Hippolytus - V:620

HIPPOLYTUS

Great Zeus, why on this earth is there room for

women, that counterfeit version of mankind?

Why, if you needed to propagate people,

couldn't we go to your temples and buy them?

Why must we labor and sweat upon females?

We could pay pieces of gold or of silver,

bronze, lead, iron to pay for our offspring, charging the poor dads less than the rich ones,

everyone happily dwelling in houses

blissfully free of detestable females.

Now, as it is, what happens? The banes come

home with us, burdening, costing us dearly.

Positive proof that women are baneful's

this: that the father who got one and raised her

pays out more money, pays out a dowry,

just to be free of her after his trouble.