[Renfield]

NOt only that, but women in ancient Greece didn't go around to parties singing ballads. At about 16 years of age a girl would be married off to a man about twice her age, and from that time on, she would be a virtual prisoner in her home, much like Muslim women nowadays in the most conservative areas of Afghanistan. Shopping was done by servants or slaves. The only adult women who would be found out-and-about were prostitutes.

[shamusotoole]

I realize I'm preaching to the choir, but there is a teachable moment here, albeit on a different topic, namely Logic.

The argument goes:

A. Homer was a creator of oral literature.

B. Some creators of oral tradition are women. ("Women have a long tradition worldwide as makers of oral literature.")

C. Therefore: Homer was a woman.

The basic flaw in this syllogism is "undistributed middle." That is to say, one goes from an absolute statement to a relative one and then makes an absolute conclusion, which can't be warranted.

We are dummies to give this even the time of day, except we all get to sound smart.

[Ciexyz]

After an early marriage, women in ancient Greece disappeared into their husband's homes. One reason for this was to protect their reputation and to ensure that any children conceived were by the husband, thus guaranteeing the integrity of the hereditary line. Also, the world outside the walls of their homes could be dangerous and crime-ridden. An adult woman walking alone was presumed to be a prostitute and therefore faced the danger of abduction and rape.

In other words, all of these strict rules that kept women confined at home were for their own benefit, because the men in the outside world were so nasty!