The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Monday, March 03, 2003  

LYSISTRATA
A Fifth -- and Final -- Excerpt

(See "The Lysistrata Project: Reading -- and Taking Action -- for Peace," March 1.)

Myrrhine Wins Her Husband Over to the Cause

(The is the last excerpt from The Rittenhouse Review.
You will have to read the rest of the play yourself.
Gee whiz, do I sound like Mrs. Seldin, or what?)

CINESIAS
Oh! Myrrhine, Myrrhine, in our child's name, hear me; at any rate hear the child! Little lad, call your mother.
CHILD
Mamma, mamma, mamma!
CINESIAS
There, listen! Don't you pity the poor child? It's six days now you've never washed and never fed the child.
MYRRHINE
Poor darling, your father takes mighty little care of you!
CINESIAS
Come down, dearest, come down for the child's sake.
MYRRHINE
Ah! what a thing it is to be a mother! Well, well, we must come down, I suppose.
CINESIAS (as MYRRHINE approaches)
Why, how much younger and prettier she looks! And how she looks at me so lovingly! Her cruelty and scorn only redouble my passion.
MYRRHINE (ignoring him; to the child)
You are as sweet as your father is provoking! Let me kiss you, my treasure, mother's darling!
CINESIAS
Ah! what a bad thing it is to let yourself be led away by other women! Why give me such pain and suffering, and yourself into the bargain?
MYRRHINE (as he is about to embrace her)
Hands off, sir!
CINESIAS
Everything is going to rack and ruin in the house.
MYRRHINE
I don't care.
CINESIAS
But your web that's all being pecked to pieces by the cocks and hens, don't you care for that?
MYRRHINE
Precious little.
CINESIAS
And Aphrodite, whose mysteries you have not celebrated for so long? Oh! won't you please come back home?
MYRRHINE
No, least, not till a sound treaty puts an end to the war.
CINESIAS
Well, if you wish it so much, why, we'll make it, your treaty.
MYRRHINE
Well and good! When that's done, I will come home. Till then, I am bound by an oath.
CINESIAS
At any rate, lie with me for a little while.
MYRRHINE
No, no, no! (she hesitates) but just the same I can't say I don't love you.
CINESIAS
You love me? Then why refuse to lie with me, my little girl, my sweet Myrrhine?
MYRRHINE (pretending to be shocked)
You must be joking! What, before the child!
CINESIAS (to the slave)
Manes, carry the lad home. There, you see, the child is gone; there's nothing to hinder us; won't you lie down now?
MYRRHINE
But, miserable man, where, where?
CINESIAS
In the cave of Pan; nothing could be better.
MYRRHINE
But how shall I purify myself before going back into the citadel?
CINESIAS
Nothing easier! you can wash at the Clepsydra.
MYRRHINE
But my oath? Do you want me to perjure myself?
CINESIAS
I'll take all responsibility; don't worry.
MYRRHINE
Well, I'll be off, then, and find a bed for us.
CINESIAS
There's no point in that; surely we can lie on the ground.
MYRRHINE
No, no! Even though you are bad, I don't like your lying on the bare earth.

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