Pandora’s portrayal while the weak, misleading, in addition to downfall of boy coordinated which have male oppression and you may separation out of elite ladies in the newest Greek community. Into the Theogeny, Hesiod produces, “Of the lady ‘s the fatal battle and group of women whom real time between mortal boys to their great trouble, zero helpmeets when you look at the suggest impoverishment, but only from inside the money.” Hesiod charged all-evil and you may dark into actions of a single woman; as a result of this, the guy urged with the rest of humankind to manage the ladies in their life therefore absolutely nothing of your own such might happen once again. Helen King explains just how, “For the Greeks, lady are an important worst, a kalon kakon; a wicked while the this woman is undisciplined and you may licentious, not having the new notice-command over which guys are able to, yet , needed to people since built because of the men, to help you replicate they.” It is this see that explains why female was indeed relegated so you can family commitments whenever you are people were given the new power elsewhere. On the family, women will be molded and you will shaped by the guys to-be acquiescent, submissive, and under, about three characteristics who does counter brand new deceptiveness one Pandora presented.
She herself shown the about three of those qualities, blatantly flaunting this lady sexuality in a way there is actually undoubtedly that Aphrodite wasn’t new acquiescent, virginal professional woman this new Greeks tolerated
Xenophon chronicled this particular fact from inside the Oeconomicus, recording the fresh new nobleman Ischomachus because discussing how their spouse “got spent the girl previous age significantly less than mindful supervision to ensure that she you are going to come across and you will hear and you will chat as low as you’ll be able to.” Concerning the good classification, “a beneficial girl’s upbringing was illustrated because ‘taming’ otherwise ‘cracking in’ off good filly, and you may relationships is the prevent in the techniques.” Ischomachus talks of coaching his wife to be just the right docile servant to make certain that “she you will become the sorts of girl one to she need to be,” namely the one that is actually the opposite off Pandora. Xenophon’s fictional membership away from their talk with Ischomachus portrayed the newest idealized particular top-notch area wherein most of the Greek boys, particularly elite group Greek men, strove. Because the top-notch boys wanted to emulate which academic text message, they modeled their unique strategies away from ladies sequestration with the Ischomachus’ methods; fundamentally, it utilized Ischomachus’ address because a good rulebook on how best to split its women, gain respectability, and mold spouses and you may daughters so they really had been nothing beats Pandora. The latest isolation from elite women seemingly have already been completed for three main reasons why: one, the security of the Greek business by continuing to keep the fresh likelihood of women behind closed doors; one or two, so you can create guys to practice its misogynistic and you may patriarchal ideologies getting factors from position and you may stamina; and you will around three, to make sure inheritance from the men line, as pregnancy is actually determinable if you’re paternity is reduced assured. If the female was remaining from inside the household, discovering, as stated a lot more than, in order to “pick and you can pay attention to and you will cam only you’ll,” they might don’t have any notice neither capacity to acquire any kind from equivalent influence to people.
Aphrodite: Deity out-of Love and you may Desire
Mortal girls such as Pandora just weren’t really the only of these portrayed because the deceptive and you can pushy; Aphrodite, the new immortal daughter out of Zeus, was relatively constantly represented because scheming, untrustworthy, and you will cunning. ” Aphrodite held better command over the fresh hearts out-of each other males and you may lady equivalent while the she try noted for being the deity out of love, libido, and you can sexual attract. As an alternative, she represented all the ancient greek men’s room anxieties: another, sensual, promiscuous woman just who continuous items despite the fact that 
“it was altogether uncomfortable to have an excellent goddess so you’re able to consort which have a mortal guy.” One particularly is the story from Aphrodite’s liaison that have Anchises, a trojan prince “for the form of a goodness.” Zeus made Aphrodite focus Anchises because a sort of repay to have the girl trickery in making most other gods lust after mortal females. He wished to reject the woman states “that she by yourself drove them to couple which have mortal females, exactly who drill her or him sons have been bound to die” (stress exploit). Zeus’ step regarding casting “a nice spell regarding appeal” abreast of Aphrodite was designed to show that she didn’t keep personal strength from like and you will appeal; Zeus encountered the best electricity of such ideas and is way more than just prepared to exercise one to control over his very own girl in buy to show their popularity more their.