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Menelaos and Helen reunited

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Aristophanes: Lysistrata
Three Athenian women, Lysistrata, Myrrhine and Calonice and their Spartan friend Lampito are planning give up sex in order to force the Athenian men to make peace in the Persian Wars.

Calonice:
But look, suppose we did give up...what you said....which may heaven forbid...but if we did, how would that help to end the war?

Lysistrata:
How? Well, just imagine: we're at home, beautifully made up, wearing our sheerest lawn negligées and nothing underneath, and with our...our triangles carefully plucked; and the men are all like ramrods and can't wait to leap into bed, and then we absolutely refuse - that'll make them make peace soon enough, you'll see.

Lampito:
Din ye mind how Menelaos threw away his sword when he saw but a glimpse of Helen's breasts?

Menelaos pursues Helen

Attic red figure krater
c. 470 BC
Menelaos catches Helen

Attic red figure amphora
520 BC
Menelaos attacking Helen

Attic red figure skyphos
Signed by Makron
c. 490 BC
Menelaos is so struck by Helen's beauty that he drops his sword

Attic red figure bell krater
c. 440 BC
Menelaos and Helen reunited

Red figure painting
c. 450 BC

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