Aristophanes Ecclesiazusae 241

ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart

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Γυνὴ Α

εὖ γʼ ὦ γλυκυτάτη Πραξαγόρα καὶ δεξιῶς.

πόθεν ὦ τάλαινα ταῦτʼ ἔμαθες οὕτω καλῶς;

Πραξάγορα

ἐν ταῖς φυγαῖς μετὰ τἀνδρὸς ᾤκησʼ ἐν πυκνί·

ἔπειτʼ ἀκούουσʼ ἐξέμαθον τῶν ῥητόρων.

Γυνὴ Α

οὐκ ἐτὸς ἄρʼ ὦ μέλʼ ἦσθα δεινὴ καὶ σοφή·
245

καί σε στρατηγεῖν αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτόθεν

αἱρούμεθʼ, ἢν ταῦθʼ ἁπινοεῖς κατεργάσῃ.

ἀτὰρ ἢν Κέφαλός σοι λοιδορῆται προσφθαρείς,

πῶς ἀντερεῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν τἠκκλησίᾳ;

Πραξάγορα

φήσω παραφρονεῖν αὐτόν.
250

Γυνὴ Α

ἀλλὰ τοῦτό γε

ἴσασι πάντες.

Πραξάγορα

ἀλλὰ καὶ μελαγχολᾶν.

Γυνὴ Α

καὶ τοῦτʼ ἴσασιν.

Πραξάγορα

ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τρύβλια

κακῶς κεραμεύειν, τὴν δὲ πόλιν εὖ καὶ καλῶς.

Γυνὴ Α

τί δʼ ἢν Νεοκλείδης ὁ γλάμων σε λοιδορῇ;

Πραξάγορα

τούτῳ μὲν εἶπον ἐς κυνὸς πυγὴν ὁρᾶν.
255

Γυνὴ Α

τί δʼ ἢν ὑποκρούωσίν σε;

Πραξάγορα

προσκινήσομαι

ἅτʼ οὐκ ἄπειρος οὖσα πολλῶν κρουμάτων.

Γυνὴ Α

ἐκεῖνο μόνον ἄσκεπτον, ἤν σʼ οἱ τοξόται

ἕλκωσιν, ὅ τι δράσεις ποτʼ.

Πραξάγορα

ἐξαγκωνιῶ

ὡδί· μέση γὰρ οὐδέποτε ληφθήσομαι.

Γυνὴ Β

ἡμεῖς δέ γʼ, ἢν αἴρωσʼ, ἐᾶν κελεύσομεν.

Γυνὴ Α

ταυτὶ μὲν ἡμῖν ἐντεθύμηται καλῶς

ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὐ πεφροντίκαμεν, ὅτῳ τρόπῳ

τὰς χεῖρας αἴρειν μνημονεύσομεν τότε.

εἰθισμέναι γάρ ἐσμεν αἴρειν τὼ σκέλει.
265

Πραξάγορα

χαλεπὸν τὸ πρᾶγμʼ· ὅμως δὲ χειροτονητέον

ἐξωμισάσαις τὸν ἕτερον βραχίονα.

ἄγε νυν ἀναστέλλεσθʼ ἄνω τὰ χιτώνια·

ὑποδεῖσθε δʼ ὡς τάχιστα τὰς Λακωνικάς,

ὥσπερ τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἐθεᾶσθʼ, ὅτʼ εἰς ἐκκλησίαν
270

μέλλοι βαδίζειν ἢ θύραζʼ ἑκάστοτε.

ἔπειτʼ ἐπειδὰν ταῦτα πάντʼ ἔχῃ καλῶς,

περιδεῖσθε τοὺς πώγωνας. ἡνίκʼ ἂν δέ γε

τούτους ἀκριβώσητε περιηρμοσμέναι,

καὶ θαἰμάτια τἀνδρεῖά γʼ ἅπερ ἐκλέψατε
275

ἐπαναβάλεσθε, κᾆτα ταῖς βακτηρίαις

ἐπερειδόμεναι βαδίζετʼ ᾄδουσαι μέλος

πρεσβυτικόν τι, τὸν τρόπον μιμούμεναι

τὸν τῶν ἀγροίκων.

Γυνὴ Β

εὖ λέγεις· ἡμεῖς δέ γε

προΐωμεν αὐτῶν. καὶ γὰρ ἑτέρας οἴομαι
280

ἐκ τῶν ἀγρῶν ἐς τὴν πύκνʼ ἥξειν ἄντικρυς

γυναῖκας.

Πραξάγορα

ἀλλὰ σπεύσαθʼ ὡς εἴωθʼ ἐκεῖ

τοῖς μὴ παροῦσιν ὀρθρίοις ἐς τὴν πύκνα

ὑπαποτρέχειν ἔχουσι μηδὲ πάτταλον.

Χορός

ὥρα προβαίνειν ὦνδρες ἡμῖν ἐστι· τοῦτο γὰρ χρὴ
285

μεμνημένας ἀεὶ λέγειν, ὡς μήποτʼ ἐξολίσθῃ

ἡμᾶς. ὁ κίνδυνος γὰρ οὐχὶ μικρός, ἢν ἁλῶμεν

ἐνδυόμεναι κατὰ σκότον τόλμημα τηλικοῦτον.

Ecclesiazusae. Aristophanes. ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart. Oxford. 1907.

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Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (1)

Ecclesiazusae (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 241 focus

First Woman

How beautiful this is, my dearest Praxagora, how clever! But where, pray, did you learn all these pretty things?

Praxagora

When the countryfolk were seeking refuge in the city, I lived on the Pnyx with my husband, and there I learnt to speak through listening to the orators.

First Woman

245 Then, dear, it's not astonishing that you are so eloquent and clever; henceforward you shall be our leader, so put your great ideas into execution. But if Cephalus belches forth insults against you, what answer will you give him in the Assembly?

Praxagora

250 I shall say that he is drivelling.

First Woman

But all the world knows that.

Praxagora

I shall furthermore say that he is a raving madman.

First Woman

There's nobody who does not know that.

Praxagora

That he, as excellent a statesman as he is, is a clumsy potter.

First Woman

And if the blear-eyed Neoclides comes to insult you?

Praxagora

255 To him I shall say, “Go and look at a dog's arse.”

First Woman

And if they fly at you?

Praxagora

Oh! I shall shake them off as best I can; never fear, I know how to use this tool.

First Woman

But there is one thing we don't think of. If the Scythians drag you away, what will you do?

Praxagora

With my arms akimbo 260 like this, I will never, never let myself be taken round the middle.

Second Woman

If they seize you, we will bid them let you go.

First Woman

That's the best way. But how are we going to remember to lift our arms in the Assembly 265 when it's our legs we are used to lifting?

Praxagora

It's difficult; yet it must be done, and the arm shown naked to the shoulder in order to vote. Quick now, put on these tunics and these Laconian shoes, 270 as you see the men do each time they go to the Assembly or for a walk. When this is done, fix on your beards, and when they are arranged in the best way possible, 275 dress yourselves in the cloaks you have stolen from your husbands; finally start off, leaning on your staffs and singing some old man's song as the villagers do.

Second Woman

Well spoken; and let us 280 hurry to get to the Pnyx before the women from the country, for they will no doubt not fail to come there.

Praxagora

Quick, quick, for it's the custom that those who are not at the Pnyx early in the morning return home empty-handed.

Praxagora and the First and Second Women depart; those who are left behind form the Chorus.

Leader of the Chorus

285 Move forward, citizens, move forward; let us not forget to give ourselves this name and may that of woman never slip out of our mouths; woe to us, if it were discovered that we had laid such a plot in the darkness of night.