Women & Power (Greece)

Question 1

Quotes from the Assemblywomen by Aristophanes

Answer 1

“Will I be any less able to listen whilst I knit?” - Woman B
“right now, it can neither sail nor row.” - praxagora
“put on your beard and become a man” - Praxagora
“Priest, please bring in the cat.” - Praxagora

Question 2

give summary of Aristophanes’ Assemblywomen

Answer 2

• Praxagora along with other women want to take over the Athens
• prentending to be men
• trying to convince them to hand power to women

Question 3

analysis on quotes against women ruling the state from the Assemblywomen

Answer 3

1) women can never escape feminine nature + domesticity
2) women are hypocritical (don’t even know how the assembly works, understanding is limited)
3) “cat” = domestic environment, associated with women throughout history

Priest, please bring in the cat

will I be any less able to listen whilst I knit?

Question 4

analysis on quotes for women ruling the state from the Assemblywomen

Answer 4

1) physical qualities are the only thing that separates man from woman, no need for anything special
2) women could do better and make a difference, more than capable of gorverning Athens
3) OR even women can run Athens better than the current government

right now, it can neither sail nor row

put on your beard and become a man

Question 5

What is the story of Agnodice?

Answer 5

• first recorded example of female doctor
• disguised herself as a man to practice medicine
• trained in Egypt
• returned to Athens to practise as a doctor for women
• taked to court by group of husbands who thought she was seducing their wives and covering up adultery
• women protested to court (original punishment was death)
• she was accquitted, law was changed that women could practice medicine

Question 6

Why was it necessary for
Agnodice to disguise herself as a man?

Answer 6

• it was against the law for women to train as a doctor in Athens

Question 7

Why may women have preferred Agnodice as their doctor?

Answer 7

• she was a woman herself
• could understand pains of childbirth
• have more empathy
• more trusted when intimate examination is required
• only husband saw woman naked

Question 8

Why were men so opposed to Agnodice’s actions?

Answer 8

• worried about legitimacy of children
• doctors came into oikos for apppointments
• more insulting if adultery happened at his own oikos

Question 9

What did the men’s reactions imply their views of women?

Answer 9

• only viewed them as tools for making heirs
• expected wives to be controlled and loyal to him at all times
• see wives as possessions = any intrusion of fidelity = theft

Question 10

Quote from Hyginus, Fabulae

Answer 10

“You are not husbands but enemies because you condemn her who discovered safety for us”

Question 11

What was implied about women and their relationship to political power in the story of Agnodice?

Answer 11

• women had limited opportunity to speak up
• extraordinary case
• women did not participate in law/ politics
• only had indirect influence- influencing male relatives by talking to them
• this is case of direct influence- going to courthouse themselves
• collectively have influence if worked together, but only for matter that won’t influence men (childbirth)