Humanitext Reader

Aristophanes · Lysistrata §80-154

Lysistrata's Plan for a Sex Strike and the Women's Consent

Passage 2 of 16 · Greek

Summary

Lampito of Sparta and other women join the assembly, representing various Greek states. Lysistrata proposes her plan of a sex strike to end the war, and despite initial theatrical refusals from the women, she successfully persuades them to agree.

§80ὡς δʼ εὐχροεῖς, ὡς δὲ σφριγᾷ τὸ σῶμά σου.
Lysistrata: How healthy your complexion is, and how firm your body is!
§81κἂν ταῦρον ἄγχοις.
You could even strangle a bull.
§81bμάλα γʼ οἰῶ ναὶ τὼ σιώ·
Lampito: I certainly think so, by the two gods!
§82γυμνάδδομαι γὰρ καὶ ποτὶ πυγὰν ἅλλομαι.
For I do gymnastics and jump kicking my buttocks.
§83ὡς δὴ καλὸν τὸ χρῆμα τιτθίων ἔχεις.
Kalonike: What a beautiful set of breasts you have!
§84ᾇπερ ἱερεῖόν τοί μʼ ὑποψαλάσσετε.
Lampito: You are feeling me up just like a sacrificial victim!
§85ἡδὶ δὲ ποδαπή ʼσθʼ ἡ νεᾶνις ἡτέρα;
Lysistrata: And where is this other young woman from?
§86πρέσβειρά τοι ναὶ τὼ σιὼ Βοιωτία §87ἵκει ποθʼ ὑμέ.
Lampito: By the two gods, she is a noble ambassador from Boeotia, who has come to you.
§87bνὴ μὰ Δία Βοιωτία, §88καλόν γʼ ἔχουσα τὸ πεδίον.
Kalonike: Yes, by Zeus, a Boeotian, having indeed a beautiful plain.
§88bκαὶ νὴ Δία §89κομψότατα τὴν βληχώ γε παρατετιλμένη.
Myrrhine: And by Zeus, most elegantly plucked of her pennyroyal.
§90τίς δʼ ἡτέρα παῖς;
Lysistrata: And who is the other girl?
§90bχαΐα ναὶ τὼ σιώ, §91Κορινθία δʼ αὖ.
Lampito: A noble one, by the two gods, a Corinthian, moreover.
§91bχαΐα νὴ τὸν Δία §92δήλη ʼστὶν οὖσα ταυταγὶ τἀντευθενί.
Kalonike: Noble indeed, by Zeus, as is clear from these parts here.
§93τίς δʼ αὖ ξυναλίαξε τόνδε τὸν στόλον §94τὸν τᾶν γυναικῶν;
Lampito: But who has assembled this troop of women?
§94bἥδʼ ἐγώ.
Lysistrata: I did, right here.
§94cμύσιδδέ τοι §95ὅ τι λῇς ποθʼ ἁμέ.
Lampito: Tell us then, whatever you want from us.
§95bνὴ Δίʼ ὦ φίλη γύναι, §96λέγε δῆτα τὸ σπουδαῖον ὅ τι τοῦτʼ ἐστί σοι.
Kalonike: Yes, by Zeus, dear woman, tell us indeed what this serious matter of yours is.
§97λέγοιμʼ ἂν ἤδη.
Lysistrata: I will speak now.
πρὶν λέγειν δʼ, ὑμᾶς τοδὶ §98ἐπερήσομαί τι μικρόν.
But before I speak, I will ask you a small question.
§98bὅ τι βούλει γε σύ.
Myrrhine: Whatever you wish.
§99τοὺς πατέρας οὐ ποθεῖτε τοὺς τῶν παιδίων §100ἐπὶ στρατιᾶς ἀπόντας;
Lysistrata: Don't you miss the fathers of your children, absent on military service?
εὖ γὰρ οἶδʼ ὅτι §101πάσαισιν ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἀποδημῶν ἀνήρ.
For I know well that every one of you has a husband away from home.
§102ὁ γοῦν ἐμὸς ἀνὴρ πέντε μῆνας ὦ τάλαν §103ἄπεστιν ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης φυλάττων Εὐκράτη.
Kalonike: My husband, at least, poor me, has been away for five months, away in Thrace, guarding Eucrates.
§104ὁ δʼ ἐμός γε τελέους ἑπτὰ μῆνας ἐν Πύλῳ.
Myrrhine: And mine for a full seven months in Pylos.
§105ὁ δʼ ἐμός γα καἴ κʼ ἐκ τᾶς ταγᾶς ἔλσῃ ποκά, §106πορπακισάμενος φροῦδος ἀμπτάμενος ἔβα.
Lampito: And mine, even if he ever comes back from his post, is gone, flying away with his shield strapped on.
§107ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μοιχοῦ καταλέλειπται φεψάλυξ.
Kalonike: But not even a spark of a lover is left.
§108ἐξ οὗ γὰρ ἡμᾶς προὔδοσαν Μιλήσιοι, §109οὐκ εἶδον οὐδʼ ὄλισβον ὀκτωδάκτυλον, §110ὃς ἦν ἂν ἡμῖν σκυτίνη ʼπικουρία.
Lysistrata: For since the Milesians betrayed us, I have not seen even an eight-finger-long leather dildo, which would be a leather relief to us.
§111ἐθέλοιτʼ ἂν οὖν, εἰ μηχανὴν εὕροιμʼ ἐγώ, §112μετʼ ἐμοῦ καταλῦσαι τὸν πόλεμον;
Would you be willing then, if I find a scheme, to end the war with me?
§112bνὴ τὼ θεώ·
Myrrhine: By the two goddesses!
§113ἔγωγʼ ἂν οὖν κἂν εἴ με χρείη τοὔγκυκλον §114τουτὶ καταθεῖσαν ἐκπιεῖν αὐθημερόν.
I indeed would, even if I had to pledge this mantle of mine and drink it away on the very same day.
§115ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἂν κἂν ὡσπερεὶ ψῆτταν δοκῶ §116δοῦναι ἂν ἐμαυτῆς παρατεμοῦσα θἤμισυ.
Kalonike: And I think I would, even like a flatfish, give half of myself by slicing it off.
§117ἐγὼ δὲ καί κα ποττὸ Ταΰγετόν γʼ ἄνω §118ἔλσοιμʼ ὅπᾳ μέλλοιμί γʼ εἰράναν ἰδεῖν.
Lampito: And I would even go up to Mount Taygetus, if I could see peace from there.
§119λέγοιμʼ ἄν· οὐ δεῖ γὰρ κεκρύφθαι τὸν λόγον.
Lysistrata: Then I will speak; for the plan must not be hidden.
§120ἡμῖν γὰρ ὦ γυναῖκες, εἴπερ μέλλομεν §121ἀναγκάσειν τοὺς ἄνδρας εἰρήνην ἄγειν, §122ἀφεκτέʼ ἐστὶ— §122bτοῦ;
For us, O women, if indeed we are to compel the men to keep peace, we must abstain from— Kalonike: From what?
φράσον.
Tell us!
§122cποιήσετʼ οὖν;
Lysistrata: Will you do it then?
§123ποιήσομεν, κἂν ἀποθανεῖν ἡμᾶς δέῃ.
Kalonike: We will do it, even if we must die.
§124ἀφεκτέα τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἡμῖν τοῦ πέους.
Lysistrata: Then we must abstain from the penis.
§125τί μοι μεταστρέφεσθε;
Why do you turn away from me?
ποῖ βαδίζετε;
Where are you going?
§126αὗται τί μοιμυᾶτε κἀνανεύετε;
Why do you pout and shake your heads?
§127τί χρὼς τέτραπται;
Why has your color changed?
τί δάκρυον κατείβεται;
Why does a tear flow?
§128ποιήσετʼ ἢ οὐ ποιήσετʼ;
Will you do it or not?
ἢ τί μέλλετε;
Or why do you hesitate?
§129οὐκ ἂν ποιήσαιμʼ, ἀλλʼ ὁ πόλεμος ἑρπέτω.
Myrrhine: I wouldn't do it, let the war go on!
§130μὰ Δίʼ οὐδʼ ἐγὼ γάρ, ἀλλʼ ὁ πόλεμος ἑρπέτω.
Kalonike: By Zeus, nor will I; let the war go on!
§131ταυτὶ σὺ λέγεις ὦ ψῆττα;
Lysistrata: You say this, you "flatfish"?
καὶ μὴν ἄρτι γε §132ἔφησθα σαυτῆς κἂν παρατεμεῖν θἤμισυ.
And yet just now you said you would even slice yourself in half.
§133ἄλλʼ ἄλλʼ ὅ τι βούλει·
Kalonike: Anything else, anything else you want!
κἄν με χρῇ διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς §134ἐθέλω βαδίζειν· τοῦτο μᾶλλον τοῦ πέους.
Even if I must walk through fire, I am willing to go; that rather than the penis.
§135οὐδὲν γὰρ οἷον ὦ φίλη Λυσιστράτη.
For there is nothing like it, dear Lysistrata.
§136τί δαὶ σύ;
Lysistrata: And what about you?
§136bκἀγὼ βούλομαι διὰ τοῦ πυρός.
Myrrhine: I too want to go through the fire.
§137ὦ παγκατάπυγον θἠμέτερον ἅπαν γένος,
Lysistrata: Oh, our whole race is utterly lewd!
§138οὐκ ἐτὸς ἀφʼ ἡμῶν εἰσιν αἱ τραγῳδίαι.
No wonder the tragedies are about us.
§139οὐδὲν γάρ ἐσμεν πλὴν Ποσειδῶν καὶ σκάφη.
For we are nothing but Poseidon and a tub.
§140ἀλλʼ ὦ φίλη Λάκαινα, σὺ γὰρ ἐὰν γένῃ §141μόνη μετʼ ἐμοῦ, τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἀνασωσαίμεσθʼ ἔτʼ ἄν, §142ξυμψήφισαί μοι.
But, dear Spartan, if you indeed side with me, we could still save the matter, vote with me.
§142bχαλεπὰ μὲν ναὶ τὼ σιὼ §143γυναῖκάς ἐσθʼ ὑπνῶν ἄνευ ψωλᾶς μόνας.
Lampito: It is difficult indeed, by the two gods, for women to sleep alone without a stiff one.
§144ὅμως γα μάν· δεῖ τᾶς γὰρ εἰράνας μάλʼ αὖ.
But still, nevertheless; for we have great need of peace.
§145ὦ φιλτάτη σὺ καὶ μόνη τούτων γυνή.
Lysistrata: Oh, dearest you, and the only real woman among them!
§146εἰ δʼ ὡς μάλιστʼ ἀπεχοίμεθʼ οὗ σὺ δὴ λέγεις, §147ὃ μὴ γένοιτο, μᾶλλον ἂν διὰ τουτογὶ §148γένοιτʼ ἂν εἰρήνη;
Kalonike: But if indeed we were to abstain as much as possible from what you say, which heaven forbid! — would peace happen more because of this?
§148bπολύ γε νὴ τὼ θεώ.
Lysistrata: Very much so, by the two goddesses.
§149εἰ γὰρ καθοίμεθʼ ἔνδον ἐντετριμμέναι, §150κἀν τοῖς χιτωνίοισι τοῖς Ἀμοργίνοις §151γυμναὶ παρίοιμεν δέλτα παρατετιλμέναι, §152στύοιντο δʼ ἅνδρες κἀπιθυμοῖεν σπλεκοῦν, §153ἡμεῖς δὲ μὴ προσίοιμεν ἀλλʼ ἀπεχοίμεθα, §154σπονδὰς ποιήσαιντʼ ἂν ταχέως, εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι.
For if we were to sit inside, having put on makeup, and in Amorgian transparent tunics, showing ourselves naked with plucked pubic triangles, and the men were to get hard and desire to make love, and we were not to approach but abstain, they would make peace quickly, I know well.

Notes

  1. §81bναὶ τὼ σιώ — A Spartan Doric (Laconian) oath, equivalent to the Attic ναὶ τὼ θεώ (by the two gods). The 'two gods' refer to Castor and Pollux (the Dioscuri), the patron deities of Sparta.
  2. §84ᾇπερ ἱερεῖόν τοί μʼ ὑποψαλάσσετε — ᾇπερ is Laconian for ὥσπερ (just like). ὑποψαλάσσετε means to feel up or handle, referring to the examination of a sacrificial animal (ἱερεῖον) for blemishes, depicting the women feeling and inspecting Lampito's body and breasts.
  3. §105καἴ κʼ ἐκ τᾶς ταγᾶς ἔλσῃ ποκά — A Doric conditional clause. καἴ κʼ corresponds to καὶ ἐάν (Attic κἄν), τᾶς ταγᾶς to τῆς στρατείας (military command/service), ἔλσῃ to the subjunctive ἔλθῃ, and ποκά to ποτέ (ever).
  4. §113κἂν εἴ με χρείη τοὔγκυκλον τουτὶ καταθεῖσαν — χρείη is the present optative of the impersonal verb χρή, forming a conditional protasis. The participle καταθεῖσαν (meaning to lay down as a pledge, or to strip off) is in the accusative feminine singular to agree with the omitted subject (ἐμέ) of the infinitive ἐκπιεῖν.
  5. §115δοῦναι ἂν ἐμαυτῆς — Under the governing verb δοκῶ, the particle ἄν goes with the infinitive δοῦναι, representing a potential/counterfactual statement ('I think I would give'). ἐμαυτῆς is a partitive genitive governed by the subsequent noun θἤμισυ (half, τὸ ἥμισυ).
  6. §152στύοιντο δʼ ἅνδρες κἀπιθυμοῖεν σπλεκοῦν — Part of a series of optative verbs (καθοίμεθʼ, παρίοιμεν, στύοιντο, ἐπιθυμοῖεν, προσίοιμεν, ἀπεχοίμεθα) introduced by the conditional conjunction εἰ in §149. It expresses a future hypothetical condition (less vivid future), leading to the apodosis in §154 (ποιήσαιντʼ ἄν).

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, Lysistrata §80-154. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg007.humanitext-grc2:80-154

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