Make Love Not War - The First-Ever World-Wide Theatre Event For Peace. The plan is for New Mexico PeaceAware groups to host readings of Aristophanes' anti-war play Lysistrata (Pronounced both ways, Liz-IS-trata and Lyzis-TRA-ta). The basic plot of Lysistrata is that the women barricade themselves in the acropolis and go on a sex strike to persuade their husbands to stop the Peloponnesian War .
What is women go on a sex strike to persuade their men to stop the Iraq War? How soon would the National polls call for peace? Why be sexist about it: Withhold sexual favors to anyone who supports the war, In that way we make love not war.
Aristophanes' play Lysistrata (see text version or web version). Here is an excerpt of Lysistrata's plea for women to withhold sex until men stop war:
Myrrhine: And so will I, though I must be split in two like a flat-fish, and have half myself removed.
Lampito: And I too; why to secure peace, I would climb to the top of Mount Taygetus.
Lysistrata: Then I will out with it at last, my mighty secret! Oh! sister women, if we would compel our husbands to make peace, we must refrain...
Cleonice: Refrain from what? tell us, tell us!
Lysistrata: But will you do it?
Myrrhine: We will, we will, though we should die of it.
Lysistrata: We must refrain from the male altogether.... Nay, why do you turn your backs on me? Where are you going? So, you bite your lips, and shake your heads, eh? Why these pale, sad looks? why these tears? Come, will you do it-yes or no? Do you hesitate?
Cleonice: I will not do it, let the war go on.
Myrrhine: Nor will I; let the war go on.
Lysistrata (to Myrrhine): And you say this, my pretty flat-fish, who declared just now they might split you in two?
Cleonice: Anything, anything but that! Bid me go through the fire, if you will,-but to rob us of the sweetest thing in all the world, Lysistrata darling!
Lysistrata (to Myrrhine): And you?
Myrrhine: Yes, I agree with the others; I too would sooner go through the fire.
Lysistrata: Oh, wanton, vicious sex! the poets have done well to make tragedies upon us; we are good for nothing then but love and lewdness! But you, my dear, you from hardy Sparta, if you join me, all may yet be well; help me, second me, I beg you.
Lampito: 'Tis a hard thing, by the two goddesses it is! for a woman to sleep alone without ever a strong male in her bed. But there, peace must come first.
Lysistrata: Oh, my darling, my dearest, best friend, you are the only one deserving the name of woman!
How to research the play or get a copy - There is a version of the play that can be read by 6people in a lunch hour -- http://lysistrata.chonny.com/lyswebster.pdf (Be sure you have Acrobat Reader 5.1. http://www.adobe.com). Also see Balduci translation of entire play http://lysistrata.chonny.com/lys_balducci.pdf See more versions at http://www.pecosdesign.com/lys/index.html If you do not have Adobe use web version or print this text version -- Good commentary at http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa030999.htm See Study Guide http://www.temple.edu/classics/lysistrata.html
Let us know when you decide to host a reading in New Mexico.