[3,70] καὶ μὴν τῶν γε ἀνθρώπων πᾶς ἂν ὁμολογήσειεν ὡς ἰσχυρότερον καὶ ἡγεμονικώτερον ἀνὴρ γυναικός. ἀλλ´ ἐκείναις μὲν τὰ πολλὰ τῶν ἔργων κατ´ οἰκίαν ἐστί, καὶ ἄπειροι μὲν ὡς τὸ πολὺ χειμώνων διατελοῦσιν, ἄπειροι (71) δὲ πολέμων, ἄπειροι δὲ κινδύνων. τοῖς δὲ ἀνδράσι προσήκει μὲν στρατεύεσθαι, προσήκει δὲ ναυτιλίας {προσήκει δὲ πλεῖν}, ἀνάγκη δὲ ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ τὰ ἔργα διαπονεῖν. ἀλλ´ οὐ διὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἄν τις (72) μακαρίσειε τῶν ἀνδρῶν τὰς γυναῖκας. ὅσοι δ´ αὖ δι´ ἀσθένειάν τε καὶ μαλακίαν ἐζήλωσαν τὸν ἐκείνων βίον, ὥσπερ Σαρδανάπαλλος, διαβόητοι (73) μέχρι νῦν εἰσιν ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχροῖς. τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, ὁρᾷς τὸν ἥλιον, πόσῳ μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπερέχει μακαριότητι θεὸς ὤν· ὅτι δὲ οὐκ ἀναίνεται δι´ αἰῶνος ἡμῖν ὑπουργῶν καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἕνεκα σωτηρίας πράττων ἅπαντα. (74) τί γὰρ ἂν ἄλλο τις εἴποι τὸν ἥλιον ἐργάζεσθαι δι´ αἰῶνος ἢ ὁπόσων ἄνθρωποι δέονται; ποιοῦντα μὲν καὶ διακρίνοντα τὰς ὥρας, αὔξοντα δὲ καὶ τρέφοντα πάντα μὲν τὰ ζῷα, πάντα δὲ τὰ φυτά, χορηγοῦντα δὲ τὸ κάλλιστον καὶ ἥδιστον ὁραμάτων, φῶς, οὗ χωρὶς οὐδὲ τῶν ἄλλων ὄφελος οὐδὲν τῶν καλῶν, οὔτε οὐρανίων οὔτε ἐπιγείων, ἀλλ´ οὐδὲ τοῦ ζῆν· καὶ ταῦτα οὐδέποτε κάμνει χαριζόμενος.

[3,70] Then compare the lots of man and woman. Now everyone would admit that man is stronger than woman and more fitted to lead. Consequently, to her falls the larger share of the household tasks, and, for the most part, she remains unacquainted with storms and wars, unacquainted with dangers in general; while it is the man's part, on the other hand, to serve in the army, to sail the sea, and to do the hard outdoor work. Yet no one would on that account deem women happier than men. Nay, every man whose weakness and lack of virility have led him to emulate their life, as Sardanapallus did, is to this day branded with the shame of it. (73) But this is the best illustration : You see how greatly the sun, being a god, surpasses man in felicity and yet throughout the ages does not grow weary in ministering to us and doing everything to promote our welfare. For what else would one say that the sun accomplishes throughout the ages except what man stands in need of ? Does he not cause and mark out the seasons, give growth and nourishment to all living creatures and to all plant life? Does he not lavish upon us the fairest and most delightful of visions, even his light, without which we should have no profit of the other beautiful things, be they in heaven or on earth; nay, not even of life itself? And he never grows weary in showering these blessings upon us.