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lysistrata-第8章

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deserting。 The first I caught was slipping out by the postern gate


near the cave of Pan; another was letting herself down by a rope and


pulley; a third was busy preparing her escape; while a fourth; perched


on a bird's back; was just taking wing for Orsilochus' house; when I


seized her by the hair。 One and all; they are inventing excuses to


be off home。  (Pointing to the gate)  Look! there goes one; trying


to get out! Halloa there! whither away so fast?


  FIRST WOMAN


    I want to go home; I have some Milesian wool in the house; which


is getting all eaten up by the worms。


  LYSISTRATA


    Bah! you and your worms! go back; I say!


  FIRST WOMAN


    I will return immediately; I swear I will by the two goddesses!


I only have just to spread it out on the bed。


  LYSISTRATA


    You shall not do anything of the kind! I say; you shall not go。


  FIRST WOMAN


    Must I leave my wool to spoil then?


  LYSISTRATA


    Yes; if need be。


  SECOND WOMAN


    Unhappy woman that I am! Alas for my flax! I've left it at home


unstript!


  LYSISTRATA


    So; here's another trying to escape to go home and strip her flax!


  SECOND WOMAN


    Oh! I swear by the goddess of light; the instant I have put it


in condition I will come straight back。


  LYSISTRATA


    You shall do nothing of the kind! If once you began; others


would want to follow suit。


  THIRD WOMAN


    Oh! goddess divine; Ilithyia; patroness of women in labour;


stay; stay the birth; till I have reached a spot less hallowed than


Athene's mount!


  LYSISTRATA


    What mean you by these silly tales?


  THIRD WOMAN


    I am going to have a child…now; this minute!


  LYSISTRATA


    But you were not pregnant yesterday!


  THIRD WOMAN


    Well; I am to…day。 Oh! let me go in search of the midwife;


Lysistrata; quick; quick!


  LYSISTRATA


    What is this fable you are telling me?  (Feeling her stomach)  Ah!


what have you got there so hard?


  THIRD WOMAN


    A male child。


  LYSISTRATA


    No; no; by Aphrodite! nothing of the sort! Why; it feels like


something hollow…a pot or a kettle。  (Opening her robe)  Oh! you silly


creature; if you have not got the sacred helmet of Pallas…and you said


you were with child!


  THIRD WOMAN


    And so I am; by Zeus; I am!


  LYSISTRATA


    Then why this helmet; pray?


  THIRD WOMAN


    For fear my pains should seize me in the Acropolis; I mean to


lay my eggs in this helmet; as the doves do。


  LYSISTRATA


    Excuses and pretences every word! the thing's as clear as


daylight。 Anyway; you must stay here now till the fifth day; your


day of purification。


  THIRD WOMAN


    I cannot sleep any more in the Acropolis; now I have seen the


snake that guards the temple。


  FOURTH WOMAN


    Ah! and those awful owls with their dismal hooting! I cannot get a


wink of rest; and I'm just dying of fatigue。


  LYSISTRATA


    You wicked women; have done with your falsehoods! You want your


husbands; that's plain enough。 But don't you think they want you


just as badly? They are spending dreadful nights; oh! I know that well


enough。 But hold out; my dears; hold out! A little more patience;


and the victory will be ours。 An oracle promises us success; if only


we remain united。 Shall I repeat the words?


  THIRD WOMAN


    Yes; tell us what the oracle declares。


  LYSISTRATA


    Silence then! Now…〃Whenas the swallows; fleeing before the


hoopoes; shall have all flocked together in one place; and shall


refrain them from all amorous commerce; then will be the end of all


the ills of life; yea; and Zeus; who doth thunder in the skies;


shall set above what was erst below。。。。〃


  THIRD WOMAN


    What! shall the men be underneath?


  LYSISTRATA


    〃But if dissension do arise among the swallows; and they take wing


from the holy temple; it will be said there is never a more wanton


bird in all the world。〃


  THIRD WOMAN


    Ye gods! the prophecy is clear。


  LYSISTRATA


    Nay; never let us be cast down by calamity! let us be brave to


bear; and go back to our posts。 It would be shameful indeed not to


trust the promises of the oracle。


                                (They all go back into the Acropolis。)


  CHORUS OF OLD MEN  (singing)


    I want to tell you a fable they used to relate to me when I was


a little boy。 This is it: Once upon a time there was a young man


called Melanion; who hated the thought of marriage so sorely that he


fled away to the wilds。 So he dwelt in the mountains; wove himself


nets; and caught hares。 He never; never came back; he had such a


horror of women。 As chaste as Melanion; we loathe the jades just as


much as he did。


  AN OLD MAN  (beginning a brief duet with one of the women)


    You dear old woman; I would fain kiss you。


  WOMAN


    I will set you crying without onions。


  OLD MAN


    And give you a sound kicking。


  WOMAN  (pointing)


    Ah; ha! what a dense forest you have there!


  OLD MAN


    So was Myronides one of the bushiest of men of this side; his


backside was all black; and he terrified his enemies as much as


Phormio。


  CHORUS OF WOMEN  (singing)


    I want to tell you a fable too; to match yours about Melanion。


Once there was a certain man called Timon; a tough customer; and a


whimsical; a true son of the Furies; with a face that seemed to


glare out of a thorn…bush。 He withdrew from the world because he


couldn't abide bad men; after vomiting a thousand curses at them。 He


had a holy horror of ill…conditioned fellows; but he was mighty tender


towards women。


  WOMAN  (beginning another duet)


    Suppose I up and broke your jaw for you!


  OLD MAN


    I am not a bit afraid of you。


  WOMAN


    Suppose I let fly a good kick at you?


  OLD MAN


    I should see your thing then。


  WOMAN


    You would see that; for all my age; it is very well plucked。


  LYSISTRATA  (rushing out of the Acropolis)


    Ho there! come quick; come quick!


  ONE OF THE WOMEN


    What is it? Why these cries?


  LYSISTRATA


    A man! a man! I see him approaching all afire with the flames of


love。 Oh! divine Queen of Cyprus; Paphos and Cythera; I pray you still


be propitious to our enterprise。


  WOMAN


    Where is he; this unknown foe?


  LYSISTRATA


    Over there…beside the Temple of Demeter。


  WOMAN


    Yes; indeed; I see him; but who is he?


  LYSISTRATA


    Look; look! do any of you recognize him?


  MYRRHINE  (joyfully)


    I do; I do! it's my husband Cinesias。


  LYSISTRATA


    To work then! Be it your task to inflame and torture and torment


him。 Seductions; caresses; provocations; refusals; try every means!


Grant every favour;…always excepting wh
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