Read an Excerpt
Aristophanes’ Lysistrata
CHARACTERS
SPEAKING CHARACTERS
Lysistrata, an Athenian woman Rod, Myrrhine’s husband
Calonice, an Athenian wife Spartan Herald
Myrrhine, an Athenian wife Spartan Ambassador
Lampito, a Spartan woman Athenian Ambassador
Magistrate, an Athenian bureaucrat Athenian, friend of the
Old Women, three helpers of Lysistrata Ambassador
MUTE CHARACTERS
Athenian Wives Nurse with Rod
Foreign Wives Baby with Rod
Policewoman with Wives Reconciliation, a naked girl
Slaves with Magistrate Spartan Husbands
Police with Magistrate Athenian Husbands
Athenian Old Women Doorkeeper
CHORUS
Old War-Veterans, twelve Old Wives, twelve
SCENE I
Lysistrata
If I’d invited them to drink some wine
or talk about the kids or go out dancing,
you’d hear the sound of high heels everywhere.
But now there’s not a single wife in sight.
Well, here’s my next-door neighbor, anyway. 5
Hi, Calonice.º
Calonice
Hi to you, Lysistrata.
Hey, why the dirty looks? Cheer up, kiddo.
Don’t frown, you’ll wrinkle up your pretty face.
Lysistrata
I’m angry, Calonice, deeply hurt,
in fact offended by the wives, by us, 10
because, according to our husbands we’re
the best at clever schemes—
Calonice
And that’s the truth.
Lysistrata
—but when I tell them all to meet me here,
to scheme about the most important things,
they’re sleeping in and don’t show up.
Calonice
They’ll show. 15
It’s not so easy getting out this early.
We’ve got to do our husbands little favors,
we’ve got to get the servants out of bed,
we’ve got to wash and feed and burp the kids.
Lysistrata
But they’ve got more important things to do 20
than those!
Calonice
OK, Lysistrata, suppose
you tell me why we’re meeting here. The deal.
Is it a big one?
Lysistrata
Very big.
Calonice
Not hard as well?
Lysistrata
It’s very hard.
