Kleonike -- Friend or Foe?

When Aristophanes introduces Kleonike, he introduces her as a kind woman who Lysistrata can trust. Their exchanges of wit show their comfort in being around each other, making their relationship seemingly harmless and truthful. Kleonike’s personality fits perfectly with Lysistrata’s as well, so they must be the best of friends. Assuming their relationship is flawless stops with Kleonike’s aside: “If you need the money, I’ll pawn the shift off my back — and drink up the cash before the sun goes down” (24). Suddenly, the question is: can Lysistrata trust Kleonike?

As the play continues, Kleonike’s unreliability becomes more and more apparent. Her desire for money has the same basis as Lysistrata’s insistence upon control over her body — Kleonike views money as power, while Lysistrata views the female body as being most powerful. Later, when Kleonike sees the beautifully crafted wine jar Lysistrata uses symbolically for the oath, her eyes widen. She leaps for it, saying, “You darlings! What a tremendous display of pottery!” (31). She even “launches herself at the cup” when Lysistrata announces it is time to take the oath of abstinence (31). Kleonike’s vice, therefore, is greed. She shows errant behavior around money, wealth, and expensive objects, making her the prime suspect for an imminent betrayal of Lysistrata. This aspect of Kleonike’s personality is especially interesting because Lysistrata never shows suspicion when Kleonike becomes overwhelmed in the presence of wealth. When Kleonike leaps for the jar, Lysistrata simply yells at her to release it. It seems as if Lysistrata already knows Kleonike’s plot, is completely oblivious to her friend’s greed, or does not see Kleonike’s greed as a vice. Any of these situations are possible, but the fact is, Kleonike is not an honest woman. As Othello shows, the character with the asides and avarice is the character to watch out for the most.