Exploring Gender Roles and Antiwar Themes in Lysistrata
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University of Manitoba**We aren't endorsed by this school
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HIST 1200
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Arts & Humanities
Date
Dec 12, 2024
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54 3 / THE GREEK GOLDEN AGE, C. 500-C. 400 B.C.E. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What does Euphiletus’s testimony suggest about the roles that both men and women were expected to play in Athenian society in general and within the home in particula 2. How did these expectations shape the physical geography of domestic space as revealed in the overhead views of a Greek house? 3. According to Euphiletus, why did his wife cross the boundaries of this geography? How did this set the stage for his woes? 7. Protesting War, Performing Satire Aristophanes, Lysistrata (411 s.c..) The plays of Aristophanes (450-386 B.c.E.) are the only comedies to survive from Greeces Golden Age. Although he was a wellborn Athenian, Aristophanes held the leaders of his city-state responsible for starting the Peloponnesian War (431-404) and refusing to make peace. He produced Acharnians, the first antiwar play, in 425. Lysistrata, Aristophanes most famous comedy, describes a meeting of women who come together to decide how fo end the war. The play opens with the group’s Athenian leader, Lysistrata, waiting impa- " tiently for the women to arrive. When they do, she suggests a bold strategy to convince their husbands to desist from war and make peace— a sex strike. To force the hand of Athenians in general, Lysistrata has another plan in place. As she tells the gathering, women are about to seize the Acropolis, the geographic, political, and religious center of Athens. Although the work was satiric, Aristophanes’ antiwar stance signaled increas ing dissatisfaction with conditions in Athens as a result of the war. As the excerpt here reveals, his message in Lysistrata is so powerful and timeless that the play is still per- formed throughout the world. cALONICE: What actually is it, Lysistrata dear, that you're calling us women together for? What is this thing? What's the size of it? LYSISTRATA: It’s big— CALONICE: you don't mean big and meaty? LYSISTRATA: — and meaty too, I tell you. CALONICE: Then how come we're not all here? LYSISTRATA: Not in that sense! Wed have assembled fast enough if it was. No, it's something that I've been examining and tossing about through many a sleepless night. CALONICE: Tossing about? Must be a dainty little thing. LYSISTRATA: So very dainty that the salvation of all Greece is actually in the hands of her women. From The Comedies of Aristophanes, vol. 7: Lysistrata, ed. and trans. Alan H. Sommerstein (Warminster, England: Arris & Phillips, 1990), 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 39, 41. PROTESTING WAT CALONICE: In the hands of h LYSISTRATA: I tell you that t there will be no more Pel CALONICE: Well, that would LYSISTRATA: — and the Boeo CALONICE: Oh, please not all LYSISTRATA: [ won't utter any my meaning. But if the those of the Peloponnesi CALONICE: But what can wor at home all dolled up, we straight-liners and rivert LYSISTRATA: Why, that’s exa pretty saffron gowns anc rouge and our see-throu CALONICE: How on earth do LYSISTRATA: To make it that 1 against each other — CALONICE: In that case, by th saffron! LYSISTRATA: — or take up a s CALONICE: I'm going to put c LYSISTRATA: — or even a littl CALONICE: I'm going to buy: LYSISTRATA: So shouldn’t the CALONICE: Not now, in heave here long ago! LYSISTRATA: Ah, I tell you, Athenian — everything t woman here from the Pa CALONICE: Oh, as for them, well before daylight. LYSISTRATA: And the Acharn ing on their being first h Peloponnesians: People of Peloponn exception for the eels: Eels from Lak culinary delicacy. [Ed.] Cimberic: Negligée. [Ed.] ‘Reference to Demeter and her dau women. Paralia . . . Salamis: The Paralia and [Ed.] I'he district of Acharnae was in the c
both men and women the home in particular? mestic space as revealed of this geography? How atire ) to survive from Greece’s s held the leaders of his 4) and refusing to make ysistrata, Aristophanes’ gether to decide how to ysistrata, waiting imp‘a— old strategy to convince ce. To force the hand of she tells the gathering, , and religious center of stance signaled increas- var. As the excerpt here hat the play is still per- calling us women wough if it was. No, ut through many a e is actually in the ns. Alan H. Sommerstein 31, 33, 35, 39, 41. PROTESTING WAR, PERFORMING SATIRE / ARISTOPHANES, LYSISTRATA 55 CcALONICE: In the hands of her women? Then it’s resting on very little! LYSISTRATA: [ tell you that the fortunes of the country depend on us. Either there will be no more Peloponnesians —! cALONICE: Well, that would be splendid, by Zeus, for them to be no more! LYSISTRATA: — and the Boeotians will all be utterly destroyed — CALONICE: Oh, please not all of them — do make an exception for the eels!? LYSISTRATA: I won't utter any words of that kind about Athens, but you can infer my meaning. But if the wives come together here — those from Boeotia, those of the Peloponnesians, and ourselves — won't we'll save Greece. CALONICE: But what can women achieve that is clever or glorious — we who sit at home all dolled up, wearing saffron gowns and cosmetics and Cimberic? straight-liners and riverboat slippers? LYSISTRATA: Why, that’s exactly what 'm counting on to save Greece —our pretty saffron gowns and our perfumes and our riverboat slippers and our rouge and our see-through shifts. CALONICE: How on earth do you mean? LYSISTRATA: To make it that none of the men living today will take up the spear against each other — CALONICE: In that case, by the Two Goddesses,*—I'm going to dye a gown with saffron! LYSISTRATA: — or take up a shield CALONICE: I'm going to put on a Cimberic! LYSISTRATA: — or even a little toy sword. CALONICE: I'm going to buy riverboat slippers! LYSISTRATA: So shouldn’t the women be here now? CALONICE: Not now, in heaven’s name — they should have taken wing and been here long ago! LYSISTRATA: Ah, I tell you, my good friend, you'll see theyre thoroughly Athenian — everything they do is too late. Why, there isn’t even a single woman here from the Paralia, nor from Salamis. CALONICE: Oh, as for them, they’ll have been working over on their pinnaces well before daylight. LYSISTRATA: And the Acharnian® women too, whom I was expecting and count- ing on their being first here, they haven’t come. 'Peloponnesians: People of Peloponnese, a region forming the southern Greek peninsula. [Ed.] %exception for the eels: Eels from Lake Copais in Boeotia, a region in south-central Greece, were a culinary delicacy. [Ed.] *Cimberic: Negligée. [Ed.] ‘Reference to Demeter and her daughter Persephone; oaths in their name were used only by women. *Paralia . . . Salamis: The Paralia and Salamis were key strategic areas under Athens’s jurisdiction. [Ed.] The district of Acharnae was in the central part of the Athenian polis.
56 3 / THE GReek GOLDEN AGE, C. 500-C. 400 B.C.E. PROTESTING WAR CALONICE: Well, at any rate Theogenes” wife was putting on all sail to come here. [pointing offstage] But look, here you are, some of them are arriving now. LYSISTRATA: [looking in the other direction]: And here come some others. [Enter Lampito, accompanied by a Theban woman (Ismenia) and a Corinthian woman, and followed by several other Spartan women. Their garments, unlike those of the Athenian women, are open at the side in the Doric fashion.] LYSISTRATA: Welcome, Lampito, my very dear Laconian® friend! Darling, what beauty you display! What a fine colour, and what a robust frame you've got! You could throttle a bull. LAMPITO [in Laconian dialect]: Yes, indeed, I reckon, by the Two Gods;” at any rate I do gymnastics and jump heel-to-buttocks. CALONICE [feeling Lampito’s breasts): What a splendid pair of tits you've got! LAMPITO [annoyed]: Really, you're feeling me over like a victim for sacrifice! LysisTRATA: And where does this other young lady come from [indicating Ismenial? LAMPITO: Shes come to you, don't you know, by the Two Gods, as a represen- tative of Boeotia. MYRRHINE [looking inside Ismenia’s revealing costume): Yes, she represents Boeotia all right, with that fine lowland region she’s got! CALONICE: And, by Zeus, with the mint shoots very neatly plucked out! LysisTrRATA: And who's the other girl? LampiTO: A lady of noble line, by the Two Gods, a Corinthian. CALONICE: Yes, it’s certainly obvious she does have noble lines — here and here [pointing to the Corinthian’s belly and buttocks! LampiTO: Now who has convened this gathering of women? LYSISTRATA: Here I am; I did. Lamprto: Tell us, pray, what you wish of us. CALONICE: Yes, indeed, dear lady, do tell us what this important business of yours is. LysisTRATA: Iwill tell you now. But before doing s0, I will ask you this one small question. cALONICE: Whatever you like. LysisTRATA: Don’t you miss the fathers of your children badly, when theyre away on campaign? I know that every one of you has a man away from home. CALONICE: My husband, my dear, anyway, has been off on the Thracian Coast for five months, keeping a watch on Eucrates.”® MYRRHINE: And mine’s been LAMPITO: And mine, even Wl vice, right away he’s faste: LYSISTRATA: Why, there isn mer of one. Since the six-inch dildo that migl to find a plan, then, wot to an end? CALONICE: By the Two God mantle and drink my pu vyRRHINE: And I think Id ¢ and donate half of my b LampiTo: And I would clin going to be able to see p pysisTRATA: [will sayit: ther do, women, if we mean: cALONICE: From what? Tell rysisTRATA: You'll do it, the caronice: Well do it, ever enthusiastic agreement. rysisTRATA: Well then: we murs of dissent; some 0 ing] Why are you turn you, why dre you purs your colour, why this f do you hesitate? caLonice: I won't do it. Le MYRRHINE: By Zeus, nor v LYSISTRATA: You sdy that, ! ing youd be ready to s cALONICE: Anything else to walk through fire- Lysistrata dear, nothin LYSISTRATA [turning to an woMmAN: Id rather go thre "Theogenes of Acharnae was a merchant and shipowner who had the reputation of a vain boaster pretending to be much richer than he was. SLaconian: A term sometimes used to refer to the people of Sparta. [Ed.] 9To a Spartan, the “Two Gods” are Castor and Pollux, brothers of Helen and special patrons of Sparta. 10Eucrates: An Athenian general of questionable loyalty. [Ed.] 1A strategic promontory on the w held ever since by an Athenian gai 12Milesians: Miletus was an impo: in 412. Apparently it was known f WThis range forms the western t would have seemed to an ancient
n all sail to come here. are arriving now. me some others. a) and a Corinthian . Their garments, de in the Doric friend! Darling, what bust frame you've got! the Two Gods;’ at any ir of tits you've got! victim for sacrifice! me from [indicating ) Gods, as a represen- : Yes, she representg ot! y plucked out! thian. lines — here and here en? mportant business of ask you this one small 1 badly, when they’re 1as a man away from n the Thracian Coast PROTESTING WAR, PERFORMING SATIRE / ARISTOPHANES, LYSISTRATA 5 MYRRHINE: And mine’s been seven solid months at Pylos." LAMPITO: And mine, even when he does ever come home from his active ser- vice, right away he’s fastened on his shield-band and gone flying off again. LYSISTRATA: Why, there isn’t even a lover left us now —not the least glim- mer of one. Since the Milesians'?> deserted us, I haven't even seen a six-inch dildo that might have given us some slender comfort. If I were to find a plan, then, would you be willing to join me in bringing the war to an end? CALONICE: By the Two Goddesses, I would, for one, even if I had to pawn this mantle and drink my purse dry all in one day! MYRRHINE: And I think Id even be ready to slice myself in two like a flounder and donate half of my body! LamprTo: And I would climb right to the top of Mount Tajgetum,® if T was going to be able to see peace from there. rysisTRATA: Iwill say it: there’s no need for the idea to stay hidden. What we must do, women, if we mean to compel the men to live in peace, is to abstain — cALONICE: From what? Tell us. LysisTRATA: You'll do it, then? cavronice: Well do it, even if we have to give our lives. [The others indicate enthusiastic agreement.] LysISTRATA: Well then: we must abstain from — cock and balls. [Strong mur- murs of dissent; some of the women seem on the point of quitting the meet- ing] Why are you turning your backs on me? Where are you going? I ask you, why dre you pursing your lips and tossing your heads? “Why pales your colour, why this flow of tears?” Will you do it or will you not? or why do you hesitate? cALONICE: Iwon't do it. Let the war carry on. MYRRHINE: By Zeus, nor will I. Let the war carry on. LYSISTRATA: You say that, Madam Flounder? Why, a moment ago you were say- ing youd be ready to slice off half of your body! CALONICE: Anything else you want—anything! And if need be, I'm willing to walk through fire — rather that than cock and balls! There is nothing, Lysistrata dear, nothing like it! LYSISTRATA [furning to another of the women]: And what about you? woMAaN: Id rather go through fire too! e reputation of a vain boaster d.] Helen and special patrons of 1A strategic promontory on the west coast of the Peloponnese, seized by the Athenians in 425 and held ever since by an Athenian garrison. 2Milesians: Miletus was an important Greek city in Asia Minor. Once an ally of Athens, it revolted in 412. Apparently it was known for the production of artificial leather penises. [Ed.] 3This range forms the western boundary of Laconia. From the plain of Sparta, its highest peak would have seemed to an ancient Spartan literally impossible to climb.