CLISTHENES (_to Mnesilochus_). Hi! you there! where are you off to? Stop there. What are you running away for? MNESILOCHUS. I want to relieve myself. CLISTHENES. The shameless thing! Come, hurry yourself; I will wait here for you. CHORUS. Wait for her and examine her closely; 'tis the only one we do not know. CLISTHENES. You are a long time about your business. MNESILOCHUS. Aye, my god, yes; 'tis because I am unwell, for I ate cress yesterday.[598] CLISTHENES. What are you chattering about cress? Come here and be quick. MNESILOCHUS. Oh! don't pull a poor sick woman about like that. CLISTHENES. Tell me, who is your husband? MNESILOCHUS. My husband? Do you know a certain individual at Cothocidae[599]...? CLISTHENES. Whom do you mean? Give his name. MNESILOCHUS. 'Tis an individual to whom the son of a certain individual one day.... CLISTHENES. You are drivelling! Let's see, have you ever been here before? MNESILOCHUS. Why certainly, every year. CLISTHENES. Who is your tent companion?[600] MNESILOCHUS. 'Tis a certain.... Oh! my god! CLISTHENES. You don't answer. FIFTH WOMAN. Withdraw, all of you; I am going to examine her thoroughly about last year's mysteries. But move away, Clisthenes, for no man may hear what is going to be said. Now answer my questions! What was done first? MNESILOCHUS. Let's see then. What was done first? Oh! we drank. FIFTH WOMAN. And then? MNESILOCHUS. We drank to our healths. FIFTH WOMAN. You will have heard that from someone. And then? MNESILOCHUS. Xenylla relieved herself in a cup, for there was no other vessel. FIFTH WOMAN. You trifle. Here, Clisthenes, here! This is the man of whom you spoke. CLISTHENES. What is to be done then? FIFTH WOMAN. Take off his clothes, I can get nothing out of him. MNESILOCHUS. What! are you going to strip a mother of nine children naked? CLISTHENES. Come, undo your girdle, you shameless thing. FIFTH WOMAN. Ah! what a sturdy frame! but she has no breasts like we have. MNESILOCHUS. That's because I'm barren. I never had any children. FIFTH WOMAN. Oh! indeed! just now you were the mother of nine. CLISTHENES. Stand up straight. Hullo! what do I see there? Why, a penis sticking out behind. FIFTH WOMAN. There's no mistaking it; you can see it projecting, and a fine red it is. CLISTHENES. Where has it gone to now? FIFTH WOMAN. To the front. CLISTHENES. No. FIFTH WOMAN. Ah! 'tis behind now. CLISTHENES. Why, friend, 'tis for all the world like the Isthmus; you keep pulling your tool backwards and forwards just as the Corinthians do their ships.[601] FIFTH WOMAN. Ah! the wretch! this is why he insulted us and defended Euripides. MNESILOCHUS. Aye, wretch indeed, what troubles have I not got into now! FIFTH WOMAN. What shall we do? CLISTHENES. Watch him closely, so that he does not escape. As for me, I go to report the matter to the magistrates, the Prytanes.