第 4 节
作者:九米      更新:2021-02-21 15:33      字数:9321
  there was his wife; more than half drunk; screaming on the house…roof:
  〃Weep; weep for Adonis!〃…while that infamous Mad Ox was bellowing away
  on his side。…Do you not blush; you women; for your wild and uproarious
  doings?
  LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
  But you don't know all their effrontery yet! They abused and
  insulted us; then soused us with the water in their water…pots; and
  have set us wringing out our clothes; for all the world as if we had
  bepissed ourselves。
  MAGISTRATE
  And well done too; by Posidon! We men must share the blame of
  their ill conduct; it is we who teach them to love riot and
  dissoluteness and sow the seeds of wickedness in their hearts。 You see
  a husband go into a shop: 〃Look you; jeweller;〃 says he; 〃you remember
  the necklace you made for my wife。 Well; the other evening; when she
  was dancing; the catch came open。 Now; I am bound to start for
  Salamis; will you make it convenient to go up to…night to make her
  fastening secure?〃 Another will go to the cobbler; a great; strong
  fellow; with a great; long tool; and tell him: 〃The strap of one of my
  wife's sandals presses her little toe; which is extremely sensitive;
  come in about midday to supple the thing and stretch it。〃 Now see
  the results。 Take my own case…as a Magistrate I have enlisted
  rowers; I want money to pay them; and the women slam the door in my
  face。 But why do we stand here with arms crossed? Bring me a
  crowbar; I'll chastise their insolence!…Ho! there; my fine fellow!
  (to one of the Scythians)  what are; you gaping at the crows for?
  looking for a tavern; I suppose; eh? Come on; bring crowbars here; and
  force open the gates。 I will put a hand to the work myself。
  LYSISTRATA  (opening the gate and walking out)
  No need to force the gates; I am coming out…here I am。 And why
  bolts and bars? What we want here is not bolts and bars and locks; but
  common sense。
  MAGISTRATE  (jumping nervously; then striving manfully to regain his
  dignity)
  Really; my fine lady! Where is my officer? I want him to tie
  that woman's hands behind her back。
  LYSISTRATA
  By Artemis; the virgin goddess! if he touches me with the tip of
  his finger; officer of the public peace though he be; let him look out
  for himself!
  (The first Scythian defecates in terror。)
  MAGISTRATE  (to another officer)
  How now; are you afraid? Seize her; I tell you; round the body。
  Two of you at her; and have done with it!
  CLEONICE
  By Pandrosos! if you lay a hand on her; Ill trample you
  underfoot till the crap comes out of you!
  (The second Scythian defecates in terror。)
  MAGISTRATE
  Look at the mess you've made! Where is there another officer?  (To
  the third Scythian)  Bind that minx first; the one who speaks so
  prettily!
  MYRRHINE
  By Phoebe; if you touch her with one finger; you'd better call
  quick for a surgeon!
  (The third Scythian defecates in terror。)
  MAGISTRATE
  What's that? Where's the officer?  (To the fourth Scythian)  Lay
  hold of her。 Oh! but I'm going to stop your foolishness for you all
  CLEONICE
  By the Tauric Artemis; if you go near her; I'll pull out your
  hair; scream as you like。
  (The fourth Scythian defecates in terror。)
  MAGISTRATE
  Ah! miserable man that I am! My own officers desert me。 What ho!
  are we to let ourselves be bested by a mob of women? Ho! Scythians
  mine; close up your ranks; and forward!
  LYSISTRATA
  By the holy goddesses! you'll have to make acquaintance with
  four companies of women; ready for the fray and well armed to boot。
  MAGISTRATE
  Forward; Scythians; and bind them!
  (The Scythians advance reluctantly。)
  LYSISTRATA
  Forward; my gallant companions; march forth; ye vendors of grain
  and eggs; garlic and vegetables; keepers of taverns and bakeries;
  wrench and strike and tear; come; a torrent of invective and insult!
  (They beat the Scythians who retire in haste。)  Enough; enough now
  retire; never rob the vanquished!
  (The women withdraw。)
  MAGISTRATE
  How unfortunate for my officers!
  LYSISTRATA
  Ah; ha! so you thought you had only to do with a set of
  slave…women! you did not know the ardour that fills the bosom of
  free…born dames。
  MAGISTRATE
  Ardour! yes; by Apollo; ardour enough…especially for the wine…cup!
  LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
  Sir; sir what good are words? they are of no avail with wild
  beasts of this sort。 Don't you know how they have just washed us
  down…and with no very fragrant soap!
  LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
  What would you have? You should never have laid rash hands on
  us。 If you start afresh; I'll knock your eyes out。 My delight is to
  stay at home as coy as a young maid; without hurting anybody or moving
  any more than a milestone; but 'ware the wasps; if you go stirring
  up the wasps' nest!
  CHORUS OF OLD MEN  (singing)
  Ah! great gods! how get the better of these ferocious creatures?
  'tis past all bearing! But come; let us try to find out the reason
  of the dreadful scourge。 With what end in view have they seized the
  citadel of Cranaus; the sacred shrine that is raised upon the
  inaccessible rock of the Acropolis?
  LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN  (to the MAGISTRATE)
  Question them; be cautious and not too credulous。 It would be
  culpable negligence not to pierce the mystery; if we may。
  MAGISTRATE  (addressing the women)
  I would ask you first why you have barred our gates。
  LYSISTRATA
  To seize the treasury; no more money; no more war。
  MAGISTRATE
  Then money is the cause of the war?
  LYSISTRATA
  And of all our troubles。 It was to find occasion to steal that
  Pisander and all the other agitators were forever raising revolutions。
  Well and good! but they'll never get another drachma here。
  MAGISTRATE
  What do you propose to do then; pray?
  LYSISTRATA
  You ask me that! Why; we propose to administer the treasury
  ourselves。
  MAGISTRATE
  You do?
  LYSISTRATA
  What is there in that to surprise you? Do we not administer the
  budget of household expenses?
  MAGISTRATE
  But that is not the same thing。
  LYSISTRATA
  How so…not the same thing?
  MAGISTRATE
  It is the treasury supplies the expenses of the war。
  LYSISTRATA
  That's our first principle…no war!
  MAGISTRATE
  What! and the safety of the city?
  LYSISTRATA
  We will provide for that。
  MAGISTRATE
  You?
  LYSISTRATA
  Yes; we!
  MAGISTRATE
  What a sorry business!
  LYSISTRATA
  Yes; we're going to save you; whether you like it or not。
  MAGISTRATE
  Oh! the impudence of the creatures!
  LYSISTRATA
  You seem annoyed! but it has to be done; nevertheless。
  MAGISTRATE
  But it's the very height of iniquity!
  LYSISTRATA  (testily)
  We're going to save you; my good man。
  MAGISTRATE
  But if I don't want to be saved?
  LYSISTRATA
  Why; all the more reason!
  MAGISTRATE
  But what a notion; to concern yourselves with questions of peace
  and war!
  LYSISTRATA
  We will explain our idea。
  MAGISTRATE
  Out with it then; quick; or。。。 (threatening her)。
  LYSISTRATA  (sternly)
  Listen; and never a movement; please!
  MAGISTRATE  (in impotent rage)
  Oh! it is too much for me! I cannot keep my temper!
  LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
  Then look out for yourself; you have more to fear than we have。
  MAGISTRATE
  Stop your croaking; you old crow!  (To LYSISTRATA)  Now you; say
  what you have to say。
  LYSISTRATA
  Willingly。 All the long time the war has lasted; we have endured
  in modest silence all you men did; you never allowed us to open our
  lips。 We were far from satisfied; for we knew how things were going;
  often in our homes we would hear you discussing; upside down and
  inside out; some important turn of affairs。 Then with sad hearts;
  but smiling lips; we would ask you: Well; in today's Assembly did they
  vote peace?…But; 〃Mind your own business!〃 the husband would growl;
  〃Hold your tongue; please!〃 And we would say no more。
  CLEONICE
  I would not have held my tongue though; not I!
  MAGISTRATE
  You would have been reduced to silence by blows then。
  LYSISTRATA
  Well; for my part; I would say no more。 But presently I would come
  to know you had arrived at some fresh decision more fatally foolish