Humanitext Reader

Aristophanes · Women at the Thesmophoria §568c-640

Warning of Cleisthenes and the Search for the Spy

Passage 8 of 15 · Greek

Summary

During a heated argument between the First and Third women, the effeminate Cleisthenes arrives to warn them of a male spy sent by Euripides, leading the women to search and interrogate the suspects.

§568cλαβὲ θοἰμάτιον Φιλίστη.
First Woman: Take my cloak, Philiste.
§569πρόσθες μόνον, κἀγώ σε νὴ τὴν Ἄρτεμιν— §569bτί δράσεις;
First Woman: Just step closer, and by Artemis, I'll— Third Woman: What will you do?
§570τὸν σησαμοῦνθʼ ὃν κατέφαγες, τοῦτον χεσεῖν ποιήσω.
First Woman: I'll make you shit out that sesame cake you devoured!
§571παύσασθε λοιδορούμεναι·
Chorus Leader: Stop abusing each other.
καὶ γὰρ γυνή τις ἡμῖν §572ἐσπουδακυῖα προστρέχει.
For indeed some woman is running to us in haste.
πρὶν οὖν ὁμοῦ γενέσθαι, §573σιγᾶθʼ, ἵνʼ αὐτῆς κοσμίως πυθώμεθʼ ἅττα λέξει.
Before she gets close, therefore, be silent, so that we may decently learn from her what she has to say.
§574φίλαι γυναῖκες ξυγγενεῖς τοὐμοῦ τρόπου· §575ὅτι μὲν φίλος εἴμʼ ὑμῖν, ἐπίδηλος ταῖς γνάθοις· §576γυναικομανῶ γὰρ προξενῶ θʼ ὑμῶν ἀεί.
Cleisthenes: Dear women, kin of my own character: that I am a friend to you is manifest from my cheeks; for I am mad about women and always act as your patron.
§577καὶ νῦν ἀκούσας πρᾶγμα περὶ ὑμῶν μέγα §578ὀλίγῳ τι πρότερον κατʼ ἀγορὰν λαλούμενον, §579ἥκω φράσων τοῦτʼ ἀγγελῶν θʼ ὑμῖν, ἵνα §580σκοπῆτε καὶ τηρῆτε μὴ καὶ προσπέσῃ §581ὑμῖν ἀφάρκτοις πρᾶγμα δεινὸν καὶ μέγα.
And now, having heard of a great matter concerning you, which was being talked about in the market-place a little earlier, I have come to speak and announce this to you, so that you may look out and watch lest, unexpectedly, a terrible and great disaster fall upon you unprotected.
§582τί δʼ ἔστιν ὦ παῖ;
First Woman: What is it, child?
παῖδα γάρ σʼ εἰκὸς καλεῖν, §583ἕως ἂν οὕτως τὰς γνάθους ψιλὰς ἔχῃς.
For it is fitting to call you child, as long as you keep your cheeks so hairless.
§584Εὐριπίδην φάσʼ ἄνδρα κηδεστήν τινα §585αὑτοῦ γέροντα δεῦρʼ ἀναπέμψαι τήμερον.
Cleisthenes: They say Euripides has sent a certain male relative of his, an old man, here today.
§586πρὸς ποῖον ἔργον ἢ τίνος γνώμης χάριν;
First Woman: For what purpose, or to what design?
§587ἵνʼ ἅττα βουλεύοισθε καὶ μέλλοιτε δρᾶν, §588ἐκεῖνος εἴη τῶν λόγων κατάσκοπος.
Cleisthenes: So that whatever you might consult and be about to do, he might be a spy of your words.
§589καὶ πῶς λέληθεν ἐν γυναιξὶν ὢν ἀνήρ;
First Woman: And how has a man hidden among women without being noticed?
§590ἀφηῦσεν αὐτὸν κἀπέτιλʼ Εὐριπίδης §591καὶ τἄλλʼ ἅπανθʼ ὥσπερ γυναῖκʼ ἐσκεύασεν.
Cleisthenes: Euripides singed him, plucked him, and dressed him up like a woman in all other respects.
§592πείθεσθε τούτῳ ταῦτα;
Third Woman: (Aside) Do you believe him in this?
τίς δʼ οὕτως ἀνὴρ §593ἠλίθιος ὅστις τιλλόμενος ἠνείχετο;
What man is so foolish that he would endure being plucked?
§594οὐκ οἴομαι ʼγωγʼ ὦ πολυτιμήτω θεώ.
I certainly do not think so, by the two highly honored goddesses.
§595ληρεῖς· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἦλθον ἀγγελῶν, §596εἰ μὴ ʼπεπύσμην ταῦτα τῶν σάφʼ εἰδότων.
Cleisthenes: You are talking nonsense; for I would not have come to announce this, if I had not learned these things from those who know clearly.
§597τὸ πρᾶγμα τουτὶ δεινὸν εἰσαγγέλλεται.
First Woman: This matter announced is indeed terrible.
§598ἀλλʼ ὦ γυναῖκες οὐκ ἐλινύειν ἐχρῆν, §599ἀλλὰ σκοπεῖν τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ζητεῖν ὅπου §600λέληθεν ἡμᾶς κρυπτὸς ἐγκαθήμενος.
Chorus Leader: But, women, we must not delay, but search for the man and seek where he has hidden himself among us, sitting in secret.
§601καὶ σὺ ξυνέξευρʼ αὐτόν, ὡς ἂν τὴν χάριν §602ταύτην τε κἀκείνην ἔχῃς ὦ πρόξενε.
And you, help us search for him, so that you may have both this favor and that one, O patron.
§603φέρʼ ἴδω·
Cleisthenes: Let me see.
τίς ἡ πρώτη σύ;
Who are you, the first one?
§603bποῖ τις τρέψεται;
Third Woman: (Aside) Where can one turn?
§604ζητητέαι γάρ ἐστε.
Cleisthenes: For you must all be searched.
§604bκακοδαίμων ἐγώ.
Third Woman: (Aside) Miserable me!
§605ἔμʼ ἥτις εἴμʼ ἤρου;
First Woman: You ask who I am?
Κλεωνύμου γυνή.
The wife of Cleonymus.
§606γιγνώσκεθʼ ὑμεῖς ἥτις ἔσθʼ ἥδʼ ἡ γυνή;
Cleisthenes: Do you know who this woman is?
§607γιγνώσκομεν δῆτʼ.
Chorus: We certainly know.
ἀλλὰ τὰς ἄλλας ἄθρει.
But watch the others.
§608ἡδὶ δὲ δὴ τίς ἐστιν ἡ τὸ παιδίον §609ἔχουσα;
Cleisthenes: And who is this one holding the child?
§609bτίτθη νὴ Δίʼ ἐμή.
First Woman: My nurse, by Zeus.
§609cδιοίχομαι.
Third Woman: (Aside) I am ruined.
§610αὕτη σὺ ποῖ στρέφει;
Cleisthenes: You there, where are you turning?
μένʼ αὐτοῦ.
Stay there.
τί τὸ κακόν;
What is the trouble?
§611ἔασον οὐρῆσαί μʼ.
Third Woman: Let me pass water.
§611bἀναίσχυντός τις εἶ.
Cleisthenes: You are a shameless one.
§612σὺ δʼ οὖν ποίει τοῦτʼ.
Do so, then.
ἀναμενῶ γὰρ ἐνθάδε.
For I will wait here.
§613ἀνάμενε δῆτα καὶ σκόπει γʼ αὐτὴν σφόδρα· §614μόνην γὰρ αὐτὴν ὦνερ οὐ γιγνώσκομεν.
First Woman: Wait indeed and watch her very closely; for we do not know her alone, sir.
§615πολύν γε χρόνον οὐρεῖς σύ.
Cleisthenes: You have been passing water for a long time.
§615bνὴ Δίʼ ὦ μέλε· §616στραγγουριῶ γάρ· ἐχθὲς ἔφαγον κάρδαμα.
Third Woman: By Zeus, my dear sir, I have difficulty urinating; for yesterday I ate cress.
§617τί καρδαμίζεις;
Cleisthenes: What are you talking about cress?
οὐ βαδιεῖ δεῦρʼ ὡς ἐμέ;
Won't you walk over here to me?
§618τί δῆτά μʼ ἕλκεις ἀσθενοῦσαν;
Third Woman: Why do you drag me when I am ill?
§618bεἰπέ μοι, §619τίς ἔστʼ ἀνήρ σοι;
Cleisthenes: Tell me, who is your husband?
§619bτὸν ἐμὸν ἄνδρα πυνθάνει;
Third Woman: You ask about my husband?
§620τὸν δεῖνα γιγνώσκεις, τὸν ἐκ Κοθωκιδῶν;
You know so-and-so, the one from Kothokidai?
§621τὸν δεῖνα;
Cleisthenes: So-and-so?
ποῖον;
Which one?
§621bἔσθʼ ὁ δεῖνʼ, ὃς καί ποτε §622τὸν δεῖνα τὸν τοῦ δεῖνα— §622bληρεῖν μοι δοκεῖς.
Third Woman: He's so-and-so, who once so-and-so, the son of so-and-so— Cleisthenes: You seem to me to be talking nonsense.
§623ἀνῆλθες ἤδη δεῦρο πρότερον;
Have you ever come up here before?
§623bνὴ Δία §624ὁσέτη γε.
Third Woman: By Zeus, every year.
§624bκαὶ τίς σοὐστὶ συσκηνήτρια;
Cleisthenes: And who is your tent-mate?
§625ἡ δεῖνʼ ἔμοιγʼ.
Third Woman: So-and-so, to me.
§625bοἴμοι τάλας, οὐδὲν λέγεις.
Cleisthenes: Alas, wretched me, you are saying nothing.
§626ἄπελθʼ.
First Woman: Go away.
ἐγὼ γὰρ βασανιῶ ταύτην καλῶς §627ἐκ τῶν ἱερῶν τῶν πέρυσι· σὺ δʼ ἀπόστηθί μοι, §628ἵνα μὴ ʼπακούσῃς ὢν ἀνήρ.
For I will question her well from last year's rites; you stand away from me, lest you overhear, being a man.
σὺ δʼ εἰπέ μοι §629ὅ τι πρῶτον ἡμῖν τῶν ἱερῶν ἐδείκνυτο.
But tell me, what was shown to us first of the sacred objects?
§630φέρʼ ἴδω, τί μέντοι πρῶτον ἦν;
Third Woman: Let me see, what indeed was first?
ἐπίνομεν.
We were drinking.
§631τί δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο δεύτερον;
First Woman: And what was second after this?
§631bπροὐπίνομεν.
Third Woman: We were drinking toasts.
§632ταυτὶ μὲν ἤκουσάς τινος·
First Woman: You heard this from someone.
τί δαὶ τρίτον;
But what was third?
§633σκάφιον Ξένυλλʼ ᾔτησεν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀμίς.
Third Woman: Xenylla asked for a bowl; for there was no chamber pot.
§634οὐδὲν λέγεις.
First Woman: You are saying nothing.
δεῦρʼ ἐλθὲ δεῦρʼ ὦ Κλείσθενες· §635ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ἁνὴρ ὃν λέγεις.
Come here, come here, Cleisthenes; this is the man you are speaking of.
§635bτί οὖν ποιῶ;
Cleisthenes: What should I do, then?
§636ἀπόδυσον αὐτόν· οὐδὲν ὑγιὲς γὰρ λέγει.
First Woman: Strip him; for he says nothing sound.
§637κἄπειτʼ ἀποδύσετʼ ἐννέα παίδων μητέρα;
Third Woman: And then will you strip the mother of nine children?
§638χάλα ταχέως τὸ στρόφιον ὦναίσχυντε σύ.
Cleisthenes: Unfasten the breast-band quickly, you shameless one.
§639ὡς καὶ στιβαρά τις φαίνεται καὶ καρτερά·
Cleisthenes: How sturdy and strong indeed he appears!
§640καὶ νὴ Δία τιτθούς γʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἔχει.
Cleisthenes: And by Zeus, he doesn't have breasts like we do.

Notes

  1. 570τὸν σησαμοῦνθʼ ὃν κατέφαγες, τοῦτον χεσεῖν ποιήσω — The object τὸν σησαμοῦντα is pulled forward as a prolepsis, then resumed by the demonstrative τοῦτον. This forms an object-infinitive construction of cause with ποιήσω ('I will make you defecate...').
  2. 587ἵνʼ ἅττα βουλεύοισθε καὶ μέλλοιτε δρᾶν — Within the purpose clause introduced by ἵνα, the optative of oblique mood (βουλεύοισθε, μέλλοιτε) is used instead of the subjunctive, because it is dependent on the historical past event implied by ἀναπέμψαι.
  3. 620τὸν δεῖνα — The indefinite pronoun ὁ δεῖna ('so-and-so') is repeated to portray the disguised man's hesitation and confusion, as he is unable to supply a real husband's name under pressure.

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, Women at the Thesmophoria §568c-640. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg008.humanitext-grc2:568c-640

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