Humanitext Reader

Aristophanes · Assemblywomen §1019-1095b

The Young Man Desperately Dragged by Three Old Women

Passage 14 of 15 · Greek

Summary

The young man is about to be dragged into the house by the first old woman. Although a young girl intervenes to drive her away, a second and a third, even uglier old women appear, pulling him from both sides and leaving him in a desperate situation.

§1019ταῖς πρεσβυτέραις γυναιξὶν ἔστω τὸν νέον §1020ἕλκειν ἀνατεὶ λαβομένας τοῦ παττάλου. §1021οἴμοι Προκρούστης τήμερον γενήσομαι.
"It shall be permitted for the older women to drag the young man, grasping him by his peg, with impunity." (Young Man) Alas, I shall become a Procrustes today.
§1022τοῖς γὰρ νόμοις τοῖς ἡμετέροισι πειστέον.
(Old Woman) For you must obey our laws.
§1023τί δʼ ἢν ἀφαιρῆταί μʼ ἀνὴρ τῶν δημοτῶν §1024ἢ τῶν φίλων ἐλθών τις;
(Young Man) But what if someone of my demesmen or friends comes and rescues me?
§1024bἀλλʼ οὐ κύριος §1025ὑπὲρ μέδιμνόν ἐστʼ ἀνὴρ οὐδεὶς ἔτι.
(Old Woman) But no man has authority anymore over more than a medimnos.
§1026ἐξωμοσία δʼ οὐκ ἔστιν;
(Young Man) And is there no sworn excuse?
§1026bοὐ γὰρ δεῖ στροφῆς.
(Old Woman) No, for there is no need for evasion.
§1027ἀλλʼ ἔμπορος εἶναι σκήψομαι.
(Young Man) But I will pretend to be a merchant.
§1027bκλάων γε σύ.
(Old Woman) To your cost, then!
§1028τί δῆτα χρὴ δρᾶν;
(Young Man) What then must I do?
§1028bδεῦρʼ ἀκολουθεῖν ὡς ἐμέ.
(Old Woman) Follow me here to my place.
§1029καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀνάγκη μοὐστί;
(Young Man) And is this a necessity for me?
§1029bΔιομήδειά γε.
(Old Woman) A Diomedean necessity, indeed!
§1030ὑποστόρεσαί νυν πρῶτα τῆς ὀριγάνου §1031καὶ κλήμαθʼ ὑπόθου συγκλάσασα τέτταρα, §1032καὶ ταινίωσαι καὶ παράθου τὰς ληκύθους, §1033ὕδατός τε κατάθου τοὔστρακον πρὸ τῆς θύρας.
(Young Man) Then first strew origanum underneath, and break and lay four vine-twigs under you, and bind your head with ribbons, and set out the oil-flasks, and place the earthenware jar of water before the door.
§1034ἦ μὴν ἔτʼ ὠνήσει σὺ καὶ στεφάνην ἐμοί.
(Old Woman) Verily, you will also buy a wreath for me yet.
§1035νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ἤνπερ ᾖ γέ που τῶν κηρίνων· §1036οἶμαι γὰρ ἔνδον διαπεσεῖσθαί σʼ αὐτίκα.
(Young Man) By Zeus, yes, if it is one of those made of wax; for I think you will fall to pieces inside immediately.
§1037ποῖ τοῦτον ἕλκεις;
(Young Girl) Where are you dragging him?
§1037bτὸν ἐμὸν αὐτῆς εἰσάγω.
(Old Woman) I am bringing in my own man.
§1038οὐ σωφρονοῦσά γʼ·
(Young Girl) Not wisely, indeed!
οὐ γὰρ ἡλικίαν ἔχει §1039παρὰ σοὶ καθεύδειν τηλικοῦτος ὤν, ἐπεὶ §1040μήτηρ ἂν αὐτῷ μᾶλλον εἴης ἢ γυνή.
For one of his age is not of the right age to sleep with you, since you would be more of a mother than a wife to him.
§1041ὥστʼ εἰ καταστήσεσθε τοῦτον τὸν νόμον, §1042τὴν γῆν ἅπασαν Οἰδιπόδων ἐμπλήσετε.
So if you establish this law, you will fill the whole land with Oedipuses.
§1043ὦ παμβδελυρὰ φθονοῦσα τόνδε τὸν λόγον §1044ἐξηῦρες·
(Old Woman) Oh, you utterly loathsome girl, you found this argument out of envy!
ἀλλʼ ἐγώ σε τιμωρήσομαι.
But I will punish you.
§1045νὴ τὸν Δία τὸν σωτῆρα κεχάρισαί γέ μοι §1046ὦ γλυκύτατον τὴν γραῦν ἀπαλλάξασά μου·
(Young Man) By Zeus the Savior, you have done me a great favor, my sweetest girl, by ridding me of the old woman!
§1047ὥστʼ ἀντὶ τούτων τῶν ἀγαθῶν εἰς ἑσπέραν §1048μεγάλην ἀποδώσω καὶ παχεῖάν σοι χάριν.
So in return for these good services, towards evening I will pay you back a big and thick favor.
§1049αὕτη σὺ ποῖ τονδὶ παραβᾶσα τὸν νόμον §1050ἕλκεις, παρʼ ἐμοὶ τῶν γραμμάτων εἰρηκότων §1051πρότερον καθεύδειν αὐτόν;
(Second Old Woman) You there, where are you dragging this man, transgressing the law, when the written decree states that he must sleep with me first?
§1051bοἴμοι δείλαιος.
(Young Man) Oh, wretched me!
§1052πόθεν ἐξέκυψας ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀπολουμένη;
Where did you pop up from, you cursed creature?
§1053τοῦτο γὰρ ἐκείνου τὸ κακὸν ἐξωλέστερον.
For this evil is even more ruinous than the other.
§1054βάδιζε δεῦρο.
(Second Old Woman) Walk this way!
§1054bμηδαμῶς με περιίδῃς §1055ἑλκόμενον ὑπὸ τῆσδʼ ἀντιβολῶ σʼ.
(Young Man) Do not, I beseech you, look on while I am dragged away by this woman!
§1055bἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐγώ, §1056ἀλλʼ ὁ νόμος ἕλκει σʼ.
(Second Old Woman) It is not I, but the law that drags you.
§1056bοὐκ ἐμέ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔμπουσά τις §1057ἐξ αἵματος φλύκταιναν ἠμφιεσμένη.
(Young Man) Not me, but some Empusa clad in a blister of blood!
§1058ἕπου μαλακίων δεῦρʼ ἀνύσας καὶ μὴ λάλει.
(Second Old Woman) Follow me here quickly, you weakling, and do not chatter.
§1059ἴθι νυν ἔασον εἰς ἄφοδον πρώτιστά με §1060ἐλθόντα θαρρῆσαι πρὸς ἐμαυτόν· εἰ δὲ μή, §1061αὐτοῦ τι δρῶντα πυρρὸν ὄψει μʼ αὐτίκα §1062ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους.
(Young Man) Go on then, let me first go to ease myself and regain my courage; otherwise, you will see me doing something yellow right here immediately out of fear.
§1062bθάρρει, βάδιζʼ· ἔνδον χεσεῖ.
(Second Old Woman) Have courage, walk on; you shall shit inside.
§1063δέδοικα κἀγὼ μὴ πλέον γʼ ἢ βούλομαι.
(Young Man) I too am afraid of that, and even more than I wish.
§1064ἀλλʼ ἐγγυητάς σοι καταστήσω δύο §1065ἀξιόχρεως.
But I will provide two solvent guarantors for you, worth the money.
§1065bμή μοι καθίστη.
(Second Old Woman) Don't set any up for me.
§1065cποῖ σὺ ποῖ §1066χωρεῖς μετὰ ταύτης;
(Third Old Woman) Where, where are you going with her?
§1066bοὐκ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ ἕλκομαι.
(Young Man) Not I, but I am being dragged.
§1067ἀτὰρ ἥτις εἶ γε, πόλλʼ ἀγαθὰ γένοιτό σοι, §1068ὅτι μʼ οὐπεριεῖδες ἐπιτριβέντʼ.
But whoever you are, may many blessings come to you, because you did not overlook me being worn to ruin.
ὦ Ἡράκλεις §1069ὦ Πᾶνες ὦ Κορύβαντες ὦ Διοσκόρω, §1070τοῦτʼ αὖ πολὺ τούτου τὸ κακὸν ἐξωλέστερον.
Oh Heracles, oh Panes, oh Corybantes, oh Dioscuri, this evil again is by far more ruinous than the other.
§1071ἀτὰρ τί τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἔστʼ ἀντιβολῶ τουτί ποτε;
But what on earth is this thing, I beseech you?
§1072πότερον πίθηκος ἀνάπλεως ψιμυθίου, §1073ἢ γραῦς ἀνεστηκυῖα παρὰ τῶν πλειόνων;
Is it an ape covered with white lead, or an old hag risen from the dead?
§1074μὴ σκῶπτέ μʼ ἀλλὰ δεῦρʼ ἕπου.
(Third Old Woman) Don't mock me, but follow me here.
§1074bδευρὶ μὲν οὖν.
(Second Old Woman) This way, rather!
§1075ὡς οὐκ ἀφήσω σʼ οὐδέποτʼ.
(Third Old Woman) For I will never let you go.
§1075bοὐδὲ μὴν ἐγώ.
(Second Old Woman) Nor indeed will I.
§1076διασπάσεσθέ μʼ ὦ κακῶς ἀπολούμεναι.
(Young Man) You will tear me to pieces, you cursed hags!
§1077ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἀκολουθεῖν σʼ ἔδει κατὰ τὸν νόμον.
(Second Old Woman) Because you had to follow me according to the law.
§1078οὐκ ἢν ἑτέρα γε γραῦς ἔτʼ αἰσχίων φανῇ.
(Third Old Woman) Not if another, even uglier old woman appears!
§1079ἢν οὖν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπόλωμαι κακῶς, §1080φέρε πῶς ἐπʼ ἐκείνην τὴν καλὴν ἀφίξομαι;
(Young Man) So if I am first ruined miserably by you two, tell me, how shall I ever reach that beautiful girl?
§1081αὐτὸς σκόπει σύ· τάδε δέ σοι ποιητέον.
(Third Old Woman) See to that yourself; but this is what you must do.
§1082ποτέρας προτέρας οὖν κατελάσας ἀπαλλαγῶ;
(Young Man) Which of you two then must I screw first to get set free?
§1083οὐκ οἶσθα;
(Third Old Woman) Don't you know?
βαδιεῖ δεῦρʼ.
You must walk this way.
§1083bἀφέτω νύν μʼ αὑτηί.
(Young Man) Then let this woman let me go.
§1084δευρὶ μὲν οὖν ἴθʼ ὡς ἔμʼ.
(Second Old Woman) This way rather, to my place!
§1084bἢν ἡδί μʼ ἀφῇ.
(Young Man) If this one lets me go.
§1085ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀφήσω μὰ Δία σʼ.
(Third Old Woman) But by Zeus, I will not let you go.
§1085bοὐδὲ μὴν ἐγώ.
(Second Old Woman) Nor indeed will I.
§1086χαλεπαί γʼ ἂν ἦστε γενόμεναι πορθμῆς.
(Young Man) You would be troublesome ferrymen, indeed, if you became such.
§1086bτιή;
(Second Old Woman) Why so?
§1087ἕλκοντε τοὺς πλωτῆρας ἂν ἀπεκναίετε.
(Young Man) Because by dragging the sailors, you would wear them out.
§1088σιγῇ βάδιζε δεῦρο.
(Third Old Woman) Walk this way in silence.
§1088bμὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐμέ.
(Second Old Woman) No, by Zeus, to my place!
§1089τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα κατὰ τὸ Καννωνοῦ σαφῶς §1090ψήφισμα, βινεῖν δεῖ με διαλελημμένον.
(Young Man) This situation is clearly according to the decree of Kannonos: I must have sex while held apart on both sides.
§1091πῶς οὖν δικωπεῖν ἀμφοτέρας δυνήσομαι;
How then shall I be able to row two oars at once for both of you?
§1092καλῶς, ἐπειδὰν καταφάγῃς βολβῶν χύτραν.
(Second Old Woman) Easily, once you have devoured a pot of bulb-onions.
§1093οἴμοι κακοδαίμων ἐγγὺς ἤδη τῆς θύρας
(Young Man) Alas, wretched me!
§1094ἑλκόμενός εἰμʼ.
Already I am being dragged close to the door.
§1094bἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἔσται σοι πλέον.
(Third Old Woman) But it will be of no advantage to you.
§1095ξυνεσπεσοῦμαι γὰρ μετὰ σοῦ.
For I will rush in together with you.
§1095bμὴ πρὸς θεῶν·
(Young Man) Not, by the gods!

Notes

  1. 1019τοῦ παττάλου — The genitive is governed by the participle `λαβομένας` from `λαμβάνω` ("to grab"), which takes the genitive of the part of the body grabbed. It is a euphemism for the penis (literally "peg").
  2. 1025ὑπὲρ μέδιμνόν — A prepositional phrase with `ὑπέρ` governing the accusative ("beyond a medimnos"). Under the women's new regime, the historical legal limit placed on women's transactional capacity is humorously reversed so that no man has authority (`κύριος`) over any transaction exceeding one medimnos.
  3. 1027bκλάων γε σύ — An idiomatic expression utilizing the present participle `κλάων` ("weeping") to convey a threat or warning that the actions will lead to pain or regret ("to your cost").
  4. 1029bΔιομήδειά γε — A feminine singular adjective. It is derived from the proverbial expression "Diomedean necessity" (Διομήδεια ἀνάγκη), which means an absolute or unavoidable compulsion. The feminine noun `ἀνάγκη` is omitted here.
  5. 1090διαλελημμένον — Perfect passive participle of `διαλαμβάνω` ("to pin down on both sides"), in the accusative masculine singular agreeing with the subject `με` of the infinitive. It references the historical decree of Kannonos where a defendant was tried while held securely on both sides, humorously portraying the physical situation of the young man pinned by two old women at once.

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, Assemblywomen §1019-1095b. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg010.humanitext-grc2:1019-1095b

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