Humanitext Reader

Aristophanes · Women at the Thesmophoria §1154-1231

Truce with the Women and Successful Rescue

Passage 15 of 15 · Greek

Summary

Euripides forms a truce with the women and, using the dancer Elaphion, distracts the Scythian archer, allowing him to rescue his trapped relative. Realizing he has been deceived, the archer runs off in the wrong direction misled by the women, and the play concludes with the chorus's prayer and return home.

§1154Θεσμοφόρω πολυποτνία, §1155εἰ καὶ πρότερόν ποτʼ ἐπηκόω §1156ἤλθετον, ἔλθετε νῦν, ἀφίκεσθʼ ἱκετεύομεν §1157ἐνθάδε χἠμῖν.
O majestic dual goddesses of the Thesmophoria, if ever before you came lending a listening ear, come now, we supplicate you, arrive here to us as well.
§1160γυναῖκες εἰ βούλεσθε τὸν λοιπόν χρόνον §1161σπονδὰς ποιήσασθαι πρὸς ἐμέ, νυνὶ πάρα, §1162ἐφʼ ᾧτʼ ἀκοῦσαι μηδὲν ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ μηδαμὰ §1163κακὸν τὸ λοιπόν.
Women, if you wish to make a truce with me for the remaining time, now is the opportunity, on the condition that you hear nothing bad from me ever again.
ταῦτʼ ἐπικηρυκεύομαι.
I propose these terms of treaty.
§1164χρείᾳ δὲ ποίᾳ τόνδʼ ἐπεσφέρεις λόγον;
But with what need in mind do you introduce this proposal?
§1165ὅδʼ ἐστὶν οὑν τῇ σανίδι κηδεστὴς ἐμός.
This man on the plank is my relative.
§1166ἢν οὖν κομίσωμαι τοῦτον, οὐδὲν μή ποτε §1167κακῶς ἀκούσητʼ· ἢν δὲ μὴ πίθησθέ μοι,
If, therefore, I rescue this man, you will never be spoken ill of; but if you do not obey me, I will slander you to your husbands when they return from the army, exposing what you now plot in secret at home.
§1168ἃ νῦν ὑποικουρεῖτε τοῖσιν ἀνδράσιν §1169ἀπὸ τῆς στρατιᾶς παροῦσιν ὑμῶν διαβαλῶ. §1170τὰ μὲν παρʼ ἡμῶν ἴσθι σοι πεπεισμένα·
As far as our part is concerned, know that we are persuaded by you.
§1171τὸν βάρβαρον δὲ τοῦτον αὐτὸς πεῖθε σύ.
But as for this barbarian, persuade him yourself.
§1172ἐμὸν ἔργον ἐστίν·
That is my task.
καὶ σὸν ὦλάφιον ἅ σοι §1173καθʼ ὁδὸν ἔφραζον ταῦτα μεμνῆσθαι ποιεῖν.
And you, Elaphion, make sure to remember to do what I told you on the way.
§1174πρῶτον μὲν οὖν δίελθε κἀνακάλπασον.
First, then, pass by and dance with your skirts hitched up.
§1175σὺ δʼ ὦ Τερηδὼν ἐπαναφύσα Περσικόν.
And you, Teredon, blow up a Persian tune.
§1176τί τὸ βόμβο τοῦτο;
What is this buzzing?
κῶμο τίς ἀνεγεῖρί μοι
What revelry wakes me?
§1177ἡ παῖς ἔμελλε προμελετᾶν ὦ τοξότα.
The girl was about to practice, O archer.
§1178ὀρχησομένη γὰρ ἔρχεθʼ ὡς ἄνδρας τινάς.
For she is going to dance before some men.
§1179ὀρκῆσι καὶ μελετῆσι, οὐ κωλύσʼ ἐγώ.
Dance and practice, me no stop.
§1180ὡς ἐλαπρός, ὥσπερ ψύλλο κατὰ τὸ κῴδιο.
How nimble, like a flea on a sheepskin.
§1181φέρε θοἰμάτιον ἄνωθεν ὦ τέκνον τοδί·
Come, take off this cloak from above, my child.
§1182καθιζομένη δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖσι γόνασι τοῦ Σκύθου §1183τὼ πόδε πρότεινον, ἵνʼ ὑπολύσω.
Sit down on the Scythian's knees and stretch out your feet, so that I may take off your shoes.
§1183bναῖκι ναὶ §1184κάτησο κάτησο, ναῖκι ναῖκι τυγάτριον.
Yes, yes, sit down, sit down, yes, yes, little daughter.
§1185οἴμʼ ὠς στέριπο τὸ τιττἴ, ὤσπερ γογγύλη.
Oh, how firm the little breast is, just like a turnip!
§1186αὔλει σὺ θᾶττον·
Pipe faster, you!
ἔτι δέδοικας τὸν Σκύθην;
Are you still afraid of the Scythian?
§1187καλό γε τὸ πυγή.
Nice backside!
κλαῦσί γʼ ἂν μὴ ʼνδον μένῃς.
You'll cry if you don't stay inside.
§1187aἀνακύπτι καὶ παρακύπτι ἀπεψωλημένος·
Look up, look down, skin-peeled one!
§1188εἶεν· καλὴ τὸ σκῆμα περὶ τὸ πόστιον.
Well, nice pose around the little penis.
§1189καλῶς ἔχει.
It is well.
λαβὲ θοἰμάτιον· ὥρα ʼστὶ νῷν §1190ἤδη βαδίζειν.
Take your cloak; it is time for us to go now. You no kiss me first?
§1190bοὐκὶ πιλῆσι πρῶτά με;
By all means; kiss him.
§1191πάνυ γε· φίλησον αὐτόν.
Oh, oh, oh, my goodness!
§1191bὂ ὂ ὂ παπαπαπαῖ,
How sweet the tongue, just like Attic honey!
§1192ὠς γλυκερὸ τὸ γλῶσσʼ, ὤσπερ Ἀττικὸς μέλις.
Why you no sleep with me?
§1193τί οὐ κατεύδει παρʼ ἐμέ;
Farewell, archer, for this cannot be.
§1193bχαῖρε τοξότα, §1194οὐ γὰρ γένοιτʼ ἂν τοῦτο.
Yes, yes, old woman.
§1194bναὶ ναὶ γρᾴδιο.
You do this favor for me.
§1195ἐμοὶ κάρισο σὺ τοῦτο.
Will you give a drachma then?
§1195bδώσεις οὖν δραχμήν;
Yes, yes, me give.
§1196ναὶ ναῖκι δῶσι.
Bring the money then.
§1196bτἀργύριον τοίνυν φέρε.
But me got nothing; but take the quiver.
§1197ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔκὠδέν·
And then bring it back to them (?).
ἀλλὰ τὸ συβήνην λαβέ.
Follow me, my child.
§1198ἔπειτα † κομίζεις αὐτοῖς.
And you watch this old man, old woman.
What is your name?
§1198bἀκολούτι τέκνον. §1199σὺ δὲ τοῦτο τήρει τὴ γέροντο, γρᾴδιο.
Artemisia.
§1200ὄνομα δέ σοι τί ἔστιν;
Me remember the name then: Artamuxia.
§1200bἈρτεμισία.
O wily Hermes, this at least you still manage well.
§1201μεμνῆσι τοίνυν τοὔνομʼ· Ἀρταμουξία.
You, then, run off taking this boy here; and I will loosen this man.
§1202Ἑρμῆ δόλιε ταυτὶ μὲν ἔτι καλῶς ποιεῖς.
And you, make sure that as soon as you are released, you run manfully and stretch your stride toward home to your wife and children.
§1203σὺ μὲν οὖν ἀπότρεχε παιδάριον τουτὶ λαβών· §1204ἐγὼ δὲ λύσω τόνδε. σὺ δʼ ὅπως ἀνδρικῶς
That shall be my care if only I am once released.
§1205ὅταν λυθῇς τάχιστα θεύξει καὶ τενεῖς §1206ὡς τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ παιδἴ οἴκαδε.
You are released.
§1207ἐμοὶ μελήσει ταῦτά γʼ ἢν ἅπαξ λυθῶ.
It is your task; flee before the archer returns and catches you.
§1208λέλυσο.
I am doing indeed just that.
σὸν ἔργον, φεῦγε πρὶν τὸν τοξότην §1209ἥκοντα καταλαβεῖν.
O old woman, how charming your daughter is, and not difficult but gentle!
§1209bἐγὼ δὴ τοῦτο δρῶ.
Where is the old woman?
§1210ὦ γρᾴδιʼ ὠς καρίεντό σοι τὸ τυγάτριον, §1211κοὐ δύσκολʼ ἀλλὰ πρᾶο.
Oh, I am ruined!
ποῦ τὸ γρᾴδιο;
Where is the old man from here?
§1212οἴμʼ ὠς ἀπόλωλο· ποῦ τὸ γέροντʼ ἐντευτενί;
Old woman, old woman!
§1213ὦ γρᾴδιʼ, ὦ γρᾷ.
Me no praise old woman.
οὐκ ἐπαινῶ γρᾴδιο.
Artamuxia!
§1213aἈρταμουξία.
The old woman cheated me.
§1214διέβαλλέ μʼ ηʼ γραῦς.
You, run off as fast as possible!
ἀπότρεκʼ ὠς τάκιστα σύ· §1215ὀρτῶς δὲ συβήνη ʼστί· καταβηνῆσι γάρ.
And truly it is a quiver; for it is to be buggered.
§1215aοἴμοι, §1216τί δρᾶσι;
Alas, what should I do?
ποῖ τὸ γρᾴδιʼ;
Where is the old woman?
Ἀρταμουξία.
Artamuxia!
§1217τὴν γραῦν ἐρωτᾷς, ἣ ʼφερεν τὰς πηκτίδας;
Are you asking about the old woman who carried the harp?
§1218ναὶ ναῖκι.
Yes, yes.
εἶδες αὐτό;
You saw her?
§1218bταύτῃ γʼ οἴχεται §1219αὐτή τʼ ἐκείνη καὶ γέρων τις εἵπετο.
She went that way, she herself, and some old man was following her.
§1220κροκῶτʼ ἔκοντο τὴ γέροντο;
The old man had a saffron robe?
§1220bφήμʼ ἐγώ.
I say yes.
§1221ἔτʼ ἂν καταλάβοις, εἰ διώκοις ταυτῃί.
You might still catch them, if you pursue this way.
§1222ὦ μιαρὸ γρᾶο·
O filthy old woman!
πότερα τρέξι τὴν ὀδό;
Which road should I run?
§1223Ἀρταμουξία.
Artamuxia!
§1223aὀρθὴν ἄνω δίωκε.
Pursue straight up!
ποῖ θεῖς; οὐ πάλιν §1224τῃδὶ διώξει;
Where are you running? Why don't you chase this way instead?
σʼ τοὔμπαλιν τρέχεις σύ γε.
Whoa, you are running the opposite way!
§1225κακόδαιμον, ἀλλὰ τρέξι.
Accursed thing, but me run.
Ἀρταμουξία.
Artamuxia!
§1226τρέχε νυν κατὰ τοὺς κόρακας ἐπουρίσας, τρέχε.
Run then to the crows with a fair wind, run!
§1227ἀλλὰ πέπαισται μετρίως ἡμῖν· §1228ὥσθʼ ὥρα δή ʼστι βαδίζειν §1229οἴκαδʼ ἑκάστῃ.
But our play has been acted well enough; so it is indeed time for each of us to walk home.
τὼ Θεσμοφόρω δʼ §1230ἡμῖν ἀγαθὴν §1231τούτων χάριν ἀνταποδοίτην.
And may the two goddesses of the Thesmophoria give us a good return in gratitude for these things.

Notes

  1. 1162ἐφʼ ᾧτʼ ἀκοῦσαι — The conjunction ἐφ' ᾧτε followed by the infinitive ἀκοῦσαι expresses a condition or agreement, meaning "on the condition that..."
  2. 1166οὐδὲν μή ποτε κακῶς ἀκούσητʼ — The double negation οὐ μή followed by the aorist subjunctive (here, ἀκούσητε) expresses a strong negative future: "you will never under any circumstances be spoken ill of." The idiom κακῶς ἀκούω literally means "to hear badly of oneself," i.e., "to be spoken ill of."
  3. 1168ἃ νῦν ὑποικουρεῖτε — The relative clause introduced by the neuter plural relative pronoun ἃ (which contains its own antecedent) serves as the direct object of the main verb διαβαλῶ (future of διαβάλλω, "I will slander/expose").
  4. 1172καὶ σὸν ὦλάφιον ... μεμνῆσθαι ποιεῖν — The elliptical expression καὶ σὸν (ἔργον ἐστίν) ("and it is your task") is followed by the vocative ὦλάφιον ("O Elaphion"), with the following infinitive construction directing her to remember and execute what Euripides told her on the road.
  5. 1187κλαῦσί γʼ ἂν μὴ ʼνδον μένῃς — A clear instance of the Scythian's broken Greek. κλαῦσι is a distortion of the future second-person singular κλαύσεις or κλαύσῃ ("you will weep / pay for it"), paired with the conditional clause ἂν μὴ ʼνδον μένῃς ("if you do not stay inside"), showing phonological and morphological corruption.

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, Women at the Thesmophoria §1154-1231. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg008.humanitext-grc2:1154-1231

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