317.
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Line 317
ἐπεῖχε κρούων ὁ κοπρεαῖος, λαμβάνω
The vocative κοπρεαῖος (kopreios, 'the dung-seller') is a specific reference to a stock character of the Athenian comic stage, often associated with the disposal of night-soil and the unsavory aspects of urban life. Its presence here, likely addressing a character named in the preceding dialogue or implied by the action, highlights the play's characteristic use of low-born, working-class figures to disrupt the high-flown political discourse of the assembly scene. The term is not merely a generic descriptor for a laborer but a specific designation that would evoke immediate recognition and potential disgust or humor in the audience regarding the social stratification of Athens.
332.
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Line 332
τὸ κροκωτίδιον ἀμπισχόμενος οὑνδύεται.
The verb ἀμπισχόμενος is a hapax legomenon in Aristophanes, derived from ἀμπισχύω (to put on a cloak or mantle over the head). The compound prefix ἀμφί- here implies the action of drawing a garment over the head, a specific detail of costume relevant to the scene where the female characters are disguising themselves as men or vice versa. The form is a present middle/passive participle in the accusative singular neuter, agreeing with the implied subject (the male character or the collective group) and functioning adverbially with the verb οὑνδύεται.
The term κροκωτίδιον is a diminutive of κροκωτός, referring to a saffron-colored garment or hood. In this context, it likely denotes a specific head covering or hood, possibly used as part of the disguise. The diminutive form may carry a tone of irony or mockery, given the absurdity of the situation where characters are adopting exaggerated or inappropriate attire.
346.
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Line 346
ἐς τὼ κοθόρνω τὼ πόδʼ ἐνθεὶς ἵεμαι,
The verb ἐνθεὶς (aorist participle of ἐντίθημι) is used here in a specific, idiomatic sense of 'putting on' or 'slipping into' footwear, a usage that contrasts with the more common ἐνδύω for general clothing. This construction highlights the physical comedy of the scene, where the character is hastily donning heavy stage boots (κοθόρνοι) to facilitate a rapid exit or entrance, a practical necessity for the actor's performance that is often glossed over in translations but is syntactically and semantically distinct in the Greek.
356.
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Line 356
μῶν ἣν Θρασύβουλος εἶπε τοῖς Λακωνικοῖς;
The anaphoric use of the relative pronoun ἣν (accusative feminine singular) here refers back to the specific, previously mentioned speech or decree (implied by the context of the play's plot regarding the women's assembly) rather than a generic noun. The construction εἶπε τοῖς Λακωνικοῖς alludes to a specific historical event where Thrasybulus, the Athenian democratic leader, negotiated with the Spartans (Lacedaemonians) following the overthrow of the Thirty Tyrants in 403 BCE. The use of the aorist indicative εἶπε rather than a perfect or pluperfect emphasizes the specific, completed utterance of that historical moment, which is being invoked as a precedent for the current political maneuvering of the women in the play.
378.
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Line 378
καὶ δῆτα πολὺν ἡ μίλτος ὦ Ζεῦ φίλτατε
The phrase ὦ Ζεῦ φίλτατε is a rare and marked vocative construction. While ὦ Ζεῦ is standard, the superlative adjective φίλτατε (most dear/favorite) in the vocative directly addressing Zeus is highly unusual in Aristophanes. Typically, Zeus is addressed with terms like Διὸς πάτερ, ὦ Ζεῦ, or ὦ μέγιστε. The use of the superlative φίλτατε here creates a jarring, ironic intimacy, characteristic of the play's subversion of religious and social norms, where the speaker (Praxagora) treats the god with a familiarity that borders on the presumptuous, fitting the chaotic atmosphere of the Ecclesiazusae.
405.
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Line 405
τιθύμαλλον ἐμβαλόντα τοῦ Λακωνικοῦ
The phrase 'τοῦ Λακωνικοῦ' functions as a substantive adjective referring to a specific cut of meat, a detail that has been the subject of scholarly debate regarding whether it denotes a specific breed of pig, a specific preparation style, or simply a high-quality cut imported from Laconia. The term 'τιθύμαλλον' is itself rare and likely a technical culinary term for a specific type of pork or a specific part of the pig, possibly a 'tithe-pig' or a specific cut associated with sacrificial rites, which Aristophanes uses here for its comic potential in the context of the 'Assemblywomen' preparing a feast. The combination of these two terms creates a specific culinary image that relies on contemporary Athenian knowledge of Spartan foodstuffs and their perceived quality.
415.
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Line 415
ἢν γὰρ παρέχωσι τοῖς δεομένοις οἱ κναφῆς
The form κναφῆς is a Doric contraction of the Attic κναφεύς (fuller); this dialectal shift signals the comic setting of the play (or the specific dialectal flavor Aristophanes assigns to this character/group), while the genitive plural τοῖς δεομένοις functions as a dative of advantage/disadvantage with the verb παρέχωσι, indicating the provision of goods or services to those in need.
424.
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Line 424
τοὺς ἀλφιταμοιβοὺς τοῖς ἀπόροις τρεῖς χοίνικας
The noun ἀλφιταμοιβοί (literally 'barley-exchangers' or 'barley-distributors') is a hapax legomenon in the extant corpus of Aristophanes, and arguably in the entire surviving corpus of Attic comedy outside this passage. While the compound is transparent (ἀλφιτα- from ἄλφιτα 'barley-meal' + -μοιβός from μοιβῶ 'to exchange/distribute'), its specific technical application here refers to the officials responsible for the state's grain dole (sitōn) to the impoverished citizens (ἀπόροι). The term highlights the bureaucratic reality of the assembly's proposed radical redistribution of property and resources, transforming a general concept of charity into a specific, albeit invented, administrative office within the play's utopian fiction.
426.
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Line 426
ἵνα τοῦτʼ ἀπέλαυσαν Ναυσικύδους τἀγαθόν.
The phrase τἀγαθόν functions as a substantive neuter adjective meaning 'the good' or 'the benefits,' serving as the direct object of ἀπέλαυσαν. In Aristophanic comedy, this construction is frequently employed to refer satirically to the material gains or political spoils distributed by the state, here specifically the 'good' associated with the politician Nausicydes. The elision of the article (τἀγαθόν for τὸ ἀγαθόν) is standard in Attic comedy for metrical convenience, but the substantive usage itself requires recognition to distinguish the object from an adjectival modification of an implied noun.
428.
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Line 428
λευκός τις ἀνεπήδησʼ ὅμοιος Νικίᾳ
The phrase ὅμοιος Νικίᾳ relies on the specific historical context of the character's appearance; the audience would recognize this as a reference to Nicias, the prominent Athenian general, whose physical likeness to the character (likely a disguise or a visual gag) serves as the punchline. This is not merely a comparison to a generic person but a specific prosopographical allusion to a real political figure whose reputation for caution and piety (or perhaps his distinctive appearance) is being invoked for comedic effect. The use of the dative Νικίᾳ without a verb of 'being' or 'looking' is a standard Greek construction for resemblance, but the force of the joke depends entirely on the audience's immediate recognition of Nicias, a figure whose political stance and personal traits were central to the contemporary Athenian discourse.
433.
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Line 433
The verb ἀνεβορβόρυξαν is a rare, compound formation found only here in Aristophanes, combining the prefix ἀνα- with the reduplicated root of βορβόρυζω (to rumble, as of the stomach or sea). The reduplication (βεβορβόρυζον) is preserved in the imperfect but appears contracted in the aorist (ἀνεβορβόρυξαν), a morphological feature that complicates the scansion and parsing for the reader. This hyper-technical verb is used to describe the simultaneous, chaotic noise of the female assembly, creating a sound-effect that is both onomatopoeic and semantically specific to the 'rumbling' of the collective body politic, a motif central to the play's satire of the assembly's disorder.
441.
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Line 441
γυναῖκα δʼ εἶναι πρᾶγμʼ ἔφη νουβυστικὸν
The adjective νουβυστικόν is a hapax legomenon in extant literature, coined here by Aristophanes from the verb νουβύσσω (to be pregnant). The formation is a rare example of the poet deriving an adjective from a verbal root to describe a specific physical state (pregnancy) in a context of legalistic or definitional absurdity, reflecting the play's satirical inversion of civic and domestic roles.
495.
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Line 495
μὴ καὶ τις †ὄψεθʼ ἡμᾶσ† χἠμῶν ἴσως κατείπῃ.
The text presents a significant crux: the manuscript tradition is corrupt at the beginning of the clause. The received text (with minor orthographic variations) is often printed as μὴ καὶ τις ὄψεθ' ἡμᾶς χἠμῶν ἴσως κατείπῃ, but the participle ὄψεθ' (future active indicative 2nd singular) creates a syntactic incoherence with the main verb κατείπῃ (aorist active subjunctive). Most editors, following conjectures such as those of Brunck or Hermann, propose that the text should be corrected to read μὴ καὶ τις ἡμᾶς χἠμῶν ἴσως κατείπῃ, deleting the participle entirely as a dittography or gloss that has been incorporated into the main text. Alternatively, some suggest reading a verb form like ὀψέσθαι (infinitive) or emending to a subjunctive to match the context of fear, though the deletion of the participle remains the most widely accepted solution to restore the sense: 'Lest perhaps someone among us or from us should perhaps slander us.'
508.
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Line 508
χάλα συναπτοὺς ἡνίας Λακωνικάς,
The phrase 'χάλα συναπτοὺς ἡνίας' presents a syntactic crux: the verb χάλα (imperative of χαλάω, 'loosen') typically governs the accusative of the object being loosened, yet the adjective συναπτοὺς ('bound together') modifies ἡνίας in a way that creates a semantic tension. Aristophanes exploits this tension for comic effect, instructing the character to 'loosen the bound reins,' an impossible or paradoxical action that highlights the absurdity of the situation (likely the chaotic attempt to control a chariot or political body). The adverb Λακωνικάς ('in the Spartan manner') further complicates the image, alluding to a specific, perhaps rigid or unconventional, Spartan driving technique that contrasts with the paradoxical command. This construction is not a standard grammatical anomaly but a deliberate rhetorical device where syntax and semantics collide to produce humor.
549.
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Line 549
μὴ φροντίσῃς· ἄρρεν γὰρ ἔτεκε παιδίον.
The particle γὰρ here introduces a reason that is logically inverted: the birth of a male child (typically a positive outcome in a patriarchal society) is presented as the cause for the addressee to cease worrying, implying that the prior anxiety stemmed from a fear of producing a female child or from the general uncertainty of childbirth. This usage highlights the comedic subversion of social expectations where the 'surprise' of a male birth resolves a crisis that was likely exaggerated for comic effect.
595b.
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Line 595b
κατέδει πέλεθον πρότερός μου.
The form πέλεθον is an irregular first aorist indicative active of πίπτω, attested here in the Comic poets (cf. Ar. Pax 566, Eq. 263) alongside the standard ἔπεσον. While the -θ- infix is the expected marker for the first aorist of this verb, the specific ending -ον (rather than -α) reflects the Doric or comic dialectal influence often found in Aristophanes, contrasting with the Attic standard ἔπεσον. The verb takes the dative case πέλεθον πρότερός μου (literally 'fell before me'), where πρότερός is a substantive adjective used as a predicate in the nominative, agreeing with the subject of the preceding clause (implied 'he' or 'they'), creating a syntactic structure where the participle or finite verb governs the state of being 'prior' rather than a simple locative dative.
596.
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Line 596
καὶ τῶν πελέθων κοινωνοῦμεν;
The noun πελέθης (pelethēs) is a rare Atticism referring specifically to the 'hollow of the hand' or the 'palm' used to scoop up water or grain, distinct from the more common χείρ (hand) or παλάμη (palm). In this context, Aristophanes employs it in a grotesque metaphor: the women are asking if they will share in the 'pelethēs,' implying they will be allowed to scoop up (and thus control) the public funds or grain, a reference to the absurdity of women managing the state's resources with the same clumsy, scooping motion used for fetching water or serving food. The term's rarity and its specific connotation of a crude, utilitarian action heighten the comedic effect of the women's proposed governance.
638.
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οὐκοῦν ἄγξουσʼ εὖ καὶ χρηστῶς ἑξῆς τὸν πάντα γέροντα
The adverb χρηστῶς here modifies the manner of the hanging, functioning ironically to mean 'effectively' or 'well' in the sense of achieving the desired result (death), rather than the standard moral sense of 'honestly' or 'kindly.' This semantic shift is characteristic of Aristophanic irony, where a positive adverb is applied to a violent act to heighten the grotesque humor of the Chorus's proposal.
640.
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ἄγχουσι. τί δῆθʼ ὅταν ἀγνὼς ᾖ; πῶς οὐ τότε κἀπιχεσοῦνται;
The verb ἄγχουσι is the present indicative active of ἄγχω, meaning 'to strangle' or 'to choke'. In this context, it is used metaphorically to describe the distress or anxiety felt by the characters. The rhetorical question that follows, τί δῆθʼ ὅταν ἀγνὼς ᾖ; πῶς οὐ τότε κἀπιχεσοῦνται;, plays on the double meaning of ἀγνὸς, which can mean 'ignorant' or 'unaware', but also 'chaste' or 'pure'. The speaker is questioning how the characters could possibly not be 'strangled' (metaphorically distressed) when they are in a state of ignorance or unawareness, especially given the context of the play's themes of political and social confusion.
685.
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Line 685
τὴν βασίλειον δειπνήσοντας· τὸ δὲ θῆτʼ ἐς τὴν παρὰ b ταύτην,
The particle 'δέ' following the genitive absolute construction (or here, the future participle phrase) introduces a sharp adversative turn that reorients the spatial logic of the sentence; while the first clause looks toward the 'basileion' (the King's house or the seat of power), the second clause abruptly shifts the action 'to the one on this side of her' (τὸ δὲ θῆτʼ ἐς τὴν παρὰ ταύτην), creating a syntactic tension between the formal destination and the immediate, perhaps illicit, proximity. This 'δέ' functions not merely as a connective but as a marker of the comic reversal where the grandiose expectation of the 'basileion' is undercut by the immediate, domestic, and spatially ambiguous 'parà taútēn'.
706.
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Line 706
ἐψήφισται προτέροις βινεῖν,
The text exhibits a significant textual crux at the verb form: the reading βινεῖν (to beat) is the transmitted reading found in the medieval manuscripts (e.g., B, D), but it is widely regarded as a corruption or scribal error. The context of the Ecclesiazusae involves the assembly of women debating laws, and 'to beat' (a rare and semantically awkward infinitive in this political context) makes little sense. Most modern editors, following the conjecture of Dindorf or others, prefer the reading βουλεύειν (to deliberate/counsel) or perhaps a different verb entirely, as βινεῖν appears to be a hapax or a corruption of βουλεύειν where the initial syllable was misread or the text was corrupted by a scribe unfamiliar with the specific political terminology. The verb βινέω is otherwise unattested in this sense in Classical Greek, making this a clear case for textual criticism.
722.
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Line 722
τὴν τῶν ἐλευθέρων ὑφαρπάζειν Κύπριν,
The phrase τὴν τῶν ἐλευθέρων ὑφαρπάζειν Κύπριν presents a syntactic crux regarding the object of ὑφαρπάζειν. While the accusative Κύπριν (Cyprus) typically denotes a place, here it functions as the direct object of the verb 'to snatch' in the sense of 'to seize the Cyprian woman' (Aphrodite or a priestess), a usage attested in Old Comedy but potentially misleading without knowledge of the specific mythological allusion to the abduction of the Cyprian goddess or her cult statue. The genitive τῶν ἐλευθέρων modifies the implied agent or the scope of the action, suggesting a social distinction central to the play's satire of the 'female assembly' and the reordering of social hierarchies.
724.
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Line 724
κατωνάκην τὸν χοῖρον ἀποτετιλμένας.
The phrase κατωνάκην τὸν χοῖρον ἀποτετιλμένας presents a striking syntactic and semantic tension. The participle ἀποτετιλμένας (perfect passive participle of ἀποτέλλω, 'to cut up' or 'to dismember') agrees with the implied subject (the women of the assembly), while the direct object is τὸν χοῖρον ('the pig'). However, the adverb κατωνάκην ('down to the ground' or 'completely') modifies the action in a way that suggests total destruction or dismemberment. The combination of a perfect passive participle with an active sense of the subject's agency (the women having performed the action) is rare in Aristophanic comedy, where such constructions typically serve to emphasize the completed, often grotesque, nature of the act. This construction likely alludes to the ritual or metaphorical dismemberment of the pig, a common motif in satyr plays and Old Comedy, but here twisted into a political allegory for the dismantling of the state.
742.
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Line 742
ὁ τὴν σκάφην λαβὼν προΐτω· τὰ κηρία
The imperative προΐτω (from προίημι) is a rare future form in the third person singular, distinct from the more common present imperative προίει or aorist subjunctive. Here it functions as a command for the official to 'lead the way' or 'go forward' to the assembly, a usage specific to the procedural context of the Ecclesia and the role of the κήρυξ (herald).
The term σκάφην (skaphēn) literally means 'boat' or 'trough,' but in the context of the Athenian assembly, it refers to the specific wooden box (often described as a 'ship' due to its shape) from which the lot-drawing officials (kleroteria) would draw the names of citizens to form the prytany or select jurors. The verb λαβὼν (having taken) implies the official has just retrieved this box from the sanctuary of a god or the public archives, marking the precise moment the procedural lottery begins.
