Myrrhine Character Analysis in Lysistrata

Lysistrata

Aristophanes

The conventional Athenian woman Myrrhine arrives guiltily late to Lysistrata’s summons at the beginning of the play, but once there she promises to do anything to end the war, even to cut herself in half like a mackerel—but then she immediately cries out “On with the War!” when asked to abstain from sex. Lysistrata soon persuades Myrrhine to take part in the sex strike, however, and indeed Myrrhine goes on to support the cause by fiercely wielding a blazing lamp against the Athenian police. Toward the end of the play, the fate of Lysistrata’s plot practically rests in Myrrhine’s hands, as she takes the most active role yet in seducing her husband Kinesias and then denying him satisfaction.

Myrrhine Quotes in Lysistrata

The Lysistrata quotes below are all either spoken by Myrrhine or refer to Myrrhine. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the New American Library edition of Lysistrata published in 1984.

Your duty is clear.
Pop him on the griddle, twist
the spit, braize him, baste him, stew him in his own
juice, do him to a turn. Sear him with kisses,
coyness, caresses, everything—
but stop where Our Oath
begins.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 841-845

Explanation and Analysis:

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—Life is a husk. She left our home, and happiness
went with her. Now pain is the tenant. Oh, to enter
that wifeless house, to sense that awful emptiness,
to eat that tasteless, joyless food—it makes
it hard, I tell you.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 865-869

Explanation and Analysis:

Myrrhine Character Timeline in Lysistrata

The timeline below shows where the character Myrrhine appears in Lysistrata. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...other women enter from the right and left, even some ragged rural women. Lysistrata’s friend Myrrhine also enters guiltily. Soon after, the brawny Spartan woman Lampito enters, along with a pretty... (full context)

...to end the war. The women enthusiastically pledge money and hard work to the cause. Myrrhine says that she’s “ready to split myself right up the middle like a mackerel, and... (full context)

Sexuality and the Battle of the Sexes Theme Icon

...and begin to gloomily walk off, in tears. “On with the War!” cry Kleonike and Myrrhine. They’re willing to walk through fire barefoot, “but not to give up SEX—there nothing like... (full context)

...retreat by threatening to “stomp the shit right out of [him]” with a chamber pot. Myrrhine repels a third policeman by brandishing a blazing lamp, and Ismenia repels the fourth by... (full context)

...Lysistrata’s presumptuousness, but she shuts him up, winding her veil around his head. Kleonike and Myrrhine join in with comb and wool-basket as well, and soon enough the Commissioner is transformed... (full context)

...with her spindle and winds him in thread; Kleonike empties her chamber pot over him; Myrrhine breaks her lamp on his head. To choose war, the women suggest, is to choose... (full context)

...approaching, and he’s enflamed with love (as we later learn, “in erection and considerable pain”). Myrrhine identifies this man as her husband, Kinesias. Lysistrata reminds Myrrhine that her duty is to... (full context)

...and they even have a nickname for his incomparable member. Kinesias demands to speak to Myrrhine, but Lysistrata asks what she herself would get out of it. “I’ll raise whatever I... (full context)

Lysistrata moves to where Myrrhine is hidden and the two have a conversation in voices designed to be overheard. Myrrhine... (full context)

Myrrhine takes her baby in her arms. Kinesias says she ought to be ashamed of herself... (full context)

Myrrhine seems to acquiesce, but she says she can’t make love on the ground. She goes... (full context)

Myrrhine then begins to undress, and she asks Kinesias whether he’ll remember to vote for the... (full context)

Kleonike

The Chorus of Old Women