“Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life.”
“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.”
“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!”
“A man can learn wisdom even from a foe”
“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.”
“To win the people, always cook them some savoury that pleases them.”
“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.”