We　must　refrain　from　the　male　altogether。。。。　Nay；　why　do　you
  turn　your　backs　on　me？　Where　are　you　going？　So；　you　bite　your　lips；
  and　shake　your　heads；　eh？　Why　these　pale；　sad　looks？　why　these
  tears？　Come；　will　you　do　it…yes　or　no？　Do　you　hesitate？
  CLEONICE
  I　will　not　do　it；　let　the　war　go　on。
  MYRRHINE
  Nor　will　I；　let　the　war　go　on。
  LYSISTRATA　　（to　MYRRHINE）
  And　you　say　this；　my　pretty　flat…fish；　who　declared　just　now
  they　might　split　you　in　two？
  CLEONICE
  Anything；　anything　but　that！　Bid　me　go　through　the　fire；　if　you
  will；…but　to　rob　us　of　the　sweetest　thing　in　all　the　world；　Lysistrata
  darling！
  LYSISTRATA　　（to　MYRRHINE）
  And　you？
  MYRRHINE
  Yes；　I　agree　with　the　others；　I　too　would　sooner　go　through　the
  fire。
  LYSISTRATA
  Oh；　wanton；　vicious　sex！　the　poets　have　done　well　to　make
  tragedies　upon　us；　we　are　good　for　nothing　then　but　love　and　lewdness！
  But　you；　my　dear；　you　from　hardy　Sparta；　if　you　join　me；　all　may　yet
  be　well；　help　me；　second　me；　I　beg　you。
  LAMPITO
  'Tis　a　hard　thing；　by　the　two　goddesses　it　is！　for　a　woman　to
  sleep　alone　without　ever　a　strong　male　in　her　bed。　But　there；　peace
  must　come　first。
  LYSISTRATA
  Oh；　my　darling；　my　dearest；　best　friend；　you　are　the　only　one
  deserving　the　name　of　woman！
  CLEONICE
  But　if…which　the　gods　forbid…we　do　refrain　altogether　from　what
  you　say；　should　we　get　peace　any　sooner？
  LYSISTRATA
  Of　course　we　should；　by　the　goddesses　twain！　We　need　only　sit
  indoors　with　painted　cheeks；　and　meet　our　mates　lightly　clad　in
  transparent　gowns　of　Amorgos　silk；　and　perfectly　depilated；　they
  will　get　their　tools　up　and　be　wild　to　lie　with　us。　That　will　be　the
  time　to　refuse；　and　they　will　hasten　to　make　peace；　I　am　convinced
  of　that！
  LAMPITO
  Yes；　just　as　Menelaus；　when　he　saw　Helen's　naked　bosom；　threw　away
  his　sword；　they　say。
  CLEONICE
  But；　oh　dear；　suppose　our　husbands　go　away　and　leave　us。
  LYSISTRATA
  Then；　as　Pherecrates　says；　we　must　〃flay　a　skinned　dog；〃　that's
  all。
  CLEONICE
  Fiddlesticks！　these　proverbs　are　all　idle　talk。。。。　But　if　our
  husbands　drag　us　by　main　force　into　the　bedchamber？
  LYSISTRATA
  Hold　on　to　the　door　posts。
  CLEONICE
  But　if　they　beat　us？
  LYSISTRATA
  Then　yield　to　their　wishes；　but　with　a　bad　grace；　there　is　no
  pleasure　in　it　for　them；　when　they　do　it　by　force。　Besides；　there
  are　a　thousand　ways　of　tormenting　them。　Never　fear；　they'll　soon
  tire　of　the　game；　there's　no　satisfaction　for　a　man；　unless　the
  woman　shares　it。
  CLEONICE
  Very　well；　if　you　must　have　it　so；　we　agree。
  LAMPITO
  For　ourselves；　no　doubt　we　shall　persuade　our　husbands　to　conclude
  a　fair　and　honest　peace；　but　there　is　the　Athenian　populace；　how　are
  we　to　cure　these　folk　of　their　warlike　frenzy？
  LYSISTRATA
  Have　no　fear；　we　undertake　to　make　our　own　people　listen　to
  reason。
  LAMPITO
  That's　impossible；　so　long　as　they　have　their　trusty　ships　and　the
  vast　treasures　stored　in　the　temple　of　Athene。
  LYSISTRATA
  Ah！　but　we　have　seen　to　that；　this　very　day　the　Acropolis　will
  be　in　our　hands。　That　is　the　task　assigned　to　the　older　women；　while
  we　are　here　in　council；　they　are　going；　under　pretence　of　offering
  sacrifice；　to　seize　the　citadel。
  LAMPITO
  Well　said　indeed！　everything　is　going　for　the　best。
  LYSISTRATA
  Come；　quick；　Lampito；　and　let　us　bind　ourselves　by　an　inviolable
  oath。
  LAMPITO
  Recite　the　terms；　we　will　swear　to　them。
  LYSISTRATA
  With　pleasure。　Where　is　our　Scythian　policewoman？　Now；　what　are
  you　staring　at；　pray？　Lay　this　shield　on　the　earth　before　us；　its
  hollow　upwards；　and　someone　bring　me　the　victim's　inwards。
  CLEONICE
  Lysistrata；　say；　what　oath　are　we　to　swear？
  LYSISTRATA
  What　oath？　Why；　in　Aeschylus；　they　sacrifice　a　sheep；　and　swear
  over　a　buckler；　we　will　do　the　same。
  CLEONICE
  No；　Lysistrata；　one　cannot　swear　peace　over　a　buckler；　surely。
  LYSISTRATA
  What　other　oath　do　you　prefer？
  CLEONICE
  Let's　take　a　white　horse；　and　sacrifice　it；　and　swear　on　its
  entrails。
  LYSISTRATA
  But　where　shall　we　get　a　white　horse？
  CLEONICE
  Well；　what　oath　shall　we　take　then？
  LYSISTRATA
  Listen　to　me。　Let's　set　a　great　black　bowl　on　the　ground；　let's
  sacrifice　a　skin　of　Thasian　wine　into　it；　and　take　oath　not　to　add　one
  single　drop　of　water。
  LAMPITO
  Ah！　that's　an　oath　pleases　me　more　than　I　can　say。
  LYSISTRATA
  Let　them　bring　me　a　bowl　and　a　skin　of　wine。
  CLEONICE
  Ah！　my　dears；　what　a　noble　big　bowl！　what　fun　it　will　be　to
  empty　it
  LYSISTRATA
  Set　the　bowl　down　on　the　ground；　and　lay　your　hands　on　the　victim。
  。。。。Almighty　goddess；　Persuasion；　and　thou；　bowl；　boon　comrade　of　joy
  and　merriment；　receive　this　our　sacrifice；　and　be　propitious　to　us
  poor　women！
  CLEONICE　　（as　LYSISTRATA　pours　the　wine　into　the　bowl）
  Oh！　the　fine　red　blood！　how　well　it　flows！
  LAMPITO
  And　what　a　delicious　bouquet；　by　Castor！
  CLEONICE
  Now；　my　dears；　let　me　swear　first；　if　you　please。
  LYSISTRATA
  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。。。
  LYSISTRATA
  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！
  LYSISTRATA　　（ignoring　this　outburst）
  I　will　live　at　home　unbulled。。。
  CLEONICE
  I　will　live　at　home　unbulled。。。
  LYSISTRATA
  Beautifully　dressed　and　wearing　a　saffron…coloured　gown
  CLEONICE
  Beautifully　dressed　and　wearing　a　saffron…coloured　gown。。。
  LYSISTRATA
  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。
  LYSISTRATA
  Never　will　I　give　myself　voluntarily。。。
  CLEONICE
  Never　will　I　give　myself　voluntarily。。。
  LYSISTRATA
  And　if　he　has　me　by　force。。。
  CLEONICE
  And　if　he　has　me　by　force。。。
  LYSISTRATA
  I　will　be　cold　as　ice；　and　never　stir　a　limb。。。
  CLEONICE
  I　will　be　cold　as　ice；　and　never　stir　a　limb。。。
  LYSISTRATA
  I　will　neither　extend　my　Persian　slippers　toward　the　ceiling。。。
  CLEONICE
  I　will　neither　extend　my　Persian　slippers　toward　the　ceiling。。。
  LYSISTRATA
  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。
  LYSISTRATA
  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。
  LYSISTRATA
  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。
  LYSISTRATA
  Will　you　all　take　this　oath？
  ALL
  We　do。
  LYSISTRATA
  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？
  LYSISTRATA
  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？
  LYSISTRATA
  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　LYSISTRATA　out。）
  （The　scene　shifts　to　the　entrance　of　the　Acropolis。　The　CHORUS
  OF　OLD　MEN　slowly　enters；　carrying　faggots　and　pots　of　fire。）