Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ... appears, that the author of the myth made Ares the paramour of Aphrodite; for experience shews that military nations are all strongly inclined to the passion of love. Accordingly the influence of women prevailed at Lacedaemon; and while the Lacedaemonian empire lasted a great deal of business passed through their hands. But what difference does it make whether women actually hold office or the officers of State are ruled by the women? The result is in either case the same. And whereas bravery is of no use in any of the routine duties of life 'but at the best is useful only in the conduct of war, the Lacedaemonian women were the greatest nuisance even in military matters, as they proved at the time of the Theban invasion, when not only were they wholly useless like the women in other States but they were the cause of more confusion than the enemy. There seems to have been originally a reason for the licence of the women at Lacedaemon. Living always beyond the borders, as their military expeditions required, the Lacedaemonians were long strangers to their own land during their wars with the Argives and afterwards with the Arcadians and Messenians. And when the turmoil of war was over, the legislator, into whose hands they put themselves, found them already disciplined by their military life--for a soldier's life has many elements of virtue--whereas Lycurgus, as the story goes, made an effort to reduce the women to conformity with the laws, but they resisted so stoutly that he abandoned the attempt. These considerations will account for the actual events and therefore no doubt for the defective discipline of the women. But the point we are investigating is not what is or is not excusable, but what is or is not right. And the unsatisfactory...