THE LYSISTRATA, 409-487

Dost thou not see the bath wherewith

the sluts have dared to lave me,
Whilst all my clothes were on, and ne'er

a bit of soap they gave me ?
w. en. For 'tis not right, nor yet polite,

to strike a harmless neighbour,
And if you do, 'tis needful too

that she your eyes belabour.
Full fain would I, a maiden shy,

in maiden peace be resting,
Not making here the slightest stir,

nor any soul molesting,
Unless indeed some rogue should strive

to rifle and despoil my hive.tf

M. CH. O how shall we treat, Lord Zeus, such creatures

as these ?
Let us ask the cause for which they have dared to

seize,

To seize this fortress of ancient and high renown,
This shrine where never a foot profane hath trod,
The lofty-rocked, inaccessible Cranaan town,
The holy Temple of God.

*
Now to examine them closely and narrowly,

probing them here and sounding them there,
Shame if we fail to completely unravel the

intricate web of this tangled affair.
MAO. Foremost and first I would wish to inquire of them,
what is this silly disturbance about ?
Why have ye ventured to seize the Acropolis,

locking the gates and barring us out ?

The field is now open for a suspension of hostilities, and a parley
takes place between the leaders of the two contending factions*

47