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Line 987

τί δὴ προβάλλει τὴν χλαμύδʼ; ἢ βουβωνιᾷς

The verb προβάλλει is used here in a specific theatrical sense, meaning 'to hold out' or 'to display' (the cloak), rather than the more common 'to project' or 'to advance.' This action is the physical setup for the comic punchline, where the character Lysistrata (or the Chorus) interprets the gesture of holding out the cloak as a sign of a bubonic plague infection (βουβωνιᾷς). The term βουβωνιᾷς is a medical reference to buboes (swollen lymph nodes), the hallmark symptom of the Plague of Athens; its use here is a grotesque hyperbole, suggesting the character's cloak is so tattered or held in such a specific way that it mimics the appearance of a bubo, or that the gesture itself is an absurd attempt to hide a swelling.

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.) — 980 focus

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

πᾷ τᾶν Ἀσανᾶν ἐστιν ἁ γερωχία
980

ἢ τοὶ πρυτάνιες; λῶ τι μυσίξαι νέον.

Κινησίας

σὺ δʼ εἶ πότερον ἄνθρωπος ἢ κονίσαλος;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

κᾶρυξ ἐγὼν ὦ κυρσάνιε ναὶ τὼ σιὼ

ἔμολον ἀπὸ Σπάρτας περὶ τᾶν διαλλαγᾶν.

Κινησίας

κἄπειτα δόρυ δῆθʼ ὑπὸ μάλης ἥκεις ἔχων;
985

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

οὐ τὸν Δίʼ οὐκ ἐγών γα.

Κινησίας

ποῖ μεταστρέφει;

τί δὴ προβάλλει τὴν χλαμύδʼ; ἢ βουβωνιᾷς

ὑπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

παλαιόρ γα ναὶ τὸν Κάστορα

ὥνθρωπος.

Κινησίας

ἀλλʼ ἔστυκας ὦ μιαρώτατε.

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

οὐ τὸν Δίʼ οὐκ ἐγών γα· μηδʼ αὖ πλαδδίη.
990

Κινησίας

τί δʼ ἐστί σοι τοδί;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

σκυτάλα Λακωνικά.

Κινησίας

εἴπερ γε χαὔτη ʼστὶ σκυτάλη Λακωνική.

ἀλλʼ ὡς πρὸς εἰδότʼ ἐμὲ σὺ τἀληθῆ λέγε.

τί τὰ πράγμαθʼ ὑμῖν ἐστι τἀν Λακεδαίμονι;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

ὀρσὰ Λακεδαίμων πᾶα καὶ τοὶ σύμμαχοι
995

ἅπαντες ἐστύκαντι· Πελλάνας δὲ δεῖ.

Κινησίας

ἀπὸ τοῦ δὲ τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν ὑμῖν ἐνέπεσεν;

ἀπὸ Πανός;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

οὔκ, ἀλλʼ ἆρχεν οἰῶ Λαμπιτώ,

ἔπειτα τἄλλαι ταὶ κατὰ Σπάρταν ἅμα

γυναῖκες ᾇπερ ἀπὸ μιᾶς ὑσπλαγίδος
1000

ἀπήλααν τὼς ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν ὑσσάκων.

Κινησίας

πῶς οὖν ἔχετε;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

μογίομες. ἂν γὰρ τὰν πόλιν

ᾇπερ λυχνοφορίοντες ἐπικεκύφαμες.

ταὶ γὰρ γυναῖκες οὐδὲ τῶ μύρτω σιγεῖν

ἐῶντι, πρίν γʼ ἅπαντες ἐξ ἑνὸς λόγω
1005

σπονδὰς ποιησώμεσθα ποττὰν Ἑλλάδα.

Κινησίας

τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα πανταχόθεν ξυνομώμοται

ὑπὸ τῶν γυναικῶν· ἄρτι νυνὶ μανθάνω.

ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα φράζε περὶ διαλλαγῶν

αὐτοκράτορας πρέσβεις ἀποπέμπειν ἐνθαδί.
1010

ἐγὼ δʼ ἑτέρους ἐνθένδε τῇ βουλῇ φράσω

πρέσβεις ἑλέσθαι τὸ πέος ἐπιδείξας τοδί.

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

ποτάομαι· κράτιστα γὰρ παντᾷ λέγεις.

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.) — 980 focus

Enter SPARTAN HERALD. The MAGISTRATE comes forward.

HERALD

What here gabs the Senate an' the Prytanes?

I've fetcht despatches for them.
1200

MAGISTRATE

Are you a man

Or a monstrosity?

HERALD

My scrimp-brained lad,

I'm a herald, as ye see, who hae come frae Sparta

Anent a Peace.
1205

MAGISTRATE

Then why do you hide that lance

That sticks out under your arms?

HERALD.

I've brought no lance.

MAGISTRATE

Then why do you turn aside and hold your cloak

So far out from your body? Is your groin swollen
1210

With stress of travelling?

HERALD

By Castor, I'll swear

The man is wud.

MAGISTRATE

Indeed, your cloak is wide,

My rascal fellow.
1215

HERALD

But I tell ye No!

Enow o' fleering!

MAGISTRATE

Well, what is it then?

HERALD

It's my despatch cane.

MAGISTRATE

Of course—a Spartan cane!
1220

But speak right out. I know all this too well.

Are new privations springing up in Sparta ?

HERALD

Och, hard as could be: in lofty lusty columns

Our allies stand united. We maun get Pellene .

MAGISTRATE

Whence has this evil come? Is it from Pan?
1225

HERALD

No. Lampito first ran asklent, then the ithers

Sprinted after her example, and blocked, the hizzies,

Their wames unskaithed against our every fleech.

MAGISTRATE

What did you do?

HERALD

We are broken, and bent double,
1230

Limp like men carrying lanthorns in great winds

About the city. They winna let us even

Wi' lightest neif skim their primsie pretties

Till we've concluded Peace-terms wi' a' Hellas .

MAGISTRATE

So the conspiracy is universal;
1235

This proves it. Then return to Sparta . Bid them

Send envoys with full powers to treat of Peace;

And I will urge the Senate here to choose

Plenipotentiary ambassadors,

As argument adducing this connection.
1240

HERALD

I'm off. Your wisdom nane could contravert.

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.) — 980 focus

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Where are the Athenians? Where is the council of elders?

980

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Is it the prytanes? Let's do a bit of new magic.

Kinésias: Are you, then, a man or a lump of dust?

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: I am a herald, Lord Cursanius, by the gods!

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: I am coming from Sparta about the peace terms.

Kinesias: And then, with a spear tied under your armpit, have you come?

985

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Not by Zeus, I do not!

Kinésias: Where is he turning?

Kinesias: What is he putting forward the cloak for? Is it for his bubonic plague?

Kinesias: By the road?

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: by the gods, it is indeed old!

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: O man.

Kinesias: But you are silent, most wicked man.

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Not by Zeus, not I; nor again in jest.

990

Kinesias: What is this to you?

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: a Lacedaemonian scytale.

Kinesias: If this is indeed a Lacedaemonian baton.

Kinesias: But as one who knows me, tell me the truth.

Cinesias: What is the matter with you in Sparta?

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Up and away, Lacedaemon and all her allies!

995

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Everyone has been beaten; we must take Pellene.

Kinesias: But from where did this evil befall you?

Kinesias: From Panos?

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: No, but I want to be a Lampon.

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Then the rest of the women, together.

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Women, who are from one womb.

1000

Messenger of the Lacedaemonians: They drove the two men away from the huts.

Kinesias: How are you, then?

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: we are weary. For if the city

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: We have bent our heads over like candle-bearers.

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: for the women cannot keep silent even from the myrtle.

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: Let them be quiet, before they all in one voice

1005

Herald of the Lacedaemonians: let us make a treaty for all Greece.

Kinesias: This matter has been sworn about from every side.

Kinesias: By the women. I just now am learning it.

Kinesias: But declare as quickly as possible about the terms of peace.

Kinesias: [He] sends out ambassadors as plenipotentiaries to this place.

1010

Kinesias: But I will tell the Council others from here.

Kinesias: having shown this penis, to choose ambassadors.

Messenger of the Lacedaemonians: I am drunk, for you speak most wisely everywhere.

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

987. mvp-tlg0019-tlg007-sanjaya-com-eng1-49

Line 987

τί δὴ προβάλλει τὴν χλαμύδʼ; ἢ βουβωνιᾷς

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Line 987

Current edition Experimental

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων πᾷ τᾶν Ἀσανᾶν ἐστιν ἁ γερωχία 980 ἢ τοὶ πρυτάνιες; λῶ τι μυσίξαι νέον.

Κινησίας σὺ δʼ εἶ πότερον ἄνθρωπος ἢ κονίσαλος;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων κᾶρυξ ἐγὼν ὦ κυρσάνιε ναὶ τὼ σιὼ ἔμολον ἀπὸ Σπάρτας περὶ τᾶν διαλλαγᾶν.

Κινησίας κἄπειτα δόρυ δῆθʼ ὑπὸ μάλης ἥκεις ἔχων; 985

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων οὐ τὸν Δίʼ οὐκ ἐγών γα.

Κινησίας ποῖ μεταστρέφει; τί δὴ προβάλλει τὴν χλαμύδʼ; ἢ βουβωνιᾷς ὑπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων παλαιόρ γα ναὶ τὸν Κάστορα ὥνθρωπος.

Κινησίας ἀλλʼ ἔστυκας ὦ μιαρώτατε.

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων οὐ τὸν Δίʼ οὐκ ἐγών γα· μηδʼ αὖ πλαδδίη. 990

Κινησίας τί δʼ ἐστί σοι τοδί;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων σκυτάλα Λακωνικά.

Κινησίας εἴπερ γε χαὔτη ʼστὶ σκυτάλη Λακωνική. ἀλλʼ ὡς πρὸς εἰδότʼ ἐμὲ σὺ τἀληθῆ λέγε. τί τὰ πράγμαθʼ ὑμῖν ἐστι τἀν Λακεδαίμονι;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων ὀρσὰ Λακεδαίμων πᾶα καὶ τοὶ σύμμαχοι 995 ἅπαντες ἐστύκαντι· Πελλάνας δὲ δεῖ.

Κινησίας ἀπὸ τοῦ δὲ τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν ὑμῖν ἐνέπεσεν; ἀπὸ Πανός;

Κινησίας πῶς οὖν ἔχετε;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων ποτάομαι· κράτιστα γὰρ παντᾷ λέγεις.

HERALD What here gabs the Senate an' the Prytanes? I've fetcht despatches for them. 1200

MAGISTRATE Are you a man Or a monstrosity?

HERALD My scrimp-brained lad, I'm a herald, as ye see, who hae come frae Sparta Anent a Peace. 1205

MAGISTRATE Then why do you hide that lance That sticks out under your arms?

HERALD. I've brought no lance.

MAGISTRATE Then why do you turn aside and hold your cloak So far out from your body? Is your groin swollen 1210 With stress of travelling?

HERALD By Castor, I'll swear The man is wud.

MAGISTRATE Indeed, your cloak is wide, My rascal fellow. 1215

HERALD But I tell ye No! Enow o' fleering!

MAGISTRATE Well, what is it then?

HERALD It's my despatch cane.

MAGISTRATE Of course—a Spartan cane! 1220 But speak right out. I know all this too well. Are new privations springing up in Sparta ?

HERALD Och, hard as could be: in lofty lusty columns Our allies stand united. We maun get Pellene .

MAGISTRATE Whence has this evil come? Is it from Pan? 1225

HERALD No. Lampito first ran asklent, then the ithers Sprinted after her example, and blocked, the hizzies, Their wames unskaithed against our every fleech.

MAGISTRATE What did you do?

HERALD We are broken, and bent double, 1230 Limp like men carrying lanthorns in great winds About the city. They winna let us even Wi' lightest neif skim their primsie pretties Till we've concluded Peace-terms wi' a' Hellas .

MAGISTRATE So the conspiracy is universal; 1235 This proves it. Then return to Sparta . Bid them Send envoys with full powers to treat of Peace; And I will urge the Senate here to choose Plenipotentiary ambassadors, As argument adducing this connection. 1240

HERALD I'm off. Your wisdom nane could contravert.

Commentary

Line 987

Stable identifiers

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

πᾷ τᾶν Ἀσανᾶν ἐστιν ἁ γερωχία
980

ἢ τοὶ πρυτάνιες; λῶ τι μυσίξαι νέον.

Κινησίας

σὺ δʼ εἶ πότερον ἄνθρωπος ἢ κονίσαλος;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

κᾶρυξ ἐγὼν ὦ κυρσάνιε ναὶ τὼ σιὼ

ἔμολον ἀπὸ Σπάρτας περὶ τᾶν διαλλαγᾶν.

Κινησίας

κἄπειτα δόρυ δῆθʼ ὑπὸ μάλης ἥκεις ἔχων;
985

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

οὐ τὸν Δίʼ οὐκ ἐγών γα.

Κινησίας

ποῖ μεταστρέφει;

τί δὴ προβάλλει τὴν χλαμύδʼ; ἢ βουβωνιᾷς

ὑπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

παλαιόρ γα ναὶ τὸν Κάστορα

ὥνθρωπος.

Κινησίας

ἀλλʼ ἔστυκας ὦ μιαρώτατε.

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

οὐ τὸν Δίʼ οὐκ ἐγών γα· μηδʼ αὖ πλαδδίη.
990

Κινησίας

τί δʼ ἐστί σοι τοδί;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

σκυτάλα Λακωνικά.

Κινησίας

εἴπερ γε χαὔτη ʼστὶ σκυτάλη Λακωνική.

ἀλλʼ ὡς πρὸς εἰδότʼ ἐμὲ σὺ τἀληθῆ λέγε.

τί τὰ πράγμαθʼ ὑμῖν ἐστι τἀν Λακεδαίμονι;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

ὀρσὰ Λακεδαίμων πᾶα καὶ τοὶ σύμμαχοι
995

ἅπαντες ἐστύκαντι· Πελλάνας δὲ δεῖ.

Κινησίας

ἀπὸ τοῦ δὲ τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν ὑμῖν ἐνέπεσεν;

ἀπὸ Πανός;

Κινησίας

πῶς οὖν ἔχετε;

Κῆρυξ Λακεδαιμονίων

ποτάομαι· κράτιστα γὰρ παντᾷ λέγεις.

HERALD

What here gabs the Senate an' the Prytanes?

I've fetcht despatches for them.
1200

MAGISTRATE

Are you a man

Or a monstrosity?

HERALD

My scrimp-brained lad,

I'm a herald, as ye see, who hae come frae Sparta

Anent a Peace.
1205

MAGISTRATE

Then why do you hide that lance

That sticks out under your arms?

HERALD.

I've brought no lance.

MAGISTRATE

Then why do you turn aside and hold your cloak

So far out from your body? Is your groin swollen
1210

With stress of travelling?

HERALD

By Castor, I'll swear

The man is wud.

MAGISTRATE

Indeed, your cloak is wide,

My rascal fellow.
1215

HERALD

But I tell ye No!

Enow o' fleering!

MAGISTRATE

Well, what is it then?

HERALD

It's my despatch cane.

MAGISTRATE

Of course—a Spartan cane!
1220

But speak right out. I know all this too well.

Are new privations springing up in Sparta ?

HERALD

Och, hard as could be: in lofty lusty columns

Our allies stand united. We maun get Pellene .

MAGISTRATE

Whence has this evil come? Is it from Pan?
1225

HERALD

No. Lampito first ran asklent, then the ithers

Sprinted after her example, and blocked, the hizzies,

Their wames unskaithed against our every fleech.

MAGISTRATE

What did you do?

HERALD

We are broken, and bent double,
1230

Limp like men carrying lanthorns in great winds

About the city. They winna let us even

Wi' lightest neif skim their primsie pretties

Till we've concluded Peace-terms wi' a' Hellas .

MAGISTRATE

So the conspiracy is universal;
1235

This proves it. Then return to Sparta . Bid them

Send envoys with full powers to treat of Peace;

And I will urge the Senate here to choose

Plenipotentiary ambassadors,

As argument adducing this connection.
1240

HERALD

I'm off. Your wisdom nane could contravert.