LAMP. What was your will?
(_A pause._)
Nay, here we stand: therefore, I say, disclose
Why hast thou brought to Athens friends and foes.
CORINTH. Tell us!
SEVERAL WOMEN (_excitedly_). Aye, speak!
MYRR. (_sarcastically_). This great, this pressing need.
LYS. Yea, I will speak. (_Slowly._) But first, my friends,----
(_Exclamation of impatience from all._)
give heed
To one small question.
SEVERAL WOMEN. Ask us what you please!
LYS. O wives and mothers, to whom war decrees
A life unhusbanded, do ye not yearn
For those who gave you children to return?
(_A pause._)
SEVERAL WOMEN. Do we not yearn? Oh, me! do we not yearn?
We yearn, we burn, to learn of their return!
LYS. Full well ye know how long they have been kept
On foreign service.
CAL. Aye, ten moons I’ve slept
A widow!
BŒOT. And I!--No husband have I seen
For five long months or more.
MYRR. And mine has been
Absent in Pylos seven.
CORINTH. And mine the same.
LAMP. My lover, too. A week ago he came;
Yet scarce had time to lay by sword and shield
Ere back again they called him to the field.
1ST LEADER OF WOMEN. O womanhood, that waits with widowed breast
Safe in the guarded home, yet finds no rest!
CHORUS OF WOMEN. Ah!
(_A long-drawn sigh._)
LYS. So men make war, and women bear the theft.
There’s scarcely a gallant or a lover left
In Attica.
(_The women burst into tears._)
And those who stay behind
Still goad them to it. O women, would ye find
A way to end this war--say at what price?
MYRR. I’d pawn my frock!
1ST ATHEN. WOMAN. I too!
2ND ATHEN. WOMAN. And I!
3RD ATHEN. WOMAN. And I!
CAL. I’d take a knife and slice
My body into fillets like fish for pence!
LAMP. And I would climb Taygetus, if thence
I might get sight of peace!
(_General consent._)
LYS. Well, hear me then, for now I speak! Ye know
How at each festival they make a show
And a pretence of peace, calling a truce:--
And each man then comes home.
CAL. Ah! for what use?
Just for one greedy bite--then off again.
A snack of comfort. Oh, I know these men!
LYS. And now, to-day, ye look for their return.
SEVERAL WOMEN. Yes, yes.
LYS. Brief is the truce, and brief the bliss ye earn
For all your waiting.
ALL THE WOMEN (_sighing_). Aye!
LYS. For while men fight
Never shall women’s love retain its right
In hearth and home.
ALL THE WOMEN. ’Tis true!
LYS. Well, hearken then,
And be ye brave!... If ye would make these men
Wishful for peace we women must ... abstain.
MYRR. From what?
LYS. Oh, me! if now I plead in vain.
ALL THE WOMEN. From what? From what?
LYS. It is no easy thing.
LAMP. Let it be hard!
CAL. Oh, cease this torturing!
LYS. In this fresh truce, what ye must bear is more
Than ye have borne through all the years of war.
ALL THE WOMEN. What?
LYS. Will ye do it?
MYRR. Yes, even though we die!
(_A long pause._)
LYS. Abstain ye, then ... from love.
(_All draw back and turn sorrowfully away._)
Oh, sisters, why
Do ye turn from me? Whither will ye go?
Why have ye shut your lips? Why shake ye so
Your heads at me? Why pale and turned to tears?
Will ye, or will ye not?...
(_Each one whom she challenges turns from her._)
O ye deaf ears!
O women, where is your high purpose gone?
MYRR. (_in low, firm tone_). I cannot do it.
Let the war go on!
CAL. Nor I. War must go on.
(_Comfortably accepting the inevitable._)
LYS. What you--you fish
Ready for filletting!
CAL. Oh, let us wish
For any cure but that!
ALL THE WOMEN. Aye, any cure but that!
CAL. At your desire
I would be willing even to walk through fire!
But--take not love away!
ALL THE WOMEN. Not love! Not love!
LYS. (to MYRRHINA). And what say you?
MYRR. (_trippingly_). To walk through fire I would be
willing too.
CORINTH. Fire? Oh, that’s nothing! Fire?
BŒOT. I wouldn’t care.
3RD ATHEN. Woman. I would do anything--go anywhere.
CORINTH. But to do _this_, I _couldn’t_! Well, you see--
’Twould be so useless--so _unwomanly_.
LYS. Oh, wretched race, which makes all Greece its grave!
Women be vessels driven by wind and wave--
In nothing steadfast.... Ah, Laconia’s bride,
Speak for me, Lampito; be on my side!
(LAMPITO _is quiet for a moment, she closes her eyes and
sways to and fro biting her lips, then speaks with
conviction and resolution._)
LAMP. Now, by the gods, a woman’s life is hard
When of her lover’s lips she stays debarred....
Yet we must do it: the land hath need of peace.
LYS. O bravest woman! One, out of all these!
CAL. But if we do, what profit will it bring?
How without love comes peace or anything?
LYS. Hark! I will show. Let each go to her home,
Put on fair raiment, ply the paint and comb
With secret art,--over the tender breast
With cords of gold unloop the scented vest:
Then wait, and when your warriors return
After long absence, oh, shall they not burn
To kiss the lips where welcome seems to wait
So lovingly? And when a harder fate
Meets their advances, and a voice cries “Go!
Not till ye bring us peace!” Full well I know
Peace will come quickly then.
(_The_ WOMEN _during this speech have been gradually
won over: it appeals to their sex-vanity._)
LAMP. (_rising to full height_). O most true word!
Even so fierce Menelaus sheathed his sword
For the bright breasts of Helen!
MYRR. You speak fair!
But, friend, suppose our husbands ... went elsewhere?
LYS. Is yours like that? The covers will be bare.
CAL. What if they come and take the kiss by force?
(_The_ BŒOTIAN WOMEN _shake their heads continuously.
The rest listen anxiously._)
LYS. Cling to the door-post, then; or lock the doors!
CAL. What if they beat us?
LYS. Still ye can annoy,
Still fret and vex; for no man can have joy
If ye afflict him.
CAL. (_shaking her head_). Ah! Mine won’t give in!
LYS. Let him hold out--what profit shall he win?
Surely ye know, each in your secret heart,
Smooth are a woman’s ways to make men smart.
CAL. There, there, I don’t deny it. It’s true indeed!
Well, since ye wish it, are the rest agreed?
CORINTH. Perhaps. I’ll wait and see.
LYS. Nay, answer now!
Oh come, ye women, and take up this vow!
LAMP. Each to persuade her lover or her mate?
Easy for us! But here you have a State
Governed by party--babblers without brain.
LYS. Each must persuade her party.
LAMP. Nay, ’tis vain.
Voteless ye cannot! The fleet stands equipped,
Supply is voted, and each party, whipped
To its own ends, strives only to get hold
Of power, and office, and the public gold.
LYS. And when no gold remains, then war will cease.
CAL. Is it till then that we must wait for peace?
Why! in yon Parthenon the State has stores
Of gold that would provide a dozen wars!
LYS. Make your mind easy: I have planned for this:
To-day we seize upon the Acropolis.
(_General excitement._)
Word has gone forth, and while we here debate
The elders of our women have passed the gate:
Soon will the prize be ours.
CAL. And all the gold?
LYS. That, and the public peace is yours to hold.
ALL THE WOMEN. Evoe! Evoe! Evoe!
(_They run about waving their veils and shouting._)
LAMP. You have planned well!
LYS. So, that our cause may stand inviolable,
Now take the oath, then forward let us fare.
Are you content?
ALL THE WOMEN. We are!
CAL. Nay, have a care!
What are we doing?
LAMP. Speak, then, the word!
CAL. In what form do we swear?
LYS. In blood of bulls poured out upon a shield.
STRAT. It were ill-omened on so dark a field
To sue for peace.
LYS. How then?
CAL. Take a white horse,
Slay it; then sit thereon!
LYS. That has no force.
STRAT. Why not a goat?
MYRR. A dove?
BŒOT. No; something big!
CORINTH. A cow?
1ST ATHEN. WOMAN. A fish, a filleted fish! (_to_ CALONICE).
CAL. (_repulsing her_). A pig!
LYS. Nay, sisters, is not this a fairer sign?
Take a great goblet.
(_Shouts of “Yes!” and “No!”_ LAMPITO
_threatens the dissentients_).
Slay a cask of wine:
Fill up the cup; then let the oath begin--
“Not until peace will I pour water in!”
LAMP. O Mother Earth, to thee I make this oath!
LYS. Bring cup, and hulk of wine.
(SERVANT _carries away shield and brings
back cup and wine-skin_).
and set them both
Here on this altar.
(CALONICE _takes the cup and exhibits it_.)
Thou fair girth and form,
Who clasps and drinks of thee, his blood grows warm;
Who lacks of thee, lacks also of life’s crown!
(_To_ CALONICE.)
Lift up the victim: set the goblet down.
(_The cup is set down. The wine-skin is
held ready above it._)
Fair goddess of Persuasion, and sweet Cup
Of comfortable Love, take and drink up,
Friendly to us, this blood!
(_She stabs the wine-skin: the wine flows out._)
CAL. (_smacking her lips_). It bubbles well!
CORINTH. Brightly it runs!
(WOMEN _smack their lips_.)
1ST ATHEN. WOMAN (_sniffing with relish_).
Aye, and how sweet a smell!
LAMP. By the twin gods, how it awakes my thirst!
LYS. Permit me, O fair comrades, to drink first.
(_She takes up the cup._)
CAL. No, by the gods! Wait till the lots be cast.
LYS. Come, Lampito, and let us all link fast
Our hands around the bowl: then let my word
Lead for the rest: and after ye have heard
Let one among you speak: so, having cried
Our common cause, thereto shall ye abide.
(_They all lay hands on the cup._)