On the Upbringing of Children continued

As they advance at this stage, education instills in them what must precede every right life: shame at shameful deeds and ambition for noble ones. Through these, they are drawn away from all shameful things and acquire a certain caution toward them, while they desire good things and gain a vigorous impulse toward them.¹³²⁸ Next, certain admonitory injunctions—short in words but powerful for children of that age, such as “One must,” sometimes “One must not,” “How far?”, “What sort of thing is best?” and “Who does such things?”—establish in them a measure attuned to another’s reason, such as a lawgiver’s and a teacher’s.¹³²⁹ Most important is to hand down properly the appropriate commands and admonitions ⟨that⟩ lead toward each virtue: some in general maxims, some in the practice of deeds, some in the study of discourses, some in advice on what to do or not do, and some in the arrangements of life.¹³³⁰

On the Upbringing of Children continued

Once they are sufficiently prepared for these purposes, they must be educated through reasoned accounts, beginning with simpler and more familiar ones, then progressing daily and little by little toward explanations of the cause.¹³³¹ At this stage, one must completely avoid entrusting what has the clarity of exact knowledge to minds still immature. But the other—so to speak . . .—which also draws the hearers’ understanding through fitting persuasion, must be planted in them as fully as possible.¹³³² Once they have been adequately trained in these matters, at the end of their guidance toward virtue let the definitions of the virtues be laid down, and let the highest contemplation of the cause be imparted. Let completeness of reasoning, infallible and irrefutable knowledge ⟨and⟩ certainty of understanding be instilled—truth. For guidance to this point has as its goal what is best in children’s upbringing.¹³³³

Musonius, Whether Daughters Should Be Educated Like Sons

Once, when discussion arose whether sons and daughters should receive the same education, he said:¹³³⁴ Trainers of horses and hunting dogs train males no differently from females. Female dogs are taught to hunt just like males; and if one wants mares to perform horses’ tasks well, one sees them receiving no different instruction from male horses.¹³³⁵ Yet male human beings, then, will need something special in their education and upbringing in comparison with females—as though the same virtues did not need to come equally to both man and woman, or as though the same virtues could be reached through different forms of education rather than the same ones.¹³³⁶

Musonius continued

It is easy to learn that a man’s virtues are not one set and a woman’s another. First, a man must have understanding, and a woman must too; of what use would a foolish man or woman be? Next, both ⟨must⟩ live justly, neither less so than the other. A man could not be a good citizen while unjust, nor could a woman manage a household well: if she is unjust rather than just, she will wrong her husband first, as they say Eriphyle did.¹³³⁷ Again, it is good for a woman to be temperate, and equally good for a man. At any rate, the laws punish an adulterer and an adulteress equally.¹³³⁸ Greed for delicacies, drunkenness and other such evils, being acts of intemperance and greatly disgracing those caught up in them, show that temperance is absolutely necessary for every human being, female and male. For through temperance alone we escape intemperance, and in no other way.¹³³⁹

Musonius continued

Someone might perhaps say courage belongs to men alone; that too is not so. A woman must also act courageously ⟨and⟩ be free from cowardice—at least the best woman—so as not to bend under pain or fear. Otherwise, how will she remain temperate if someone can, by threats or inflicting pain, force her to endure ⟨something⟩ shameful?¹³⁴⁰ Women must also be able to defend themselves, unless, by Zeus, they are to seem worse than hens and other female birds, which fight animals far larger than themselves for their young. How, then, would women not need courage? The Amazons, who subdued many peoples by arms, showed that women also share in armed prowess.¹³⁴¹ Thus, if other women lack anything here, lack of training rather than lack of natural fitness ⟨for courage would be the cause. If, then, there are by nature the same⟩ virtues for man and woman, the same upbringing and education must of necessity suit both. For the care given to every animal and plant must properly instill the excellence appropriate to it.¹³⁴²

Musonius continued

Or, if man and woman had to be able to play the aulos alike, and this were necessary for each in life, we would teach both the art of aulos-playing equally; and if each had to play the kithara, . . .¹³⁴³ But if both must become good in the virtue proper to a human being, equally able to exercise understanding and be temperate, and share in courage and justice, neither one less than the other, shall we not educate each alike? Shall we not also teach both equally the art by which a person might become good?¹³⁴⁴ Rather, we must do this, and not otherwise.¹³⁴⁵

Musonius continued

“Then do you also expect men to learn to spin wool in the same way as women, and women to pursue physical training in the same way as men?” someone may perhaps say.¹³⁴⁶ I shall not go that far. I say that, since within the human race the nature of males is stronger and that of females weaker, the most suitable tasks should be assigned to each nature: heavier tasks to the stronger and lighter ones to the weaker. That is why spinning would be more fitting for women than for men, as would ⟨also⟩ staying at home; physical training would be more fitting for men than for women, as would life out of doors.¹³⁴⁷ Sometimes, however, some men might reasonably undertake some lighter tasks considered women’s work, and women in turn might perform some harder tasks considered more fitting for men, whenever bodily condition, need or circumstances so direct.¹³⁴⁸