The reading i picked was "sayings of spartan women" the reason why im interested is becuse i always liked sparta history in general becuse of how tough their life was as a warrior. Spartan women are noted for their strong personality and independence, therefore any quotations representing their ideas on strength, parenting, or society may be particularly remarkable.The author most likely intended to showcase Spartan women's tenacity, fortitude, and unique perspectives, as they had greater freedoms and duties than women in other Greek city-states.The author's words may convey the significance Spartan women placed on bravery, the importance of raising strong sons for the state, and their duties as advocates of Spartan ideals. The emphasis on power and honor reflects Sparta's military and civic traditions.The "Sayings of Spartan Women" emphasize the distinctive role of women in Spartan society, where they had more autonomy and responsibility than their counterparts in other Greek city-states. Their statements represent a society that valued strength, resilience, and warrior training, emphasizing the collective obligation to the state and the role of women in developing Spartan principles.This document supports the view that Spartan women had a more powerful role than women in other Greek city-states, which is consistent with readings that highlight Sparta's distinct social structure and military culture. However, it may contrast with traditional narratives that focus mostly on male successes in Sparta, emphasizing how women's voices and efforts have frequently been disregarded in historical chronicles.

Hesiod’s Works and Days gives us a glimpse into how people in archaic Greece viewed gender, especially with men holding power. I chose this text because I’m interested in how ancient writings show what people believed. One part that stood out to me was the story of Pandora, the first woman, who is seen as a “beautiful evil” sent to bring trouble to men. This shows how women were often blamed for problems in society. Hesiod seems to be saying that women, while necessary, were seen as causing difficulties. This tells us that women were viewed in a lesser role, mainly defined by their relationship to men. This idea contrasts with other texts, like Sappho’s poetry, where women’s experiences are more personal and important. Hesiod’s work supports the male-dominated views of the time, while Sappho gives a different perspective. I’d like to learn more about how these different views of women existed together and changed over time.

One passage that really jumped out at me was the story of the mother who, upon hearing that her son had run away from battle, killed him herself, saying, “Not mine the scion.” This line encapsulates the harsh expectation placed upon the Spartan citizens because not only were men expected to die bravely in battle, but the mothers of Sparta were also expected to enforce this code of conduct with severity. The mother’s action demonstrates a commitment to the Spartan ideal that goes beyond maternal affection. Plutarch seems to emphasize the unrelenting commitment that was seen in Spartan society to military valor as well as the collective good over personal feelings. Through the lens of the sayings of the women, Plutarch places emphasis on the distinctive role that Spartan women played in sustaining Sparta's values. These women appear as proud, pragmatic, and deeply invested in their sons’ duty to Sparta, reflecting a broader societal expectation that even in grief, there was pride in sacrifice. This document reveals that Spartan society was extreme in its expectations of both men and women.

This weeks reading I choose Works and Days/ Hesiod. this reading stood out to me most becuase I know little about greek mythology and pandoras box is familiar to me.one of the ideas of this reading was the myth of pandora. pandora was a women who released evil into the world by opening a jar. one thing that stood out to me in the reading was the ages of human exsistence . the poem details the five stages of life. golden,silver,bronze,heroic and iron. Ithink the author of these poems was trying to communicate different walks of lkfe and different stages that people walk through. in my opion I beleive that the time and place it comes from is timeless and can still be seen and felt today. Ithink the story of pandora supports other readins about this time and place because for years women have always been blamed for evil.it is also seen inn the bible with adam and eve.

The reading that I chose was "Works and Days/ Hesiod. The part that stood out to me the most was The Myth of Prometheus and Pandora. Hesiod tells the story of Prometheus, who lied to Zeus and gave people fire. Zeus responded by making Pandora, the first woman. She opened a jar, which is sometimes called "Pandora's box," and let all the bad things into the world, leaving only Hope inside. These stories are interesting to me because most cultures and religions have an origin story about how evil and wrong doing began to plague the earth. From Adam and Eve to Pandora women are usually painted as the ones who make the move to bring evil to mankind. Hesiod was trying to offer practical and moral advice for people to live in many categories from farming, sailing, and religious. The other reason was he was having a family dispute with his brother over spent inheritance. This was his way of criticize hime for his laziness.

The reading that stood out to me the most was the "Sayings of Spartan Women". The reason that this reading stood out to me the most was because it was very different from what I thought Spartan women were like. For example, this reading showed that Spartan women were basically like the heart of the country. They raised and created warriors for battle and expected them to come home dead or alive, but with them always having the intention to not run away in a war. I think the author was trying to show how much pride Spartan women had towards their sons and the country. If they were told that they ran away like cowards during the war, they would be disappointed and some even ended up killing their own sons. I think during this time, it was about surviving and expanding as a country. Compared to other readings that have talked about women, I think this reading had mostly positives with some negatives on how women lived in Sparta. I'm curious to find out what a day in the life of a spartan women looked like compared to how men's lives were.

This week I chose "Saying of Spartan Women" by Plutarch. This reading really interested me because it illustrated how radical Spartan women were. The women saying these as examples:

"One woman, observing her son coming towards her, inquired, “How fares our country?” And when he said, “All have perished,” she took up a tile and, hurling it at him, killed him, saying, “And so they sent you to bear the bad news to us!”

"Another, hearing that her son had been slain fighting bravely in the line of battle, said, “Yes, he was mine.” But learning in regard to her other son that he had played the coward and saved his life, she said, “No, he was not mine.”

These examples in particular really stood out to me because at this time Sparta was seen as the ideal model of how a nation should be like. Other nations tried to strive to become just like Spartans. And what these two examples demonstrated were how much Spartan women prioritized loyalty to Sparta over everything and the important role they had as mothers in the private space. Spartan women tried to instill that same loyalty and pride of Sparta into her male children heavily which I found so interesting. I would love to learn more on Spartan women and more of their role in society/as mothers during that time.

In this week reading the article I chose to speak about is “Sayings of Spartan Women” by Plutarch. The reason I chose to speak about this article because it showed you the inside look of a Spartan woman in motherhood and how the women’s prioritize Sparta over their own child, in example would be this quote  “Lay him away, and let his brother take his place.” That quote showed how a mother just lost one of her son at war but would give up her other son to fight the war for the sake of Sparta. I think the author was trying to say how the Spartan women played a major role in the society, in the sense of raising their kids especially their son to represent and protect Sparta. This document showed how this came from a time that a woman was obedient and did things for the betterment of their countries; the women’s were taught how to live the Sparta life. In other reading it show how other women’s reacted to their kids compare to the Spartan women’s, in example would be how Klytaemnstra  felt hearing her daughter die because of the sake of her husband. Rather than spartan woman hearing her son died because he fought for Sparta. I would love to learn more about the Sparta everyday life and if they influenced any part of Greek. 

For this week's response, I have chosen the primary source reading "Sayings of Spartan Women" by Plutarch. This reading stands out to me due to how indoctrinated and loyal the Spartans had been in their warrior mindset. For example, Plutarch writes, "One woman, observing her son coming towards her, inquired, 'How fares our country?' And when he said, 'All have perished,' she took up a tile and, hurling it at him, killed him, saying, 'And so they sent you to bear the bad news to us!' " This excerpt completely shocked me, as how a mother would kill her own son with a tile instead of letting him survive after retreating from battle. Furthermore, this mother would have been seen in Spartan society as the ideal woman, willing to sacrifice her loved ones for home. Another quote from the source talks about a woman who had lost all five of her sons in battle who simply responds with, " I did not inquire about that, you vile varlet, but how fares our country?' And when he declared that it was victorious, 'Then,' she said, 'I accept gladly also the death of my sons.' ” Fear of defeat triumphing over the fear of death. As the saying goes, "With it or on it." The mother who had lost all five sons would have been revered in the community, as all five died so Sparta could live.

The reading I chose was Work and days by Hesoid.  The passage that jumped out at me was Hesoid telling the story of Pandora. The reason it jumped out at me because it depicts the origin of what is known as human suffering within humanity, as she releases what is in the box known as hardship, sickness and despair. It seems as if Hesoid mentions this story to highlight of what happens when you trust a woman and to be wary of one. 

     What I think Hesoid was trying to communicate from my understanding is giving advice of what is expected of the way of life to have a better existence during that time. What I feel this document supports which is similar to a lot of the other readings we have came across so far such as Homer is providing moral teachings and advice on advancement in order to keep flourishing as a society. Hesoid details how one can harvest crops and the best time to do so and farming was essential at that time. Helping to create a pavement for the future of their society is what was important especially during that time since their predecessors failed during the Bronze Age of doing so. 

I chose Plutarch/Sayings of Spartan Women as I enjoyed reading about women's different roles in Spartan society. It was fascinating to learn about the dedication expected from women in Sparta. A woman was required to prioritize Sparta over her son. A particularly striking quote from the reading illustrates this: “... as she handed her son his shield, exhorted him, saying, [Return] either with this or upon this.” This quote demonstrates the lack of empathy mothers were expected to show towards their sons going to war. While the men were at war, the women had the responsibility to maintain a warrior ethos at home. I believe the author was most definitely trying to demonstrate the daily lives of Spartan women. To show the readers how every one of Sparta was a fighter, a warrior, regardless of gender. This week’s document shows us again how powerful the women at Sparta have to be. There is a significant part played by women in upholding the principles of Sparta, especially in their capacity to shape future warriors and maintain a culture of strength. This reading greatly contrasts the women of other ancient Greek societies. Women in Athens, unlike the women in Sparta, were married young. Young female children as young as nine were married to adult men. It would be interesting to find out more about how Spartan women live daily.

For this week's reading, I chose Plutarch's "Sayings of Spartan Women". I chose this reading because of the amount of diversity it provided regarding women during the Spartan Age. It focuses on their values, mindset, and culture. Spartan women were known for their sharp wit, strength, and dedication to Sparta. The author tells us about cultural expectations. Spartan women should not only support, but actively promote, the ideals of courage, self-sacrifice, and loyalty to Sparta. Women serve as powerful moral figures, encouraging men, particularly their sons, to fully embody these values. This document informs us about the roles of women in Spartan society and how Spartan women played an important role in public life.

This document explains the roles that women played in Spartan society and how these women influenced their sons' values and public life. This document demonstrates that they were expected to respect Spartan military ethos and even to be proud of their children's deaths while serving the state. Because it goes against the role that women played in ancient Greece, this document relates to other readings.I'm interested in finding out more about Spartan women's daily lives.

The sayings of Spartan women were of the most interest to me. I expected to be enthralled by Sappho's poetry, and though I still find the idea of Sappho appealing it still holds the air of mystery and unfamiliarity. I will very likely convert the sayings into stories for my own writing and continue to wonder about Sappho in the coming future. The place of women is never something I had to contend with, provided I was raised exclusively by women well into adulthood, notwithstanding, the place of women both in Sappho's lyrics and Hesiod's manual feel rather trivial and marginal. I do hope to find more epic sized flow in Sappho in the future. I rather appreciated the parallel between Sapphonic love affairs to Homeric battle, of which I am mostly convinced but must chew more in order to work out what I am to take to understand for it. I have read Work and Days before and just like Virgil's Georgics with it, I find it to have little functional value to my writing, though I would say I am glad to learn to see it as how-to manual as opposed to the literary function that is often attributed to it.

The reading I picked for this week was, Sayings of Spartan Women by Plutarch. The reason it interested me was, spartan women were vastly different from the other women in all Hellas. These women were stronger, wiser and oversaw their lands and states. While their husbands were doing their military service, they had to do everything else in the community and train to bear strong boys that would later become spartan. The passage that jumped out to me as read it was “As a man was narrating to his mother the noble death of his brother, she said, “Isn’t it a shame, then, to have missed his company on such a journey?” What this passage is trying to communicate, is how the mothers of the spartan soldier prefer for their sons to die in battle than to come back as a coward. This was believed to be the worst embarrassment for a family, to have a soldier who did not die honorably with their fellow Spartans. 

This document tells us how for the Spartans, their military, battles, and wars meant everything for their community. To become a spartan was such an honor that even dying in battle was the most rewarding gift for their families. This relates to our readings on how the spartan community believed that this was their ideal society. Spartans were the only ones to achieve their goals in a society, based upon their principles. I would like to find out more about the spartan women roles in their communities. 

For this week’s response I have chosen to analyze the primary source “Sayings of Spartan Women” written by Plutarch. I have chosen this primary source because it gives an introspective look into the culture of Spartan women. The collection of sayings displays what the women of Sparta value, their role in society and the importance of war at the time. In countless of the sayings provided by Plutarch we see matrons of Sparta express their disdain and shame for their sons who have displayed cowardice at work. If their sons abandoned their post at war, or if they fled they were deemed cowards and weak. The expression of the mother’s shame also shows how the sons’ behavior at war was a reflection of the mothers. Spartan women were responsible for the upbringing of their sons who were all intended to be suitable warriors for Sparta. The performance of their sons at war was a reflection of these women, which I found extremely interesting to be seen in their expressions. In the statements you also see how important the wellbeing of Sparta at war is to the women. This further displays how the wellbeing of the country was valued above all else including their sons.

I chose Hesiod’s Works and Days because it provides a fascinating glimpse into ancient Greek life and thought. Written around the 8th century BCE, this text combines practical advice on farming with philosophical reflections on justice, morality, and the human condition. I was particularly intrigued by how this work encapsulates the values of a society transitioning from a tribal, agrarian past to a more complex, settled existence.One passage that resonated with me is Hesiod’s myth of Pandora, which serves as an explanation for the hardships faced by humanity. Hesiod describes how Pandora was created by the gods and given a jar (often referred to as a box) containing all the evils of the world. When she opened it, these evils escaped, leaving only hope inside. This story encapsulates the theme of suffering in human life and highlights the delicate balance between despair and hope.Through Works and Days, Hesiod communicates essential lessons about hard work, justice, and the human condition. He emphasizes the importance of labor and the cultivation of one’s land, suggesting that prosperity comes not from divine favor but from diligence and moral conduct. Additionally, the myth of Pandora illustrates the inevitability of suffering in human existence, prompting readers to find hope and meaning even amidst adversity. Hesiod’s message reflects a worldview that values hard work and personal responsibility while acknowledging the unpredictability of life.

Being asked by a woman from Attica, “Why is it that you Spartan women are the only women that lord it over your men,” she said, “Because we are the only women that are mothers of men.” 

I liked this passage because it helps sum up a big part of Spartan women’s place in society. While it does not give a complete picture of the life of a Spartan woman or her agency it does reveal two big aspects of it. It is openly being acknowledged in the first part that Spartan women exercise control over Spartan men. We have not really seen that in another society or culture. Although Queen Arete has the power it still appears as though King Alcinous does. This attributes a level of agency to Spartan women not enjoyed by other Greek women of the time. However, looking at the answer Gorgo gives it lends some insight into the origins of that agency. Their value is based in being child bearers, and more specifically having a healthy male child who will become a warrior. The Spartan state was so warlike it translated to the woman in society as well. This brought Spartan women closer to an arena that was mostly the realm of men, war. Spartan society called for women to have certain male traits and value things usually the providence of men. Spartan women value honor and bravery in battle. Spartan women take great pride in their sons dying honorably on the battlefield. This brings Spartan women into conflict with the ideology we have seen so far for Greek women, which portrays them as custodians of the future. Women have generally been seen as the protectors of life, but Spartan women view things differently. Spartan men are born to die as soldiers for Sparta, Spartan women are born to breed those soldiers.  

The reading I picked this week was 5.2. Plutarch Sayings of Spartan Women, the reason it interested me again was the silly reason it was number two and if none have intriguing titles I'll usually settle for that. Regardless there's a lot of interesting things about this text, you realize that this is a collection of multiple stories about women's lives in the spartan time. I love to see different elements of women's lives all at once because you're able to piece together and make sense of maybe what the average life could've been. A passage that jumped out to me was “ Damatria heard that her son had been a coward and unworthy of her, and when he arrived, she made away with him. This is the epigram referring to her: Sinner against our laws, Damatrius, slain by his mother, Was of the Spartan youth; she was of Sparta too.” This honestly upset me a way as I believe in that living and sticking to your morals/principals is the correct way to live and I believe that culture is based off these things but I disagree that culture should be allowed to dictate the life fully of someone or being allowed to hurt them. I believe the author was trying to communicate the life of what spartan life truly entailed, it might living through your beliefs and truths and never discarding what your community believed in otherwise you were lesser. In my opinion this document is telling us from a time when spartan life and heroism was heavily valued. One that meant where the women in your life raised you to be harsh charge straight forward. Based off the reading this seems to contradict the other readings we’ve had, in this reading women seem to be portrayed harsh, cruel, tough, sticking to the values of men and believing in glory rather than anything else which is a man trait. I would like to know what snapped in this difference between the portrayal of women? I understand the woman claims that they are the first to bear men and that is somewhat a sarcastic statement but between a warrior and a king I feel the only difference is how savage they are.