Lysistrata Part 25

And I will too.

We'll both be crude and vulgar, yes we will.

PORTER

Be off at once now or you'll be wailing Dirges for your hair. Get off at once, And see you don't disturb the Spartan envoys Just coming out from the splendid feast they've had.

_The banqueters begin to come out._

1ST ATHENIAN

I've never known such a pleasant banquet before, And what delightful fellows the Spartans are.

When we are warm with wine, how wise we grow.

2ND ATHENIAN

That's only fair, since sober we're such fools: This is the advice I'd give the Athenians-- See our amba.s.sadors are always drunk.

For when we visit Sparta sober, then We're on the alert for trickery all the while So that we miss half of the things they say, And misinterpret things that were never said, And then report the muddle back to Athens.

But now we're charmed with each other. They might cap With the Telamon-catch instead of the Cleitagora, And we'd applaud and praise them just the same; We're not too scrupulous in weighing words.

PORTER

Why, here the rascals come again to plague me.

Won't you move on, you sorry loafers there!

MARKET-LOUNGER

Yes, by Zeus, they're already coming out.

SPARTANS

Now hinnie dearest, please tak' up your pipe That I may try a spring an' sing my best In honour o' the Athenians an' oursels.

ATHENIANS

Aye, take your pipe. By all the G.o.ds, there's nothing Could glad my heart more than to watch you dance.

SPARTANS.

Mnemosyne, Let thy fire storm these younkers, O tongue wi' stormy ecstasy My Muse that knows Our deeds and theirs, how when at sea Their navies swooped upon The Medes at Artemision-- G.o.ds for their courage, did they strike Wrenching a triumph frae their foes; While at Thermopylae Leonidas' army stood: wild-boars they were like Wild-boars that wi' fierce threat Their terrible tusks whet; The sweat ran streaming down each twisted face, Faen blossoming i' strange petals o' death Panted frae mortal breath, The sweat drenched a' their bodies i' that place, For the hurly-burly o' Persians glittered more Than the sands on the sh.o.r.e.

Come, Hunting Girl, an' hear my prayer-- You whose arrows whizz in woodlands, come an' bless This Peace we swear.

Let us be fenced wi' age long amity, O let this bond stick ever firm through thee In friendly happiness.

Henceforth no guilefu' perjury be seen!

O hither, hither O Thou wildwood queen.

LYSISTRATA

Earth is delighted now, peace is the voice of earth.

Spartans, sort out your wives: Athenians, yours.

Let each catch hands with his wife and dance his joy, Dance out his thanks, be grateful in music, And promise reformation with his heels.

ATHENIANS.

O Dancers, forward. Lead out the Graces, Call Artemis out; Then her brother, the Dancer of Skies, That gracious Apollo.

Invoke with a shout Dionysus out of whose eyes Breaks fire on the maenads that follow; And Zeus with his flares of quick lightning, and call, Happy Hera, Queen of all, And all the Daimons summon hither to be Witnesses of our revelry And of the n.o.ble Peace we have made, Aphrodite our aid.

Io Paieon, Io, cry-- For victory, leap!

Attained by me, leap!

Euoi Euoi Euai Euai.

SPARTANS

Piper, gie us the music for a new sang.

SPARTANS.

Leaving again lovely lofty Taygetus. .h.i.ther O Spartan Muse, hither to greet us, And wi' our choric voice to raise To Amyclean Apollo praise, And Tyndareus' gallant sons whose days Alang Eurotas' banks merrily pa.s.s, An' Athene o' the House o' Bra.s.s.

Now the dance begin; Dance, making swirl your fringe o' woolly skin, While we join voices To hymn dear Sparta that rejoices I' a beautifu' sang, An' loves to see Dancers tangled beautifully; For the girls i' tumbled ranks Alang Eurotas' banks Like wanton fillies thrang, Frolicking there An' like Bacchantes shaking the wild air To comb a giddy laughter through the hair, Bacchantes that clench thyrsi as they sweep To the ecstatic leap.

An' Helen, Child o' Leda, come Thou holy, nimble, gracefu' Queen, Lead thou the dance, gather thy joyous tresses up i' bands An' play like a fawn. To madden them, clap thy hands, And sing praise to the warrior G.o.ddess templed i' our lands, Her o' the House o' Bra.s.s.