To the reader, many of Plato’s ideas appear radical and rather unorthodox and even contradicting, and are quite obviously satirical. When one reads Republic in this way, he or she may be accustomed to ignoring Plato’s messages. Sure, Plato was attempting a stab at humor, however, that does necessarily imply all of his ideas with respect to community structure are necessarily bad or wrong. A clear example of this is women’s role in the community. Plato, of course, proposes that women, while being inferior to men, shall still participate in the same professions and activities that men do. This sentiment is further supported by ideas proposed in The Laws. Furthermore, this consistency furthe

r supports his seemingly radical and wacky arguments in Republic.

This is the reason for their shortcomings in the man’s world of politics and war, reproduction as a reflection of societal and political roles.

Those whose creative instinct is physical have recourse to women, and show their love in this way believing the by begetting children they can secure an immortal and blessed memory hereafter forever; but there are some whose creative desire is of the soul and who long to beget spiritually, not physically, the progeny which it is the nature of the soul to create and bring to birth. If you ask what the progeny is, it is wisdom and virtue in general…” Plato, Symposium, 208c

Plato does not solely base his sentiments on female inferiority on man’s proposed physical and mental superiority. Archetypes and literature of the time undoubtedly had the greatest impact on his thoughts. In fact, Plato’s beliefs in this matter parallel a dated Judeo-Christian attitude towards women, in that woman is the temptress and potential corruptor of man, Eve, and henceforth she is evil and thereby inferior. A perfect example of this temptress in Plato’s world is the goddess of love Aphrodite. Bountiful stories exist that relate tales of her promiscuity and seduction of both the mortal and the immortal and her infidelity to her husband Hephaestus. It is not unusual for writers and philosophers here to connect the nature of mortal women to goddesses, especially considering the astounding human nature of the Greek gods. One must simply look at the writings of Homer and tales with women like Helen and Clytemnestra to understand the archetypes of Greek and more specifically Athenian women.

Plato’s most apt pupil, Aristotle, while agreeing with his master that women are by nature inferior to men, disagrees quite plainly about the equality of gender roles. Speaking specifically about the role of women in the military Aristotle says this, “Yet even here the influence of the Spartans’ women has been very harmful. This was demonstrated when Laconia was invaded by the Thebans: instead of playing a useful part…they caused more confusion than the enemy” (Aristotle, The Politics, 1269b35-38). Unlike Plato’s supposition about women, Aristotle feels that women are not only inferior in strength to men but

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