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.
LYSISTRATA

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!
LYSISTRATA

But will you do it?
MYRRHINE

We will, we will, though we should die of it.
LYSISTRATA

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.

LYSISTRATA (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!
LYSISTRATA (to MYRRHINE)

And you?
MYRRHINE

Yes, I agree with the others; I too would sooner go through the
fire.

LYSISTRATA
Oh, wanton, vicious sex! 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.
LYSISTRATA

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 refrainaltogether from what

you say, should we get peace any sooner?
LYSISTRATA

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.
LYSISTRATA

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?
LYSISTRATA

Hold on to the door posts.
CLEONICE

But if they beat us?
LYSISTRATA

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?
LYSISTRATA

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.
LYSISTRATA

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.

LYSISTRATA
Come, quick, Lampito, and let us bind ourselves by an inviolable

oath.
LAMPITO

Recite the terms; we will swear to them.
LYSISTRATA

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?
LYSISTRATA

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.

LYSISTRATA
What other oath do you prefer?

CLEONICE
Let's take a white horse, and sacrifice it, and swear on its

entrails.
LYSISTRATA

But where shall we get a white horse?
CLEONICE

Well, what oath shall we take then?
LYSISTRATA

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.
LYSISTRATA

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

LYSISTRATA
Set the bowl down on the ground, and lay your hands on the victim.

....Almightygoddess, Persuasion, and thou, bowl, boon comrade of joy
and merriment, receive this our sacrifice, and be propitious to us

poor women!
CLEONICE (as LYSISTRATA pours the wine into the bowl)

Oh! the fine red blood! how well it flows!
LAMPITO

And what a deliciousbouquet, by Castor!
CLEONICE

Now, my dears, let me swear first, if you please.
LYSISTRATA

No, by Aphrodite, unless it's decided by lot. But come, then,
Lampito, and all of you, put your hands to the bowl; and do you,

Cleonice, repeat for all the rest the solemn terms I am going to
recite. Then you must all swear, and pledge yourselves by the same

promises,-I will have naught to do whether with lover or husband...
CLEONICE (faintly)

I will have naught to do whether with lover or husband...
LYSISTRATA

Albeit he come to me with an erection...
CLEONICE (her voice quavering)

Albeit he come to me with an erection... (in despair) Oh!
Lysistrata, I cannot bear it!

LYSISTRATA (ignoring this outburst)
I will live at home unbulled...

CLEONICE
I will live at home unbulled...

LYSISTRATA
Beautifully dressed and wearing a saffron-coloured gown

CLEONICE
Beautifully dressed and wearing a saffron-coloured gown...

LYSISTRATA
To the end I may inspire my husband with the most ardent longings.

CLEONICE
To the end I may inspire my husband with the most ardent longings.

LYSISTRATA
Never will I give myself voluntarily...

CLEONICE
Never will I give myself voluntarily...

LYSISTRATA
And if he has me by force...

CLEONICE
And if he has me by force...

LYSISTRATA
I will be cold as ice, and never stir a limb...

CLEONICE
I will be cold as ice, and never stir a limb...

LYSISTRATA
I will neither extend my Persian slippers toward the ceiling...

CLEONICE
I will neither extend my Persian slippers toward the ceiling...

LYSISTRATA
Nor will I crouch like the carven lions on a knife-handle.

CLEONICE
Nor will I crouch like the carven lions on a knife-handle.

LYSISTRATA
And if I keep my oath, may I be suffered to drink of this wine.

CLEONICE (more courageously)
And if I keep my oath, may I be suffered to drink of this wine.

LYSISTRATA
But if I break it, let my bowl be filled with water.

CLEONICE
But if I break it, let my bowl be filled with water.

LYSISTRATA

• altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə] ad.完全；总而言之 (初中英语单词)
• darling [´dɑ:liŋ] n.爱人 a.亲爱的 (初中英语单词)
• lightly [´laitli] ad.轻微地，稍微 (初中英语单词)
• hasten [´heisən] vt.催促；促进 vi.赶紧 (初中英语单词)
• satisfaction [,sætis´fækʃən] n.满意；满足 (初中英语单词)
• persuade [pə´sweid] v.(被)说服；使相信 (初中英语单词)
• undertake [,ʌndə´teik] vt.从事；承担；担保 (初中英语单词)
• temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)
• shield [ʃi:ld] n.盾牌；防御 v.保护 (初中英语单词)
• goddess [´gɔdis] n.女神 (初中英语单词)
• persuasion [pə´sweiʒən] n.说服(力)；劝说；见解 (初中英语单词)
• delicious [di´liʃəs] a.美味的，可口的 (初中英语单词)
• solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)
• pledge [pledʒ] n.信物；誓约vt.使发誓 (初中英语单词)
• inspire [in´spaiə] v.鼓舞；使感悟；吸入 (初中英语单词)
• persian [´pə:ʃən] a.波斯的 n.波斯人 (初中英语单词)
• mighty [´maiti] a.强有力的 ad.很 (高中英语单词)
• refrain [ri´frein] v.抑制；忍住 n.迭句 (高中英语单词)
• perfectly [´pə:fiktli] ad.理想地；完美地 (高中英语单词)
• pretence [pri´tens] n.假装；托词；无理要求 (高中英语单词)
• decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
• naught [nɔ:t] n.无；零 (高中英语单词)
• crouch [krautʃ] vi.卷缩；蹲伏 (高中英语单词)
• wanton [´wɔntən, ´wɑ:n-] a.顽皮的 n.&vi.荡妇 (英语四级单词)
• vicious [´viʃəs] a.不道德的；刻毒的 (英语四级单词)
• warlike [´wɔ:laik] a.战争的；好战的 (英语四级单词)
• trusty [´trʌsti] a.可靠的 n.可信任的 (英语四级单词)
• upwards [´ʌpwədz] ad.=upward (英语四级单词)
• merriment [´merimənt] n.欢乐 (英语四级单词)
• bouquet [bu:´kei] n.花束；恭维话 (英语四级单词)
• ardent [´ɑ:dənt] a.热心的；热情洋溢的 (英语四级单词)
• athenian [ə´θi:njən] a.雅典(人)的n.雅典人 (英语六级单词)
• populace [´pɔpjuləs] n.平民；大众；人口 (英语六级单词)
• erection [i´rekʃən] n.直立，建立；建筑物 (英语六级单词)