Week Eight

Journal Entry Seven

This week we continue with examples of women who became leaders under varied forms of political chaos and instability by looking at Plutarch’s Virtues of Women, a first-century CE collection of twenty-seven short anecdotes of women in power.

March 5, 2019

Class Time:

I was not in class today due t having an eye infection. so i missed today session.

Session One

Assignment: Read and complete the first two steps of this module on Plutarch’s Virtues of Women, including the “Listening for Leadership” assignments.

Step One:

Plutarch seems worried that readers won’t take his stories about women seriously. Why might that be? What does his concern tell us about prevailing ancient attitudes towards women in the public sphere?

The reason I think Plutarch feels readers won’t take his stories about women seriously is because women and men were not viewed as equal. What a man seem do do was somehow forbidden for a women to do. It was also augmented that the virtues of men and women were different. This tells us that the prevailing ancient attitudes towards women were very bias and uncalled for.

What methodological statements does Plutarch make about how he will prove his thesis, organize his collection, and select his material?

Plutarch states “ Those incidents which are so often recited, and those of which I assume that you, having kept company with books, have assuredly record and knowledge, I will pass over for the present; but with this exception: if any tales worthy of perusal have escaped the attention of those who, before our time, have recorded the commonly published stories. Since, however, many deeds worthy of mention have been done by women both in association with other women and by themselves alone, it may not be a bad idea to set down first a brief account of those commonly known.” to suggest to his audience that this is what he was aiming to demonstrate in his works.

How would you describe Plutarch and Clea’s relationship?

Plutarch and Clea’s relationship was very close as seen in the reading.

Step Two:

For each story, answer the following questions: What are the various good, virtuous qualities women display? How do women make men do what they want? How do they use their bodies, and how do they use their intellect to effect what they want? What do women do (or what happens to them) after they have succeeded in achieving their aims?

The Trojan Women: The women burnt the ships and later went o meet their husbands with affection due to the anger they feared their husbands would show.

The Women of Phios: The women of Phocis enforced sacred rites which were performed by Phocians. During this time the Thessalonians were plighted in an ongoing war against the Phocians.

The Women of Chios: To repair the scarcity of men they did not want to unite the women with slaves.. It was demonstrated that the women showed disrespect and nastiness to all of the husbands who were married because they thought of them as servants. Furthermore, the Argives made sure to enforce the law , implementing that “the one which says that married women having a beard must occupy the same bed with their husbands!”

The Women of Argos : The women of Argos carried out at the instigation of Telesilla the poetess. She was known to be the daughter of a famous house but sickly in body. She was sent to the god to ask about health; and when an oracle was given her to cultivate the Muses, she followed the god’s advice, and by devoting herself to poetry and music she was quickly relieved of her trouble, and was greatly admired by the women for her poetic art.

The Persian Women: The Persian women seemed to be there for their men in which they were always on time and ready to support. They “ran out to meet them before the city, and, lifting up their garments, said, “Whither are you rushing so fast, you biggest cowards in the whole world? Surely you cannot, in your flight, slink in here whence you came forth.”As a result of this it became an established custom that, whenever the king rode into the city, each woman should receive a gold coin. But Ochus, they say, being a mean man and the most avaricious of the kings, would always make a detour round the city and not pass within, but would deprive the women of their largess. Alexander, however, entered the city twice, and gave all the women who were with child a double amount.

The Celtic Women: The Celtic women were know to as the text say” put themselves between the armed forces, and, taking up the controversies, arbitrated and decided them with such irreproachable fairness that a wondrous friendship of all towards all was brought about between both States and families.” As the result of this they continued to consult with the women in regard to war and peace, and to decide through them any disputed matters in their relations with their allies.

The Women of Melos: The women of Melos seem to be submissive in which they were told to follow their husband to dinner ;On this understanding Nymphaeus informed the Melians of what had been done, and told the men to go to the place unarmed in conventional attire, but that each of the woman should carry a sword in the fold of her garment and sit beside her husband or male relative.

The Entruscan Women: The Entruscan women are what I like to call strong-minded, They were strong and patient, as expressed “the women waited there, prepared to face all terrors, but the guards were deceived and allowed the men to pass, supposing, of course, that they were women.”Even through the terrors they still remained strong minded ready for a fight. Also , the wives of which their husbands were in jail were seen “ coming to the prison, by dint of many prayers and intreaties, were permitted by the guards to pass within just to greet and to speak to their husbands”

The lycian Women: The Lycian women were known to be submissive, even when they angered their men, they were strong and ready to support their husbands “the women, pulling up their garments, came to meet him.”

The Women of Salmantica: The Women of Salmantica were startled by their husbands side, they were seen, The women, thinking that the enemy would search each man as he came out, but would not touch the women, took swords, and, hiding them, hastened out with the men.” However, they were also adamant about also fighting alongside their husbands, “The women, thinking that the enemy would search each man as he came out, but would not touch the women, took swords, and, hiding them, hastened out with the me.”

The Women of Miletus: The Women of Miletus were hated in which they resulted in no other decisions but to kill themselves. When they were taken possession of there was hate inflicted upon them in which “ the women who had no deterrent sense of shame when facing the most terrible of all things in the world, death and pain, dyet could not abide nor bear the thought of disgrace which would come after death.”

The Women of Ceos: The Women of Ceos were known to be very good suitors for their men. It was known that the “maidens of Ceos went to a in a company to the public shrines and spend the day together, and their suitors watched their sports and dances. At evening they went by turns to each one’s home and waited upon one another’s parents and brothers even to washing their feet. Very often more than one youth would be in love with one maid, but their love was so orderly and so controlled by custom, that when the girl became engaged to one, the others ceased their attentions at once. The net result of this orderly behaviour on the part of the women was that there was no memory of a case of adultery or seduction in that country for the space of seven hundred years.” They were able to manage their men very well to the extent of making sure their men were satisfied.

Valeria and Cloelia: There were the women that were servants and there were women who were of royal lineage.Cloelia and Valeria was very admired among the men as seen one of the men, “admired her strength and daring as above that of a woman, deemed her worthy of a gift fitting for a warrior. At all events, there stood an equestrian statue of a woman close beside the Sacred Way, as it is called, and some say that this is the statue of Cloelia, others of Valeria.”

Micca and Megisto: Micca was a girl who endured a lot of pain especially coming from her father, who alot of people who think she received loved from. She would lay “her head on her father’s knees, he commanded her to follow with him. But, as she was not willing, he tore off her clothes and whipped her naked body, while she bravely bore the painful blows in silence.” However . Megisto the wife of Timeleon situation was adverse, whereby she was outspoken and had a position of being a leader. As was expressed by her, “If you were a sensible man, you would not be talking to women about husbands, but you would send to them, as to those having authority over us, finding better words to say to them than those by which you tricked us. But if you despair of persuading them yourself, and are attempting to use us to mislead them, do not expect to deceive us again, and I pray that they may never entertain such a base thought that, to spare their wives and little children, they should forsake the cause of their country’s freedom. In truth, it is not so bad a thing for them to lose us, whom they have not at present, as it is a good thing to rescue the citizens from your cruelty and overbearing insolence.” This showed that Megisto had a lot of authority in her community and many people respected her. For her to talking to a men in such manner shows that she was put on a very high pedestal.

How do communities commemorate the brave actions of their women? What do those memorials tell us about how women’s actions were viewed?

Communities commemorate the brave actions of their women by either rewarding them or putting them through danger. Women’s action were viewed as depreciated , however that didn't stop them from continuing to be the women that they were.

Leadership is almost always thought of in terms of individuals. Can we talk about groups as leaders? Do they have the same qualities as individual leaders? Are there still individual in charge of the collective actions Plutarch records? Or do these stories not really address the issue of leadership?

The leaders seen in each group were all on a high platform in which they used to do whatever they felt was right to be done. Thy were able to use their platform to their own advantage as seen in the various stories that were presented.

Session Two

Assignment: Read and complete Step Three of this module on Plutarch’s Virtues of Women, including the “Listening for Leadership” assignments.

Step Three:

For each story, answer the following questions: What are the various good, virtuous qualities women display? How do women make men do what they want? How do they use their bodies, and how do they use their intellect to effect what they want? What do women do (or what happens to them) after they have succeeded in achieving their aims?

Pieria: Pieria was seen as an individual who wanted friendship and peace for the citizens, and stopped the war.

Polycrite: Polycrite was seen as an ambiguous person who possessed many characteristics. He was not only being honored by those who surround him but he also possessed the characteristics of jealousy and love.

Lampsace: Lampsace, a young girl, learned of the plot beforehand, and tried first to dissuade her friends and relatives and to point out to them that they were undertaking to carry out a frightful and wicked deed in murdering men who were their benefactors and allies and now also their fellow-citizens. But when she could not prevail on them, she secretly told the Greeks what was afoot, and warned them to be on their guard. And they, having made ready a sacrifice and banquet, invited the Pityoessenians to come to it just outside the city; then, dividing themselves into two parties, with the one they took possession of the walls, and with the other made away with the men.

Aretaphila: Aretaphila displayed, however, a bravery and an achievement which may well rival the counsel of the heroines of olden time. She was the daughter of Aeglator and the wife of Phaedimus, both men of note. She had beautiful features, and was reputed to be unusually sensible and not deficient in political wisdom, but the common misfortunes of her country brought her into prominence.

Camma: Camma by name, conspicuous for her form and beauty, but even more admired for her virtues. Not only was she modest and fond of her husband, but she was also quick-witted and high-minded, and unusually dear to her inferiors by reason of her kindness and benevolence.

Stratonice: Stratonice was married to a man who wanted badly to have children and due to her not being able to have children he then went on to impregnate another woman outside his marital home.

Chiomara: the wife of Ortiagon, was a prisoner who was dishonoured by the officer. However, she was always up to do what she was told to do.

A Women of Pergamum: Pergamum was an individual who seemed to always comport himself arrogantly and despotically toward the galatians, and all were indignant, Poredorix, a man of great bodily strength and of unusual spirit.

Timocleia: seem to be an individual who like to take control of all that was going on around her, who received loads of benefits from the existing virtues.

Eryxo:seems to be individual who likes to take control, she was seen giving orders multiple times to her brothers and sisters so that they would be successful in their mission.

Xenocrite: Xenocrite was seen to be conspicuous and brilliant, not merely by daring and the work of his hands, but showing himself to be above others in quickness of mind and forethought.

The Wife of Pythes: was seen as wise, good and kind hearted. As epresses “she bade them depart and not lose heart; then she summoned the goldsmiths whom she trusted most, secluded them, and ordered them to make golden loaves of bread, cakes of all sorts, fruit, and whatever else in the way of dainties and food she knew Pythes liked best.”

What are the qualities and circumstances that allow an individual woman to rise to a position of power?

The qualities of strength and perseverance allows these woman to rise to a position of power.

Are the positive qualities of these individual women different from those illustrated in the “collective action” section? If so, how?

I don't think so , I believe in both content the individual show aspects of being resilient and possess determination.

Has Plutarch given us an exhaustive account of the human virtues? Do each of the women mentioned represent an exemplar of a particular virtue? Consider the other ancient women you may be familiar with: Cleopatra, Octavia, Fulvia, Jocasta from the Oedipus Tyrannus, Lysistrata, Livia (wife of Augustus and mother of the emperor Tiberius). Do these women fit one of the types Plutarch describes here? or do they belong to another category?

Plutarch gives many virtues in which he is able to express through the women in each group. Each of these virtues allowed the women to persevere through each obstacle.

Think back to Plutarch’s methodological statements in the preface. Do you think this text is complete with the “Virtues of Men” he seemed to indicate as a part of his argument? How might Plutarch expect Clea (or any other reader) to compare men and women’s virtues without presenting “Virtues of Men”? What are the other ways in which this text compares men and women?

Plutarch states that “actually it is not possible to learn better the similarity and the difference between the virtues of men and of women from any other source than by putting lives beside lives and actions beside actions.” He believes the virtues of women and men should be the same or of equal opportunity.