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Line 1141

στρατιὰν προσαιτῶν; ἡ δὲ Μεσσήνη τότε

The phrase στρατιὰν προσαιτῶν ('begging for an army') is a striking example of Aristophanic hyperbole and irony. Lysistrata is not literally petitioning for troops; rather, she is satirizing the Athenian desperation for military support during the Peloponnesian War, specifically alluding to the failed Sicilian Expedition or the general reliance on mercenaries. The verb προσαιτέω, typically used for begging bread or alms, is repurposed here to degrade the state's military posture to that of a destitute supplicant, highlighting the absurdity of their situation.

Lysistrata. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Λυσιστράτη Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.) — 1157 focus

Λάκων

οὔπα γυναῖκʼ ὄπωπα χαϊωτεραν.

Ἀθηναῖος

ἐγὼ δὲ κύσθον γʼ οὐδέπω καλλίονα.

Λυσιστράτη

τί δῆθʼ υπηργμένων γε πολλῶν κἀγαθῶν

μάχεσθε κοὐ παύεσθε τῆς μοχθηρίας;
1160

τί δʼ οὐ διηλλάγητε; φέρε τί τοὐμποδών;

Λάκων

ἁμές γε λῶμες, αἴ τις ἁμὶν τὤγκυκλον

λῇ τοῦτʼ ἀποδόμεν.

Λυσιστράτη

ποῖον ὦ τᾶν;

Λάκων

τὰν Πύλον,

ἇσπερ πάλαι δεόμεθα καὶ βλιμάττομες.

Ἀθηναῖος

μὰ τὸν Ποσειδῶ τοῦτο μέν γʼ οὐ δράσετε.
1165

Λυσιστράτη

ἄφετʼ ὦγάθʼ αὐτοῖς.

Ἀθηναῖος

κᾆτα τίνα κινήσομεν;

Λυσιστράτη

ἕτερόν γʼ ἀπαιτεῖτʼ ἀντὶ τούτου χωρίον.

Ἀθηναῖος

τὸ δεῖνα τοίνυν παράδοθʼ ἡμῖν τουτονὶ

πρώτιστα τὸν Ἐχινοῦντα καὶ τὸν Μηλιᾶ

κόλπον τὸν ὄπισθεν καὶ τὰ Μεγαρικὰ σκέλη.
1170

Λάκων

οὐ τὼ σιὼ οὐχὶ πάντα γʼ ὦ λισσάνιε.

Λυσιστράτη

ἐᾶτε, μηδὲν διαφέρου περὶ σκελοῖν.

Ἀθηναῖος

ἤδη γεωργεῖν γυμνὸς ἀποδὺς βούλομαι.

Λάκων

ἐγὼ δὲ κοπραγωγεῖν γα †πρῶτα† ναὶ τὼ σιώ.

Λυσιστράτη

ἐπὴν διαλλαγῆτε, ταῦτα δράσετε.
1175

ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ δρᾶν ταῦτα, βουλεύσασθε καὶ

τοῖς ξυμμάχοις ἐλθόντες ἀνακοινώσατε.

Ἀθηναῖος

ποίοισιν ὦ τᾶν ξυμμάχοις; ἐστύκαμεν.

οὐ ταὐτὰ δόξει τοῖσι συμμάχοισι νῷν

βινεῖν ἅπασιν;
1180

Λάκων

τοῖσι γῶν ναὶ τὼ σιὼ

ἁμοῖσι.

Ἀθηναῖος

καὶ γὰρ ναὶ μὰ Δία Καρυστίοις.

Λυσιστράτη

καλῶς λέγετε. νῦν οὖν ὅπως ἁγνεύσετε,

ὅπως ἂν αἱ γυναῖκες ὑμᾶς ἐν πόλει

ξενίσωμεν ὧν ἐν ταῖσι κίσταις εἴχομεν.

ὅρκους δʼ ἐκεῖ καὶ πίστιν ἀλλήλοις δότε.
1185

κἄπειτα τὴν αὑτοῦ γυναῖχʼ ὑμῶν λαβὼν

ἄπεισʼ ἕκαστος.

Ἀθηναῖος

ἀλλʼ ἴωμεν ὡς τάχος.

Λάκων

ἄγʼ ὅπᾳ τυ λῇς.

Ἀθηναῖος

νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ὡς τάχιστʼ ἄγε.

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.) — 1157 focus

SPARTANS

I've never seen a nobler woman anywhere.

ATHENIANS

Nor I one with such prettily jointing hips.

LYSISTRATA

Now, brethren twined with mutual benefactions,

Can you still war, can you suffer such disgrace?
1385

Why not be friends? What is there to prevent you?

SPARTANS

We're agreed, gin that we get this tempting Mole.

LYSISTRATA

Which one?

SPARTANS

That ane we've wanted to get into,

O for sae lang.... Pylos , of course.
1390

ATHENIANS

By Poseidon,

Never!

LYSISTRATA

Give it up.

ATHENIANS

Then what will we do?

We need that ticklish place united to us—
1395

LYSISTRATA

Ask for some other lurking-hole in return.

ATHENIANS

Then, ah, we'll choose this snug thing here, Echinus ,

Shall we call the nestling spot? And this backside haven,

These desirable twin promontories, the Maliac,

And then of course these Megarean Legs.
1400

SPARTANS

Not that, O surely not that, never that.

LYSISTRATA

Agree! Now what are two legs more or less?

ATHENIANS

I want to strip at once and plough my land.

SPARTANS

And mine I want to fertilize at once.

LYSISTRATA

And so you can, when Peace is once declared.
1405

If you mean it, get your allies' heads together

And come to some decision.

ATHENIANS

What allies?

There's no distinction in our politics:

We've risen as one man to this conclusion;
1410

Every ally is jumping-mad to drive it home.

SPARTANS

And ours the same, for sure.

ATHENIANS

The Carystians first!

I'll bet on that

LYSISTRATA

I agree with all of you.
1415

Now off, and cleanse yourselves for the Acropolis,

For we invite you all in to a supper

From our commissariat baskets. There at table

You will pledge good behaviour and uprightness;

Then each man's wife is his to hustle home.
1420

ATHENIANS

Come, as quickly as possible.

SPARTANS

As quick as ye like.

Lead on.

ATHENIANS

O Zeus, quick, quick, lead quickly on.

They hurry off.

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.) — 1157 focus

Spartan: I have never seen a more charming woman.

Athenian: But I have not yet found a more beautiful one.

Lysistrata: But what of the many good deeds that have been accomplished?

Lysistrata: Are you fighting and not stopping your villainy?

1160

Lysistrata: Why then have you not made peace? Come now, what is the hindrance?

Lacedaemonian: We are indeed strong, if someone gives us the circle.

Lacedaemonian: Let this be lost.

Lysistrata: What is it, you wretched woman?

Lacedaemonian: "Pylos,"

Lacedaemonian: Just as we have long asked for and desired.

Athenian: By Poseidon, you certainly will not do this.

1165

Lysistrata: Let them go, you good men.

Athenian: And then what shall we stir up?

Lysistrata: Another place is demanded instead of this one.

Athenian: Then hand over this dreadful thing to us.

Athenian: first of all Echion and Melias.

Athenian: the rear bosom and the Megarian legs.

1170

Lacedaemonian: By Zeus, not everything, you beggar.

Lysistrata: Let go, and do not differ in any way concerning the legs.

Athenian: Now I want to farm, having stripped naked.

Lacedaemonian: But I, by the two goddesses, first of all, would like to go to the dung market.

Lysistrata: When you have made peace, you will do these things.

1175

Lysistrata: But if this seems good to do, let us take counsel also and

Lysistrata: Go to the allies and inform them.

Athenian: With which allies, oh my fellow allies? We are silent.

Athenian: It will not seem the same to the allies to us.

Athenian: to drink for all?

1180

Lacedaemonian: By the ground, yes, by your gods.

Lacedaemonian: With us both.

Athenian: For, by Zeus, [we are] also with the Carystians.

Lysistrata: You speak well. So now, in what way will you be chaste,

Lysistrata: in such a way that the women [might] [do something] to you in the city

Lysistrata: let us entertain ourselves with what we had in the baskets.

Lysistrata: But give oaths and trust to one another there.

1185

Lysistrata: and then, having taken his own wife of yours,

Lysistrata: Go away, each one.

Athenian: But let us go as quickly as possible.

Lacedaemonian: Come, wherever you wish.

Athenian: By Zeus, lead on as quickly as possible.

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

1141. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-59

Line 1141

στρατιὰν προσαιτῶν; ἡ δὲ Μεσσήνη τότε

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1141

Current edition Experimental

Λάκων οὔπα γυναῖκʼ ὄπωπα χαϊωτεραν.

Ἀθηναῖος ἐγὼ δὲ κύσθον γʼ οὐδέπω καλλίονα.

Λυσιστράτη τί δῆθʼ υπηργμένων γε πολλῶν κἀγαθῶν μάχεσθε κοὐ παύεσθε τῆς μοχθηρίας; 1160 τί δʼ οὐ διηλλάγητε; φέρε τί τοὐμποδών;

Λάκων ἁμές γε λῶμες, αἴ τις ἁμὶν τὤγκυκλον λῇ τοῦτʼ ἀποδόμεν.

Λυσιστράτη ποῖον ὦ τᾶν;

Λάκων τὰν Πύλον, ἇσπερ πάλαι δεόμεθα καὶ βλιμάττομες.

Ἀθηναῖος μὰ τὸν Ποσειδῶ τοῦτο μέν γʼ οὐ δράσετε. 1165

Λυσιστράτη ἄφετʼ ὦγάθʼ αὐτοῖς.

Ἀθηναῖος κᾆτα τίνα κινήσομεν;

Λυσιστράτη ἕτερόν γʼ ἀπαιτεῖτʼ ἀντὶ τούτου χωρίον.

Ἀθηναῖος τὸ δεῖνα τοίνυν παράδοθʼ ἡμῖν τουτονὶ πρώτιστα τὸν Ἐχινοῦντα καὶ τὸν Μηλιᾶ κόλπον τὸν ὄπισθεν καὶ τὰ Μεγαρικὰ σκέλη. 1170

Λάκων οὐ τὼ σιὼ οὐχὶ πάντα γʼ ὦ λισσάνιε.

Λυσιστράτη ἐᾶτε, μηδὲν διαφέρου περὶ σκελοῖν.

Ἀθηναῖος ἤδη γεωργεῖν γυμνὸς ἀποδὺς βούλομαι.

Λάκων ἐγὼ δὲ κοπραγωγεῖν γα †πρῶτα† ναὶ τὼ σιώ.

Λυσιστράτη ἐπὴν διαλλαγῆτε, ταῦτα δράσετε. 1175 ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ δρᾶν ταῦτα, βουλεύσασθε καὶ τοῖς ξυμμάχοις ἐλθόντες ἀνακοινώσατε.

Ἀθηναῖος ποίοισιν ὦ τᾶν ξυμμάχοις; ἐστύκαμεν. οὐ ταὐτὰ δόξει τοῖσι συμμάχοισι νῷν βινεῖν ἅπασιν; 1180

Λάκων τοῖσι γῶν ναὶ τὼ σιὼ ἁμοῖσι.

Ἀθηναῖος καὶ γὰρ ναὶ μὰ Δία Καρυστίοις.

Ἀθηναῖος ἀλλʼ ἴωμεν ὡς τάχος.

Λάκων ἄγʼ ὅπᾳ τυ λῇς.

Ἀθηναῖος νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ὡς τάχιστʼ ἄγε.

SPARTANS I've never seen a nobler woman anywhere.

ATHENIANS Nor I one with such prettily jointing hips.

LYSISTRATA Now, brethren twined with mutual benefactions, Can you still war, can you suffer such disgrace? 1385 Why not be friends? What is there to prevent you?

SPARTANS We're agreed, gin that we get this tempting Mole.

LYSISTRATA Which one?

SPARTANS That ane we've wanted to get into, O for sae lang.... Pylos , of course. 1390

ATHENIANS By Poseidon, Never!

LYSISTRATA Give it up.

ATHENIANS Then what will we do? We need that ticklish place united to us— 1395

LYSISTRATA Ask for some other lurking-hole in return.

ATHENIANS Then, ah, we'll choose this snug thing here, Echinus , Shall we call the nestling spot? And this backside haven, These desirable twin promontories, the Maliac, And then of course these Megarean Legs. 1400

SPARTANS Not that, O surely not that, never that.

LYSISTRATA Agree! Now what are two legs more or less?

ATHENIANS I want to strip at once and plough my land.

SPARTANS And mine I want to fertilize at once.

LYSISTRATA And so you can, when Peace is once declared. 1405 If you mean it, get your allies' heads together And come to some decision.

ATHENIANS What allies? There's no distinction in our politics: We've risen as one man to this conclusion; 1410 Every ally is jumping-mad to drive it home.

SPARTANS And ours the same, for sure.

ATHENIANS The Carystians first! I'll bet on that

LYSISTRATA I agree with all of you. 1415 Now off, and cleanse yourselves for the Acropolis, For we invite you all in to a supper From our commissariat baskets. There at table You will pledge good behaviour and uprightness; Then each man's wife is his to hustle home. 1420

ATHENIANS Come, as quickly as possible.

SPARTANS As quick as ye like. Lead on.

ATHENIANS O Zeus, quick, quick, lead quickly on.

Commentary

Line 1141

Stable identifiers

Λάκων

οὔπα γυναῖκʼ ὄπωπα χαϊωτεραν.

Ἀθηναῖος

ἐγὼ δὲ κύσθον γʼ οὐδέπω καλλίονα.

Λυσιστράτη

τί δῆθʼ υπηργμένων γε πολλῶν κἀγαθῶν

μάχεσθε κοὐ παύεσθε τῆς μοχθηρίας;
1160

τί δʼ οὐ διηλλάγητε; φέρε τί τοὐμποδών;

Λάκων

ἁμές γε λῶμες, αἴ τις ἁμὶν τὤγκυκλον

λῇ τοῦτʼ ἀποδόμεν.

Λυσιστράτη

ποῖον ὦ τᾶν;

Λάκων

τὰν Πύλον,

ἇσπερ πάλαι δεόμεθα καὶ βλιμάττομες.

Ἀθηναῖος

μὰ τὸν Ποσειδῶ τοῦτο μέν γʼ οὐ δράσετε.
1165

Λυσιστράτη

ἄφετʼ ὦγάθʼ αὐτοῖς.

Ἀθηναῖος

κᾆτα τίνα κινήσομεν;

Λυσιστράτη

ἕτερόν γʼ ἀπαιτεῖτʼ ἀντὶ τούτου χωρίον.

Ἀθηναῖος

τὸ δεῖνα τοίνυν παράδοθʼ ἡμῖν τουτονὶ

πρώτιστα τὸν Ἐχινοῦντα καὶ τὸν Μηλιᾶ

κόλπον τὸν ὄπισθεν καὶ τὰ Μεγαρικὰ σκέλη.
1170

Λάκων

οὐ τὼ σιὼ οὐχὶ πάντα γʼ ὦ λισσάνιε.

Λυσιστράτη

ἐᾶτε, μηδὲν διαφέρου περὶ σκελοῖν.

Ἀθηναῖος

ἤδη γεωργεῖν γυμνὸς ἀποδὺς βούλομαι.

Λάκων

ἐγὼ δὲ κοπραγωγεῖν γα †πρῶτα† ναὶ τὼ σιώ.

Λυσιστράτη

ἐπὴν διαλλαγῆτε, ταῦτα δράσετε.
1175

ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ δρᾶν ταῦτα, βουλεύσασθε καὶ

τοῖς ξυμμάχοις ἐλθόντες ἀνακοινώσατε.

Ἀθηναῖος

ποίοισιν ὦ τᾶν ξυμμάχοις; ἐστύκαμεν.

οὐ ταὐτὰ δόξει τοῖσι συμμάχοισι νῷν

βινεῖν ἅπασιν;
1180

Λάκων

τοῖσι γῶν ναὶ τὼ σιὼ

ἁμοῖσι.

Ἀθηναῖος

καὶ γὰρ ναὶ μὰ Δία Καρυστίοις.

Ἀθηναῖος

ἀλλʼ ἴωμεν ὡς τάχος.

Λάκων

ἄγʼ ὅπᾳ τυ λῇς.

Ἀθηναῖος

νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ὡς τάχιστʼ ἄγε.

SPARTANS

I've never seen a nobler woman anywhere.

ATHENIANS

Nor I one with such prettily jointing hips.

LYSISTRATA

Now, brethren twined with mutual benefactions,

Can you still war, can you suffer such disgrace?
1385

Why not be friends? What is there to prevent you?

SPARTANS

We're agreed, gin that we get this tempting Mole.

LYSISTRATA

Which one?

SPARTANS

That ane we've wanted to get into,

O for sae lang.... Pylos , of course.
1390

ATHENIANS

By Poseidon,

Never!

LYSISTRATA

Give it up.

ATHENIANS

Then what will we do?

We need that ticklish place united to us—
1395

LYSISTRATA

Ask for some other lurking-hole in return.

ATHENIANS

Then, ah, we'll choose this snug thing here, Echinus ,

Shall we call the nestling spot? And this backside haven,

These desirable twin promontories, the Maliac,

And then of course these Megarean Legs.
1400

SPARTANS

Not that, O surely not that, never that.

LYSISTRATA

Agree! Now what are two legs more or less?

ATHENIANS

I want to strip at once and plough my land.

SPARTANS

And mine I want to fertilize at once.

LYSISTRATA

And so you can, when Peace is once declared.
1405

If you mean it, get your allies' heads together

And come to some decision.

ATHENIANS

What allies?

There's no distinction in our politics:

We've risen as one man to this conclusion;
1410

Every ally is jumping-mad to drive it home.

SPARTANS

And ours the same, for sure.

ATHENIANS

The Carystians first!

I'll bet on that

LYSISTRATA

I agree with all of you.
1415

Now off, and cleanse yourselves for the Acropolis,

For we invite you all in to a supper

From our commissariat baskets. There at table

You will pledge good behaviour and uprightness;

Then each man's wife is his to hustle home.
1420

ATHENIANS

Come, as quickly as possible.

SPARTANS

As quick as ye like.

Lead on.

ATHENIANS

O Zeus, quick, quick, lead quickly on.