No, by Aphrodite, unless it's decided by lot.But come, then, Lampito, and all of you, put your hands to the bowl; and do you, Cleonice, repeat for all the rest the solemn terms I am going to recite.Then you must all swear, and pledge yourselves by the same promises,-I will have naught to do whether with lover or husband...
CLEONICE (faintly)
I will have naught to do whether with lover or husband...
***ISTRATA
Albeit he come to me with an erection...
CLEONICE (her voice quavering)
Albeit he come to me with an erection...(in despair) Oh!
Lysistrata, I cannot bear it!
***ISTRATA (ignoring this outburst)
I will live at home unbulled...
CLEONICE
I will live at home unbulled...
***ISTRATA
Beautifully dressed and wearing a saffron-coloured gown CLEONICEBeautifully dressed and wearing a saffron-coloured gown...
***ISTRATA
To the end I may inspire my husband with the most ardent longings.
CLEONICE
To the end I may inspire my husband with the most ardent longings.
***ISTRATA
Never will I give myself voluntarily...
CLEONICE
Never will I give myself voluntarily...
***ISTRATA
And if he has me by force...
CLEONICE
And if he has me by force...
***ISTRATA
I will be cold as ice, and never stir a limb...
CLEONICE
I will be cold as ice, and never stir a limb...
***ISTRATA
I will neither extend my Persian slippers toward the ceiling...
CLEONICE
I will neither extend my Persian slippers toward the ceiling...
***ISTRATA
Nor will I crouch like the carven lions on a knife-handle.
CLEONICE
Nor will I crouch like the carven lions on a knife-handle.
***ISTRATA
And if I keep my oath, may I be suffered to drink of this wine.
CLEONICE (more courageously)
And if I keep my oath, may I be suffered to drink of this wine.
***ISTRATA
But if I break it, let my bowl be filled with water.
CLEONICE
But if I break it, let my bowl be filled with water.
***ISTRATA
Will you all take this oath?
ALL
We do.
***ISTRATA
Then I'll now consume this remnant.
(She drinks.)
CLEONICE (reaching for the cup)
Enough, enough, my dear; now let us all drink in turn to cement our friendship.
(They pass the cup around and all drink.A great commotion is heard off stage.)LAMPITO
Listen! what do those cries mean?
***ISTRATA
It's what I was telling you; the women have just occupied the Acropolis.So now, Lampito, you return to Sparta to organize the plot, while your comrades here remain as hostages.For ourselves, let us go and join the rest in the citadel, and let us push the bolts well home.
CLEONICE
But don't you think the men will march up against us?
***ISTRATA
I laugh at them.Neither threats nor flames shall force our doors;they shall open only on the conditions I have named.
CLEONICE
Yes, yes, by Aphrodite; otherwise we should be called cowardly and wretched women.
(She follows ***ISTRATA out.)
(The scene shifts to the entrance of the Acropolis.The CHORUSOF OLD MEN slowly enters, carrying faggots and pots of fire.)LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Go easy, Draces, go easy; why, your shoulder is all chafed by these damned heavy olive stocks.But forward still, forward, man, as needs must.
FIRST SEMI-CHORUS OF OLD MEN (singing)
What unlooked-for things do happen, to be sure, in a long life!
Ah! Strymodorus, who would ever have thought it? Here we have the women, who used, for our misfortune, to eat our bread and live in our houses, daring nowadays to lay hands on the holy image of the goddess, to seize the Acropolis and draw bars and bolts to keep any from entering!
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Come, Philurgus, man, let's hurry there; let's lay our faggots all about the citadel, and on the blazing pile burn with our hands these vile conspiratresses, one and all-and Lycon's wife first and foremost!
SECOND SEMI-CHORUS OF OLD MEN (singing)
Nay, by Demeter, never will I let them laugh at me, whiles Ihave a breath left in my body.Cleomenes himself, the first who ever seized our citadel, had to quit it to his sore dishonour; spite his Lacedaemonian pride, he had to deliver me up his arms and slink off with a single garment to his back.My word! but he was filthy and ragged! and what an unkempt beard, to be sure! He had not had a bath for six long years!
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Oh! but that was a mighty siege! Our men were ranged seventeen deep before the gate, and never left their posts, even to sleep.These women, these enemies of Euripides and all the gods, shall I do nothing to hinder their inordinate insolence? else let them tear down my trophies of Marathon.
FIRST SEMI-CHORUS OF OLD MEN (singing)
But look, to finish this toilsome climb only this last steep bit is left to mount.Truly, it's no easy job without beasts of burden, and how these logs do bruise my shoulder! Still let us carry on, and blow up our fire and see it does not go out just as we reach our destination.Phew! phew! (Blowing the fire) Oh! dear! what a dreadful smoke!
SECOND SEMI-CHORUS OF OLD MEN (singing)
It bites my eyes like a mad dog.It is Lemnian fire for sure, or it would never devour my eyelids like this.Come on, Laches, let's hurry, let's bring succour to the goddess; it's now or never! Phew!
phew! (Blowing the fire) Oh dear! what a confounded smoke!
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
There now, there's our fire all bright and burning, thank the gods! Now, why not first put down our loads here, then take a vine-branch, light it at the brazier and hurl it at the gate by way of battering-ram? If they don't answer our summons by pulling back the bolts, then we set fire to the woodwork, and the smoke will choke them.Ye gods! what a smoke! Pfaugh! Is there never a Samian general will help me unload my burden?-Ah! it shall not gall my shoulder any more.(Setting down the wood) Come, brazier, do your duty, make the embers flare, that I may kindle a brand; I want to be the first to hurl one.Aid me, heavenly Victory; let us punish for their insolent audacity the women who have seized our citadel, and may we raise a trophy of triumph for success!
(They begin to build a fire.The CHORUS OF WOMENnow enters, carrying pots of water.)
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
