How we cite our quotes: Line
Quote #7
Lysistrata: "Well, what did you expect? Did you think you were going up against a bunch of slave girls? Or did you think women lack gall?"
Magistrate: "Oh yes, they've got plenty of that, provided there's a wine bar nearby." (463-466)
Badoom-ching. The Magistrate thinks that women are only gutsy when they're boozing. He's a clever one, that Magistrate… if by "clever" we mean "misogynistic." Oooh, we'd love to punch him right in the mouth.
Quote #8
Women's Chorus: "Citizens of Athens, we begin
by offering the city valuable advice,
and fittingly, for she raised me in splendid luxury.
As soon as I turned seven I was an Arrephoros;
then when I was ten I was a Grinder for the Foundress;
and shedding my saffron robe I was a Bear at Brauronia;
and once, when I was a fair girl, I carried the Basket,
wearing a necklace of dried figs."
Women's Leader: "Thus I owe it to the polis to offer some good advice. And even if I was born a woman, don't hold it against me if I manage to suggest something better than what we've got now." (638-650)
Here, the Women's Chorus starts off by portraying themselves as members of the highest social class in Athens: all of the events they describe themselves as participating in were high honors for young women. The moral of this little story gets expressed by the Women's Leader: these women have always been at the forefront of the city's politics, so it only makes sense for them to make their voices heard when the city is in trouble. What do you think about the last sentence of this quotation? Does it show that the Women's Leader is, herself, a bit prejudiced toward women? Or is she just thinking ahead to the prejudices of her audience, and catching them out before they can raise any objections?
Quote #9
Men's Leader: "You've certainly helped me out, because that thing's been digging wells in me for a long time, and now that it's out, my eyes are streaming copious tears."
Women's Leader: "Then I'll wipe them away—though you're quite a rascal—and kiss you."
Men's Leader: "Don't kiss me!"
Women's Leader: "I'll kiss you whether you like it or not!"
Men's Leader: "The worst of luck to you! You're natural sweet-talkers, and that ancient adage is right on the mark and no mistake: 'Can't live with the pests or without the pests either.'" (1033-1039)
This short exchange shows the Women's Leader taking on a traditional female role—that of helper. Maybe she's a bit more aggressive than your average helper, like when she insists on kissing the Men's Leader "whether you like it or not," but she still wants to wipe away his tears, which is pretty dang sweet. We think this at least shows that the men and women of Athens still need each other, even if they don't always get along. This seems to be what the Men's Leader is trying to say at the end of this passage, when he gives us an Ancient Greek version of the famous saying, "Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em."