Aristophanes, Lysistrata
Jack Lindsay, Ed.

CALONICE
Though love and denial may enlarge his charms.
O, O, my knees are failing me, Lysistrata!

LYSISTRATA
But still at home, ignoring him, I'll stay,

CALONICE
But still at home, ignoring him, I'll stay,

LYSISTRATA
Beautiful, clad in saffron silks all day.

CALONICE
Beautiful, clad in saffron silks all day.

LYSISTRATA
If then he seizes me by dint of force,

CALONICE
If then he seizes me by dint of force,

LYSISTRATA
I'll give him reason for a long remorse.

CALONICE
I'll give him reason for a long remorse.

LYSISTRATA
I'll never lie and stare up at the ceiling,

CALONICE
I'll never lie and stare up at the ceiling,

LYSISTRATA
Nor like a lion on all fours go kneeling.

CALONICE
Nor like a lion on all fours go kneeling.

LYSISTRATA
If I keep faith, then bounteous cups be mine.

CALONICE
If I keep faith, then bounteous cups be mine.

LYSISTRATA
If not, to nauseous water change this wine.

CALONICE
If not, to nauseous water change this wine.

LYSISTRATA
Do you all swear to this?

MYRRHINE
We do, we do.

LYSISTRATA
Then I shall immolate the victim thus.
She drinks.

CALONICE
Here now, share fair, haven't we made a pact?
Let's all quaff down that friendship in our turn.

LAMPITO
Hark, what caterwauling hubbub's that?

LYSISTRATA
As I told you,
The women have appropriated the citadel.
So, Lampito, dash off to your own land
And raise the rebels there. These will serve as hostages,
While we ourselves take our places in the ranks
And drive the bolts right home.

CALONICE
But won't the men
March straight against us?

LYSISTRATA
And what if they do?
No threat shall creak our hinges wide, no torch
Shall light a fear in us; we will come out
To Peace alone.

CALONICE
That's it, by Aphrodite!
As of old let us seem hard and obdurate.