Aristophanes Lysistrata 870

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

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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.) — 870 focus
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.) — 870 focus

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

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Line 886

πολλῷ γεγενῆσθαι κἀγανώτερον βλέπειν·
The participle βλέπειν (accusative singular feminine of the present participle of βλέπω) functions as an adverbial modifier of manner or degree, dependent on the comparative adjective κἀγανώτερον. This construction, where a participle in the accusative agrees with a comparative adjective in the accusative (here implied by the ellipsis of the subject of the infinitive clause or functioning as a supplement to the comparative), is a distinctive feature of Attic comedy syntax. While comparatives often take genitives of comparison, the use of the accusative participle to intensify the comparative sense ('to be far more gentle in one's gaze') relies on the colloquial, fluid syntax characteristic of Aristophanic dialogue, contrasting with the more rigid constraints of High Attic prose. The particle γε here emphasizes the affirmative or concessive force of the statement, typical of the speaker's rhetorical strategy in this passage.

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Line 887

χἂ δυσκολαίνει πρὸς ἐμὲ καὶ βρενθύεται,
The verb βρενθύεται is a hapax legomenon in extant Greek literature, appearing only here in Aristophanes. It is a compound of the preposition ἐκ (implied in the reduplication or prefixal sense) and a root related to βρένθος (a well or deep pit), used here as a comic metaphor for 'drowning' or 'being overwhelmed' in a state of sullenness or grumpiness. The verb is not attested elsewhere, making its precise semantic range dependent entirely on this context, where it likely conveys the image of someone sinking into a deep, suffocating mood.

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Line 898

τὰ δὲ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ἱέρʼ ἀνοργίαστά σοι
The noun ἀνοργίαστά (accusative plural neuter) is a hapax legomenon in Aristophanes and extremely rare in extant Greek literature. It is a compound formed from the negative prefix ἀ- and ὀργία (orgies, specifically of the cult of Aphrodite), functioning as a substantive adjective meaning 'orgies without ritual' or 'uninitiated rites.' The term is a technical satirical coinage targeting the character's lack of proper religious or sexual initiation, relying on the audience's knowledge of the distinction between sanctioned orgiastic cult practices (orgia) and profane acts. Its rarity and specific theological/sexual connotation make it a prime example of Aristophanic lexical invention.