The Truth About Woman Part 17

[245] _Psychology of s.e.x_, Vol. VI. p. 393. Ellis quotes Revillout, "La femme dans l'antiquite," _Journal Asiatique_, 1906, Vol. VII. p.

57.

[246] I quote these facts from Hobhouse, _Morals in Evolution_, Vol.

I. p. 179.

[247] Hobhouse, _op. cit._, Vol. I. p. 181.

[248] Hobhouse, _op. cit._, Vol. I. p. 180.

[249] There is one case as late as the thirteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar in which a wife is bought for a slave for one and a half gold minas.

[250] Simc.o.x, _op. cit._, Vol. I. p. 374, citing _Les Obligations_, p.

346; also _Revue d'a.s.syriologie_.

[251] This deed was translated by Dr. Peiser, _Keilinschriftliche Aktenstucke aus babylonischen Stadte_, p. 19.

[252] See Simc.o.x, Chapters, "Commercial Law and Contract Tablets" and "Domestic Relations and Family Law," _op. cit._, Vol. I. pp. 320-379.

[253] To give a few examples, Plutarch mentions that the relations between husband and wife in Sparta were at first secret (Plutarch, _Lycurgas_). The story told by Pausanias about Ulysses' marriage points to the custom of the husband going to live with his wife's family (_Pausanias_, III. 20 (10), Frazer's translation). The legend of the establishment of monogamy by Cecrops, because, before his time, "men had their wives in common and did not know their fathers," points clearly to a confused tradition of a period of mother-descent.

(_Athenaeus_, XIII. 2). Herodotus reports that mother-descent was practised by the Lycians, and states that "if a free woman marry a man who is a slave their children are free citizens; but if a free man marry a foreign woman or cohabit with a concubine, even though he be the first person in the state, the children forfeit all rights of citizens.h.i.+p" (_Herodotus_, Bk. I. 173). The wife of Intaphernes, when granted by Darius permission to claim the life of a single man of her kindred, chose her brother, saying that both husband and brother and children could be replaced (_Herodotus_, Bk. III. 119). Similarly the declaration of Antigone in Sophocles (line 905 ff) that neither for husband nor children would she have performed the toil she undertook for Polynices clearly shows that the tie of the common womb was held as closer than the tie of marriage.

[254] For a full account of the Homeric woman the reader is referred to Lenz, _Geschichte des Weiber im Heroischen Zeitalter_, an admirable work. The fullest English account will be found in Mr. Gladstone's _Homeric Studies_, Vol. II. See also Donaldson, _Woman_, pp. 11-23, where an excellent summary of the subject is given.

[255] _Odyssey_, I. 2.

[256] _Iliad_, VI. 429-430.

[257] _Odyssey_, VI. 182.

[258] Gladstone, _Homeric Studies_, Vol. II. p. 507.

[259] _Odyssey_, VII. 142 ff.

[260] Donaldson, _Woman_, p. 18-19.

[261] _Odyssey_, III. 450; _Iliad_, VI. 301.

[262] Simc.o.x, _Primitive Civilisation_, Vol. I. p. 199. Reference may also be made to the love-charm translated by M. Revillout in his version of the _Tales of Selna_, p. 37.

[263] 2 _Nic. Ethics_, VIII. 14; _Econom._ I. p. 94.

[264] Letourneau, _Evolution of Marriage_, p. 195.

[265] _Lycurgus_, x.x.xVII.

[266] _Ibid._, XXVI.

[267] Donaldson, _Woman_, pp. 28-29.

[268] Plutarch, _Apophthegms of the Lacedemonians_.--_Demandes Romaines_, LXV.

[269] Lycurgus, Polybius, XII. 6. Xenophon, _Rep. Laced._ I.

Aristotle, _Pol._ II. 9. Aristotle notes especially the s.e.xual liberty allowed to women.

[270] Donaldson, _op. cit._, p. 28.

[271] _Polit._ II. 9.

[272] Plutarch, _Life of Agis_; Donaldson, _Woman_, pp. 34, 35.

[273] Hobhouse, _Morals in Evolution_, Vol. I. p. 208.

[274] Thus Demosthenes bequeathed his two daughters, aged seven and five years, and also their mother, to his nephews, cla.s.sing them with his property in the significant phrase "all these things" (Letourneau, _op. cit._, p. 196).

[275] Xenophon, _Economicus_, VII.-IX.

[276] Isaeus _de Pyrrhi Her._, -- 14.

[277] _Antig._ 905-13. These verses are probably interpolated, but the interpolation was as early as Aristotle. The same views are placed by Herodotus in the mouth of the wife of Intarphernes (3. 119). _See_ Donaldson, _Woman_, pp. 53, 54 and note.

[278] "The Position of Women in History"; Essay in the volume _The Position of Woman, Actual and Ideal_, p. 37.

[279] _Medea._

[280] Theodota, _Xen. 'Mem.'_, III. II. Socrates conversed with Theodota on art and discussed with her how she could best find true friends.

[281] _Symposium._

[282] _Pericles_, 24. Thargalia used her influence over the Greeks to win them over to the cause of the King of Persia.

[283] Timandra, Plut., _Alcib._, c. 39.

[284] Geoffrey Mortimer (W.M. Gallichan), _Chapters on Human Love_, p.

152.

[285] We do not know the circ.u.mstances which induced Aspasia to come to Athens. Plutarch suggests that she was led to do so by the example of Thargalia. For full accounts of the career of Aspasia see Gomperz, _Greek Thinkers_, Vol. III.; Ivo Bruns, _Frauenemanc.i.p.ation in Athen_; the fine monograph, _Aspasie de Milet_, by Becq Fouquieres; Donaldson's _Woman_, pp. 60-67; also Ellis, _Psychology of s.e.x_, Vol.

VI. p. 308.

[286] Pericles at the time of his meeting Aspasia was married, but there was incompatibility of temper between him and his wife. He therefore made an agreement with his wife to have a divorce and get her remarried. Aspasia then became his companion and they remained together until the death of Pericles. Their affection for one another was considered remarkable. Plutarch tells us, as an extraordinary trait in the habits of a statesman who was remarkable for his imperturbability and control, that Pericles regularly kissed Aspasia when he went out and came in. When Pericles died Aspasia is said to have formed a friends.h.i.+p with Lysicles, and through her influence raised him to the position of foremost politician in Athens (Donaldson, _op. cit._, pp. 60, 61 and 63).

[287] Gomperz, _Greek Thinkers_, Vol. III. p. 124.

[288] _Psychology of s.e.x_, Vol. VI. p. 308; Donaldson, _op. cit._, p.

62.

[289] _Frauenemanc.i.p.ation in Athen_, p. 19.

[290] _Medea_, Mr. Gilbert Murray's translation.