Neither divinity, nor any man who possesses the least wisdom, will
ever advise any one to neglect his parents. Hence we cannot have
any statue or temple which will be considered by divinity as more
precious than our fathers and grandfathers when grown feeble with
age. For God will recompense him with benefits who honours his
parents with gifts; since if this is not done, divinity will not pay
any attention to the prayers of such parents for their children. The
images of our parents, indeed, and progenitors should be esteemed
by us as far more venerable and divine than any inanimate images.
For these animated images, when they are continually adorned and
rendered splendid with honour by us, pray for us, and implore the
gods to bestow on us the most excellent gifts: but the contrary when
we despise them. Neither of these, however, is effected by inanimate
images. Hence he who conducts himself in a becoming manner towards
his parents and progenitors, and other relatives of this kind, will
possess the most proper of all statues, and the best calculated
to render him dear to divinity. Every one, therefore, endued with
intellect should honour and venerate his parents, and should dread
their execrations and [unfavourable] prayers, as knowing that many
of them frequently take effect. These things, therefore, being thus
disposed by nature, men that are prudent and modest will consider
their living aged progenitors as a treasure, to the extremity of
life; and if they die before they arrive at that period, they will
be vehemently desired by them. On the contrary, progenitors will
be terrible in the extreme to their depraved and stupid offspring.
But he who, being profane, is deaf to these assertions, will be
considered by all intelligent persons as odious both to Gods and men.
FROM THE TREATISE OF PHINTYS, THE DAUGHTER OF CALLICRATES, ON THE
TEMPERANCE OF A WOMAN.
A woman ought to be wholly good and modest; but she will never be
a character of this kind without virtue. For any virtue subsisting
in any one thing renders that which receives it valuable. And the
virtue, indeed, of the eyes is sight, but of the ears hearing. Thus,
too, the virtue of a horse causes it to a good horse; and the virtue
of a man and the virtue of a woman render each of them worthy. But
the principal virtue of a woman is temperance; for through this
she will be able to honour and love her husband. Many, indeed, may
perhaps think it does not become a woman to philosophize, as neither
is it proper for her to ride on horseback, nor to harangue in public.
But I think that some things are the province of a man, others of
a woman, and that others are common both to man and woman. And,
likewise, that some things pertain more to a man than to a woman; but
others more to a woman than to a man. But the things peculiar to a
man are, to lead an army, to govern, and to harangue in public. The
offices peculiar to a woman are, to be the guardian of a house, to
stay at home, and to receive and be ministrant to her husband. And
the virtues pertaining to both are fortitude, justice, and prudence.
For it is fit that both the husband and wife should have the virtues
of the body, and in a similar manner those of the soul. And as
health of body is beneficial to both, so also is health of soul.
The virtues, however, of the body are health, strength, vigour of
sensation, and beauty. With respect to the virtues, also, some are
more adapted to be exercised and possessed by a man, but others by
a woman. For fortitude and prudence pertain more to the man than to
the woman, both on account of the habit of the body, and the power
of the soul; but temperance peculiarly belongs to the woman. Hence
it is requisite to know the number and the quality of the things
through which this virtue accedes to a woman. I say, therefore,
that they are these five. And in the first place, she obtains this
virtue through sanctity and piety about the marriage bed. In the
second place, through ornament pertaining to the body. In the third
place, through egressions from her own house. In the fourth place,
through refraining from the celebration of orgies, and the mysteries
of the mother of the Gods[35]. And in the fifth place, through being
cautious and moderate in the sacrifices to divinity. Of these,
however, the greatest and most comprehensive cause of temperance,
is that which causes the wife to be undefiled with respect to the
marriage bed, and not to have connexion with any other man than her
husband. For in the first place, by such illegal conduct, she acts
unjustly towards the Gods who preside over nativities, rendering them
not genuine but spurious adjutors of her family and kindred. In the
second place, she acts unjustly towards the Gods who preside over
nature, by whom she solemnly swore, in conjunction with her parents
and kindred, that she would legally associate with her husband in the
communion of life and the procreation of children. And in the third
place, she acts unjustly towards her country, by not observing its
decrees. To which may be added, that to offend against right in those
things for which the greatest punishment, death, is ordained, on
account of the magnitude of the crime, and to do so for the sake of
pleasure and wanton insolence, is nefarious, and most undeserving of
pardon. But the end of all insolent conduct is destruction.
This, also, ought to be considered, that no purifying remedy has been
discovered for this offence, so as to render a woman thus guilty
pure and beloved by divinity. For God is most averse to pardon this
crime. But the best indication of the chastity of a woman towards her
husband is that which arises from the resemblance of her children to
their father. And thus much concerning the marriage bed.
With respect, however, to the ornament of the body, it appears
to me, that the garments of a woman should be white and simple,
and by no means superfluous. But they will be so, if they are
neither transparent nor variegated, nor woven from silk, but are
not expensive, and are of a white colour. For thus she will avoid
excessive ornament, luxury, and superfluous clothes; and will not
produce a depraved imitation in others. And, in short, she should
not decorate her person with gold and emeralds. For they are very
expensive, and exhibit pride and arrogance towards the vulgar. It
is necessary, however, that a city which is governed by good laws,
and is well arranged in all its parts, should accord with itself,
and have an equable legislation; and should expel the artificers who
make things of this kind from the city. She should, likewise, give
a splendour to her face, not by employing adscititious and foreign
colour, but that which is adapted to the body, and is produced by
washing it with water; and adorning her person through modesty rather
than through art. For thus she will render both herself and her
husband honourable. But the lower class of women should go out of
their houses, for the purpose of sacrificing to the tutelar deity of
the city, for the welfare of their husbands and all their family. A
woman, also, should depart from her house neither by twilight nor in
the evening, but should openly leave it when the forum is full of
people; accompanied by one, or at most two servants, for the sake
of beholding a certain thing, or of buying something she may want.
She should also offer frugal sacrifices to the Gods, and such as are
adapted to her ability; but she should abstain from the celebration
of orgies, and from those sacred rites of the mother of the Gods,
which are performed at home. For the common law of the city ordains
that these shall not be performed by women. To which may be added,
that these rites introduce ebriety, and mental alienation. It is
necessary, however, that she who is the mistress of a family, and
presides over domestic affairs, should be temperate and undefiled.