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

Blepyrus
[535] And why did you not take your mantle? Instead of that, you carry off mine, you throw your dress upon the bed and you leave me as the dead are left, bar the chaplets and perfumes.

Praxagora
It was cold, and I am frail and delicate; [540] I took your cloak for greater warmth, leaving you thoroughly warm yourself beneath your coverlets.

Blepyrus
And my shoes and staff, those too went off with you?

Praxagora
I was afraid they might rob me of the cloak, and so, [545] to look like a man, I put on your shoes and walked with a heavy tread and struck the stones with your staff.

Blepyrus
D'you know you have made us lose a sextary of wheat, which I should have bought with the triobolus of the Assembly?

Praxagora
Be comforted, for she had a boy.

Blepyrus
[550] Who? the Assembly?

Praxagora
No, no, the woman I helped. But has the Assembly taken place then?

Blepyrus
Did I not tell you of it yesterday?

Praxagora
True; I remember now.

Blepyrus
And don't you know the decrees that have been voted?

Praxagora
No indeed.

Blepyrus
Go to! you can live on lobster from now on, [555] for they say the government is handed over to you.

Praxagora
To do what —to spin?

Blepyrus
No, that you may rule ...

Praxagora
What?

Blepyrus
... over all public business.

Praxagora
As she exclaims this Chremes reappears.
Oh! by Aphrodite! how happy Athens will be!

Blepyrus
Why so?

Praxagora
For a thousand reasons. [560] None will dare now to do shameless deeds, to give false testimony or lay informations.

Blepyrus
Stop! in the name of the gods! Do you want me to die of hunger?

Chremes
Good sir, let your wife speak.

Praxagora
[565] There will be no more thieves, nor envious people, no more rags nor misery, no more abuse and no more prosecutions and law-suits.

Chremes
By Poseidon! that's grand, if it's true!

Praxagora
I shall prove it and you shall be my witness [570] and even he Pointing to Blepyrus. will have no objections to raise.