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Εὐριπίδης

γύναι τί εἶπας; στρέψον ἀνταυγεῖς κόρας.

Μνησίλοχος

αἰσχύνομαί σε τὰς γνάθους ὑβρισμένη.

Εὐριπίδης

τουτὶ τί ἔστιν; ἀφασία τίς τοί μʼ ἔχει.

ὦ θεοὶ τίνʼ ὄψιν εἰσορῶ; τίς εἶ γύναι;
905

Μνησίλοχος

σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς; αὑτὸς γὰρ σὲ κἄμʼ ἔχει λόγος.

Εὐριπίδης

Ἑλληνὶς εἶ τις ἢ ʼπιχωρία γυνή;

Μνησίλοχος

Ἑλληνίς. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σὸν θέλω μαθεῖν.

Εὐριπίδης

Ἑλένῃ σʼ ὁμοίαν δὴ μάλιστʼ εἶδον γύναι.

Μνησίλοχος

ἐγὼ δὲ Μενελάῳ σʼ ὅσα γʼ ἐκ τῶν ἰφύων.
910

Εὐριπίδης

ἔγνως ἄρʼ ὀρθῶς ἄνδρα δυστυχέστατον.

Μνησίλοχος

ὦ χρόνιος ἐλθὼν σῆς δάμαρτος ἐσχάρας

λαβέ με λαβέ με πόσι, περίβαλε δὲ χέρας.

φέρε σὲ κύσω. ἄπαγέ μʼ ἄπαγʼ ἄπαγέ με
915

λαβὼν ταχὺ πάνυ.

Γυνὴ Γ

κλαύσετʼ ἄρα νὴ τὼ θεὼ

ὅστις σʼ ἀπάξει τυπτόμενος τῇ λαμπάδι.

Εὐριπίδης

σὺ τὴν ἐμὴν γυναῖκα κωλύεις ἐμέ,

τὴν Τυνδάρειον παῖδʼ, ἐπὶ Σπάρτην ἄγειν;

Γυνὴ Γ

οἴμʼ ὡς πανοῦργος καὐτὸς εἶναί μοι δοκεῖς
920

καὶ τοῦδέ τις ξύμβουλος. οὐκ ἐτὸς πάλαι

ᾐγυπτιάζετʼ. ἀλλʼ ὅδε μὲν δώσει δίκην.

προσέρχεται γὰρ ὁ πρύτανις χὠ τοξότης.

Εὐριπίδης

τουτὶ πονηρόν· ἀλλʼ ὑπαποκινητέον.

Μνησίλοχος

ἐγὼ δʼ ὁ κακοδαίμων τί δρῶ;
925

Εὐριπίδης

μένʼ ἥσυχος.

οὐ γὰρ προδώσω σʼ οὐδέποτʼ, ἤνπερ ἐμπνέω,

ἢν μὴ προλίπωσʼ αἱ μυρίαι με μηχαναί.

Μνησίλοχος

αὕτη μὲν ἡ μήρινθος οὐδὲν ἔσπασεν.

Πρύτανις

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ πανοῦργος ὃν ἔλεγʼ ἡμῖν Κλεισθένης;

οὗτος τί κύπτεις; δῆσον αὐτὸν εἰσάγων
930

ὦ τοξότʼ ἐν τῇ σανίδι, κἄπειτʼ ἐνθαδὶ

στήσας φύλαττε καὶ προσιέναι μηδένα

ἔα πρὸς αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ τὴν μάστιγʼ ἔχων

παῖʼ ἢν προσίῃ τις.

Γυνὴ Γ

νὴ Δίʼ ὡς νῦν δή γʼ ἀνὴρ

ὀλίγου μʼ ἀφείλετʼ αὐτὸν ἱστιορράφος.
935

Μνησίλοχος

ὦ πρύτανι πρὸς τῆς δεξιᾶς, ἥνπερ φιλεῖς

κοίλην προτείνειν ἀργύριον ἤν τις διδῷ,

χάρισαι βραχύ τί μοι καίπερ ἀποθανουμένῳ.

Πρύτανις

τί σοι χαρίσωμαι;

Μνησίλοχος

γυμνὸν ἀποδύσαντά με

κέλευε πρὸς τῇ σανίδι δεῖν τὸν τοξότην,
940

ἵνα μὴ ʼν κροκωτοῖς καὶ μίτραις γέρων ἀνὴρ

γέλωτα παρέχω τοῖς κόραξιν ἑστιῶν.

Πρύτανις

ἔχοντα ταῦτʼ ἔδοξε τῇ βουλῇ σε δεῖν,

ἵνα τοῖς παριοῦσι δῆλος ᾖς πανοῦργος ὤν.

Μνησίλοχος

ἰαππαπαιάξ· ὦ κροκώθʼ οἷʼ εἴργασαι·
945

κοὐκ ἔστʼ ἔτʼ ἐλπὶς οὐδεμία σωτηρίας.

Thesmophoriazusae. 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

Θεσμοφοριάζουσαι (Greek) (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.)

Translations (2)

Thesmophoriazusae (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 902 focus

Euripides

“What are you saying? Turn your face towards me.”

Mnesilochus

“I dare not; my cheeks show the marks of the insults I have been forced to suffer.”

Euripides

“Oh! great gods! I cannot speak, for very emotion. 905 ... Ah! what do I see? Who are you?”

Mnesilochus

“And you, what is your name? for my surprise is as great as yours.”

Euripides

“Are you Grecian or born in this country?”

Mnesilochus

“I am Grecian. But now your name, what is it?”

Euripides

“Oh! how you resemble Helen!”

Mnesilochus

910 “And you Menelaus, if I can judge by these pot-herbs.”

Euripides

“You are not mistaken, 'tis none other than that unfortunate mortal who stands before you.”

Mnesilochus

“Ah! how you have delayed coming to your wife's arms! Press me to your heart, throw your arms about me, 915 for I wish to cover you with kisses. Carry me away, carry me away, quick, quick, far, very far from here.”

Third Woman

By the goddesses, woe to him who would carry you away! I should thrash him with my torch.

Euripides

“Do you propose to prevent me from taking my wife, the daughter of Tyndareus, to Sparta ?”

Third Woman

920 You seem to me to be a cunning rascal too; you are in collusion with this man, and it wasn't for nothing that you kept babbling about Egypt . But the hour for punishment has come; here is the Magistrate with his Scythian.

Euripides

This is getting awkward. Let me hide myself.

Mnesilochus

925 And what is to become of me, poor unfortunate man that I am?

Euripides

Don't worry. I shall never abandon you, as long as I draw breath and one of my numberless artifices remains untried.

Mnesilochus

The fish has not bitten this time.

A Magistrate enters, accompanied by a Scythian policeman.

Magistrate

Is this the rascal Cleisthenes told us about? 930 Why are you trying to make yourself so small? Officer, arrest him, fasten him to the post, then take up your position there and keep guard over him. Let none approach him. A sound lash with your whip for him who attempts to break the order.

Third Woman

Excellent, for just now 935 a rogue almost took him from me.

Mnesilochus

Magistrate, in the name of that hand which you know so well how to bend when money is placed in it, grant me a slight favour before I die.

Magistrate

What favour?

Mnesilochus

940 Order the archer to strip me before lashing me to the post; the crows, when they make their meal on the poor old man, would laugh too much at this robe and head-dress.

Magistrate

It is in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the Senate, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.

He departs.

Mnesilochus
as the Scythian seizes him

945 Oh! cursed robe, the cause of all my misfortune! My last hope is thus destroyed!

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.) — 902 focus

Euripides: Woman, what did you say? Turn your eyes that shine in the light.

Mnesilochus: I am ashamed of you, your jaw having been abused.

Euripides: What is this? What silence has seized me.

Euripides: O gods, what sight do I see? Who are you, woman?

905

Mnesilochus: But who are you? For the same story holds both for you and for me.

Euripides: Are you a Greek woman or a country woman?

Mnesilochus: A Greek woman. But I also want to learn your [name].

Euripides: 'Woman, I have seen you most like Helen.'

Mnesilochus: But I [will give you] to Menelaus as many [of them] as there are from the figs.

910

Euripides: You have rightly recognized the most unhappy man.

Mnesilochus: O long-coming one of your hearth, wife!

Mnesilochus: Take me, take me, husband, and put your arms around me.

Mnesilochus: Come, bite me. Take me away, take me away, take me away!

915

Mnesilochus: having taken it very quickly.

Woman G: You will cry, then, by the two goddesses.

Woman G: Whoever leads you away, struck with the torch.

Euripides: You prevent my wife from me,

Euripides: 'To lead the child of Tyndareus to Sparta?'

Woman G: Alas, how crafty you seem to me to be!

920

WOMAN G: And there is an advisor for this. It is not yet time.

Woman G: He is acting the Egyptian. But this man will pay the penalty.

Woman G: For the prytanis and the archer are approaching.

Euripides: This is wicked; but we must pretend not to hear.

Mnesilochus: But what am I, the wretched one, doing?

925

Euripides: but be quiet.

Euripides: For I will never betray you, as long as I breathe,

Euripides: If the myriad arts do not abandon me.

Mnesilochus: This woman has drawn no one.

Prytanis: This is the cunning fellow whom Cleisthenes told us about?

Prytanis: Why are you bending down? Bind him as you lead him in.

930

Prytanis: O archer on the board, and then here.

Prytanis: set up [the guards] and keep them, and let no one approach.

Prytanis: Let him be with him, but have the whip.

Prytanis: 'Child, if anyone comes near.'

Woman 3: By Zeus, as it is now, indeed, a man

Woman G: A sailmaker almost took him away from me.

935

Mnesilochus: O Prytanis, at your right hand, which you love.

Mnesilochus: to offer a hollow piece of silver, if anyone gives it,

Mnesilochus: Grant me this small favor, even though I am dying.

Prutanyis: What favor shall I grant you?

Mnesilochus: me having undressed, naked

Mnesilochus: "Order the archer to bind himself to the plank."

940

Mnesilochus: So that an old man is not in saffron robes and headbands

Mnesilochus: I provide amusement to the crows by feasting.

Prutanis: Since you have these things, it has seemed good to the council that you must,

Prytanis: so that, being a rogue, you may be obvious to those passing by.

Mnesilochus: Iapapaiax! O, what a saffron-colored thing you have made!

945

Mnesilochus: And there is no hope of salvation anymore.

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

910. mvp-tlg0019-tlg008-sanjaya-com-eng1-28

Line 910

ἐγὼ δὲ Μενελάῳ σʼ ὅσα γʼ ἐκ τῶν ἰφύων.

The phrase 'ἐκ τῶν ἰφύων' (from the figs) relies on a specific comedic pun: 'ἰφύς' (fig) is a deliberate euphemism for the female genitalia, playing on the similarity to 'ἰσχιάς' (hip/buttocks) or simply the shape, while also evoking the 'Thesmophoria' festival where figs were ritually significant. The construction 'ὅσα γʼ ἐκ...' (as many as from...) is elliptical, implying 'I will report to Menelaus as many [secrets/tales] as [there are] from the figs,' a hyperbolic reference to the abundance of gossip or sexual innuendo, a common device in Aristophanic parody of Euripidean tragedy where characters like Menelaus are re-contextualized in farcical scenarios.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

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Εὐριπίδης γύναι τί εἶπας; στρέψον ἀνταυγεῖς κόρας.

Μνησίλοχος αἰσχύνομαί σε τὰς γνάθους ὑβρισμένη.

Εὐριπίδης τουτὶ τί ἔστιν; ἀφασία τίς τοί μʼ ἔχει. ὦ θεοὶ τίνʼ ὄψιν εἰσορῶ; τίς εἶ γύναι; 905

Μνησίλοχος σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς; αὑτὸς γὰρ σὲ κἄμʼ ἔχει λόγος.

Εὐριπίδης Ἑλληνὶς εἶ τις ἢ ʼπιχωρία γυνή;

Μνησίλοχος Ἑλληνίς. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σὸν θέλω μαθεῖν.

Εὐριπίδης Ἑλένῃ σʼ ὁμοίαν δὴ μάλιστʼ εἶδον γύναι.

Μνησίλοχος ἐγὼ δὲ Μενελάῳ σʼ ὅσα γʼ ἐκ τῶν ἰφύων. 910

Εὐριπίδης ἔγνως ἄρʼ ὀρθῶς ἄνδρα δυστυχέστατον.

Μνησίλοχος ὦ χρόνιος ἐλθὼν σῆς δάμαρτος ἐσχάρας λαβέ με λαβέ με πόσι, περίβαλε δὲ χέρας. φέρε σὲ κύσω. ἄπαγέ μʼ ἄπαγʼ ἄπαγέ με 915 λαβὼν ταχὺ πάνυ.

Γυνὴ Γ κλαύσετʼ ἄρα νὴ τὼ θεὼ ὅστις σʼ ἀπάξει τυπτόμενος τῇ λαμπάδι.

Εὐριπίδης σὺ τὴν ἐμὴν γυναῖκα κωλύεις ἐμέ, τὴν Τυνδάρειον παῖδʼ, ἐπὶ Σπάρτην ἄγειν;

Εὐριπίδης τουτὶ πονηρόν· ἀλλʼ ὑπαποκινητέον.

Μνησίλοχος ἐγὼ δʼ ὁ κακοδαίμων τί δρῶ; 925

Εὐριπίδης μένʼ ἥσυχος. οὐ γὰρ προδώσω σʼ οὐδέποτʼ, ἤνπερ ἐμπνέω, ἢν μὴ προλίπωσʼ αἱ μυρίαι με μηχαναί.

Μνησίλοχος αὕτη μὲν ἡ μήρινθος οὐδὲν ἔσπασεν.

Γυνὴ Γ νὴ Δίʼ ὡς νῦν δή γʼ ἀνὴρ ὀλίγου μʼ ἀφείλετʼ αὐτὸν ἱστιορράφος. 935

Μνησίλοχος ὦ πρύτανι πρὸς τῆς δεξιᾶς, ἥνπερ φιλεῖς κοίλην προτείνειν ἀργύριον ἤν τις διδῷ, χάρισαι βραχύ τί μοι καίπερ ἀποθανουμένῳ.

Πρύτανις τί σοι χαρίσωμαι;

Μνησίλοχος γυμνὸν ἀποδύσαντά με κέλευε πρὸς τῇ σανίδι δεῖν τὸν τοξότην, 940 ἵνα μὴ ʼν κροκωτοῖς καὶ μίτραις γέρων ἀνὴρ γέλωτα παρέχω τοῖς κόραξιν ἑστιῶν.

Πρύτανις ἔχοντα ταῦτʼ ἔδοξε τῇ βουλῇ σε δεῖν, ἵνα τοῖς παριοῦσι δῆλος ᾖς πανοῦργος ὤν.

Μνησίλοχος ἰαππαπαιάξ· ὦ κροκώθʼ οἷʼ εἴργασαι· 945 κοὐκ ἔστʼ ἔτʼ ἐλπὶς οὐδεμία σωτηρίας.

Current edition Perseus

Euripides “What are you saying? Turn your face towards me.”

Mnesilochus “I dare not; my cheeks show the marks of the insults I have been forced to suffer.”

Euripides “Oh! great gods! I cannot speak, for very emotion. 905 ... Ah! what do I see? Who are you?”

Mnesilochus “And you, what is your name? for my surprise is as great as yours.”

Euripides “Are you Grecian or born in this country?”

Mnesilochus “I am Grecian. But now your name, what is it?”

Euripides “Oh! how you resemble Helen!”

Mnesilochus 910 “And you Menelaus, if I can judge by these pot-herbs.”

Euripides “You are not mistaken, 'tis none other than that unfortunate mortal who stands before you.”

Mnesilochus “Ah! how you have delayed coming to your wife's arms! Press me to your heart, throw your arms about me, 915 for I wish to cover you with kisses. Carry me away, carry me away, quick, quick, far, very far from here.”

Third Woman By the goddesses, woe to him who would carry you away! I should thrash him with my torch.

Euripides “Do you propose to prevent me from taking my wife, the daughter of Tyndareus, to Sparta ?”

Third Woman 920 You seem to me to be a cunning rascal too; you are in collusion with this man, and it wasn't for nothing that you kept babbling about Egypt . But the hour for punishment has come; here is the Magistrate with his Scythian.

Euripides This is getting awkward. Let me hide myself.

Mnesilochus 925 And what is to become of me, poor unfortunate man that I am?

Euripides Don't worry. I shall never abandon you, as long as I draw breath and one of my numberless artifices remains untried.

Mnesilochus The fish has not bitten this time.

Third Woman Excellent, for just now 935 a rogue almost took him from me.

Mnesilochus Magistrate, in the name of that hand which you know so well how to bend when money is placed in it, grant me a slight favour before I die.

Magistrate What favour?

Mnesilochus 940 Order the archer to strip me before lashing me to the post; the crows, when they make their meal on the poor old man, would laugh too much at this robe and head-dress.

Magistrate It is in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the Senate, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.

Mnesilochus as the Scythian seizes him 945 Oh! cursed robe, the cause of all my misfortune! My last hope is thus destroyed!

Commentary

Line 910

Stable identifiers

Εὐριπίδης

γύναι τί εἶπας; στρέψον ἀνταυγεῖς κόρας.

Μνησίλοχος

αἰσχύνομαί σε τὰς γνάθους ὑβρισμένη.

Εὐριπίδης

τουτὶ τί ἔστιν; ἀφασία τίς τοί μʼ ἔχει.

ὦ θεοὶ τίνʼ ὄψιν εἰσορῶ; τίς εἶ γύναι;
905

Μνησίλοχος

σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς; αὑτὸς γὰρ σὲ κἄμʼ ἔχει λόγος.

Εὐριπίδης

Ἑλληνὶς εἶ τις ἢ ʼπιχωρία γυνή;

Μνησίλοχος

Ἑλληνίς. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σὸν θέλω μαθεῖν.

Εὐριπίδης

Ἑλένῃ σʼ ὁμοίαν δὴ μάλιστʼ εἶδον γύναι.

Μνησίλοχος

ἐγὼ δὲ Μενελάῳ σʼ ὅσα γʼ ἐκ τῶν ἰφύων.
910

Εὐριπίδης

ἔγνως ἄρʼ ὀρθῶς ἄνδρα δυστυχέστατον.

Μνησίλοχος

ὦ χρόνιος ἐλθὼν σῆς δάμαρτος ἐσχάρας

λαβέ με λαβέ με πόσι, περίβαλε δὲ χέρας.

φέρε σὲ κύσω. ἄπαγέ μʼ ἄπαγʼ ἄπαγέ με
915

λαβὼν ταχὺ πάνυ.

Γυνὴ Γ

κλαύσετʼ ἄρα νὴ τὼ θεὼ

ὅστις σʼ ἀπάξει τυπτόμενος τῇ λαμπάδι.

Εὐριπίδης

σὺ τὴν ἐμὴν γυναῖκα κωλύεις ἐμέ,

τὴν Τυνδάρειον παῖδʼ, ἐπὶ Σπάρτην ἄγειν;

Εὐριπίδης

τουτὶ πονηρόν· ἀλλʼ ὑπαποκινητέον.

Μνησίλοχος

ἐγὼ δʼ ὁ κακοδαίμων τί δρῶ;
925

Εὐριπίδης

μένʼ ἥσυχος.

οὐ γὰρ προδώσω σʼ οὐδέποτʼ, ἤνπερ ἐμπνέω,

ἢν μὴ προλίπωσʼ αἱ μυρίαι με μηχαναί.

Μνησίλοχος

αὕτη μὲν ἡ μήρινθος οὐδὲν ἔσπασεν.

Γυνὴ Γ

νὴ Δίʼ ὡς νῦν δή γʼ ἀνὴρ

ὀλίγου μʼ ἀφείλετʼ αὐτὸν ἱστιορράφος.
935

Μνησίλοχος

ὦ πρύτανι πρὸς τῆς δεξιᾶς, ἥνπερ φιλεῖς

κοίλην προτείνειν ἀργύριον ἤν τις διδῷ,

χάρισαι βραχύ τί μοι καίπερ ἀποθανουμένῳ.

Πρύτανις

τί σοι χαρίσωμαι;

Μνησίλοχος

γυμνὸν ἀποδύσαντά με

κέλευε πρὸς τῇ σανίδι δεῖν τὸν τοξότην,
940

ἵνα μὴ ʼν κροκωτοῖς καὶ μίτραις γέρων ἀνὴρ

γέλωτα παρέχω τοῖς κόραξιν ἑστιῶν.

Πρύτανις

ἔχοντα ταῦτʼ ἔδοξε τῇ βουλῇ σε δεῖν,

ἵνα τοῖς παριοῦσι δῆλος ᾖς πανοῦργος ὤν.

Μνησίλοχος

ἰαππαπαιάξ· ὦ κροκώθʼ οἷʼ εἴργασαι·
945

κοὐκ ἔστʼ ἔτʼ ἐλπὶς οὐδεμία σωτηρίας.

Euripides

“What are you saying? Turn your face towards me.”

Mnesilochus

“I dare not; my cheeks show the marks of the insults I have been forced to suffer.”

Euripides

“Oh! great gods! I cannot speak, for very emotion. 905 ... Ah! what do I see? Who are you?”

Mnesilochus

“And you, what is your name? for my surprise is as great as yours.”

Euripides

“Are you Grecian or born in this country?”

Mnesilochus

“I am Grecian. But now your name, what is it?”

Euripides

“Oh! how you resemble Helen!”

Mnesilochus

910 “And you Menelaus, if I can judge by these pot-herbs.”

Euripides

“You are not mistaken, 'tis none other than that unfortunate mortal who stands before you.”

Mnesilochus

“Ah! how you have delayed coming to your wife's arms! Press me to your heart, throw your arms about me, 915 for I wish to cover you with kisses. Carry me away, carry me away, quick, quick, far, very far from here.”

Third Woman

By the goddesses, woe to him who would carry you away! I should thrash him with my torch.

Euripides

“Do you propose to prevent me from taking my wife, the daughter of Tyndareus, to Sparta ?”

Third Woman

920 You seem to me to be a cunning rascal too; you are in collusion with this man, and it wasn't for nothing that you kept babbling about Egypt . But the hour for punishment has come; here is the Magistrate with his Scythian.

Euripides

This is getting awkward. Let me hide myself.

Mnesilochus

925 And what is to become of me, poor unfortunate man that I am?

Euripides

Don't worry. I shall never abandon you, as long as I draw breath and one of my numberless artifices remains untried.

Mnesilochus

The fish has not bitten this time.

Third Woman

Excellent, for just now 935 a rogue almost took him from me.

Mnesilochus

Magistrate, in the name of that hand which you know so well how to bend when money is placed in it, grant me a slight favour before I die.

Magistrate

What favour?

Mnesilochus

940 Order the archer to strip me before lashing me to the post; the crows, when they make their meal on the poor old man, would laugh too much at this robe and head-dress.

Magistrate

It is in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the Senate, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.

Mnesilochus
as the Scythian seizes him

945 Oh! cursed robe, the cause of all my misfortune! My last hope is thus destroyed!