The Book of the Courtier
modestly seek to do herself credit in that which she does know,—in all
things avoiding affectation, as has been said. In this way she will be
adorned with good manners, and will perform with perfect grace the
bodily exercises proper to women; her discourse will be rich and full of
prudence, virtue and pleasantness; and thus she will be not only loved
but revered by everyone, and perhaps worthy to be placed side by side
with this great Courtier as well in qualities of the mind as in those of
the body.”
7.—Having so far spoken, the Magnifico was silent and sat quiet, as if
he had ended his discourse. Then my lord Gaspar said:
“Verily, my lord Magnifico, you have adorned this Lady well and given
her excellent qualities. Yet methinks you have kept much to
generalities, and mentioned some things in her so great that I think you
were ashamed to explain them, and have rather desired than taught them,
after the manner of those who sometimes wish for things impossible and
beyond nature. Therefore I would have you declare to us a little better
what are the bodily exercises proper to a Court Lady, and in what way
she ought to converse, and what those many things are whereof you say it
befits her to have knowledge; and whether you mean that she should use
the prudence, the magnanimity, the continence, and the many other
virtues you have named, merely to aid her in the government of her
house, children and family (which however you would not have her chief
profession), or indeed in her conversation and graceful practice of
those bodily exercises; and, by your faith, guard against setting these
poor virtues to such menial duty that they must needs be ashamed of it.”
The Magnifico laughed, and said:
“My lord Gaspar, you cannot help showing your ill will towards women.
But in truth I thought I had said enough, and especially before such
hearers; for I am quite sure there is no one here who does not perceive
that in the matter of bodily exercises it does not befit women to handle
weapons, to ride, to play tennis, to wrestle, and to do many other
things that befit men.”
Then the Unico Aretino said:
“Among the ancients it was the custom for women to wrestle unclothed
with men; but we have lost this good custom, along with many others.”
Messer Cesare Gonzaga added:
“And in my time I have seen women play tennis, handle weapons, ride, go
hunting, and perform nearly all the exercises that a cavalier can.”
8.—The Magnifico replied:
“Since I may fashion this Lady as I wish, not only am I unwilling to
have her practise such vigourous and rugged manly exercises, but I would
have her practise even those that are becoming to women, circumspectly
and with that gentle daintiness which we have said befits her; and thus
in dancing I would not see her use too active and violent movements, nor
in singing or playing those abrupt and oft-repeated diminutions which
show more skill than sweetness; likewise the musical instruments that
she uses ought, in my opinion, to be appropriate to this intent. Imagine
how unlovely it would be to see a woman play drums, fifes or trumpets,
or other like instruments; and this because their harshness hides and
destroys that mild gentleness which so much adorns every act a woman
does. Therefore when she starts to dance or make music of any kind, she
ought to bring herself to it by letting herself be urged a little, and
with a touch of shyness which shall show that noble shame which is the
opposite of effrontery.
“Moreover, she ought to adapt her dress to this intent, and so to clothe
herself that she may not seem vain or frivolous. But since women may and
ought to take more care for beauty than men,—and there are divers sorts
of beauty,—this Lady ought to have the good sense to discern what those
garments are that enhance her grace and are most appropriate to the
exercises wherein she purposes to engage at the time, and to wear them.
And if she is conscious of possessing a bright and cheerful beauty, she
ought to set it off with movements, words and dress all tending towards
the cheerful; so too, another, who feels that her style is gentle and
serious, ought to accompany it with fashions of that sort, in order to
enhance that which is the gift of nature. Thus, if she is a little more
stout or thin than the medium, or fair or dark, let her seek help from
dress, but as covertly as possible; and while keeping herself dainty and
neat, let her always seem to give no thought or heed to it.
9.—“And since my lord Gaspar further asks what these many things are
whereof she ought to have knowledge, and in what manner she ought to
converse, and whether her virtues ought to contribute to her
conversation,—I say I would have her acquainted with that which these
gentlemen wished the Courtier to know. And of the exercises that we have
said do not befit her, I would have her at least possess such
understanding as we may have of things that we do not practise; and this
in order that she may know how to praise and value cavaliers more or
less, according to their deserts.
“And to repeat in a few words part of what has been already said, I wish
this Lady to have knowledge of letters, music, painting, and to know how
to dance and make merry; accompanying the other precepts that have been
taught the Courtier with discreet modesty and with the giving of a good
impression of herself. And thus, in her talk, her laughter, her play,
her jesting, in short, in everything, she will be very graceful, and
will entertain appropriately, and with witticisms and pleasantries
befitting her, everyone who shall come before her. And although
continence, magnanimity, temperance, strength of mind, prudence, and the
other virtues, seem to have little to do with entertainment, I would
have her adorned with all of them, not so much for the sake of
entertainment (albeit even there they can be of service), as in order
that she may be full of virtue, and to the end that these virtues may
render her worthy of being honoured, and that her every act may be
governed by them.”
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?[339] 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 imputation
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.”
11.—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 virtues 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 are so rarely seen in men even in past centuries,
is something that cannot be endured or hardly listened to.
“Now, I am far from willing to affirm that women are imperfect
creatures, and consequently of less dignity than men, and not capable of
those virtues that men are,—because these ladies’ worth would suffice to
prove me wrong:[340] but I do say that very learned men have left it in
writing that since nature always aims and designs to make things most
perfect, she would continually bring forth men if she could; and when a
woman is born, it is a defect or mistake of nature, and contrary to that
which she would wish to do: as is seen also in the case of one who is
born blind or halt or with some other defect; and in trees, many fruits
that never ripen. Thus woman may be said to be a creature produced by
chance and accident; and that this is so, mark a man’s acts and a
woman’s, and judge therefrom the perfection of both. Yet, as these
imperfections of women are the fault of nature who has made them so, we
ought not on that account to hate them or fail to show them that respect
which is their due. But to esteem them above what they are, seems to me
plain errour.”
12.—The Magnifico Giuliano waited for my lord Gaspar to continue
further, but seeing that he kept silent, said:
“As to women’s imperfection, methinks you have adduced a very weak
argument; to which, although perhaps it be not timely to enter upon
these subtleties now, I reply (according to the opinion of one who knows
and according to truth) that the substance of anything you please cannot
receive into itself more or less. For just as no one stone can be more
perfectly stone than another as regards the essence of a stone, nor one
piece of wood more perfectly wood than another,—so one man cannot be
more perfectly man than another; and consequently the male will not be
more perfect than the female as regards its essential substance, because
both are included in the species man, and that wherein the one differs
from the other is an accidental matter and not essential. In case you
then tell me that man is more perfect than woman, if not in essence, at
least in non-essentials, I reply that these non-essentials must pertain
either to the body or to the mind; if to the body (as in that man is
more robust, more agile, lighter, or more capable of toil), I say that
this is proof of very slight perfection, because even among men, they
who have these qualities more than others have, are not more esteemed
therefor; and even in wars, where the greater part of the work is
laborious and a matter of strength, the strongest are yet not the most
prized; if to the mind, I say that all the things that men can
understand, the same can women understand too; and where the intellect
of the one penetrates, there also can that of the other penetrate.”
13.—Having here made a little pause, the Magnifico Giuliano added,
laughing:
“Do you not know that in philosophy this proposition is maintained, that
those who are tender in flesh are apt in mind? So there is no doubt that
women, being tenderer in flesh, are apter in mind, and of capacity
better fitted for speculation than men are.” Then he continued:
“But leaving this aside, since you have told me to argue concerning the
perfection of both from their acts, I say that if you will consider the
workings of nature, you will find that she makes women what they are,
not by chance, but adapted to the necessary end: for although she makes