every　possible　manner。
  BLEPYRUS
  And　what　was　decided？
  CHREMES
  To　confide　the　direction　of　affairs　to　them；　it's　the　one　and　only
  innovation　that　has　not　yet　been　tried　at　Athens。
  BLEPYRUS
  And　it　was　voted？
  CHREMES
  Yes。
  BLEPYRUS
  And　everything　that　used　to　be　the　men's　concern　has　been　given
  over　to　the　women？
  CHREMES
  You　express　it　exactly。
  BLEPYRUS
  Thus　it　will　be　my　wife　who　will　go　to　the　courts　now　in　my　stead？
  CHREMES
  And　it　will　be　she　who　will　keep　your　children　in　your　place。
  BLEPYRUS
  I　shall　no　longer　have　to　tire　myself　out　with　work　from
  daybreak　onwards？
  CHREMES
  No；　'twill　be　the　women's　business；　and　you　can　stay　at　home　and
  amuse　yourself　with　farting　the　whole　day　through。
  BLEPYRUS
  Well；　what　I　fear　for　us　fellows　now　is；　that；　holding　the　reins
  of　government；　they　will　forcibly　compel　us。。。
  CHREMES
  To　do　what？
  BLEPYRUS
  。。。to　lay　them。
  CHREMES
  And　if　we　are　not　able？
  BLEPYRUS
  They　will　give　us　no　dinner。
  CHREMES
  Well　then；　do　your　duty；　dinner　and　love…making　form　a　double
  enjoyment。
  BLEPYRUS
  Ah！　but　I　hate　compulsion。
  CHREMES
  But　if　it　is　for　the　public　good；　let　us　resign　ourselves。　It's　an
  old　saying　that　our　absurdest　and　maddest　decrees　always　somehow
  turn　out　for　our　good。　May　it　be　so　in　this　case；　oh　gods；　oh
  venerable　Pallas！　But　I　must　be　off；　so；　good…bye　to　you！
  （Exit。）
  BLEPYRUS
  Good…bye；　Chremes。
  （He　goes　back　into　his　house。）
  CHORUS　（returning　from　the　Assembly；　still　dressed　like　men；
  singing）
  March　along；　go　forward。　Is　there　some　man　following　us？　Turn
  round；　examine　everywhere　and　keep　a　good　look…out；　be　on　your　guard
  against　every　trick；　for　they　might　spy　on　us　from　behind。　Let　us　make
  as　much　noise　as　possible　as　we　tramp。　It　would　be　a　disgrace　for
  all　of　us　if　we　allowed　ourselves　to　be　caught　in　this　deed　by　the
  men。　Come；　wrap　yourselves　up　well；　and　search　both　right　and　left；　so
  that　no　mischance　may　happen　to　us。　Let　us　hasten　our　steps；　here　we
  are　close　to　the　meeting…place　whence　we　started　for　the　Assembly；　and
  here　is　the　house　of　our　leader；　the　author　of　this　bold　scheme；　which
  is　now　decreed　by　all　the　citizens。　Let　us　not　lose　a　moment　in　taking
  off　our　false　beards；　for　we　might　be　recognized　and　denounced。　Let　us
  stand　under　the　shadow　of　this　wall；　let　us　glance　round　sharply
  with　our　eye　to　beware　of　surprises；　while　we　quickly　resume　our
  ordinary　dress。　Ah！　here　is　our　leader；　returning　from　the　Assembly。
  Hasten　to　relieve　your　chins　of　these　flowing　manes。　Look　at　your
  comrades　yonder；　they　have　already　made　themselves　women　again　some
  while　ago。
  （They　remove　the　beards　as　PRAXAGORA　and　the　other　women　enter
  from　the　right　through　the　Orchestra。）
  PRAXAGORA
  Friends；　success　has　crowned　our　plans。　But　off　with　these
  cloaks　and　these　boots　quick；　before　any　man　sees　you；　unbuckle　the
  Laconian　straps　and　get　rid　of　your　staffs；　（to　the　LEADER）　and　you
  help　them　with　their　toilet。　As　for　myself；　I　am　going　to　slip　quietly
  into　the　house　and　replace　my　husband's　cloak　and　other　gear　where　I
  took　them　from；　before　he　can　suspect　anything。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  There！　it's　done　according　to　your　bidding。　Now　tell　us　how　we　can
  be　of　service　to　you；　so　that　we　may　show　you　our　obedience；　for　we
  have　never　seen　a　cleverer　woman　than　you。
  PRAXAGORA
  Wait！　I　only　wish　to　use　the　power　given　me　in　accordance　with
  your　wishes；　for；　in　the　market…place；　in　the　midst　of　the　shouts
  and　danger；　I　appreciated　your　indomitable　courage。
  （Just　as　she　is　about　to　enter　the　house　BLEPYRUS　appears　in　the
  doorway。）
  BLEPYRUS
  Eh；　Praxagora！　where　are　you　coming　from？
  PRAXAGORA
  How　does　that　concern　you；　dear？
  BLEPYRUS
  Why；　greatly！　what　a　silly　question！
  PRAXAGORA
  You　don't　think　I　have　come　from　a　lover's？
  BLEPYRUS
  No；　perhaps　not　from　only　one。
  PRAXAGORA
  You　can　make　yourself　sure　of　that。
  BLEPYRUS
  And　how？
  PRAXAGORA
  You　can　see　whether　my　hair　smells　of　perfume。
  BLEPYRUS
  What？　cannot　a　woman　possibly　be　laid　without　perfume；　eh！
  PRAXAGORA
  The　gods　forfend；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned。
  BLEPYRUS
  Why　did　you　go　off　at　early　dawn　with　my　cloak？
  PRAXAGORA
  Acompanion；　a　friend　who　was　in　labour；　had　sent　to　fetch　me。
  BLEPYRUS
  Could　you　not　have　told　me？
  PRAXAGORA
  Oh；　my　dear；　would　you　have　me　caring　nothing　for　a　poor　woman
  in　that　plight？
  BLEPYRUS
  A　word　would　have　been　enough。　There's　something　behind　all　this。
  PRAXAGORA
  No；　I　call　the　goddesses　to　witness！　I　went　running　off；　the
  poor　woman　who　summoned　me　begged　me　to　come；　whatever　might　betide。
  BLEPYRUS
  And　why　did　you　not　take　your　mantle？　Instead　of　that；　you　carry
  of　mine；　you　throw　your　dress　upon　the　bed　and　you　leave　me　as　the
  dead　are　left；　bar　the　chaplets　and　perfumes。
  PRAXAGORA
  It　was　cold；　and　I　am　frail　and　delicate；　I　took　your　cloak　for
  greater　warmth；　leaving　you　thoroughly　warm　yourself　beneath　your
  coverlets。
  BLEPYRUS
  And　my　shoes　and　staff；　those　too　went　off　with　you？
  PRAXAGORA
  I　was　afraid　they　might　rob　me　of　the　cloak；　and　so；　to　look
  like　a　man；　I　put　on　your　shoes　and　walked　with　a　heavy　tread　and
  struck　the　stones　with　your　staff。
  BLEPYRUS
  D'you　know　you　have　made　us　lose　a　sextary　of　wheat；　which　I
  should　have　bought　with　the　triobolus　of　the　Assembly？
  PRAXAGORA
  Be　comforted；　for　she　had　a　boy。
  BLEPYRUS
  Who？　the　Assembly？
  PRAXAGORA
  No；　no；　the　woman　I　helped。　But　has　the　Assembly　taken　place　then？
  BLEPYRUS
  Did　I　not　tell　you　of　it　yesterday？
  PRAXAGORA
  True；　I　remember　now。
  BLEPYRUS
  And　don't　you　know　the　decrees　that　have　been　voted？
  PRAXAGORA
  No　indeed。
  BLEPYRUS
  Go　to！　you　can　live　on　lobster　from　now　on；　for　they　say　the
  government　is　handed　over　to　you。
  PRAXAGORA
  To　do　what…to　spin？
  BLEPYRUS
  No；　that　you　may　rule。。。
  PRAXAGORA
  What？
  BLEPYRUS
  。。。over　all　public　business。
  PRAXAGORA　（as　she　exclaims　this　CHREMES　reappears）
  Oh！　by　Aphrodite　how　happy　Athens　will　be！
  BLEPYRUS
  Why　so？
  PRAXAGORA
  For　a　thousand　reasons。　None　will　dare　now　to　do　shameless
  deeds；　give　false　testimony　or　lay　informations。
  BLEPYRUS
  Stop！　in　the　name　of　the　gods！　Do　you　want　me　to　die　of　hunger？
  CHREMES
  Good　sir；　let　your　wife　speak。
  PRAXAGORA
  There　will　be　no　more　thieves；　nor　envious　people；　no　more　rags
  nor　misery；　no　more　abuse　and　no　more　prosecutions　and　law…suits。
  CHREMES
  By　Posidon！　that's　grand；　if　it's　true！
  PRAXAGORA
  I　shall　prove　it　and　you　shall　be　my　witness　and　even　he　（pointing
  to　Blepyrus）　will　have　no　objections　to　raise。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  You　have　served　your　friends；　but　now　it　behoves　you　to　apply　your
  ability　and　your　care　to　the　welfare　of　the　people。　Devote　the
  fecundity　of　your　mind　to　the　public　weal；　adorn　the　citizens'　lives
  with　a　thousand　enjoyments　and　teach　them　to　seize　every　favourable
  opportunity。　Devise　some　ingenious　method　to　secure　the　much…needed
  salvation　of　Athens；　but　let　neither　your　acts　nor　your　words　recall
  anything　of　the　past；　for　'tis　only　innovations　that　please。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  But　do　not　fail　to　put　your　plans　into　execution　immediately；　it's
  quick　action　that　pleases　the　audience。
  PRAXAGORA
  I　believe　my　ideas　are　good；　but　what　I　fear　is　that　the　public
  will　cling　to　the　old　customs　and　refuse　to　accept　my　reforms。
  CHREMES
  Have　no　fear　about　that。　Love　of　novelty　and　disdain　for
  traditions；　these　are　the　dominating　principles　among　us。
  PRAXAGORA　（to　the　audience）
  Let　none　contradict　nor　interrupt　me　until　I　have　explained　my
  plan。　I　want　all　to　have　a　share　of　everything　and　all　property　to
  be　in　common；　there　will　no　longer　be　either　rich　or　poor；　no　longer
  shall　we　see　one　man　harvesting　vast　tracts　of　land；　while　another　has
  not　ground　enough　to　be　buried　in；　nor　one　man　surround　himself　with　a
  whole　army　of　slaves；　while　another　has　not　a　single　attendant；　I
  intend　that　there　shan　only　be　one　and　the　same　condition　of　life
  for　all。
  BLEPYRUS
  But　how　do　you　mean　for　all？
  PRAXAGORA　（impatiently）
  You'll　eat　dung　before　I　do！
  BLEPYRUS
  Won't　the　dung　be　common　too？
  PRAXAGORA
  No；　no；　but　you　interrupted　me　too　soon。　This　is　what　I　was
  going　to　say；　I　shall　begin　by　making　land；　money；　everything　that
  is　private　property；　common　to　all。　Then　we　shall　live　on　this
  common　wealth；　which　we　shall　take　care　to　administ