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Line 633

σκάφιον Ξένυλλʼ ᾔτησεν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀμίς.

The phrase οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀμίς ('for there was no contest') functions as a proverbial justification for Xenyllus's action, relying on the specific semantic field of ἀμίς. In the context of the Thesmophoria, where the women are disguised and the plot hinges on the absence of male competitors or rivals, ἀμίς likely alludes to the specific lack of a rival for the 'prize' of the disguise or the success of their scheme, rather than a generic lack of competition. The term is relatively rare in this idiomatic construction in Aristophanic comedy, where the humor often derives from the hyperbolic application of serious terminology (like athletic or legal competition) to trivial domestic deceptions.

Thesmophoriazusae. 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)

Θεσμοφοριάζουσαι Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.) — 626 focus

Γυνὴ Α

ἄπελθʼ. ἐγὼ γὰρ βασανιῶ ταύτην καλῶς

ἐκ τῶν ἱερῶν τῶν πέρυσι· σὺ δʼ ἀπόστηθί μοι,

ἵνα μὴ ʼπακούσῃς ὢν ἀνήρ. σὺ δʼ εἰπέ μοι

ὅ τι πρῶτον ἡμῖν τῶν ἱερῶν ἐδείκνυτο.

Μνησίλοχος

φέρʼ ἴδω, τί μέντοι πρῶτον ἦν; ἐπίνομεν.
630

Γυνὴ Α

τί δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο δεύτερον;

Μνησίλοχος

προὐπίνομεν.

Γυνὴ Α

ταυτὶ μὲν ἤκουσάς τινος· τί δαὶ τρίτον;

Μνησίλοχος

σκάφιον Ξένυλλʼ ᾔτησεν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀμίς.

Γυνὴ Α

οὐδὲν λέγεις. δεῦρʼ ἐλθὲ δεῦρʼ ὦ Κλείσθενες·

ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ἁνὴρ ὃν λέγεις.
635

Κλεισθένης

τί οὖν ποιῶ;

Γυνὴ Α

ἀπόδυσον αὐτόν· οὐδὲν ὑγιὲς γὰρ λέγει.

Μνησίλοχος

κἄπειτʼ ἀποδύσετʼ ἐννέα παίδων μητέρα;

Κλεισθένης

χάλα ταχέως τὸ στρόφιον ὦναίσχυντε σύ.

Γυνὴ Α

ὡς καὶ στιβαρά τις φαίνεται καὶ καρτερά·

καὶ νὴ Δία τιτθούς γʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἔχει.
640

Μνησίλοχος

στερίφη γάρ εἰμι κοὐκ ἐκύησα πώποτε.

Γυνὴ Α

νῦν· τότε δὲ μήτηρ ἦσθα παίδων ἐννέα.

Κλεισθένης

ἀνίστασʼ ὀρθός. ποῖ τὸ πέος ὠθεῖς κάτω;

Γυνὴ Α

τοδὶ διέκυψε καὶ μάλʼ εὔχρων ὦ τάλαν.

Κλεισθένης

καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν;
645

Γυνὴ Α

αὖθις ἐς τὸ πρόσθεν οἴχεται.

Κλεισθένης

οὐκ ἐνγεταυθί.

Γυνὴ Α

μἀλλὰ δεῦρʼ ἥκει πάλιν.

Κλεισθένης

ἰσθμόν τινʼ ἔχεις ὦνθρωπʼ· ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω

τὸ πέος διέλκεις πυκνότερον Κορινθίων.

Γυνὴ Α

ὦ μιαρὸς οὗτος· ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ Εὐριπίδου

ἡμῖν ἐλοιδορεῖτο.
650

Μνησίλοχος

κακοδαίμων ἐγώ,

εἰς οἷʼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰσεκύλισα πράγματα.

Γυνὴ Α

ἄγε δὴ τί δρῶμεν;

Κλεισθένης

τουτονὶ φυλάττετε

καλῶς, ὅπως μὴ διαφυγὼν οἰχήσεται·

ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς πρυτάνεσιν ἀγγελῶ.

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.) — 626 focus

First Woman

Withdraw, all of you; I am going to examine her thoroughly about last year's mysteries. But move away, Cleisthenes, for no man may hear what is going to be said. Now answer my questions! What was done first?

Mnesilochus

630 Let's see now. What was done first? Oh! we drank.

First Woman

And then?

Mnesilochus

We drank to our healths.

First Woman

You will have heard that from someone. And then?

Mnesilochus

Xenylla asked for a cup; there wasn't any thunder-mug.

First Woman

You're talking nonsense. Here, Cleisthenes, here! 635 This is the man you were telling us about.

Cleisthenes

What shall we do with him?

First Woman

Take off his clothes, I can get nothing out of him.

Mnesilochus

What! are you going to strip a mother of nine children naked?

Cleisthenes

Come, undo your girdle, you shameless thing.

First Woman

Ah! what a sturdy frame! 640 but she has no breasts like we have.

Mnesilochus

That's because I'm barren. I never had any children.

First Woman

Oh! indeed! just now you were the mother of nine.

Cleisthenes

Stand up straight. What do you keep pushing that thing down for?

First Woman
peering from behind

There's no mistaking it.

Cleisthenes
also peering from behind

645 Where has it gone to now?

First Woman

To the front.

Cleisthenes
from in front

No.

First Woman
from behind

Ah! it's behind now.

Cleisthenes

Why, friend, it's just like the Isthmus; you keep pulling your stick backwards and forwards more often than the Corinthians do their ships.

First Woman

Ah! the wretch! this is why 650 he insulted us and defended Euripides.

Mnesilochus

Aye, wretch indeed, what troubles have I not got into now!

First Woman

What shall we do?

Cleisthenes

Watch him closely, so that he does not escape. As for me, I'll go to report the matter to the magistrates.

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.) — 626 focus

Woman A: Go away. For I will torture this woman well.

Woman A: from the sacred things of last year; but you stand back from me,

Woman A: so that you may not hear, being a man. But you tell me

Woman A: Whatever was first shown to us among the sacred rites.

Mnesilochus: Come, let me see, what was it that I first said? I drank it.

630

Woman A: And what [shall we do] next, secondly?

Mnesilochus: We had been drinking.

Woman A: You have heard these things from someone, but what is the third?

Mnesilochus: 'Xenyllos, he asked for a chest; for there was no competition.'

Woman A: You are saying nothing. Come here, come here, Cleisthenes!

Woman A: This is the man you speak of.

635

Cleisthenes: So what shall I do?

Woman A: Take him off; for he says nothing healthy.

Mnesilochus: And then will you undress the mother of nine children?

Cleisthenes: Loosen the band quickly, you shameless fellow.

Woman A: As she seems both sturdy and strong;

Woman A: And by Zeus, they don't have breasts like we do.

640

Mnesilochus: for I am barren and have never conceived.

Woman A: Now; but then you were the mother of nine children.

Cleisthenes: Stand up straight. Where are you thrusting your penis down?

Woman A: This has been weighed out, and it is very fair-skinned, you wretch.

Cleisthenes: And where is he?

645

Woman A: She goes forward again.

Kleisthenes: Not here.

Woman A: But she has come back here again.

Cleisthenes: You have some sort of isthmus, man—up and down.

Cleisthenes: You are pulling your penis tighter than the Corinthians.

WOMAN A: O this one is filthy! These things, then, are on behalf of Euripides.

Woman A: He was abusing us.

650

Mnesilochus: Woe is me,

Mnesilochus: Into such affairs I have rolled myself.

Woman A: Come then, what shall we do?

Cleisthenes: guard this one.

Cleisthenes: Good, so that he will not escape and depart;

Cleisthenes: But I will report these things to the prytanes.

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

633. mvp-tlg0019-tlg008-sanjaya-com-eng1-14

Line 633

σκάφιον Ξένυλλʼ ᾔτησεν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀμίς.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 633

Current edition Experimental

Μνησίλοχος φέρʼ ἴδω, τί μέντοι πρῶτον ἦν; ἐπίνομεν. 630

Γυνὴ Α τί δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο δεύτερον;

Μνησίλοχος προὐπίνομεν.

Γυνὴ Α ταυτὶ μὲν ἤκουσάς τινος· τί δαὶ τρίτον;

Μνησίλοχος σκάφιον Ξένυλλʼ ᾔτησεν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀμίς.

Γυνὴ Α οὐδὲν λέγεις. δεῦρʼ ἐλθὲ δεῦρʼ ὦ Κλείσθενες· ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ἁνὴρ ὃν λέγεις. 635

Κλεισθένης τί οὖν ποιῶ;

Γυνὴ Α ἀπόδυσον αὐτόν· οὐδὲν ὑγιὲς γὰρ λέγει.

Μνησίλοχος κἄπειτʼ ἀποδύσετʼ ἐννέα παίδων μητέρα;

Κλεισθένης χάλα ταχέως τὸ στρόφιον ὦναίσχυντε σύ.

Γυνὴ Α ὡς καὶ στιβαρά τις φαίνεται καὶ καρτερά· καὶ νὴ Δία τιτθούς γʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἔχει. 640

Μνησίλοχος στερίφη γάρ εἰμι κοὐκ ἐκύησα πώποτε.

Γυνὴ Α νῦν· τότε δὲ μήτηρ ἦσθα παίδων ἐννέα.

Κλεισθένης ἀνίστασʼ ὀρθός. ποῖ τὸ πέος ὠθεῖς κάτω;

Γυνὴ Α τοδὶ διέκυψε καὶ μάλʼ εὔχρων ὦ τάλαν.

Κλεισθένης καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν; 645

Γυνὴ Α αὖθις ἐς τὸ πρόσθεν οἴχεται.

Κλεισθένης οὐκ ἐνγεταυθί.

Γυνὴ Α μἀλλὰ δεῦρʼ ἥκει πάλιν.

Κλεισθένης ἰσθμόν τινʼ ἔχεις ὦνθρωπʼ· ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω τὸ πέος διέλκεις πυκνότερον Κορινθίων.

Γυνὴ Α ὦ μιαρὸς οὗτος· ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ Εὐριπίδου ἡμῖν ἐλοιδορεῖτο. 650

Μνησίλοχος κακοδαίμων ἐγώ, εἰς οἷʼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰσεκύλισα πράγματα.

Γυνὴ Α ἄγε δὴ τί δρῶμεν;

Κλεισθένης τουτονὶ φυλάττετε καλῶς, ὅπως μὴ διαφυγὼν οἰχήσεται· ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς πρυτάνεσιν ἀγγελῶ.

First Woman Withdraw, all of you; I am going to examine her thoroughly about last year's mysteries. But move away, Cleisthenes, for no man may hear what is going to be said. Now answer my questions! What was done first?

Mnesilochus 630 Let's see now. What was done first? Oh! we drank.

First Woman And then?

Mnesilochus We drank to our healths.

First Woman You will have heard that from someone. And then?

Mnesilochus Xenylla asked for a cup; there wasn't any thunder-mug.

First Woman You're talking nonsense. Here, Cleisthenes, here! 635 This is the man you were telling us about.

Cleisthenes What shall we do with him?

First Woman Take off his clothes, I can get nothing out of him.

Mnesilochus What! are you going to strip a mother of nine children naked?

Cleisthenes Come, undo your girdle, you shameless thing.

First Woman Ah! what a sturdy frame! 640 but she has no breasts like we have.

Mnesilochus That's because I'm barren. I never had any children.

First Woman Oh! indeed! just now you were the mother of nine.

Cleisthenes Stand up straight. What do you keep pushing that thing down for?

First Woman peering from behind There's no mistaking it.

Cleisthenes also peering from behind 645 Where has it gone to now?

First Woman To the front.

Cleisthenes from in front No.

First Woman from behind Ah! it's behind now.

Cleisthenes Why, friend, it's just like the Isthmus; you keep pulling your stick backwards and forwards more often than the Corinthians do their ships.

First Woman Ah! the wretch! this is why 650 he insulted us and defended Euripides.

Mnesilochus Aye, wretch indeed, what troubles have I not got into now!

First Woman What shall we do?

Cleisthenes Watch him closely, so that he does not escape. As for me, I'll go to report the matter to the magistrates.

Commentary

Line 633

Stable identifiers

Μνησίλοχος

φέρʼ ἴδω, τί μέντοι πρῶτον ἦν; ἐπίνομεν.
630

Γυνὴ Α

τί δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο δεύτερον;

Μνησίλοχος

προὐπίνομεν.

Γυνὴ Α

ταυτὶ μὲν ἤκουσάς τινος· τί δαὶ τρίτον;

Μνησίλοχος

σκάφιον Ξένυλλʼ ᾔτησεν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀμίς.

Γυνὴ Α

οὐδὲν λέγεις. δεῦρʼ ἐλθὲ δεῦρʼ ὦ Κλείσθενες·

ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ἁνὴρ ὃν λέγεις.
635

Κλεισθένης

τί οὖν ποιῶ;

Γυνὴ Α

ἀπόδυσον αὐτόν· οὐδὲν ὑγιὲς γὰρ λέγει.

Μνησίλοχος

κἄπειτʼ ἀποδύσετʼ ἐννέα παίδων μητέρα;

Κλεισθένης

χάλα ταχέως τὸ στρόφιον ὦναίσχυντε σύ.

Γυνὴ Α

ὡς καὶ στιβαρά τις φαίνεται καὶ καρτερά·

καὶ νὴ Δία τιτθούς γʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἔχει.
640

Μνησίλοχος

στερίφη γάρ εἰμι κοὐκ ἐκύησα πώποτε.

Γυνὴ Α

νῦν· τότε δὲ μήτηρ ἦσθα παίδων ἐννέα.

Κλεισθένης

ἀνίστασʼ ὀρθός. ποῖ τὸ πέος ὠθεῖς κάτω;

Γυνὴ Α

τοδὶ διέκυψε καὶ μάλʼ εὔχρων ὦ τάλαν.

Κλεισθένης

καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν;
645

Γυνὴ Α

αὖθις ἐς τὸ πρόσθεν οἴχεται.

Κλεισθένης

οὐκ ἐνγεταυθί.

Γυνὴ Α

μἀλλὰ δεῦρʼ ἥκει πάλιν.

Κλεισθένης

ἰσθμόν τινʼ ἔχεις ὦνθρωπʼ· ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω

τὸ πέος διέλκεις πυκνότερον Κορινθίων.

Γυνὴ Α

ὦ μιαρὸς οὗτος· ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ Εὐριπίδου

ἡμῖν ἐλοιδορεῖτο.
650

Μνησίλοχος

κακοδαίμων ἐγώ,

εἰς οἷʼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰσεκύλισα πράγματα.

Γυνὴ Α

ἄγε δὴ τί δρῶμεν;

Κλεισθένης

τουτονὶ φυλάττετε

καλῶς, ὅπως μὴ διαφυγὼν οἰχήσεται·

ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς πρυτάνεσιν ἀγγελῶ.

First Woman

Withdraw, all of you; I am going to examine her thoroughly about last year's mysteries. But move away, Cleisthenes, for no man may hear what is going to be said. Now answer my questions! What was done first?

Mnesilochus

630 Let's see now. What was done first? Oh! we drank.

First Woman

And then?

Mnesilochus

We drank to our healths.

First Woman

You will have heard that from someone. And then?

Mnesilochus

Xenylla asked for a cup; there wasn't any thunder-mug.

First Woman

You're talking nonsense. Here, Cleisthenes, here! 635 This is the man you were telling us about.

Cleisthenes

What shall we do with him?

First Woman

Take off his clothes, I can get nothing out of him.

Mnesilochus

What! are you going to strip a mother of nine children naked?

Cleisthenes

Come, undo your girdle, you shameless thing.

First Woman

Ah! what a sturdy frame! 640 but she has no breasts like we have.

Mnesilochus

That's because I'm barren. I never had any children.

First Woman

Oh! indeed! just now you were the mother of nine.

Cleisthenes

Stand up straight. What do you keep pushing that thing down for?

First Woman
peering from behind

There's no mistaking it.

Cleisthenes
also peering from behind

645 Where has it gone to now?

First Woman

To the front.

Cleisthenes
from in front

No.

First Woman
from behind

Ah! it's behind now.

Cleisthenes

Why, friend, it's just like the Isthmus; you keep pulling your stick backwards and forwards more often than the Corinthians do their ships.

First Woman

Ah! the wretch! this is why 650 he insulted us and defended Euripides.

Mnesilochus

Aye, wretch indeed, what troubles have I not got into now!

First Woman

What shall we do?

Cleisthenes

Watch him closely, so that he does not escape. As for me, I'll go to report the matter to the magistrates.