they are.
730

LYSISTRATA

What of us then, who ever in vain for our children must weep

Borne but to perish afar and in vain?

MAGISTRATE

Not that, O let that one memory sleep!

LYSISTRATA

Then while we should be companioned still merrily, happy as brides may,

the livelong night,
735

Kissing youth by, we are forced to lie single.... But leave for a moment

our pitiful plight,

It hurts even more to behold the poor maidens helpless wrinkling in

staler virginity.

MAGISTRATE

Does not a man age?
740

LYSISTRATA

Not in the same way. Not as a woman grows withered, grows he.

He, when returned from the war, though grey-headed, yet

if he wishes can choose out a wife.

But she has no solace save peering for omens, wretched and

lonely the rest of her life.
745

Commentary

Line 562

Line 578

Line 581

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Πρόβουλος τί ποιησάσας; 555

Λυσιστράτη ἢν παύσωμεν πρώτιστον μὲν ξὺν ὅπλοισιν ἀγοράζοντας καὶ μαινομένους.

Γυνὴ Α νὴ τὴν Παφίαν Ἀφροδίτην.

Λυσιστράτη νῦν μὲν γὰρ δὴ κἀν ταῖσι χύτραις κἀν τοῖς λαχάνοισιν ὁμοίως περιέρχονται κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ξὺν ὅπλοις ὥσπερ Κορύβαντες.

Πρόβουλος νὴ Δία· χρὴ γὰρ τοὺς ἀνδρείους.

Λυσιστράτη καὶ μὴν τό γε πρᾶγμα γέλοιον, ὅταν ἀσπίδʼ ἔχων καὶ Γοργόνα τις κᾆτʼ ὠνῆται κορακίνους. 560

Πρόβουλος πῶς οὖν ὑμεῖς δυναταὶ παῦσαι τεταραγμένα πράγματα πολλὰ 565 ἐν ταῖς χώραις καὶ διαλῦσαι;

Λυσιστράτη φαύλως πάνυ.

Πρόβουλος πῶς; ἀπόδειξον.

Πρόβουλος ἐξ ἐρίων δὴ καὶ κλωστήρων καὶ ἀτράκτων πράγματα δεινὰ παύσειν οἴεσθʼ ὦ ἀνόητοι;

Λυσιστράτη κἂν ὑμῖν γʼ εἴ τις ἐνῆν νοῦς, ἐκ τῶν ἐρίων τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐπολιτεύεσθʼ ἂν ἅπαντα.

Πρόβουλος πῶς δή; φέρʼ ἴδω.

Πρόβουλος οὔκουν δεινὸν ταυτὶ ταύτας ῥαβδίξειν καὶ τολυπεύειν, αἶς οὐδὲ μετῆν πάνυ τοῦ πολέμου;

Λυσιστράτη καὶ μὴν ὦ παγκατάρατε πλεῖν ἤ γε διπλοῦν αὐτὸν φέρομεν, πρώτιστον μέν γε τεκοῦσαι κἀκπέμψασαι παῖδας ὁπλίτας. 590

Πρόβουλος σίγα, μὴ μνησικακήσῃς.

Πρόβουλος οὔκουν χἄνδρες γηράσκουσιν;

Current edition Perseus

MAGISTRATE What do you mean? Please explain. 675

LYSISTRATA First, we'll not see you now flourishing arms about into the Marketing-place clang again.

WOMEN No, by the Paphian.

LYSISTRATA Still I can conjure them as past were the herbs stand or crockery's sold Like Corybants jingling (poor sots) fully armoured, they noisily round 680 on their promenade strolled.

MAGISTRATE And rightly; that's discipline, they—

MAGISTRATE How, may I ask, will your rule re-establish order and justice in lands so tormented? 695

LYSISTRATA Nothing is easier.

MAGISTRATE Out with it speedily—what is this plan that you boast you've invented?

MAGISTRATE So with these trivial tricks of the household, domestic analogies of threads, skeins and spools, You think that you'll solve such a bitter complexity, unwind such political problems, you fools!

MAGISTRATE How terrible is it to stand here and watch them carding and winding at will with our fate, Witless in war as they are. 730

LYSISTRATA What of us then, who ever in vain for our children must weep Borne but to perish afar and in vain?

MAGISTRATE Not that, O let that one memory sleep!

LYSISTRATA Then while we should be companioned still merrily, happy as brides may, the livelong night, 735 Kissing youth by, we are forced to lie single.... But leave for a moment our pitiful plight, It hurts even more to behold the poor maidens helpless wrinkling in staler virginity.

MAGISTRATE Does not a man age? 740

LYSISTRATA Not in the same way. Not as a woman grows withered, grows he. He, when returned from the war, though grey-headed, yet if he wishes can choose out a wife. But she has no solace save peering for omens, wretched and lonely the rest of her life. 745

Commentary

Line 562

Line 578

Line 581

Stable identifiers

Πρόβουλος

τί ποιησάσας;
555

Λυσιστράτη

ἢν παύσωμεν πρώτιστον μὲν ξὺν ὅπλοισιν

ἀγοράζοντας καὶ μαινομένους.

Γυνὴ Α

νὴ τὴν Παφίαν Ἀφροδίτην.

Λυσιστράτη

νῦν μὲν γὰρ δὴ κἀν ταῖσι χύτραις κἀν τοῖς λαχάνοισιν ὁμοίως

περιέρχονται κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ξὺν ὅπλοις ὥσπερ Κορύβαντες.

Πρόβουλος

νὴ Δία· χρὴ γὰρ τοὺς ἀνδρείους.

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν τό γε πρᾶγμα γέλοιον,

ὅταν ἀσπίδʼ ἔχων καὶ Γοργόνα τις κᾆτʼ ὠνῆται κορακίνους.
560

Πρόβουλος

πῶς οὖν ὑμεῖς δυναταὶ παῦσαι τεταραγμένα πράγματα πολλὰ
565

ἐν ταῖς χώραις καὶ διαλῦσαι;

Λυσιστράτη

φαύλως πάνυ.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς; ἀπόδειξον.

Πρόβουλος

ἐξ ἐρίων δὴ καὶ κλωστήρων καὶ ἀτράκτων πράγματα δεινὰ

παύσειν οἴεσθʼ ὦ ἀνόητοι;

Λυσιστράτη

κἂν ὑμῖν γʼ εἴ τις ἐνῆν νοῦς,

ἐκ τῶν ἐρίων τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐπολιτεύεσθʼ ἂν ἅπαντα.

Πρόβουλος

πῶς δή; φέρʼ ἴδω.

Πρόβουλος

οὔκουν δεινὸν ταυτὶ ταύτας ῥαβδίξειν καὶ τολυπεύειν,

αἶς οὐδὲ μετῆν πάνυ τοῦ πολέμου;

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν ὦ παγκατάρατε

πλεῖν ἤ γε διπλοῦν αὐτὸν φέρομεν, πρώτιστον μέν γε τεκοῦσαι

κἀκπέμψασαι παῖδας ὁπλίτας.
590

Πρόβουλος

σίγα, μὴ μνησικακήσῃς.

Πρόβουλος

οὔκουν χἄνδρες γηράσκουσιν;

MAGISTRATE

What do you mean? Please explain.
675

LYSISTRATA

First, we'll not see you now flourishing arms about into the

Marketing-place clang again.

WOMEN

No, by the Paphian.

LYSISTRATA

Still I can conjure them as past were the herbs stand or crockery's sold

Like Corybants jingling (poor sots) fully armoured, they noisily round
680

on their promenade strolled.

MAGISTRATE

And rightly; that's discipline, they—

MAGISTRATE

How, may I ask, will your rule re-establish order and justice in lands

so tormented?
695

LYSISTRATA

Nothing is easier.

MAGISTRATE

Out with it speedily—what is this plan that you boast you've invented?

MAGISTRATE

So with these trivial tricks of the household, domestic analogies of

threads, skeins and spools,

You think that you'll solve such a bitter complexity, unwind such political

problems, you fools!

MAGISTRATE

How terrible is it to stand here and watch them carding and winding at

will with our fate,

Witless in war as they are.
730

LYSISTRATA

What of us then, who ever in vain for our children must weep

Borne but to perish afar and in vain?

MAGISTRATE

Not that, O let that one memory sleep!

LYSISTRATA

Then while we should be companioned still merrily, happy as brides may,

the livelong night,
735

Kissing youth by, we are forced to lie single.... But leave for a moment

our pitiful plight,

It hurts even more to behold the poor maidens helpless wrinkling in

staler virginity.

MAGISTRATE

Does not a man age?
740

LYSISTRATA

Not in the same way. Not as a woman grows withered, grows he.

He, when returned from the war, though grey-headed, yet

if he wishes can choose out a wife.

But she has no solace save peering for omens, wretched and

lonely the rest of her life.
745