LYSISTRATA TRANSLATOR’S NOTE The translation, which has been prepared by Ian Johnston of Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo British Columbia, Canada (now Vancouver Island University), may be distributed to students without permission and without charge, provided the source is acknowledged. There are, however, copyright restrictions on commercial publication of this text (for details consult Ian Johnston at [email protected]). Note that in the text below the numbers in square brackets refer to the lines in the Greek text; the numbers without brackets refer to the lines in the translated text. In numbering the lines of the English text, the Aristophanes translator has normally counted a short indented line with the short line Lysistrata above it, so that two short lines count as one line. The translator would like to acknowledge the valuable help provided by Alan H. Sommerstein’s edition of Lysistrata (Aris & Phillips: 1990), parti- cularly the commentary. It is clear that in this play the male characters all wear the comic phallus, which is an integral part of the action throughout. Note, too, that in several places in Lysistrata there is some confusion and debate over which speeches are assigned to which people. These moments occur, for the most part, in short conversational exchanges. Hence, there may be some Translated by Ian Johnston differences between the speakers in this text and those in other trans- Vancouver Island University lations. Nanaimo, BC Canada Aristophanes (c. 446 BC to c. 386 BC) was the foremost writer of Old Comedy in classical Athens. His play Lysistrata was first performed in Athens in 411 BC, two years after the disastrous Sicilian Expedition, where Athens suffered an enormous defeat in the continuing war with Sparta and its allies (a conflict with lasted from 431 BC to 404 BC). 2 LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA 1 DRAMATIS PERSONAE Ah, here’s my neighbour—at least she’s come. Hello, Calonice. LYSISTRATA: a young Athenian wife CALONICE: a mature married woman CALONICE MYRRHINE: a very attractive teenage wife. Hello, Lysistrata. LAMPITO: a strong young country wife from Sparta. What’s bothering you, child? Don’t look so annoyed. ISMENIA: a women from Thebes It doesn’t suit you. Your eyes get wrinkled. SCYTHIAN GIRL: one of Lysistrata’s slaves LYSISTRATA MAGISTRATE: an elderly Athenian with white hair My heart’s on fire, Calonice—I’m so angry 10 CINESIAS: husband of Myrrhine at married women, at us, because, [10] CHILD: infant son of Myrrhine and Cinesias although men say we’re devious characters . MANES: servant nurse of the Child HERALD: A Spartan envoy CALONICE [interrupting] CHORUS OF OLD MEN Because by god we are! CHORUS OF OLD WOMEN LYSISTRATA [continuing] ATHENIAN AMBASSADOR . when I call them all SPARTAN AMBASSADOR to meet here to discuss some serious business, WOMAN A: one of the wives following Lysistrata they just stay in bed and don’t show up. WOMAN B: one of the wives following Lysistrata WOMAN C: one of the wives following Lysistrata CALONICE ARMED GUARDS: four police officials attending on the Magistrate Ah, my dear, they’ll come. It’s not so easy WOMEN: followers of Lysistrata for wives to get away. We’ve got to fuss RECONCILIATION: a goddess of harmony about our husbands, wake up the servants, ATHENIAN DELEGATES calm and wash the babies, then give them food. SPARTAN DELEGATES LYSISTRATA SLAVES AND ATTENDANTS But there are other things they need to do— 20 [20] more important issues. [The action of the play takes place in a street in Athens, with the citadel on the Acropolis in the back, its doors facing the audience] CALONICE My dear Lysistrata, LYSISTRATA why have you asked the women to meet here? If they’d called a Bacchic celebration What’s going on? Is it something big? or some festival for Pan or Colias or for Genetyllis, you’d not be able LYSISTRATA to move around through all the kettle drums. It’s huge. But as it is, there are no women here. [Calonice enters, coming to meet Lysistrata] 1 Lysistrata is complaining that if the city had called a major festival all the women would be in the streets enjoying themselves. But none of them, it seems, has answered her invitation to a meeting (as we find out a few lines further on). 3 4 LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA CALONICE CALONICE And hard as well? Not all of them— you’d have to save the eels.1 LYSISTRATA Yes, by god, really hard. LYSISTRATA As for Athens, CALONICE I won’t say anything as bad as that. 40 Then why aren’t we all here? You can imagine what I’d say. But now, LYSISTRATA if only all the women would come here I don’t mean that! from Sparta and Boeotia, join up with us, [40] If that were it, they’d all be charging here so fast. if we worked together, we’d save Greece. No. It’s something I’ve been playing with— CALONICE wrestling with for many sleepless nights. But what sensible or splendid act CALONICE could women do? We sit around playing If you’ve been working it like that, by now with our cosmetics, wearing golden clothes, it must have shrivelled up. posing in Cimmerian silks and slippers. LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA Yes, so shrivelled up 30 Those are the very things which I assume that the salvation of the whole of Greece [30] will save us—short dresses, perfumes, slippers, 50 is now in women’s hands. make up, and clothing men can see through. CALONICE CALONICE In women’s hands? How’s that going to work? Then it won’t be long before we done for. LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA No man living It’s up to us to run the state’s affairs— will lift his spear against another man . [50] the Spartans would no longer be around. CALONICE [interrupting] CALONICE By the two goddesses, I must take my dress If they weren’t there, by god, not any more, and dye it yellow.2 that would be good news. LYSISTRATA [continuing] LYSISTRATA . or pick up a shield . And then if all Boeotians were totally destroyed! 1At the time Lysistrata was first produced, the Athenians and Spartans had been fighting for many years. The Boeotians were allies of the Spartans. Boeotia was famous for its eels, con- sidered a luxury item in Athens. 2 The two goddesses are Demeter and her daughter Persephone. The Athenian women frequently invoke them. 5 6 LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA CALONICE [interrupting again] CALONICE I’ll have to wear my very best silk dress. My god, it seems we’re kicking up a stink.1 LYSISTRATA [continuing] [Enter Myrrhine] . or pull out his sword. MYRRHINE CALONICE Hey, Lysistrata, did we get here late? I need to get some shoes. What’s the matter? Why are you so quiet? LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA O these women, they should be here by now! I’m not pleased with you, Myrrhine. You’re late. [70] And this is serious business. CALONICE Yes, by god! They should have sprouted wings MYRRHINE and come here hours ago. It was dark. I had trouble tracking down my waist band. LYSISTRATA If it’s such a big deal, tell these women. They’re true Athenians, 60 you’ll see—everything they should be doing LYSISTRATA they postpone till later. But no one’s come No, let’s wait a while until the women 80 from Salamis or those towns on the coast. from Boeotia and from Sparta get here. CALONICE [with an obscene gesture] MYRRHINE I know those women—they were up early All right. That sounds like the best idea. on their boats riding the mizzen mast. [60] Hey, here comes Lampito. LYSISTRATA [Lampito enters with some other Spartan women and with Ismenia, a I’d have bet woman from Thebes] those women from Acharnia would come LYSISTRATA and get here first. But they’ve not shown up. Hello Lampito, CALONICE my dear friend from Sparta. How beautiful Well, Theogenes’ wife will be here. you look, so sweet, such a fine complexion. [80] I saw her hoisting sail to come.1 Hey, look! And your body looks so fit, strong enough Here’s a group of women coming for you. 70 to choke a bull. And there’s another one, as well. Hello! LAMPITO2 Hello there! Where they from? Yes, by the two gods, [Various women start arriving from all directions] 1 LYSISTRATA Calonice is making an obscure joke on the name Anagyrus, a political district named after a bad-smelling plant. Those? From Anagyrus. 2 In Aristophanes’ text, Lampito and other Spartans use a parody of a Spartan dialect, a style 1 of speaking significantly different from (although related to) Athenian Greek. Translators Theogenes was a well-known merchant and ship owner. have dealt with this in different ways, usually by giving the Spartans a recognizable English [Footnote continues] 7 8 LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA I could pull that off.1 I do exercise CALONICE [inspecting the girl’s bosom and buttocks] and work out to keep my bum well toned. A really noble girl, by Zeus—it’s clear she’s got good lines right here, back here as well. 100 CALONICE [fondling Lampito’s bosom] What an amazing pair of breasts you’ve got! 90 LAMPITO All right, who’s the one who called the meeting LAMPITO and brought this bunch of women here? O, you stroke me like I’m a sacrifice. LYSISTRATA LYSISTRATA [looking at Ismenia] I did. And this young woman—where’s she from? [90] LAMPITO LAMPITO Then lay out what it is you want from us.