Plutarch, Conjugalia Praecepta, Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator), 31

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

[31] Theano,¹ in putting her cloak about her exposed her arm. Somebody exclaimed, A lovely arm. But not for the public, said she. Not only the arm of the virtuous woman, but her speech as well, ought to be not for the public, and she ought to be modest and guarded about saying anything in the hearing of outsiders, since it is an exposure of herself; for in her talk can be seen her feelings, character, and disposition.

Conjugalia Praecepta. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1928.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Advice to Bride and Groom (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. II. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1928 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Γαμικὰ παραγγέλματα Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol I. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1888.) — 31 focus

[31] ἡ Θεανὼ παρέφηνε τὴν χεῖρα περιβαλλομένη 5 τὸ ἱμάτιον. εἰπόντος δέ τινος¹ καλὸς ὁ πῆχυς, ἀλλʼ οὐ δημόσιος ἔφη. δεῖ δὲ μὴ μόνον τὸν 142d πῆχυν ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὸν λόγον δημόσιον εἶναι τῆς σώφρονος,² καὶ τὴν φωνὴν ὡς ἀπογύμνωσιν αἰδεῖσθαι καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἐκτός· ἐνορᾶται γὰρ 10 αὐτῇ καὶ πάθος καὶ ἦθος καὶ διάθεσις λαλούσης.

Translations (1)

Conjugal Precepts Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. II. Goodwin, William W., editor; Philips, John, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 31 focus

[31] Theano, as she was dressing herself one morning in her chamber, by chance discovered some part of her naked arm. Upon which, one of the company crying out, Oh, what a lovely arm is there!—’Tis very true, said she, but yet not common. Thus ought a chaste and virtuous woman not only to keep her naked arms from open view, but to lock up her very words and set a guard upon her lips, especially in the company of strangers, since there is nothing which sooner discovers the qualities and conditions of a woman than her discourse.

Notes on the current edition

Advice to Bride and Groom

1. Wife of Pythagoras the philosopher. The story is told a little more fully by Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, iv. p. 522 c.

Plutarch Conjugalia Praecepta 31

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Perseus

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers