handsome　maiden；　they　put　a　necklace　of　dried　figs　about　my　neck；
  and　I　was　one　of　the　Canephori。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　WOMEN
  So　surely　I　am　bound　to　give　my　best　advice　to　Athens。　What
  matters　that　I　was　born　a　woman；　if　I　can　cure　your　misfortunes？　I　pay
  my　share　of　tolls　and　taxes；　by　giving　men　to　the　State。　But　you；
  you　miserable　greybeards；　you　contribute　nothing　to　the　public
  charges；　on　the　contrary；　you　have　wasted　the　treasure　of　our
  forefathers；　as　it　was　called；　the　treasure　amassed　in　the　days　of　the
  Persian　Wars。　You　pay　nothing　at　all　in　return；　and　into　the　bargain
  you　endanger　our　lives　and　liberties　by　your　mistakes。　Have　you　one
  word　to　say　for　yourselves？。。。　Ah！　don't　irritate　me；　you　there；　or
  I'll　lay　my　slipper　across　your　jaws；　and　it's　pretty　heavy。
  CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN　　（singing）
  Outrage　upon　outrage！　things　are　going　from　bad　to　worse。　Let　us
  punish　the　minxes；　every　one　of　us　that　has　balls　to　boast　of。　Come；
  off　with　our　tunics；　for　a　man　must　savour　of　manhood；　come；　my
  friends；　let　us　strip　naked　from　head　to　foot。　Courage；　I　say；　we
  who　in　our　day　garrisoned　Lipsydrion；　let　us　be　young　again；　and　shake
  off　eld。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN
  If　we　give　them　the　least　hold　over　us；　that's　the　end！　their
  audacity　will　know　no　bounds！　We　shall　see　them　building　ships；　and
  fighting　sea…fights；　like　Artemisia；　and；　if　they　want　to　mount　and
  ride　as　cavalry；　we　had　best　cashier　the　knights；　for　indeed　women
  excel　in　riding；　and　have　a　fine。　firm　seat　for　the　gallop。　Just　think
  of　all　those　squadrons　of　Amazons　Micon　has　painted　for　us　engaged
  in　hand…to…hand　combat　with　men。　Come　then；　we　must　now　fit　collars　to
  all　these　willing　necks。
  CHORUS　OF　WOMEN　　（singing）
  By　the　blessed　goddesses；　if　you　anger　me；　I　will　let　loose　the
  beast　of　my　evil　passions；　and　a　very　hailstorm　of　blows　will　set
  you　yelling　for　help。　Come；　dames；　off　with　your　tunics；　and　quick's
  the　word；　women　must　smell　the　smell　of　women　in　the　throes　of
  passion。。。。　Now　just　you　dare　to　measure　strength　with　me；　old
  greybeard；　and　I　warrant　you　you'll　never　eat　garlic　or　black　beans
  any　more。　No；　not　a　word！　my　anger　is　at　boiling　point；　and　I'll　do
  with　you　what　the　beetle　did　with　the　eagle's　eggs。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　WOMEN
  I　laugh　at　your　threats；　so　long　as　I　have　on　my　side　Lampito
  here；　and　the　noble　Theban；　my　dear　Ismenia。。。。　Pass　decree　on　decree；
  you　can　do　us　no　hurt；　you　wretch　abhorred　of　all　your　fellows。　Why；
  only　yesterday；　on　occasion　of　the　feast　of　Hecate；　I　asked　my
  neighbours　of　Boeotia　for　one　of　their　daughters　for　whom　my　girls
  have　a　lively　liking　…a　fine；　fat　eel　to　wit；　and　if　they　did　not
  refuse；　all　along　of　your　silly　decrees！　We　shall　never　cease　to
  suffer　the　like；　till　some　one　gives　you　a　neat　trip…up　and　breaks
  your　neck　for　you！　　（To　LYSISTRATA　as　she　comes　out　from　the
  Acropolis）　　You；　Lysistrata；　you　who　are　leader　of　our　glorious
  enterprise；　why　do　I　see　you　coming　towards　me　with　so　gloomy　an　air？
  LYSISTRATA
  It's　the　behaviour　of　these　naughty　women；　it's　the　female　heart
  and　female　weakness　that　so　discourage　me。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　WOMEN
  Tell　us；　tell　us；　what　is　it？
  LYSISTRATA
  I　only　tell　the　simple　truth。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　WOMEN
  What　has　happened　so　disconcerting？　Come；　tell　your　friends。
  LYSISTRATA
  Oh！　the　thing　is　so　hard　to　tell…yet　so　impossible　to　conceal。
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　WOMEN
  Never　seek　to　hide　any　ill　that　has　befallen　our　cause。
  LYSISTRATA
  To　blurt　it　out　in　a　word…we　want　laying！
  LEADER　OF　CHORUS　OF　WOMEN
  Oh！　Zeus；　oh！　Zeus！
  LYSISTRATA
  What　use　calling　upon　Zeus？　The　thing　is　even　as　I　say。　I　cannot
  stop　them　any　longer　from　lusting　after　the　men。　They　are　all　for
  deserting。　The　first　I　caught　was　slipping　out　by　the　postern　gate
  near　the　cave　of　Pan；　another　was　letting　herself　down　by　a　rope　and
  pulley；　a　third　was　busy　preparing　her　escape；　while　a　fourth；　perched
  on　a　bird's　back；　was　just　taking　wing　for　Orsilochus'　house；　when　I
  seized　her　by　the　hair。　One　and　all；　they　are　inventing　excuses　to
  be　off　home。　　（Pointing　to　the　gate）　　Look！　there　goes　one；　trying
  to　get　out！　Halloa　there！　whither　away　so　fast？
  FIRST　WOMAN
  I　want　to　go　home；　I　have　some　Milesian　wool　in　the　house；　which
  is　getting　all　eaten　up　by　the　worms。
  LYSISTRATA
  Bah！　you　and　your　worms！　go　back；　I　say！
  FIRST　WOMAN
  I　will　return　immediately；　I　swear　I　will　by　the　two　goddesses！
  I　only　have　just　to　spread　it　out　on　the　bed。
  LYSISTRATA
  You　shall　not　do　anything　of　the　kind！　I　say；　you　shall　not　go。
  FIRST　WOMAN
  Must　I　leave　my　wool　to　spoil　then？
  LYSISTRATA
  Yes；　if　need　be。
  SECOND　WOMAN
  Unhappy　woman　that　I　am！　Alas　for　my　flax！　I've　left　it　at　home
  unstript！
  LYSISTRATA
  So；　here's　another　trying　to　escape　to　go　home　and　strip　her　flax！
  SECOND　WOMAN
  Oh！　I　swear　by　the　goddess　of　light；　the　instant　I　have　put　it
  in　condition　I　will　come　straight　back。
  LYSISTRATA
  You　shall　do　nothing　of　the　kind！　If　once　you　began；　others
  would　want　to　follow　suit。
  THIRD　WOMAN
  Oh！　goddess　divine；　Ilithyia；　patroness　of　women　in　labour；
  stay；　stay　the　birth；　till　I　have　reached　a　spot　less　hallowed　than
  Athene's　mount！
  LYSISTRATA
  What　mean　you　by　these　silly　tales？
  THIRD　WOMAN
  I　am　going　to　have　a　child…now；　this　minute！
  LYSISTRATA
  But　you　were　not　pregnant　yesterday！
  THIRD　WOMAN
  Well；　I　am　to…day。　Oh！　let　me　go　in　search　of　the　midwife；
  Lysistrata；　quick；　quick！
  LYSISTRATA
  What　is　this　fable　you　are　telling　me？　　（Feeling　her　stomach）　　Ah！
  what　have　you　got　there　so　hard？
  THIRD　WOMAN
  A　male　child。
  LYSISTRATA
  No；　no；　by　Aphrodite！　nothing　of　the　sort！　Why；　it　feels　like
  something　hollow…a　pot　or　a　kettle。　　（Opening　her　robe）　　Oh！　you　silly
  creature；　if　you　have　not　got　the　sacred　helmet　of　Pallas…and　you　said
  you　were　with　child！
  THIRD　WOMAN
  And　so　I　am；　by　Zeus；　I　am！
  LYSISTRATA
  Then　why　this　helmet；　pray？
  THIRD　WOMAN
  For　fear　my　pains　should　seize　me　in　the　Acropolis；　I　mean　to
  lay　my　eggs　in　this　helmet；　as　the　doves　do。
  LYSISTRATA
  Excuses　and　pretences　every　word！　the　thing's　as　clear　as
  daylight。　Anyway；　you　must　stay　here　now　till　the　fifth　day；　your
  day　of　purification。
  THIRD　WOMAN
  I　cannot　sleep　any　more　in　the　Acropolis；　now　I　have　seen　the
  snake　that　guards　the　temple。
  FOURTH　WOMAN
  Ah！　and　those　awful　owls　with　their　dismal　hooting！　I　cannot　get　a
  wink　of　rest；　and　I'm　just　dying　of　fatigue。
  LYSISTRATA
  You　wicked　women；　have　done　with　your　falsehoods！　You　want　your
  husbands；　that's　plain　enough。　But　don't　you　think　they　want　you
  just　as　badly？　They　are　spending　dreadful　nights；　oh！　I　know　that　well
  enough。　But　hold　out；　my　dears；　hold　out！　A　little　more　patience；
  and　the　victory　will　be　ours。　An　oracle　promises　us　success；　if　only
  we　remain　united。　Shall　I　repeat　the　words？
  THIRD　WOMAN
  Yes；　tell　us　what　the　oracle　declares。
  LYSISTRATA
  Silence　then！　Now…〃Whenas　the　swallows；　fleeing　before　the
  hoopoes；　shall　have　all　flocked　together　in　one　place；　and　shall
  refrain　them　from　all　amorous　commerce；　then　will　be　the　end　of　all
  the　ills　of　life；　yea；　and　Zeus；　who　doth　thunder　in　the　skies；
  shall　set　above　what　was　erst　below。。。。〃
  THIRD　WOMAN
  What！　shall　the　men　be　underneath？
  LYSISTRATA
  〃But　if　dissension　do　arise　among　the　swallows；　and　they　take　wing
  from　the　holy　temple；　it　will　be　said　there　is　never　a　more　wanton
  bird　in　all　the　world。〃
  THIRD　WOMAN
  Ye　gods！　the　prophecy　is　clear。
  LYSISTRATA
  Nay；　never　let　us　be　cast　down　by　calamity！　let　us　be　brave　to
  bear；　and　go　back　to　our　posts。　It　would　be　shameful　indeed　not　to
  trust　the　promises　of　the　oracle。
  （They　all　go　back　into　the　Acropolis。）
  CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN　　（singing）
  I　want　to　tell　you　a　fable　they　used　to　relate　to　me　when　I　was
  a　little　boy。　This　is　it：　Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　young　man
  called　Melanion；　who　hated　the　thought　of　marriage　so　sorely　that　he
  fled　away　to　the　wilds。　So　he　dwelt　in　the　mountains；　wove　himself
  nets；　and　caught　hares。　He　never；　never　came　back；　he　had　such　a
  horror　of　women。　As　chaste　as　Melanion；　we　loathe　the　jades　just　as
  much　as　he　did。
  AN　OLD　MAN　　（beginning　a　brief　duet　with　one　of　the　women）
  You　dear　old　woman；　I　would　fain　kiss　you。
  WOMAN
  I