Aristophanes, Ecclesiazusae
Eugene O'Neill, Jr., Ed.

First Woman
I see Clinarete coming too, along with Sostrate and their next-door neighbor Philaenete.

Praxagora
To the women that are just arriving; in a loud voice.
Hurry yourselves then, for Glyce has sworn that the last comer [45] shall forfeit three measures of wine and a choenix of pease.

First Woman
Don't you see Melistice, the wife of Smicythion, hurrying hither in her big shoes?

Praxagora
I think she is the only one of us all who has had no trouble in getting rid of her husband.

First Woman
And can't you see Geusistrate, the tavern-keeper's wife, [50] with a lamp in her hand?

Second Woman
And the wives of Philodoretus and Chaeretades, and a great many others; all the useful people in the city, in fact.

Third Woman
Oh! my dear, I have had such trouble [55] in getting away! My husband ate such a surfeit of sprats last evening that he was coughing and choking the whole night long.

Praxagora
Take your seats, and, since you are all gathered here at last, let us see if what we decided on at the feast of the Scirophoria has been duly done.

First Woman
[60] Yes. Firstly, as agreed, I have let the hair under my armpits grow thicker than a bush; furthermore, whilst my husband was at the Assembly, I rubbed myself from head to foot with oil and then stood the whole day long in the sun.

Second Woman
[65] So did I. I began by throwing away my razor, so that I might get quite hairy, and no longer resemble a woman.

Praxagora
Have you the beards that we had all to get ourselves for the Assembly?

First Woman
[70] Yea, by Hecate! Is this not a fine one?

Second Woman
Aye, much finer even than the one Epicrates has.

Praxagora
To the other women.
And you?

First Woman
Yes, yes; look, they all nod assent.

Praxagora
I see that you have got all the rest too, Spartan shoes, staffs and men's cloaks, as it was arranged.

[75]

First Woman
I have brought Lamias' club, which I stole from him while he slept.

Second Woman
What, the club that makes him fart with its weight?

Praxagora
By Zeus the Deliverer, [80] if he had the skin of Argus, he would know better than any other how to shepherd the popular herd. But come, let us finish what has yet to be done, while the stars are still shining; the Assembly, at which [85] we mean to be present, will open at dawn.