Mine has been the last five months in Thrace-looking after Eucrates.
MYRRHINE
It's seven long months since mine left for Pylos.
LAMPITO
As for mine, if he ever does return from service, he's no sooner home than he takes down his shield again and flies back to the wars.
***ISTRATA
And not so much as the shadow of a lover! Since the day the Milesians betrayed us, I have never once seen an eight-inch gadget even, to be a leathern consolation to us poor widows....Now tell me, if I have discovered a means of ending the war, will you all second me?
CLEONICE
Yes verily, by all the goddesses, I swear I will, though I have to put my gown in pawn, and drink the money the same day.
MYRRHINE
And so will I, though I must be split in two like a flat-fish, and have half myself removed.
LAMPITO
And I too; why to secure peace, I would climb to the top of Mount Taygetus.
***ISTRATA
Then I will out with it at last, my mighty secret! Oh! sister women, if we would compel our husbands to make peace, we must refrain...
CLEONICE
Refrain from what? tell us, tell us!
***ISTRATA
But will you do it?
MYRRHINE
We will, we will, though we should die of it.
***ISTRATA
We must refrain from the male altogether....Nay, why do you turn your backs on me? Where are you going? So, you bite your lips, and shake your heads, eh? Why these pale, sad looks? why these tears? Come, will you do it-yes or no? Do you hesitate?
CLEONICE
I will not do it, let the war go on.
MYRRHINE
Nor will I; let the war go on.
***ISTRATA (to MYRRHINE)
And you say this, my pretty flat-fish, who declared just now they might split you in two?
CLEONICE
Anything, anything but that! Bid me go through the fire, if you will,-but to rob us of the sweetest thing in all the world, Lysistrata darling!
***ISTRATA (to MYRRHINE)
And you?
MYRRHINE
Yes, I agree with the others; I too would sooner go through the fire.
***ISTRATA
Oh, wanton, vicious ***! the poets have done well to make tragedies upon us; we are good for nothing then but love and lewdness!
But you, my dear, you from hardy Sparta, if you join me, all may yet be well; help me, second me, I beg you.
LAMPITO
'Tis a hard thing, by the two goddesses it is! for a woman to sleep alone without ever a strong male in her bed.But there, peace must come first.
***ISTRATA
Oh, my darling, my dearest, best friend, you are the only one deserving the name of woman!
CLEONICE
But if-which the gods forbid-we do refrain altogether from what you say, should we get peace any sooner?
***ISTRATA
Of course we should, by the goddesses twain! We need only sit indoors with painted cheeks, and meet our mates lightly clad in transparent gowns of Amorgos silk, and perfectly depilated; they will get their tools up and be wild to lie with us.That will be the time to refuse, and they will hasten to make peace, I am convinced of that!
LAMPITO
Yes, just as Menelaus, when he saw Helen's naked bosom, threw away his sword, they say.
CLEONICE
But, oh dear, suppose our husbands go away and leave us.
***ISTRATA
Then, as Pherecrates says, we must "flay a skinned dog," that's all.
CLEONICE
Fiddlesticks! these proverbs are all idle talk....But if our husbands drag us by main force into the bedchamber?
***ISTRATA
Hold on to the door posts.
CLEONICE
But if they beat us?
***ISTRATA
Then yield to their wishes, but with a bad grace; there is no pleasure in it for them, when they do it by force.Besides, there are a thousand ways of tormenting them.Never fear, they'll soon tire of the game; there's no satisfaction for a man, unless the woman shares it.
CLEONICE
Very well, if you must have it so, we agree.
LAMPITO
For ourselves, no doubt we shall persuade our husbands to conclude a fair and honest peace; but there is the Athenian populace, how are we to cure these folk of their warlike frenzy?
***ISTRATA
Have no fear; we undertake to make our own people listen to reason.
LAMPITO
That's impossible, so long as they have their trusty ships and the vast treasures stored in the temple of Athene.
***ISTRATA
Ah! but we have seen to that; this very day the Acropolis will be in our hands.That is the task assigned to the older women; while we are here in council, they are going, under pretence of offering sacrifice, to seize the citadel.
LAMPITO
Well said indeed! everything is going for the best.
***ISTRATA
Come, quick, Lampito, and let us bind ourselves by an inviolable oath.
LAMPITO
Recite the terms; we will swear to them.
***ISTRATA
With pleasure.Where is our Scythian policewoman? Now, what are you staring at, pray? Lay this shield on the earth before us, its hollow upwards, and someone bring me the victim's inwards.
CLEONICE
Lysistrata, say, what oath are we to swear?
***ISTRATA
What oath? Why, in Aeschylus, they sacrifice a sheep, and swear over a buckler; we will do the same.
CLEONICE
No, Lysistrata, one cannot swear peace over a buckler, surely.
***ISTRATA
What other oath do you prefer?
CLEONICE
Let's take a white horse, and sacrifice it, and swear on its entrails.
***ISTRATA
But where shall we get a white horse?
CLEONICE
Well, what oath shall we take then?
***ISTRATA
Listen to me.Let's set a great black bowl on the ground; let's sacrifice a skin of Thasian wine into it, and take oath not to add one single drop of water.
LAMPITO
Ah! that's an oath pleases me more than I can say.
***ISTRATA
Let them bring me a bowl and a skin of wine.
CLEONICE
Ah! my dears, what a noble big bowl! what fun it will be to empty it ***ISTRATASet the bowl down on the ground, and lay your hands on the victim.
....Almighty goddess, Persuasion, and thou, bowl, boon comrade of joy and merriment, receive this our sacrifice, and be propitious to us poor women!
CLEONICE (as ***ISTRATA pours the wine into the bowl)Oh! the fine red blood! how well it flows!
LAMPITO
And what a delicious bouquet, by Castor!
CLEONICE
Now, my dears, let me swear first, if you please.
***ISTRATA