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Line 846

χὠ τέτανος ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τροχοῦ στρεβλούμενον.

The term τέτανος here functions as a technical medical term for the 'spasm' or 'convulsion' associated with tetanus, distinct from its general sense of 'tension' or 'strain.' Aristophanes exploits this clinical terminology for comic effect, equating the physical spasms of the character's body with the mechanical action of a turning wheel (ἐπὶ τροχοῦ), thereby visualizing the grotesque contortion of the body as a deliberate, machine-like process.

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.) — 829 focus

Λυσιστράτη

ἰοὺ ἰοὺ γυναῖκες ἴτε δεῦρʼ ὡς ἐμὲ

ταχέως.
830

Γυνή

τί δʼ ἔστιν; εἰπέ μοι τίς ἡ βοή;

Λυσιστράτη

ἄνδρʼ ἄνδρʼ ὁρῶ προσιόντα παραπεπληγμένον,

τοῖς τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ὀργίοις εἰλημμένον.

ὦ πότνια Κύπρου καὶ Κυθήρων καὶ Πάφου

μεδέουσʼ, ἴθʼ ὀρθὴν ἥνπερ ἔρχι τὴν ὁδόν.

Γυνή

ποῦ δʼ ἐστὶν ὅστις ἐστί;
835

Λυσιστράτη

παρὰ τὸ τῆς Χλόης.

Γυνή

ὢ νὴ Δίʼ ἔστι δῆτα. τίς κἀστίν ποτε;

Λυσιστράτη

ὁρᾶτε· γιγνώσκει τις ὑμῶν;

Μυρρίνη

νὴ Δία

ἔγωγε· κἀστὶν οὑμὸς ἀνὴρ Κινησίας.

Λυσιστράτη

σὸν ἔργον ἤδη τοῦτον ὀπτᾶν καὶ στρέφειν

κἀξηπεροπεύειν καὶ φιλεῖν καὶ μὴ φιλεῖν,
840

καὶ πάνθʼ ὑπέχειν πλὴν ὧν σύνοιδεν ἡ κύλιξ.

Μυρρίνη

ἀμέλει ποιήσω ταῦτʼ ἐγώ.

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ

ξυνηπεροπεύσω σοι παραμένουσʼ ἐνθαδί,

καὶ ξυσταθεύσω τοῦτον. ἀλλʼ ἀπέλθετε.

Κινησίας

οἴμοι κακοδαίμων, οἷος ὁ σπασμός μʼ ἔχει
845

χὠ τέτανος ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τροχοῦ στρεβλούμενον.

Λυσιστράτη

τίς οὗτος οὑντὸς τῶν φυλάκων ἑστώς;

Κινησίας

ἐγώ.

Λυσιστράτη

ἀνήρ;

Κινησίας

ἀνὴρ δῆτʼ.

Λυσιστράτη

οὐκ ἄπει δῆτʼ ἐκποδών;

Κινησίας

σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς ἡκβάλλουσά μʼ;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεροσκόπος.

Κινησίας

πρὸς τῶν θεῶν νυν ἐκκάλεσόν μοι Μυρρίνην.
850

Λυσιστράτη

ἰδοὺ καλέσω ʼγὼ Μυρρίνην σοι; σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ;

Κινησίας

ἀνὴρ ἐκείνης, Παιονίδης Κινησίας.

Λυσιστράτη

ὦ χαῖρε φίλτατʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἀκλεὲς τοὔνομ

τὸ σὸν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐστιν οὐδʼ ἀνώνυμον.

ἀεὶ γὰρ ἡ γυνή σʼ ἔχει διὰ στόμα.
855

κἂν ᾠὸν ἢ μῆλον λάβῃ, Κινησίᾳ

τουτὶ γένοιτο, φησίν.

Κινησίας

ὢ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν.

Λυσιστράτη

νὴ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην· κἂν περὶ ἀνδρῶν γʼ ἐμπέσῃ

λόγος τις, εἴρηκʼ εὐθέως ἡ σὴ γυνὴ

ὅτι λῆρός ἐστι τἄλλα πρὸς Κινησίαν.
860

Κινησίας

ἴθι νυν κάλεσον αὐτήν.

Λυσιστράτη

τί οὖν; δώσεις τί μοι;

Κινησίας

ἔγωγέ σοι νὴ τὸν Δίʼ, ἢν βούλῃ γε σύ·

ἔχω δὲ τοῦθʼ· ὅπερ οὖν ἔχω, δίδωμί σοι.

Λυσιστράτη

φέρε νυν καλέσω καταβᾶσά σοι.

Κινησίας

ταχύ νυν πάνυ.

ὡς οὐδεμίαν ἔχω γε τῷ βίῳ χάριν,
865

ἐξ οὗπερ αὕτη ʼξῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας·

ἀλλʼ ἄχθομαι μὲν εἰσιών, ἔρημα δὲ

εἶναι δοκεῖ μοι πάντα, τοῖς δὲ σιτίοις

χάριν οὐδεμίαν οἶδʼ ἐσθίων· ἔστυκα γάρ.

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.) — 829 focus

LYSISTRATA appears.

LYSISTRATA

Hollo there, hasten hither to me

Skip fast along.

WOMAN

What is this? Why the noise?

LYSISTRATA

A man, a man! I spy a frenzied man!

He carries Love upon him like a staff.
1020

O Lady of Cyprus , and Cythera , and Paphos ,

I beseech you, keep our minds and hands to the oath.

WOMAN

Where is he, whoever he is?

LYSISTRATA

By the Temple of Chloe.

WOMAN

Yes, now I see him. but who can he be?
1025

LYSISTRATA

Look at him. Does anyone recognise his face?

MYRRHINE

I do. He is my husband, Cinesias.

LYSISTRATA

You know how to work. Play with him, lead him on,

Seduce him to the cozening-point—kiss him, kiss him,

Then slip your mouth aside just as he's sure of it,
1030

Ungirdle every caress his mouth feels at

Save that the oath upon the bowl has locked.

MYRRHINE

You can rely on me.

LYSISTRATA

I'll stay here to help

In working up his ardor to its height
1035

Of vain magnificence.... The rest to their quarters.

Enter CINESIAS.

Who is this that stands within our lines?

CINESIAS

I.

LYSISTRATA

A man?

CINESIAS

Too much a man!
1040

LYSISTRATA

Then be off at once.

CINESIAS

Who are you that thus eject me?

LYSISTRATA

Guard for the day.

CINESIAS

By all the gods, then call Myrrhine hither.

LYSISTRATA

So, call Myrrhine hither! Who are you?
1045

CINESIAS

I am her husband Cinesias, son of Anthros.

LYSISTRATA

Welcome, dear friend! That glorious name of yours

Is quite familiar in our ranks. Your wife

Continually has it in her mouth.

She cannot touch an apple or an egg
1050

But she must say, “This to Cinesias!”

CINESIAS

O is that true?

LYSISTRATA

By Aphrodite, it is.

If the conversation strikes on men, your wife

Cuts in with, “All are boobies by Cinesias.”
1055

CINESIAS

Then call her here.

LYSISTRATA

And what am I to get?

CINESIAS

This, if you want it.... See, what I have here.

But not to take away.

LYSISTRATA

Then I'll call her.
1060

CINESIAS

Be quick, be quick. All grace is wiped from life

Since she went away. O sad, sad am I

When there I enter on that loneliness,

And wine is unvintaged of the sun's flavour.

And food is tasteless. But I've put on weight.
1065

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.) — 829 focus

Lysistrata: Ouch, ouch, women, come here to me.

Lysistrata: Quickly.

830

Woman: What is it? Tell me, who is the shout?

Lysistrata: A man, a man I see coming, beaten up,

Lysistrata: Taken by the rites of Aphrodite.

Lysistrata: O mistress of Cyprus, and of the Cytherae, and of Paphos

Lysistrata: Keep it, go straight down the path you are on.

Woman: Where is someone who is there?

835

Lysistrata: at Chloe's house.

Woman: By Zeus, it is indeed. Who is she, then?

Lysistrata: Do you see? Does one of you understand?

Myrrhine: by Zeus!

Myrrhine: I certainly do. And my husband is Cinesias.

Lysistrata: Your work is already to roast this man and turn him.

Lysistrata: to flatter and to love and not to love,

840

Lysistrata: and [she said that] she would do everything except what the cup knew.

Myrrhine: I shall certainly do this.

Lysistrata: And indeed, I

Lysistrata: I will slander you for remaining here,

Lysistrata: And I will flay this man. But go away.

Kinesias: Alas, wretch, what a grip I have!

845

Kinesias: and the fourth [note], just like being twisted on a wheel.

Lysistrata: Who is this one of the guards standing here?

Kinesias: I.

Lysistrata: A man?

Kinesias: 'Why, he is a man, then.'

Lysistrata: Surely they won't get away from us?

Kinesias: But who are you who have been striking me?

Lysistrata: day-watchman.

Kinesias: by the gods, now call Myrrhine out to me.

850

Lysistrata: Shall I call Myrrhine for you? And who are you?

Cinesias: That woman's man, Paionides' Cinesias.

Lysistrata: Hail, dearest friend, for your name is not unknown.

Lysistrata: It is yours with us, and not unnamed.

Lysistrata: For a woman always has you by the mouth.

855

Lysistrata: And if she takes an egg or a cheese, Kinna!

Lysistrata: May this happen, he says.

Kinesias: Oh by the gods.

Lysistrata: By Aphrodite! Even if it be about men.

Lysistrata: A message; your wife has spoken immediately.

Lysistrata: because the rest is nonsense with respect to Cinesias.

860

Kinesias: Go now and call her.

Lysistrata: So what? Will you give me something?

Kinesias: I certainly will, by Zeus, if you wish.

Cinesias: I have this: whatever I have, I give to you.

Lysistrata: Come, then, let me call her down to you.

Kinesias: Quickly now, very quickly.

Kinesias: 'For I owe no thanks at all for my life,'

865

Kinesias: From the time when this woman left the house.

Cinesias: But I am annoyed as I enter, and it is desolate.

Kinesias: Everything seems to me to be in order, but as for the food supplies...

Kinesias: I know no favor at all from him; for I am disgusted.

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

846. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-42

Line 846

χὠ τέτανος ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τροχοῦ στρεβλούμενον.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 846

Current edition Experimental

Λυσιστράτη ἰοὺ ἰοὺ γυναῖκες ἴτε δεῦρʼ ὡς ἐμὲ ταχέως. 830

Γυνή τί δʼ ἔστιν; εἰπέ μοι τίς ἡ βοή;

Γυνή ποῦ δʼ ἐστὶν ὅστις ἐστί; 835

Λυσιστράτη παρὰ τὸ τῆς Χλόης.

Γυνή ὢ νὴ Δίʼ ἔστι δῆτα. τίς κἀστίν ποτε;

Λυσιστράτη ὁρᾶτε· γιγνώσκει τις ὑμῶν;

Μυρρίνη νὴ Δία ἔγωγε· κἀστὶν οὑμὸς ἀνὴρ Κινησίας.

Λυσιστράτη σὸν ἔργον ἤδη τοῦτον ὀπτᾶν καὶ στρέφειν κἀξηπεροπεύειν καὶ φιλεῖν καὶ μὴ φιλεῖν, 840 καὶ πάνθʼ ὑπέχειν πλὴν ὧν σύνοιδεν ἡ κύλιξ.

Μυρρίνη ἀμέλει ποιήσω ταῦτʼ ἐγώ.

Λυσιστράτη καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ ξυνηπεροπεύσω σοι παραμένουσʼ ἐνθαδί, καὶ ξυσταθεύσω τοῦτον. ἀλλʼ ἀπέλθετε.

Κινησίας οἴμοι κακοδαίμων, οἷος ὁ σπασμός μʼ ἔχει 845 χὠ τέτανος ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τροχοῦ στρεβλούμενον.

Λυσιστράτη τίς οὗτος οὑντὸς τῶν φυλάκων ἑστώς;

Κινησίας ἐγώ.

Λυσιστράτη ἀνήρ;

Κινησίας ἀνὴρ δῆτʼ.

Λυσιστράτη οὐκ ἄπει δῆτʼ ἐκποδών;

Κινησίας σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς ἡκβάλλουσά μʼ;

Λυσιστράτη ἡμεροσκόπος.

Κινησίας πρὸς τῶν θεῶν νυν ἐκκάλεσόν μοι Μυρρίνην. 850

Λυσιστράτη ἰδοὺ καλέσω ʼγὼ Μυρρίνην σοι; σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ;

Κινησίας ἀνὴρ ἐκείνης, Παιονίδης Κινησίας.

Κινησίας ὢ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν.

Λυσιστράτη νὴ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην· κἂν περὶ ἀνδρῶν γʼ ἐμπέσῃ λόγος τις, εἴρηκʼ εὐθέως ἡ σὴ γυνὴ ὅτι λῆρός ἐστι τἄλλα πρὸς Κινησίαν. 860

Κινησίας ἴθι νυν κάλεσον αὐτήν.

Λυσιστράτη τί οὖν; δώσεις τί μοι;

Κινησίας ἔγωγέ σοι νὴ τὸν Δίʼ, ἢν βούλῃ γε σύ· ἔχω δὲ τοῦθʼ· ὅπερ οὖν ἔχω, δίδωμί σοι.

Λυσιστράτη φέρε νυν καλέσω καταβᾶσά σοι.

LYSISTRATA Hollo there, hasten hither to me Skip fast along.

WOMAN What is this? Why the noise?

LYSISTRATA A man, a man! I spy a frenzied man! He carries Love upon him like a staff. 1020 O Lady of Cyprus , and Cythera , and Paphos , I beseech you, keep our minds and hands to the oath.

WOMAN Where is he, whoever he is?

LYSISTRATA By the Temple of Chloe.

WOMAN Yes, now I see him. but who can he be? 1025

LYSISTRATA Look at him. Does anyone recognise his face?

MYRRHINE I do. He is my husband, Cinesias.

LYSISTRATA You know how to work. Play with him, lead him on, Seduce him to the cozening-point—kiss him, kiss him, Then slip your mouth aside just as he's sure of it, 1030 Ungirdle every caress his mouth feels at Save that the oath upon the bowl has locked.

MYRRHINE You can rely on me.

LYSISTRATA I'll stay here to help In working up his ardor to its height 1035 Of vain magnificence.... The rest to their quarters. Enter CINESIAS. Who is this that stands within our lines?

CINESIAS I.

LYSISTRATA A man?

CINESIAS Too much a man! 1040

LYSISTRATA Then be off at once.

CINESIAS Who are you that thus eject me?

LYSISTRATA Guard for the day.

CINESIAS By all the gods, then call Myrrhine hither.

LYSISTRATA So, call Myrrhine hither! Who are you? 1045

CINESIAS I am her husband Cinesias, son of Anthros.

LYSISTRATA Welcome, dear friend! That glorious name of yours Is quite familiar in our ranks. Your wife Continually has it in her mouth. She cannot touch an apple or an egg 1050 But she must say, “This to Cinesias!”

CINESIAS O is that true?

LYSISTRATA By Aphrodite, it is. If the conversation strikes on men, your wife Cuts in with, “All are boobies by Cinesias.” 1055

CINESIAS Then call her here.

LYSISTRATA And what am I to get?

CINESIAS This, if you want it.... See, what I have here. But not to take away.

LYSISTRATA Then I'll call her. 1060

CINESIAS Be quick, be quick. All grace is wiped from life Since she went away. O sad, sad am I When there I enter on that loneliness, And wine is unvintaged of the sun's flavour. And food is tasteless. But I've put on weight. 1065

Commentary

Line 846

Stable identifiers

Λυσιστράτη

ἰοὺ ἰοὺ γυναῖκες ἴτε δεῦρʼ ὡς ἐμὲ

ταχέως.
830

Γυνή

τί δʼ ἔστιν; εἰπέ μοι τίς ἡ βοή;

Γυνή

ποῦ δʼ ἐστὶν ὅστις ἐστί;
835

Λυσιστράτη

παρὰ τὸ τῆς Χλόης.

Γυνή

ὢ νὴ Δίʼ ἔστι δῆτα. τίς κἀστίν ποτε;

Λυσιστράτη

ὁρᾶτε· γιγνώσκει τις ὑμῶν;

Μυρρίνη

νὴ Δία

ἔγωγε· κἀστὶν οὑμὸς ἀνὴρ Κινησίας.

Λυσιστράτη

σὸν ἔργον ἤδη τοῦτον ὀπτᾶν καὶ στρέφειν

κἀξηπεροπεύειν καὶ φιλεῖν καὶ μὴ φιλεῖν,
840

καὶ πάνθʼ ὑπέχειν πλὴν ὧν σύνοιδεν ἡ κύλιξ.

Μυρρίνη

ἀμέλει ποιήσω ταῦτʼ ἐγώ.

Λυσιστράτη

καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ

ξυνηπεροπεύσω σοι παραμένουσʼ ἐνθαδί,

καὶ ξυσταθεύσω τοῦτον. ἀλλʼ ἀπέλθετε.

Κινησίας

οἴμοι κακοδαίμων, οἷος ὁ σπασμός μʼ ἔχει
845

χὠ τέτανος ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τροχοῦ στρεβλούμενον.

Λυσιστράτη

τίς οὗτος οὑντὸς τῶν φυλάκων ἑστώς;

Κινησίας

ἐγώ.

Λυσιστράτη

ἀνήρ;

Κινησίας

ἀνὴρ δῆτʼ.

Λυσιστράτη

οὐκ ἄπει δῆτʼ ἐκποδών;

Κινησίας

σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς ἡκβάλλουσά μʼ;

Λυσιστράτη

ἡμεροσκόπος.

Κινησίας

πρὸς τῶν θεῶν νυν ἐκκάλεσόν μοι Μυρρίνην.
850

Λυσιστράτη

ἰδοὺ καλέσω ʼγὼ Μυρρίνην σοι; σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ;

Κινησίας

ἀνὴρ ἐκείνης, Παιονίδης Κινησίας.

Κινησίας

ὢ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν.

Λυσιστράτη

νὴ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην· κἂν περὶ ἀνδρῶν γʼ ἐμπέσῃ

λόγος τις, εἴρηκʼ εὐθέως ἡ σὴ γυνὴ

ὅτι λῆρός ἐστι τἄλλα πρὸς Κινησίαν.
860

Κινησίας

ἴθι νυν κάλεσον αὐτήν.

Λυσιστράτη

τί οὖν; δώσεις τί μοι;

Κινησίας

ἔγωγέ σοι νὴ τὸν Δίʼ, ἢν βούλῃ γε σύ·

ἔχω δὲ τοῦθʼ· ὅπερ οὖν ἔχω, δίδωμί σοι.

Λυσιστράτη

φέρε νυν καλέσω καταβᾶσά σοι.

LYSISTRATA

Hollo there, hasten hither to me

Skip fast along.

WOMAN

What is this? Why the noise?

LYSISTRATA

A man, a man! I spy a frenzied man!

He carries Love upon him like a staff.
1020

O Lady of Cyprus , and Cythera , and Paphos ,

I beseech you, keep our minds and hands to the oath.

WOMAN

Where is he, whoever he is?

LYSISTRATA

By the Temple of Chloe.

WOMAN

Yes, now I see him. but who can he be?
1025

LYSISTRATA

Look at him. Does anyone recognise his face?

MYRRHINE

I do. He is my husband, Cinesias.

LYSISTRATA

You know how to work. Play with him, lead him on,

Seduce him to the cozening-point—kiss him, kiss him,

Then slip your mouth aside just as he's sure of it,
1030

Ungirdle every caress his mouth feels at

Save that the oath upon the bowl has locked.

MYRRHINE

You can rely on me.

LYSISTRATA

I'll stay here to help

In working up his ardor to its height
1035

Of vain magnificence.... The rest to their quarters.

Enter CINESIAS.

Who is this that stands within our lines?

CINESIAS

I.

LYSISTRATA

A man?

CINESIAS

Too much a man!
1040

LYSISTRATA

Then be off at once.

CINESIAS

Who are you that thus eject me?

LYSISTRATA

Guard for the day.

CINESIAS

By all the gods, then call Myrrhine hither.

LYSISTRATA

So, call Myrrhine hither! Who are you?
1045

CINESIAS

I am her husband Cinesias, son of Anthros.

LYSISTRATA

Welcome, dear friend! That glorious name of yours

Is quite familiar in our ranks. Your wife

Continually has it in her mouth.

She cannot touch an apple or an egg
1050

But she must say, “This to Cinesias!”

CINESIAS

O is that true?

LYSISTRATA

By Aphrodite, it is.

If the conversation strikes on men, your wife

Cuts in with, “All are boobies by Cinesias.”
1055

CINESIAS

Then call her here.

LYSISTRATA

And what am I to get?

CINESIAS

This, if you want it.... See, what I have here.

But not to take away.

LYSISTRATA

Then I'll call her.
1060

CINESIAS

Be quick, be quick. All grace is wiped from life

Since she went away. O sad, sad am I

When there I enter on that loneliness,

And wine is unvintaged of the sun's flavour.

And food is tasteless. But I've put on weight.
1065