Mulierum virtutes

At the time when Cyrus induced the Persians to revolt from king Astyages and the Medes he was defeated in battle. As the Persians were fleeing to the city, with the enemy not far from forcing their way in along with the Persians, the women ran out

to meet them before the city, and, lifting up their garments, said,[*](Cf.Moralia, 241 b, supra.) Whither are you rushing so fast, you biggest cowards in the whole world ? Surely you cannot, in your flight, slink in here whence you came forth. The Persians, mortified at the sight and the words, chiding themselves for cowards, rallied and, engaging the enemy afresh, put them to rout. As a result of this it became an established custom that, whenever the king rode into the city, each woman should receive a gold coin; the author of the law was Cyrus.[*](Cf. Xenophon, Cyropaedia, viii. 5. 21.) But Ochus,[*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, chap. lxix. (703 a).) they say, being a mean man and the most avaricious of the kings, would always make a detour round the city and not pass within, but would deprive the women of their largess. Alexander,[*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, chap. lxix. (703 a).) however, entered the city twice, and gave all the women who were with child a double amount.

Before the Celts crossed over the Alps and settled in that part of Italy which is now their home, a dire and persistent factional discord broke out among them which went on and on to the point of civil war. The women, however, put themselves between the armed forces, and, taking up the controversies, arbitrated and decided them with such irreproachable fairness that a wondrous friendship of all towards all was brought about between both States and families. As the result of this they continued to consult with the women in regard to war and peace, and to decide through them any disputed matters in their relations with their allies. At all events, in their treaty with Hannibal they wrote the provision that, if the Celts

complained against the Carthaginians, the governors and generals of the Carthaginians in Spain should be the judges; and if the Carthaginians complained against the Celts, the judges should be the Celtic women.