You will see that those who are born with strength and courage are often clumsy<hr>
and not very intelligent, while the weaker ones often have a stronger instinct and are more<hr>
judicious and skillful than those to whom nature has given other advantages. You understand well<hr>
that according to this law, nature, having granted more strength and courage to men than to<hr>
women, has given us more spirit and judgement.<hr>
       But once again, Erinna, let's assume they have as much as we do provided they<hr>
also recognize that we have as much as they do. You could tell me that even if<hr>
I obtain the consent of all men on the admission of our judgement, I would not still be able to<hr>
persuade you that the knowledge of letters suits a woman, for by a<hr>
practice established by men, studies are as forbidden to us as war is. Making<hr>
verses amounts to the same as fighting battles, if we listen to them well. In truth, it seems that<hr>
what is permitted to us today should be banned. What, Erinna, we have a<hr>
brilliant imagination, a sharp mind, an advantageous memory, a sound judgement, and<hr>
we are only permitted to use them to set our hair and search for the<hr>
ornaments that can add something to our beauty? No, Erinna, it would be to waste<hr>
needlessly the favors we have received from nature. Those who are born with eyes<hr>
capable of conquest should not be content with these subterfuges to enhance the<hr>
charms of nature. It's to devalue our mind to indulge it all our life<hr>
to such tasks. It could even be said that if things were arranged as they should be,<hr>
the study of the beautiful letters should be more permitted to women than to men. Given<hr>
that they have the responsibility to govern the universe, that some are kings, others<hr>
provincial governors, some priests and others magistrates, and all generally masters of<hr>
their families, and consequently occupied either by public affairs, or by their own, they<hr>
undoubtedly have little time to devote to this art. They must steal this time from their commitments,<hr>
from their friends or from themselves.<hr>
       But for us, our leisure and our retreat offer us all the ease we<hr>
could wish for. We take nothing from the people or from ourselves. On the contrary, we<hr>
enrich ourselves without impoverishing others. We glorify our homeland by becoming ourselves-<hr>
glorious, and without compromising anyone, we accumulate a lot of fame.<hr>
It seems fair, since we leave the ascendant to men, they at least leave us<hr>
the freedom to know all the things of which our mind is capable. The desire for good and for<hr>
knowledge should not be forbidden to us, and practicing it is not criminal. The gods have created nothing<hr>
useless in nature, each thing follows the order that has been given to it. The sun illuminates and<hr>
warms the universe, the earth offers us flowers and fruits each year, the sea gives us<hr>
all its riches, rivers irrigate our meadows, forests provide us with their shade, and<hr>
in the end, all things contribute to society. In these circumstances, why should it<hr>
be that we alone are the only rebels and ungrateful towards the gods?<hr>
<hr>
<hr>
                                                   155<hr>