Lysistrata

by

Aristophanes

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Ismenia is a pretty Boiotian girl who comes from an aristocratic family in Thebes, an ally of Sparta in the Peloponnesian League. She accompanies Lampito to Lysistrata’s summons, and remains in Athens as a warmly welcome hostage until Athens and Sparta make peace. She never speaks, but she does repel a policeman by brandishing “a huge pair of pincers.”
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Ismenia Character Timeline in Lysistrata

The timeline below shows where the character Ismenia appears in Lysistrata. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Lines 1 – 253
War and Peace Theme Icon
Gender Roles Theme Icon
Rebellion, Patriotism, and the Political Power of Comedy Theme Icon
...Soon after, the brawny Spartan woman Lampito enters, along with a pretty Boiotian girl named Ismenia and a huge, big-butted Corinthian girl. Lysistrata welcomes all, and showers the out-of-towners with compliments.... (full context)
Lines 254 – 705
War and Peace Theme Icon
Gender Roles Theme Icon
Sexuality and the Battle of the Sexes Theme Icon
Rebellion, Patriotism, and the Political Power of Comedy Theme Icon
...with a chamber pot. Myrrhine repels a third policeman by brandishing a blazing lamp, and Ismenia repels the fourth by brandishing “a huge pair of pincers.” (full context)
Gender Roles Theme Icon
Sexuality and the Battle of the Sexes Theme Icon
Rebellion, Patriotism, and the Political Power of Comedy Theme Icon
...The Female Koryphaios isn’t afraid: she’s got friends from Sparta and Thebes, like Lampito and Ismenia. The worst the men can do, she mocks, is pass some absurd law. She grabs... (full context)