Lysistrata

114 Pages·2012·8.01 MB·English

IL LINOI S
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
PRODUCTION NOTE
University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign Library
Brittle Books Project, 2012.
COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION
In Public Domain.
Published prior to 1923.
This digital copy was made from the printed version held
by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
It was made in compliance with copyright law.
Prepared for the Brittle Books Project, Main Library,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
by
Northern Micrographics
Brookhaven Bindery
La Crosse, Wisconsin
2012

:~6XI
r -~~
~ ~
tea- % ,~,:~~e
b Fi
THE- N thIT
OF ILLINOIS6
j LIRAR
M C~bl
5m
_1 . - ~ -
r}
4 .1fk " 4 _
5i~ :~i~
~i
x
:tlM'trb'.~Ll- KWL« .n. &, ^~.. rrp.. , .re.'. .:.: -,
b.' Y Y
LYSISTRATA
HERBERT CLARKE, PRINTER
338, RUE SAINT-HONORS
PARIS
LYSISTRATA
COMEDY IN FOUR ACTS
BY
MAURICE DONNAY
Of the French Academy
'Done into English
by
HELEN DAVENPORT GIBBONS
PARIS
EUGENE FASQUELLE
Publisher
11, Rue de Grenelle
1919
AIll rights reserved
Copyright by Eugene Fasquelle, 1919
CAST
MMmes
Lysistrata JEANNE PROVOST.
Salabaccha .. MARCELLE PRAINCE.
Lampito . JEANNE CHEIREL.
Gyrinno . . DUBREUIL.
Callyce.. .. MARKEN.
Hirondelle JORDAAN.
Philinna . DEYAS.
Myrrhine. . RAYNAL.
Myrtale.. . . LANZY.
Nicodice . LANCYLE.
Cynnah . .. NYCOT.
Calonice . RELLY.
Giychre . . SANDY.
Rhodippe DARLY.
Rose .. .. MARQUY.
Doris MORENCY.
MM.
Agathos . JEAN WORMS.
Lycon .... HUGUENET.
Taraxion . . MAUREL.
Cyndsias . LE GAL.
Theorus . SCHEFFER.
Dercyle.. DELSON.
Nicostrate DEPRE.
Acestor .... BLOCH
Sosias .... LAGRANGE.
Clysthne .. MENDAILLE.
Strymodore.. RHEIMS.
Draces .. GEORGE.
Phidon .. DAUBRY.
Sacas ARNAUD.
Stilbonide ALCIDE.
A dancing girl, matrons, courtisans, soldiers.
The scene takes place at Athens about 420 B. C., at the time
of the Peloponnesian war.
PROLOGUE
LYSISTRATA
Priologos, clothed in a white tunic. On his head a
wreath of ivy leaves and violets. Before the
candles are lighted and the curtain raised, he
addresses the audience:
O Parisiennes, and you,
Parisians, greetings!
Before the plot is revealed,
* Like a mountain path,
With a thousand crooked turnings,
Before his work braves success or failure,
The author sends me in sincerity,
Among you, the public, the dread public,
Monster, Dragon, Hydra of Lerna,
To bring you light
Upon his purpose;
At my own risk I come,
To lift a corner of thecurtain.
It is not a tragedy,
Put that out of your head,
Much less a parody,
With what motive, tell me,
Does your mother, Greece,
Speak to you bitterly,
In Alexandripes
That move like awkward men of Flanders,
,. Two by two, classic and mournful,
Or fall into refrains
Of irreverence without limit,
4--% And of infinite stupidity ?
<W hy Charybdis Tragedy
, So close to Scylla Parody ?
SThey were not all heros,
Those good Greeks, nor all puppets.
Aristotle, in several chapters,
aW hose numbers I have forgotten,
Proves it clearly.
When they went along the street
- They were, above all, human:
Like Phaedra or Orestes,
' They had feet and hands,
Hearts, brains... and the rest.
45346
And so, contrary to the usual custom,
You are going to see people
Like yourselves, barring the clothes.
Be indulgent to them,
They will speak as you do,
And in their conversations
Will mingle the most futile questions
With grave problems.
What can you expect? The author under-
stands
Through their writings that their spirit
Was the ancestor of yours:
The Greeks made approximations,
Therefore be prepared
For you may see something like that!
Only, they had gods,-
You lack them;
That was their luminous side.
Their temple was not the bank,
But from the old Parthenon
Resting on its white columns,
Down to the humble nameless rock
Lost in moss and verdure,
Every spot was inhabited
By pure divinity
Whether it was a Nymph,
Guardian of a spring;
Or Pallas Athene,
The wise and victorious,
Watching her laughing city
As over a beautiful child,
Born under her glorious aegis,
The gods, the gods were everywhere !
It is not too bold
To put them in this comedy.
Now, to be frank with you,
I must tell you that prudish ears
Will tingle.
The Athenian, you will admit,
Had taste, more or less Attic,
And to dramatic criticism
Brought an aesthetic sense
That laughs, unruffled ;
False modesty was unknown,
And the naked truth
Walked across their stage.
Just as in their combats
In the Stadium, they let their forms be seen
-2 -