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SPARTANS
I've never seen a nobler woman anywhere.
ATHENIANS
Nor I one with such prettily jointing hips.
LYSISTRATA
Now, brethren twined with mutual benefactions,
Can you still war, can you suffer such disgrace?
Why not be friends? What is there to prevent you?
SPARTANS
We're agreed, gin that we get this tempting Mole.
LYSISTRATA
Which one?
SPARTANS
That ane we've wanted to get into,
O for sae lang.... Pylos, of course.
ATHENIANS
By Poseidon,
Never!
LYSISTRATA
Give it up.
ATHENIANS
Then what will we do?
We need that ticklish place united to us—
LYSISTRATA
Ask for some other lurking-hole in return.
ATHENIANS
Then, ah, we'll choose this snug thing here, Echinus,
Shall we call the nestling spot? And this backside haven,
These desirable twin promontories, the Maliac,
And then of course these Megarean Legs.
SPARTANS
Not that, O surely not that, never that.
LYSISTRATA
Agree! Now what are two legs more or less?
ATHENIANS
I want to strip at once and plough my land.
SPARTANS
And mine I want to fertilize at once.
LYSISTRATA
And so you can, when Peace is once declared.
If you mean it, get your allies' heads together
And come to some decision.
ATHENIANS
What allies?
There's no distinction in our politics:
We've risen as one man to this conclusion;
Every ally is jumping-mad to drive it home.
SPARTANS
And ours the same, for sure.
ATHENIANS
The Carystians first!
I'll bet on that
LYSISTRATA
I agree with all of you.
Now off, and cleanse yourselves for the Acropolis,
For we invite you all in to a supper
From our commissariat baskets. There at table
You will pledge good behaviour and uprightness;
Then each man's wife is his to hustle home.
ATHENIANS
Come, as quickly as possible.
SPARTANS
As quick as ye like.
Lead on.
ATHENIANS
O Zeus, quick, quick, lead quickly on.
They hurry off.
Lysistrata. Aristophanes.