Tag: Aristophanes

[ΛΥΣΙΣΤΡΑΤΗ. ΚΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ. ΜΥΡΡΙΝΗ. ΓΥΝΗ Α’]

[ΛΥΣ.] Λέγοιμ’ ἄν· οὐ δεῖ γὰρ κεκρύφθαι τὸν λόγον.
ἡμῖν γὰρ, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἴπερ μέλλομεν
ἀναγκάσειν τοὺς ἄνδρας εἰρήνην ἄγειν,
ἀφεκτέ’ ἐστὶ—
[ΚΑΛ.] τοῦ; φράσον.
[ΛΥΣ.] ποιήσετ’ οὖν;
[ΚΑΛ.] ποιήσομεν, κἂν ἀποθανεῖν ἡμᾶς δέῃ.
[ΛΥΣ.] ἀφεκτέα τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἡμῖν τοῦ πέους.
τί μοι μεταστρέφεσθε; ποῖ βαδίζετε;
αὗται, τί μοιμυᾶτε κἀνανεύετε;
τί χρὼς τέτραπται; τί δάκρυον κατείβεται;
ποιήσετ’ ἢ οὐ ποιήσετ’; ἢ τί μέλλετε;
[ΚΑΛ.] οὐκ ἂν ποιήσαιμ’, ἀλλ’ ὁ πόλεμος ἑρπέτω.
[ΜΥΡ.] μὰ Δί’ οὐδ’ ἐγὼ γάρ, ἀλλ’ ὁ πόλεμος ἑρπέτω.
[ΛΥΣ.] ταυτὶ σὺ λέγεις, ὦ ψῆττα; καὶ μὴν ἄρτι γε
ἔφησθα σαυτῆς κἂν παρατεμεῖν θἤμισυ.
[ΚΑΛ.] ἄλλ’, ἄλλ’ ὅ τι βούλει: κἄν με χρῇ διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς
ἐθέλω βαδίζειν· τοῦτο μᾶλλον τοῦ πέους·
οὐδὲν γὰρ οἷον, ὦ φίλη Λυσιστράτη.
[ΚΑΛ.] τί δαὶ σύ;
[ΓΥΝ. Α’] κἀγὼ βούλομαι διὰ τοῦ πυρός.
[ΛΥΣ.] ὦ παγκατάπυγον θἠμέτερον ἅπαν γένος!
(Aristophanes, Lys. 119-137)

[LYSISTRATA. CALONICE. MYRRHINE. ATHENIAN WIFE]

[LYS.] Here goes, then; no need to beat around the bush. Ladies, if we’re going to force the men to make peace, we’re going to have to give up—
[CAL.] Give up what? Tell us.
[LYS.] You’ll do it, then?
[CAL.] We’ll do it, even if it means our death!
[LYS.] All right. We’re going to have to give up—the prick. Why are you turning away from me? Where are you going? Why are you all pursing your lips and shaking your heads? What means your altered color and tearful droppings? Will you do it or not? What are you waiting for?
[CAL.] Count me out; let the war drag on.
[MYR.] Me too, by Zeus; let the war drag on.
[LYS.] This from you, Ms. Flounder? Weren’t you saying just a moment ago that you’d cut yourself in half?
[CAL.] Anything else you want, anything at all! I’m even ready to walk through fire; rather that than the prick. There’s nothing like it, my dear Lysistrata.
[LYS.] And what about you?
[ATH.] I’m ready to walk through fire too.
[LYS.] Oh what a low and horny race are we!
(tr. Jeffrey Henderson)

Φαλλός· ξύλον ἐπίμηκες, ἔχον ἐν τῷ ἄκρῳ σκύτινον αἰδοῖον ἐξηρτημένον. ἵστατο δὲ ὁ φάλλος τῷ Διονύσῳ, κατά τι μυστήριον. περὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ φαλλοῦ τοιαῦτα λέγεται. Πήγασος ἐκ τῶν Ἐλευθερῶν, αἱ δὲ Ἐλευθεραὶ πόλις εἰσὶ Βοιωτίας, λαβὼν τοῦ Διονύσου τὸ ἄγαλμα ἧκεν εἰς τὴν Ἀττικήν. οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι οὐκ ἐδέξαντο μετὰ τιμῆς τὸν θεόν. ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἀμισθί γε αὐτοῖς ταῦτα βουλευσαμένοις ἀπέβη. μηνίσαντος γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ νόσος κατέσκηψεν εἰς τὰ αἰδοῖα τῶν ἀνδρῶν, καὶ τὸ δεινὸν ἀνήκεστον ἦν. ὡς δὲ ἀπεῖπον πρὸς τὴν νόσον κρείττω γενομένην πάσης ἀνθρωπείας μαγγανείας καὶ τέχνης, ἀπεστάλησαν θεωροὶ μετὰ σπουδῆς· οἳ δὴ ἐπανελθόντες ἔφασαν ἴασιν ταύτην εἶναι μόνην, εἰ διὰ τιμῆς ἁπάσης ἄγοιεν τὸν θεόν. πεισθέντες οὖν τοῖς ἠγγελμένοις οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι φαλλοὺς ἰδίᾳ τε καὶ δημοσίᾳ κατεσκεύασαν, καὶ τούτοις ἐγέραιρον τὸν θεὸν, ὑπόμνημα ποιούμενοι τοῦ πάθους.
(Scholia in Aristophanis Acharnenses 243)

A phallus is a large wooden beam with a leather penis attached at the end. The phallus was erected for Dionysus in accordance with one of his mysterious rites. The following story is told about the phallus itself: Pegasus brought the statue of Dionysus from Eleutherae (a town in Boeotia) to Attica. The Athenians however didn’t give the god a respectful welcome—but those responsible paid dearly for that decision. The god got angry and a disease struck the men’s genitals. There was no cure againt this disaster. As they succumbed to the illness, which had become too strong for any human skill or magic, envoys were rapidly dispatched to consult the oracle. On their return they said that the only possible remedy was that they should carry around the god in full honour. Obeying this message, the Athenians constructed phalluses both privately and at public expense, and with these they payed homage to the god, by turning them into a memorial of their suffering. (tr. David Bauwens)

[ΚΟΡΥΦΑΙΑ. ΠΡΑΞΑΓΟΡΑ. ΓΕΙΤΩΝ. ΒΛΕΠΥΡΟΣ]

[ΚΟΡ.] Ἀλλ’ οὐ μέλλειν, ἀλλ’ ἅπτεσθαι καὶ δὴ χρὴ τῆς διανοίας,
ὡς τὸ ταχύνειν χαρίτων μετέχει πλεῖστον παρὰ τοῖσι θεαταῖς.
[ΠΡΑΞ.] καὶ μὴν ὅτι μὲν χρηστὰ διδάξω πιστεύω: τοὺς δὲ θεατάς,
εἰ καινοτομεῖν ἐθελήσουσιν καὶ μὴ τοῖς ἠθάσι λίαν
τοῖς τ’ ἀρχαίοις ἐνδιατρίβειν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔσθ᾽ ὃ μάλιστα δέδοικα.
[ΓΕΙΤ.] περὶ μὲν τοίνυν τοῦ καινοτομεῖν μὴ δείσῃς· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡμῖν
δρᾶν ἀντ’ ἄλλης ἀρχῆς ἐστιν, τῶν δ’ ἀρχαίων ἀμελῆσαι.
[ΠΡΑΞ.] μή νυν πρότερον μηδεὶς ὑμῶν ἀντείπῃ μηδ᾽ ὑποκρούσῃ,
πρὶν ἐπίστασθαι τὴν ἐπίνοιαν καὶ τοῦ φράζοντος ἀκοῦσαι.
κοινωνεῖν γὰρ πάντας φήσω χρῆναι πάντων μετέχοντας
κἀκ ταὐτοῦ ζῆν, καὶ μὴ τὸν μὲν πλουτεῖν, τὸν δ’ ἄθλιον εἶναι,
μηδὲ γεωργεῖν τὸν μὲν πολλήν, τῷ δ᾽ εἶναι μηδὲ ταφῆναι,
μηδ’ ἀνδραπόδοις τὸν μὲν χρῆσθαι πολλοῖς, τὸν δ’ οὐδ’ ἀκολούθῳ·
ἀλλ’ ἕνα ποιῶ κοινὸν πᾶσιν βίοτον καὶ τοῦτον ὅμοιον.
[ΒΛΕΠ.] πῶς οὖν ἔσται κοινὸς ἅπασιν;
[ΠΡΑΞ.] κατέδει πέλεθον πρότερός μου.
[ΒΛΕΠ.] καὶ τῶν πελέθων κοινωνοῦμεν;
[ΠΡΑΞ.] μὰ Δί’, ἀλλ᾽ ἔφθης μ’ ὑποκρούσας.
τοῦτο γὰρ ἤμελλον ἐγὼ λέξειν· τὴν γῆν πρώτιστα ποιήσω
κοινὴν πάντων καὶ τἀργύριον καὶ τἄλλ’ ὁπόσ’ ἐστὶν ἑκάστῳ.
εἶτ’ ἀπὸ τούτων κοινῶν ὄντων ἡμεῖς βοσκήσομεν ὑμᾶς
ταμιευόμεναι καὶ φειδόμεναι καὶ τὴν γνώμην προσέχουσαι.
(Aristophanes, Eccl. 581-600)

[CHORUS LEADER. PRAXAGORA. NEIGHBOR. BLEPYRUS]

[CHOR.] No more delay! Here and now you must put your idea in play: what spectators most appreciate is speed.
[PRAX.] Well, I’m sure my proposals are worthwhile, but I’m awfully worried about the spectators: are they ready to quarry a new vein and not stick with what’s hoary and conventional?
[NEIGH.] Don’t worry about quarrying new veins: for us, indifference to precedent takes precedence over any other principle of government.
[PRAX.] Then let no one object or interrupt until you’ve heard the speaker out and understand the plan. Very well: I propose that everyone should own everything in common, and draw an equal living. No more rich man here, poor man there, or a man with a big farm and a man without land enough for his own grave, or a man with may slaves and a man without even an attendant. No, I will establish one and the same standard of life for everyone.
[BLEP.] How will it be the same for everyone?
[PRAX.] If we were eating dung you’d want the first bite!
[BLEP.] We’ll be sharing the dung too?
[PRAX.] God no, I mean you cut me off by interrupting; I was just about to explain that point. My first act will be to communize all the land, money, and other property that’s now individually owned. We women will manage this common fund with thrift and good judgment, and take good care of you.
(tr. Jeffrey Henderson)

[ΧΟΡΟΣ. ΒΛΕΠΥΡΟΣ]
ΧΟΡ.      Ὢ ὤ, ὥρα δή,
ὦ φίλαι γυναῖκες, εἴπερ μέλλομεν τὸ χρῆμα δρᾶν,
ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον ὑπανακινεῖν. Κρητικῶς οὖν τὼ πόδε
καὶ σὺ κίνει.
ΒΛΕ.                                   τοῦτο δρῶ.
ΧΟΡ.                                                                καὶ τάσδε νῦν <τὰς μείρακας
χρὴ συνυπάγειν κοῦφα> λαγαρὰς τοῖν σκελίσκοιν τὸν ῥυθμόν.
τάχα γὰρ ἔπεισι
λοπαδοτεμαχοσελαχογαλεο-
κρανιολειψανοδριμυποτριμματο-
σιλφιολιπαρομελιτοκατακεχυμενο-
κιχλεπικοσσυφοφαττοπεριστερα-
λεκτρυονοπτοπιφαλλιδοκιγκλοπε-
λειολαγῳοσιραιοβαφητραγα-
λοπτερυγών. σὺ δὲ ταῦτ’ ἀκροασάμε-
νος τρέχε καὶ ταχέως λαβὲ τρύβλιον.
εἶτα κόνισαι λαβὼν
λέκιθον, ἵν’ ἐπιδειπνῇς.
ΒΛΕ.       ἀλλὰ λαιμάττουσί που.
ΧΟΡ.      αἴρεσθ’ ἄνω, ἰαί, εὐαί·
δειπνήσομεν, εὐοῖ, εὐαί,
εὐαί, ὡς ἐπὶ νίκῃ.
εὐαί, εὐαί, εὐαί, εὐαί.
(Aristophanes, Eccl. 1163-1183)

[CHORUS. BLEPYRUS]
CHO.      Hey, hey, it’s time,
dear ladies, to shake a leg and hop off to dinner,
if we mean to do it at all. So you start moving your feet too,
to a Cretan tune.
BLE.                                    That’s what I’m doing!
CHO.                                                                              And these girls too,
so lithe, should join us in lightly moving their gams to the rhythm.
For soon there’ll be served
limpets and saltfish and sharksteak and dogfish
and mullets and oddfish with savory pickle sauce
and thrushes with blackbirds and various pigeons
and roosters and pan-roasted wagtails and larks
and nice chunks of hare marinated in mulled wine
and all of it drizzled with honey and silphium
and vinegar, oil, and spices galore! Now that you’ve heard
what awaits you, run grab your plate quickly,
then raise the dust, but take
some porridge for dinner!
BLE.       I’m sure that they’re stuffing it in.
CHO.      Lift your legs aloft, hey hey,
we’re off to dinner, hoy hoy,
and victory, hurray!
Hurray hurrah!
(tr. Jeffrey Henderson)