Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae
Eugene O'Neill, Jr., Ed.

First Woman
Withdraw, all of you; I am going to examine her thoroughly about last year's mysteries. But move away, Cleisthenes, for no man may hear what is going to be said. Now answer my questions! What was done first?

Mnesilochus
[630] Let's see now. What was done first? Oh! we drank.

First Woman
And then?

Mnesilochus
We drank to our healths.

First Woman
You will have heard that from someone. And then?

Mnesilochus
Xenylla asked for a cup; there wasn't any thunder-mug.

First Woman
You're talking nonsense. Here, Cleisthenes, here! [635] This is the man you were telling us about.

Cleisthenes
What shall we do with him?

First Woman
Take off his clothes, I can get nothing out of him.

Mnesilochus
What! are you going to strip a mother of nine children naked?

Cleisthenes
Come, undo your girdle, you shameless thing.

First Woman
Ah! what a sturdy frame! [640] but she has no breasts like we have.

Mnesilochus
That's because I'm barren. I never had any children.

First Woman
Oh! indeed! just now you were the mother of nine.

Cleisthenes
Stand up straight. What do you keep pushing that thing down for?

First Woman
peering from behind
There's no mistaking it.

Cleisthenes
also peering from behind
[645] Where has it gone to now?

First Woman
To the front.

Cleisthenes
from in front
No.

First Woman
from behind
Ah! it's behind now.

Cleisthenes
Why, friend, it's just like the Isthmus; you keep pulling your stick backwards and forwards more often than the Corinthians do their ships.

First Woman
Ah! the wretch! this is why [650] he insulted us and defended Euripides.

Mnesilochus
Aye, wretch indeed, what troubles have I not got into now!

First Woman
What shall we do?

Cleisthenes
Watch him closely, so that he does not escape. As for me, I'll go to report the matter to the magistrates.