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Illustration for Aristophanes' famous play The Lysistrata by Aubrey Beardsley who was one of the most infamous erotic artists of the Victorian era. This illustration was completed before his death in 1898 at the age of only 26. The Lysistrata
was set during the Peloponnesian War in 411 BC: The women of Sparta
and Athens punish their men for making war by refusing to make love.
Though the play was created as a raucous comedy, it is nonetheless a
passionate plea against the futility of war. In this excerpt the women
make their pledge . . . |
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Lysistrata:
What would you do for peace? Lampito: I would climb up Taygetus, if only I could see peace from the summit. Calonice: And I too, even if I have to cut myself in two like a turbot and give away half Lysistrata: Well, ladies! If we mean to force the men to keep the peace we must abstain from…… Myrrhina: From what? Speak on. Lysistrata: But will you do it? Myrrhina: We will do it even if it costs us our lives. Lysistrata: Well, we must abstain from…Penis. Why do you turn away, ladies? Where are you going to? You there, why do you purse your lips and shake your heads at me? Will you or will you not do it? If not, what do you propose? Myrrhina: I cannot do without it: let the war drag on. Calonice: Nor I: let the war drag on. Lysistrata: This from you, O Turbot? Just now you said you would cut yourself in half. Calonice: Anything else, anything else you like. If necessary, I will walk through fire rather than give up the penis. There's nothing like it, dear Lysistrata. Lysistrata: What about you? Lampito: I too am ready to walk through the flames. Lysistrata: O what a hopelessly lecherous sex we are! We are the stuff of which tragedies are made, and no wonder, for we are nought but "Poseidon and a boat." But, my dear Spartan, if you will only join me we may yet together save the situation. Do come over to my side. Lampito: Oh, it's hard, I mean, for women to sleep alone, without the companionship of a foreskin. Still, it must be done, I suppose, for we need peace badly. Lysistrata: You darling, you are the only real woman here. Myrrhina: Supposing we were to rigorously abstain from what you mention (which God forbid!) do you think we should be any nearer peace on that account? Lysistrata: Most certainly, far nearer. If we were to sit indoors, painted and perfumed, with shaven coyntes, and without any clothes on except our petticoats of Amorgian flax, the men would get erections and be eager to lie with us. And if we repulsed them and held quite aloof from them I am certain they would very quickly make peace with one another. Lampito: Yes, take Menelaos for example. I believe a glimpse of Helen's naked breasts sufficed to make him drop his sword. Myrrhina: But supposing the men leave us alone, my dear. Lysistrata: Then love's labour's lost, yet there's leather left. Myrrhina: Those make-believe dodges are all nonsense. Supposing they take us and push us into the bedroom by main force. Lysistrata: You must clutch hold of the door. Myrrhina: What if they beat us? Lysistrata: Then you must give in, but do it with a bad grace - there's no pleasure in favours wrested by force. Bother them as much as you can, and they will very quickly get tired of it: you know a man gets no pleasure out of it unless the woman likes it too. Myrrhina: If you two are agreed on all this, we also will join you . . . . |
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