Aristophanes, Lysistrata 638-647: the Arkteia in Brauron
Title
Aristophanes, Lysistrata 638-647: the Arkteia in Brauron
Date
between 460 and 450 - 386 BCE
Type
Comedy
Source Type
Literary source
Commentary
The reference to sports is only indirect, but we know from other sources (especially archaeological ones) that the girls who served as bears at the festival of Artemis ran a race: see Valerius Harpokration, Lexicon in Decem Oratores Atticos s.v. Ἀρκτεῦσαι (A235 Keaney) and s.v. Δεκατεύειν (Δ16 Keaney).
Translation
WOMEN
And all ye fellow-citizens, hark to me while I tell
What will aid Athens well.
Just as is right, for I
Have been a sharer
In all the lavish splendour
Of the proud city.
I bore the holy vessels
At seven, then
I pounded barley
At the age of ten,
And clad in yellow robes,
Soon after this,
I was Little Bear to
Brauronian Artemis;
Then neckletted with figs,
Grown tall and pretty,
I was a Basket-bearer,
And so it's obvious I should
Give you advice that I think good,
The very best I can.
And all ye fellow-citizens, hark to me while I tell
What will aid Athens well.
Just as is right, for I
Have been a sharer
In all the lavish splendour
Of the proud city.
I bore the holy vessels
At seven, then
I pounded barley
At the age of ten,
And clad in yellow robes,
Soon after this,
I was Little Bear to
Brauronian Artemis;
Then neckletted with figs,
Grown tall and pretty,
I was a Basket-bearer,
And so it's obvious I should
Give you advice that I think good,
The very best I can.
Translation used
Jack Lindsay, Lysistrata by Aristophanes, Sydney 1926.
Text
Χορὸς Γυναικῶν
ἡμεῖς γὰρ ὦ πάντες ἀστοὶ λόγων κατάρχομεν
τῇ πόλει χρησίμων:
εἰκότως, ἐπεὶ χλιδῶσαν ἀγλαῶς ἔθρεψέ με.
ἑπτὰ μὲν ἔτη γεγῶσ᾽ εὐθὺς ἠρρηφόρουν:
εἶτ᾽ ἀλετρὶς ἦ δεκέτις οὖσα τἀρχηγέτι:
κᾆτ᾽ ἔχουσα τὸν κροκωτὸν ἄρκτος ἦ Βραυρωνίοις:
κἀκανηφόρουν ποτ᾽ οὖσα παῖς καλὴ 'χουσ᾽
ἰσχάδων ὁρμαθόν:
ἡμεῖς γὰρ ὦ πάντες ἀστοὶ λόγων κατάρχομεν
τῇ πόλει χρησίμων:
εἰκότως, ἐπεὶ χλιδῶσαν ἀγλαῶς ἔθρεψέ με.
ἑπτὰ μὲν ἔτη γεγῶσ᾽ εὐθὺς ἠρρηφόρουν:
εἶτ᾽ ἀλετρὶς ἦ δεκέτις οὖσα τἀρχηγέτι:
κᾆτ᾽ ἔχουσα τὸν κροκωτὸν ἄρκτος ἦ Βραυρωνίοις:
κἀκανηφόρουν ποτ᾽ οὖσα παῖς καλὴ 'χουσ᾽
ἰσχάδων ὁρμαθόν:
Edition used
Frederick W. Hall/William M. Geldart (eds.), Aristophanes Commoediae, vol. 2, Oxford 1907.
Collection
Citation
Aristophanes, “Aristophanes, Lysistrata 638-647: the Arkteia in Brauron ,” Cynisca: Documenting Women and Girls in Ancient Greek Sports, accessed December 22, 2024, https://fdz.bib.uni-mannheim.de/cynisca/items/show/3.