to have reverence for those women who are esteemed good and virtuous;
because this gravity (tempered with wisdom and goodness) is as it were a
shield against the insolence and coarseness of the presumptuous. Thus we
see that a word or laugh or act of kindness (however small it be) from a
virtuous woman is more prized by everyone, than all the endearments and
caresses of those who show their lack of shame so openly; and if they
are not immodest, by their unseemly laughter, their loquacity, insolence
and like scurrile manners, they give sign of being so.
6.—“And since words that carry no meaning of importance are vain and
puerile, the Court Lady must have not only the good sense to discern the
quality of him with whom she is speaking, but knowledge of many things,
in order to entertain him graciously; and in her talk she should know
how to choose those things that are adapted to the quality of him with
whom she is speaking, and should be cautious lest occasionally, without
intending it, she utter words that may offend him. Let her guard against
wearying him by praising herself indiscreetly or by being too prolix.
Let her not go about mingling serious matters with her playful or
humourous discourse, or jests and jokes with her serious discourse. Let
her not stupidly pretend to know that which she does not know, but
modestly seek to do herself credit in that which she does know,—in all
things avoiding affectation, as has been said. In this way she will be
adorned with good manners, and will perform with perfect grace the
bodily exercises proper to women; her discourse will be rich and full of
prudence, virtue and pleasantness; and thus she will be not only loved
but revered by everyone, and perhaps worthy to be placed side by side
with this great Courtier as well in qualities of the mind as in those of
the body.”
7.—Having so far spoken, the Magnifico was silent and sat quiet, as if
he had ended his discourse. Then my lord Gaspar said:
“Verily, my lord Magnifico, you have adorned this Lady well and given
her excellent qualities. Yet methinks you have kept much to
generalities, and mentioned some things in her so great that I think you
were ashamed to explain them, and have rather desired than taught them,
after the manner of those who sometimes wish for things impossible and
beyond nature. Therefore I would have you declare to us a little better
what are the bodily exercises proper to a Court Lady, and in what way
she ought to converse, and what those many things are whereof you say it
befits her to have knowledge; and whether you mean that she should use
the prudence, the magnanimity, the continence, and the many other
virtues you have named, merely to aid her in the government of her
house, children and family (which however you would not have her chief
profession), or indeed in her conversation and graceful practice of
those bodily exercises; and, by your faith, guard against setting these
poor virtues to such menial duty that they must needs be ashamed of it.”
The Magnifico laughed, and said:
“My lord Gaspar, you cannot help showing your ill will towards women.
But in truth I thought I had said enough, and especially before such
hearers; for I am quite sure there is no one here who does not perceive
that in the matter of bodily exercises it does not befit women to handle
weapons, to ride, to play tennis, to wrestle, and to do many other
things that befit men.”
Then the Unico Aretino said:
“Among the ancients it was the custom for women to wrestle unclothed
with men; but we have lost this good custom, along with many others.”
Messer Cesare Gonzaga added:
“And in my time I have seen women play tennis, handle weapons, ride, go
hunting, and perform nearly all the exercises that a cavalier can.”
8.—The Magnifico replied:
“Since I may fashion this Lady as I wish, not only am I unwilling to
have her practise such vigourous and rugged manly exercises, but I would
have her practise even those that are becoming to women, circumspectly
and with that gentle daintiness which we have said befits her; and thus
in dancing I would not see her use too active and violent movements, nor
in singing or playing those abrupt and oft-repeated diminutions which
show more skill than sweetness; likewise the musical instruments that
she uses ought, in my opinion, to be appropriate to this intent. Imagine
how unlovely it would be to see a woman play drums, fifes or trumpets,
or other like instruments; and this because their harshness hides and
destroys that mild gentleness which so much adorns every act a woman
does. Therefore when she starts to dance or make music of any kind, she
ought to bring herself to it by letting herself be urged a little, and
with a touch of shyness which shall show that noble shame which is the
opposite of effrontery.
“Moreover, she ought to adapt her dress to this intent, and so to clothe
herself that she may not seem vain or frivolous. But since women may and
ought to take more care for beauty than men,—and there are divers sorts
of beauty,—this Lady ought to have the good sense to discern what those
garments are that enhance her grace and are most appropriate to the
exercises wherein she purposes to engage at the time, and to wear them.
And if she is conscious of possessing a bright and cheerful beauty, she
ought to set it off with movements, words and dress all tending towards
the cheerful; so too, another, who feels that her style is gentle and
serious, ought to accompany it with fashions of that sort, in order to
enhance that which is the gift of nature. Thus, if she is a little more
stout or thin than the medium, or fair or dark, let her seek help from
dress, but as covertly as possible; and while keeping herself dainty and
neat, let her always seem to give no thought or heed to it.
9.—“And since my lord Gaspar further asks what these many things are
whereof she ought to have knowledge, and in what manner she ought to
converse, and whether her virtues ought to contribute to her
conversation,—I say I would have her acquainted with that which these
gentlemen wished the Courtier to know. And of the exercises that we have
said do not befit her, I would have her at least possess such
understanding as we may have of things that we do not practise; and this
in order that she may know how to praise and value cavaliers more or
less, according to their deserts.
“And to repeat in a few words part of what has been already said, I wish
this Lady to have knowledge of letters, music, painting, and to know how
to dance and make merry; accompanying the other precepts that have been
taught the Courtier with discreet modesty and with the giving of a good
impression of herself. And thus, in her talk, her laughter, her play,
her jesting, in short, in everything, she will be very graceful, and
will entertain appropriately, and with witticisms and pleasantries
befitting her, everyone who shall come before her. And although
continence, magnanimity, temperance, strength of mind, prudence, and the
other virtues, seem to have little to do with entertainment, I would
have her adorned with all of them, not so much for the sake of
entertainment (albeit even there they can be of service), as in order
that she may be full of virtue, and to the end that these virtues may
render her worthy of being honoured, and that her every act may be
governed by them.”
10.—My lord Gaspar then said, laughing:
“Since you have given women letters and continence and magnanimity and
temperance, I only marvel that you would not also have them govern
cities, make laws, and lead armies, and let the men stay at home to cook
or spin.”
The Magnifico replied, also laughing:
“Perhaps even this would not be amiss.” Then he added: “Do you not know
that Plato, who certainly was no great friend to women, gave them charge
over the city, and gave all other martial duties to the men?[339] Do you
not believe that there are many to be found who would know how to govern
cities and armies as well as men do? But I have not laid these duties on
them, because I am fashioning a Court Lady and not a Queen.
“I well know you would like to repeat tacitly that false imputation
which my lord Ottaviano cast on women yesterday: namely, that they are
very imperfect creatures, incapable of doing any good act, and of very
little worth and no dignity by comparison with men: but in truth both he
and you would be greatly in the wrong if you were to think this.”
11.—Then my lord Gaspar said:
“I do not wish to repeat things already said; but you would fain lead me
to say something to offend these ladies’ feelings in order to make them
my enemies, just as you wish to win their favour by flattering them
falsely. But they are so much above other women in discretion that they
love truth (even if it be little in their favour) more than false
praises; nor do they take it amiss if anyone says that men are of
greater dignity, and will admit that you have recounted great miracles
and ascribed to the Court Lady certain absurd impossibilities, and so
many virtues that Socrates and Cato and all the philosophers in the
world are as nothing by comparison. To tell the plain truth, I marvel
that you were not ashamed to go so far beyond bounds; for it ought to
have been quite enough for you to make this Court Lady beautiful,
discreet, chaste, gracious, and able (without incurring infamy) to
entertain with dancing, music, games, laughter, witticisms, and the
other things which we see used at court every day. But to insist on
giving her knowledge of all the things in the world, and to attribute to
her those virtues that are so rarely seen in men even in past centuries,
is something that cannot be endured or hardly listened to.
“Now, I am far from willing to affirm that women are imperfect
creatures, and consequently of less dignity than men, and not capable of
those virtues that men are,—because these ladies’ worth would suffice to
prove me wrong:[340] but I do say that very learned men have left it in
writing that since nature always aims and designs to make things most
perfect, she would continually bring forth men if she could; and when a
woman is born, it is a defect or mistake of nature, and contrary to that
which she would wish to do: as is seen also in the case of one who is
born blind or halt or with some other defect; and in trees, many fruits
that never ripen. Thus woman may be said to be a creature produced by
chance and accident; and that this is so, mark a man’s acts and a
woman’s, and judge therefrom the perfection of both. Yet, as these
imperfections of women are the fault of nature who has made them so, we
ought not on that account to hate them or fail to show them that respect
which is their due. But to esteem them above what they are, seems to me
plain errour.”
12.—The Magnifico Giuliano waited for my lord Gaspar to continue
further, but seeing that he kept silent, said:
“As to women’s imperfection, methinks you have adduced a very weak
argument; to which, although perhaps it be not timely to enter upon
these subtleties now, I reply (according to the opinion of one who knows
and according to truth) that the substance of anything you please cannot
receive into itself more or less. For just as no one stone can be more
perfectly stone than another as regards the essence of a stone, nor one
piece of wood more perfectly wood than another,—so one man cannot be
more perfectly man than another; and consequently the male will not be
more perfect than the female as regards its essential substance, because
both are included in the species man, and that wherein the one differs
from the other is an accidental matter and not essential. In case you
then tell me that man is more perfect than woman, if not in essence, at
least in non-essentials, I reply that these non-essentials must pertain
either to the body or to the mind; if to the body (as in that man is
more robust, more agile, lighter, or more capable of toil), I say that
this is proof of very slight perfection, because even among men, they
who have these qualities more than others have, are not more esteemed
therefor; and even in wars, where the greater part of the work is
laborious and a matter of strength, the strongest are yet not the most
prized; if to the mind, I say that all the things that men can
understand, the same can women understand too; and where the intellect
of the one penetrates, there also can that of the other penetrate.”
13.—Having here made a little pause, the Magnifico Giuliano added,
laughing:
“Do you not know that in philosophy this proposition is maintained, that
those who are tender in flesh are apt in mind? So there is no doubt that
women, being tenderer in flesh, are apter in mind, and of capacity
better fitted for speculation than men are.” Then he continued:
“But leaving this aside, since you have told me to argue concerning the
perfection of both from their acts, I say that if you will consider the
workings of nature, you will find that she makes women what they are,
not by chance, but adapted to the necessary end: for although she makes
them not strong in body and of placid spirit, with many other qualities
opposed to those of men, yet the characters of both tend to one single
end conducive to the same use. For just as by reason of that feebleness
of theirs women are less courageous, so for the same reason they are
also more cautious: thus the mother nourishes her children, the father
instructs them and with his strength earns abroad that which she with
anxious care preserves at home, which is not the lesser merit.
“Again, if you examine the ancient histories (albeit men have ever been
very chary of writing women’s praises) and the modern ones, you will
find that worth has continually existed among women as well as among
men; and that there have even been those who waged wars and won glorious
victories therein, governed kingdoms with the highest prudence and
justice, and did everything that men have done. As for the sciences, do
you not remember having read of many women who were learned in
philosophy? Others who were very excellent in poetry? Others who
conducted suits, and accused and defended most eloquently before judges?
Of handicrafts it would be too long to tell, nor is there need to bring
proof regarding that.
“Therefore, if in essential substance man is not more perfect than
woman, nor in non-essentials either (and of this, quite apart from
argument, the effects are seen), I do not know in what consists this
perfection of his.
14.—“And since you said that nature’s aim is always to bring forth the
most perfect things, and that she therefore would always bring forth man
if she could, and that the bringing forth of woman is rather an errour
or defect in nature than of purpose,—I reply that this is totally
denied; nor do I see how you can say that nature does not aim to bring
forth women, without whom the human species cannot be preserved, whereof
this same nature is more desirous than of everything else. For by means
of this union of male and female she brings forth children, who repay
the benefits received in childhood by maintaining their parents when
old; then in turn they beget other children of their own, from whom they
look to receive in old age that which they in their youth bestowed upon
their parents; thus nature, moving as it were in a circle, fills out
eternity and in this way grants immortality to mortals. Woman being
therefore as necessary in this as man, I do not see how the one was made
more by chance than the other.
“It is very true that nature aims always to bring forth the most perfect
things, and hence means to bring forth man after his kind, but not male
rather than female. Nay, if she were always to bring forth male, she
would be working imperfection; for just as from body and soul there
results a compound more noble than its parts, which is man,—so from the
union of male and female there results a compound which preserves the
human species, and without which its members would perish. And hence
male and female are by nature always together, nor can the one exist
without the other; thus that ought not to be called male which has no
female, according to the definition of each; nor female, that which has
no male. And as one sex alone shows imperfection, the theologians of old
attribute both the one and the other to God:[341] wherefore Orpheus said
that Jove was male and female; and we read in Holy Writ that God formed
men male and female in his own likeness; and often the poets, speaking
of the gods, confuse the sex.”
15.—Then my lord Gaspar said:
“I would not have us enter upon such subtleties, because these ladies
will not understand us, and although I answer you with excellent
arguments, they will believe (or at least pretend to believe) that I am
wrong, and straightway will pronounce judgment to their liking. Yet
since we are already begun, I will say merely this, that (as you know is
the opinion of very wise men) man resembles form, and woman matter; and
therefore, just as form is more perfect than matter,—nay, gives it its
being,—so man is far more perfect than woman. And I remember having once
heard that a great philosopher says in some of his problems:[342] ‘Why
is it that a woman always naturally loves the man who first tasted the
sweets of love with her? and on the contrary a man holds that woman in
hatred who was the first to give herself to him?’ And adding the reason,
he affirms it to be this: because in this matter the woman receives
perfection from the man, and the man imperfection from the woman; and
therefore everyone naturally loves that thing which makes him perfect,
and hates that which makes him imperfect. And besides this, a great
argument for the perfection of man and for the imperfection of woman is
that every woman universally desires to be a man, by a certain natural
instinct that teaches her to desire her perfection.”
16.—The Magnifico Giuliano at once replied:
“The poor creatures do not desire to be men in order to be perfect, but
in order to have liberty and to escape that dominion over them which man
has arrogated to himself by his own authority. And the analogy that you
cite of matter and form does not apply in everything; for woman is not
made perfect by man, as matter by form: because matter receives its
being from form and cannot exist without it; nay, the more matter forms
have, the more they have of imperfection, and are most perfect when
separated from it. But woman does not receive her being from man; nay,
just as she is made perfect by him, she also makes him perfect. Hence
both join in procreation, which neither of them can effect without the
other.
“Therefore I will assign the cause of woman’s lasting love for the first
man to whom she has given herself, and of man’s hatred for the first
woman, not at all to that which your Philosopher alleges in his
problems, but to woman’s firmness and constancy, and to man’s
inconstancy; nor without natural reason: for being warm, the male
naturally derives from that quality lightness, movement and inconstancy,
while from her frigidity woman on the other hand derives quietness, firm
gravity, and more fixed impressions.”
17.—Then my lady Emilia turned to my lord Magnifico and said:
“For the love of Heaven, leave these matters and forms of yours awhile,
and male and female, and speak in such fashion that you may be
understood; for we heard and understood very well the evil that my lord
Ottaviano and my lord Gaspar said of us, but now we do not at all
understand in what manner you are defending us: so it seems to me that
you are straying from the subject and leaving in everyone’s mind that
bad impression which these enemies of ours have given of us.”
“Do not give us that name, my Lady,” replied my lord Gaspar, “for it
better befits my lord Magnifico, who by bestowing false praises upon
women shows that there are none true of them.”
The Magnifico Giuliano continued:
“Do not doubt, my Lady, that answer will be made to everything. But I do
not wish to utter such inordinate abuse of men as they have uttered of
women; and if by chance there were anyone to write down our discussions,
I should not like, in a place where these matters and forms are
understood, to have the arguments and reasons that my lord Gaspar
adduces against you, appear to have been without reply.”
“I do not see, my lord Magnifico,” my lord Gaspar then said, “how in
this matter you will be able to deny that man is by his natural
qualities more perfect than woman, who is frigid by temperament, and man
warm. And warmth is far nobler and more perfect than cold, because it is
active and productive; and, as you know, the heavens send down only
warmth upon us here, and not cold, which does not enter into the works
of nature. And hence I believe that the frigidity of women’s temperament
is the cause of their abasement and timidity.”
18.—“So you too,” replied the Magnifico Giuliano, “wish to enter into
subtleties; but you shall see that you will always have the worst of it:
and that this is true, listen.
“I grant you that warmth is in itself more perfect than cold; but this
is not the case with things mixed and composite; for if it were so, that
body which is warmer would be more perfect, which is false, because
temperate bodies are most perfect. Moreover, I tell you that woman is of
frigid temperament by comparison with man, who by excess of warmth is
far from temperate; but as for her, she is temperate (or at least more
nearly temperate than man is) because she has in her a moisture
proportioned to her natural warmth, which in man usually evaporates by
reason of excessive dryness and is consumed. Furthermore, her coldness
is of the kind that resists and moderates her natural warmth and makes
it more nearly temperate; while in man the surplus warmth soon raises
his natural heat to the highest pitch, which wastes away for lack of
sustenance. And thus, as men lose more in procreation than women do, it
often happens that they are less long lived than women; wherefore this
perfection also may be ascribed to women, that, living longer than men,
they perform better than men that which is the intent of nature.
“Of the warmth that the heavens shed upon us I do not speak now, because
it is of a different sort from that which we are discussing; for being
preservative of all things under the moon’s orb, warm as well as cold,
it cannot be hostile to cold. But timidity in women, although it shows
some imperfection, yet springs from a praiseworthy source, that is, from
the subtlety and readiness of their wits, which picture images to their
minds quickly and thus are easily disturbed by things external. You will
very often see men who fear neither death nor anything else, and yet
cannot be called courageous, because they do not know the danger and go
like fools where they see the road open, and think no further; and this
proceeds from a certain grossness of dull wits: wherefore we cannot say
that a fool is brave. But true loftiness of mind comes from a due
deliberation and determined resolve to act thus and so, and from
esteeming honour and duty above all the dangers in the world; and from
being of such stout heart and courage (although death be manifest), that
the senses are not clogged or frightened, but perform their office in
speech and thought as if they were most quiet. We have seen and heard
that great men are of this sort; likewise many women, who both in
ancient and in modern times have displayed greatness of spirit and have
wrought upon the world effects worthy of infinite praise, not less than
men have done.”
19.—Then Frisio said:
“These effects began when the first woman by her transgression led
others to transgress against God, and left the human race an heritage of
death, sufferings, sorrows, and all the miseries and calamities that are
felt in the world to-day.”
The Magnifico Giuliano replied: