Aristophanes

“A man can learn wisdom even from a foe”

“Chorus of old men: If we give them the least hold over us, 'tis all up! their audacity will know no bounds! We shall see them building ships, and fighting sea-fights like Artemisia; nay if they want to mount and ride as cavalry, we had best cashier the knights, for indeed women excel in riding, and have a fine, firm seat for the gallop. Just think of all those squadrons of Amazons Micon has painted for us engaged in hand-to-hand combat with men.”

“Chorus of old men: How true the saying: 'Tis impossible to live with the baggages, impossible to live without 'em.”

“Chorus of women: […] Oh! my good, gallant Lysistrata, and all my friends, be ever like a bundle of nettles; never let you anger slacken; the wind of fortune blown our way.”

“Magistrate: May I die a thousand deaths ere I obey one who wears a veil!Lysistrata: If that's all that troubles you, here take my veil, wrap it round your head, and hold your tounge. Then take this basket; put on a girdle, card wool, munch beans. The War shall be women's business.”

“Magistrate: What do you propose to do then, pray?Lysistrata: You ask me that! Why, we propose to administer the treasury ourselvesMagistrate: You do?Lysistrata: What is there in that a surprise to you? Do we not administer the budget of household expenses?Magistrate: But that is not the same thing.Lysistrata: How so – not the same thing?Magistrate: It is the treasury supplies the expenses of the War.Lysistrata: That's our first principle – no War!”

“Lysistrata: To seize the treasury; no more money, no more war.”

“Lysistrata: Oh, Calonicé, my heart is on fire; I blush for our sex. Men will have it we are tricky and sly...Calonicé: And they are quite right, upon my word!Lysistrata: Yet, look you, when the women are summoned to meet for a matter of the last importance, they lie abed instead of coming.Calonicé: Oh, they will come, my dear; but 'tis not easy you know, for a woman to leave the house. One is busy pottering about her husband; another is getting the servant up; a third is putting her child asleep or washing the brat or feeding it.”

“Numai moartea nu cere daruri dintre zei.”

“Open your mind before your mouth”

“Under every stone lurks a politician.”

“Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.”

“[Y]ou [man] are fool enough, it seems, to dare to war with [woman=] me, when for your faithful ally you might win me easily.”

“You [demagogues] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing is good; in the same way it's only in troublous times that you line your pockets.”

“[Y]ou possess all the attributes of a demagogue; a screeching, horrible voice, a perverse, crossgrained nature and the language of the market-place. In you all is united which is needful for governing.”

“To win the people, always cook them some savoury that pleases them.”

“How can I study from below, that which is above?”

“It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls”

“HOROVOĐA MUŠKOG HORA:Ni sa kojom zverkom no sa ženomnije teži boj,nit je oganj tako nit je panterbesan ijedan.HOROVOĐA ŽENSKOG HORA:To ti znadeš, al opet, rđo,sa mnom ratuješ,a ja verna mogla bih ti bitiprijateljica?”

“Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life.”

“Calonice: My dear Lysistrata, just what is this matter you've summoned us women to consider.What's up? Something big?Lysistrata: Very big.Calonice: (interested) Is it stout too?Lysistrata: (smiling) Yes, indeed -- both big and stout.Calonice: What? And the women still haven't come?Lysistrata: It's not what you suppose; they'd come soon enough for that.”

“Lysistrata: "Calonice, it's more than I can bear,I am hot all over with blushes for our sex.Men say we're slippery rogues--"Calonice: "And aren't they right?”

“High thoughts must have high language.”

“Късият ум е с дълъг език.”

“Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.”

“By words the mind is winged.”

“Let each man exercise the art he knows.”

“Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.”