Page:The Book of the Courtier.djvu/321

 THE THIRD BOOK OF THE COURTIER 10.— My lord Gaspar then said, laughing: " Since you have given women letters and continence and magnanimity and temperance, I only marvel that you would not also have them govern cities, make laws, and lead armies, and let the men stay at home to cook or spin." The Magnifico replied, also laughing: "Perhaps even this would not be amiss." Then he added: " Do you not know that Plato, who certainly was no great friend to women, gave them charge over the city, and gave all other martial duties to the men?'*' Do you not believe that there are many to be found who would know how to govern cities and armies as well as men do ? But I have not laid these duties on them, because I am fashioning a Court Lady and not a Queen. " I well know you would like to repeat tacitly that false impu- tation which my lord Ottaviano cast on women yesterday: namely, that they are very imperfect creatures, incapable of doing any good act, and of very little worth and no dignity by comparison with men: but in truth both he and you would be greatly in the wrong if you were to think this." II.— Then my lord Gaspar said: "I do not wish to repeat things already said; but you would fain lead me to say something to offend these ladies' feelings in order to make them my enemies, just as you wish to win their favour by flattering them falsely. But they are so much above other women in discretion that they love truth (even if it be little in their favour) more than false praises; nor do they take it amiss if anyone says that men are of greater dignity, and will admit that you have recounted great miracles and ascribed to the Court Lady certain absurd impossibilities, and so many vir- tues that Socrates and Cato and all the philosophers in the world are as nothing by comparison. To tell the plain truth, I marvel that you were not ashamed to go so far beyond bounds; for it ought to have been quite enough for you to make this Court Lady beautiful, discreet, chaste, gracious, and able (without incurring infamy) to entertain with dancing, music, games, laughter, witticisms, and the other things which we see used at court every day. But to insist on giving her knowledge of all the things in the world, and to attribute to her those virtues that i8i