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OF OLD MEN slowly enters； carrying faggots and pots of fire。）
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Go easy； Draces； go easy； why； your shoulder is all chafed by
these damned heavy olive stocks。 But forward still； forward； man； as
needs must。
FIRST SEMI…CHORUS OF OLD MEN （singing）
What unlooked…for things do happen； to be sure； in a long life！
Ah！ Strymodorus； who would ever have thought it？ Here we have the
women； who used； for our misfortune； to eat our bread and live in
our houses； daring nowadays to lay hands on the holy image of the
goddess； to seize the Acropolis and draw bars and bolts to keep any
from entering！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Come； Philurgus； man； let's hurry there； let's lay our faggots all
about the citadel； and on the blazing pile burn with our hands these
vile conspiratresses； one and all…and Lycon's wife first and foremost！
SECOND SEMI…CHORUS OF OLD MEN （singing）
Nay； by Demeter； never will I let them laugh at me； whiles I
have a breath left in my body。 Cleomenes himself； the first who ever
seized our citadel； had to quit it to his sore dishonour； spite his
Lacedaemonian pride； he had to deliver me up his arms and slink off
with a single garment to his back。 My word！ but he was filthy and
ragged！ and what an unkempt beard； to be sure！ He had not had a bath
for six long years！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Oh！ but that was a mighty siege！ Our men were ranged seventeen
deep before the gate； and never left their posts； even to sleep。 These
women； these enemies of Euripides and all the gods； shall I do nothing
to hinder their inordinate insolence？ else let them tear down my
trophies of Marathon。
FIRST SEMI…CHORUS OF OLD MEN （singing）
But look； to finish this toilsome climb only this last steep bit
is left to mount。 Truly； it's no easy job without beasts of burden；
and how these logs do bruise my shoulder！ Still let us carry on； and
blow up our fire and see it does not go out just as we reach our
destination。 Phew！ phew！ （Blowing the fire） Oh！ dear！ what a
dreadful smoke！
SECOND SEMI…CHORUS OF OLD MEN （singing）
It bites my eyes like a mad dog。 It is Lemnian fire for sure； or
it would never devour my eyelids like this。 Come on； Laches； let's
hurry； let's bring succour to the goddess； it's now or never！ Phew！
phew！ （Blowing the fire） Oh dear！ what a confounded smoke！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
There now； there's our fire all bright and burning； thank the
gods！ Now； why not first put down our loads here； then take a
vine…branch； light it at the brazier and hurl it at the gate by way of
battering…ram？ If they don't answer our summons by pulling back the
bolts； then we set fire to the woodwork； and the smoke will choke
them。 Ye gods！ what a smoke！ Pfaugh！ Is there never a Samian general
will help me unload my burden？…Ah！ it shall not gall my shoulder any
more。 （Setting down the wood） Come； brazier； do your duty； make
the embers flare； that I may kindle a brand； I want to be the first to
hurl one。 Aid me； heavenly Victory； let us punish for their insolent
audacity the women who have seized our citadel； and may we raise a
trophy of triumph for success！
（They begin to build a fire。 The CHORUS OF WOMEN
now enters； carrying pots of water。）
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Oh！ my dears； methinks I see fire and smoke； can it be a
conflagration？ Let us hurry all we can。
FIRST SEMI…CHORUS OF WOMEN （singing）
Fly； fly； Nicodice； ere Calyce and Critylle perish in the fire； or
are stifled in the smoke raised by these accursed old men and their
pitiless laws。 But； great gods； can it be I come too late？ Rising at
dawn； I had the utmost trouble to fill this vessel at the fountain。
Oh！ what a crowd there was； and what a din！ What a rattling of
water…pots！ Servants and slave…girls pushed and thronged me！
However； here I have it full at last； and I am running to carry the
water to my fellow…townswomen； whom our foes are plotting to burn
alive。
SECOND SEMI…CHORUS OF WOMEN （singing）
News has been brought us that a company of old； doddering
grey…beards； loaded with enormous faggots； as if they wanted to heat a
furnace； have taken the field； vomiting dreadful threats； crying
that they must reduce to ashes these horrible women。 Suffer them
not； oh！ goddess； but； of thy grace； may I see Athens and Greece cured
of their warlike folly。 'Tis to this end； oh！ thou guardian deity of
our city； goddess of the golden crest； that they have seized thy
sanctuary。 Be their friend and ally； Athene； and if any man hurl
against them lighted firebrands； aid us to carry water to extinguish
them。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
What is this I see； ye wretched old men？ Honest and pious folk
ye cannot be who act so vilely。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Ah； ha！ here's something new！ a swarm of women stand posted
outside to defend the gates！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Fart at us； would you？ we seem a mighty host； yet you do not see
the ten…thousandth part of our sex。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Ho； Phaedrias！ shall we stop their cackle？ Suppose one of us
were to break a stick across their backs； eh？
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Let us set down our water…pots on the ground； to be out of the
way； if they should dare to offer us violence。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Let someone knock out two or three teeth for them； as they did
to Bupalus； they won't talk so loud then。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Come on then； I wait you with unflinching foot； and no other bitch
will ever grab your balls。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Silence！ or my stick will cut short your days。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Now； just you dare to touch Stratyllis with the tip of your
finger！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
And if I batter you to pieces with my fists； what will you do？
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
I will tear out your lungs and entrails with my teeth。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Oh！ what a clever poet is Euripides！ how well he says that woman
is the most shameless of animals。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Let's pick up our water…jars again； Rhodippe。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
You damned women； what do you mean to do here with your water？
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
And you； old death…in…life； with your fire？ Is it to cremate
yourself？
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
I am going to build you a pyre to roast your female friends upon。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
And I；…I am going to put out your fire。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
You put out my fire…you？
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Yes； you shall soon see。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
I don't know what prevents me from roasting you with this torch。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
I am getting you a bath ready to clean off the filth。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
A bath for me； you dirty slut？
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Yes； indeed； a nuptial bath…tee heel
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN （turning to his followers）
Do you hear that？ What insolence！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
I am a free woman； I tell you。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
I will make you hold your tongue； never fear！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Ah ha！ you shall never sit any more amongst the Heliasts。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN （to his torch）
Burn off her hair for her！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN （to her pot）
Achelous； do your duty！
（The women pitch the water in their
water…pots over the old men。）
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Oh； dear！ oh； dear！ oh； dear！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
Was it hot？
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Hot； great gods！ Enough； enough！
LEADER OF CHORUS OF WOMEN
I'm watering you； to make you bloom afresh。
LEADER OF CHORUS OF OLD MEN
Alas！ I am too dry！ Ah； me how！ how I am trembling with cold！
（A MAGISTRATE enters； with a few Scythian policemen。）
MAGISTRATE
These women； have they made din enough； I wonder； with their
tambourines？ bewept Adonis enough upon their terraces？ I was listening
to the speeches last assembly day； and Demostratus； whom heaven
confound！ was saying we must all go over to Sicily…and lo！ his wife
was dancing round repeating： 〃Alas！ alas！ Adonis； woe is me for
Adonis！〃 Demostratus was saying we must levy hoplites at Zacynthus…and
there was his wife； more than half drunk； screaming on the ho