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Ancient History Sourcebook
Aristotle
Spartan Women
Again, the license of the Lacedaemonian women defeats the intention of the Spartan
constitution, and is adverse to the happiness of the state. For, a husband and wife being
each a part of every family, the state may be considered as about equally divided into men
and women; and, therefore, in those states in which the condition of the women is bad,
half the city may be regarded as having no laws. And this is what has actually happened at
Sparta; the legislator wanted to make the whole state hardy and temperate, and he has
carried out his intention in the case of the men, but he has neglected the women, who live
in every sort of intemperance and luxury. The consequence is that in such a state wealth
is too highly valued, especially if the citizen fall under the dominion of their wives,
after the manner of most warlike races, except the Celts and a few others who openly
approve of male loves. The old mythologer would seem to have been right in uniting Ares
and Aphrodite, for all warlike races are prone to the love either of men or of women. This
was exemplified among the Spartans in the days of their greatness; many things were
managed by their women. But what difference does it make whether women rule, or the rulers
are ruled by women? The result is the same. Even in regard to courage, which is of no use
in daily life, and is needed only in war, the influence of the Lacedaemonian women has
been most mischievous. The evil showed itself in the Theban invasion, when, unlike the
women other cities, they were utterly useless and caused more confusion than the enemy.
This license of the Lacedaemonian women existed from the earliest times, and was only what
might be expected. For, during the wars of the Lacedaemonians, first against the Argives,
and afterwards against the Arcadians and Messenians, the men were long away from home,
and, on the return of peace, they gave themselves into the legislator's hand, already
prepared by the discipline of a soldier's life (in which there are many elements of
virtue), to receive his enactments. But, when Lycurgus, as tradition says, wanted to bring
the women under his laws, they resisted, and he gave up the attempt. These then are the
causes of what then happened, and this defect in the constitution is clearly to be
attributed to them. We are not, however, considering what is or is not to be excused, but
what is right or wrong, and the disorder of the women, as I have already said, not only
gives an air of indecorum to the constitution considered in itself, but tends in a measure
to foster avarice.
The mention of avarice naturally suggests a criticism on the inequality of property.
While some of the Spartan citizen have quite small properties, others have very large
ones; hence the land has passed into the hands of a few. And this is due also to faulty
laws; for, although the legislator rightly holds up to shame the sale or purchase of an
inheritance, he allows anybody who likes to give or bequeath it. Yet both practices lead
to the same result. And nearly two-fifths of the whole country are held by women; this is
owing to the number of heiresses and to the large dowries which are customary. It would
surely have been better to have given no dowries at all, or, if any, but small or moderate
ones. As the law now stands, a man may bestow his heiress on any one whom he pleases, and,
if he die intestate, the privilege of giving her away descends to his heir. Hence,
although the country is able to maintain 1500 cavalry and 30,000 hoplites, the whole
number of Spartan citizens fell below 1000. The result proves the faulty nature of their
laws respecting property; for the city sank under a single defeat; the want of men was
their ruin.
Source:
From: Aristotle, The Politics of Aristotle,: Book 2, trans. Benjamin Jowett
(London: Colonial Press, 1900)
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