ABSTRACT

On women, Plato in his Laws speaks with forked tongue and in double paradox. Sometimes he asserts, in ringing and comprehensive terms, that women are to enjoy partnership and even equality with men; yet some of the major institutions of his state are clearly constructed on the assumption that they will not. Conversely, many disparaging remarks in the best (or worst) tradition of Greek male chauvinist piggery sit oddly with some other major institutions, in which women clearly do enjoy such equality.