Scene 8 Summary

The Male Leader bangs on the door of the Akropolis and demands to be admitted. The door opens, and the Commissioner comes out, drunk and belligerent. He orders the chorus to move along, saying that the Spartans need to pass. Kinesias comes out, also drunk. At first he speaks like a Spartan. Then he returns to his own language, saying that the negotiations have gone brilliantly. The Commissioner agrees, saying that because they've all had a lot of wine, everybody speaks freely and honestly instead of talking and thinking in terms of double dealing the way they do when they're sober. Meanwhile the Chorus has crept in closer to the door. The Commissioner moves them all away to make room for the procession coming out of the temple: Lysistrata, Kleonike, Myrrhine, the rest of the women, the Athenians and the Spartans.

One of...