14. WOMAN IN SCIENCE 



and her influence in social and political matters was pro- 

 found and far-reaching. This is evidenced by the abuse 

 heaped upon her by the comic dramatists of the time. Re- 

 ferring to the ascendancy which she had over Pericles, she 

 was called Dejanira, the wife of Hercules; Hera, the queen 

 of the gods and wife of the Olympian Jove. It was as- 

 serted by her enemies that the Samian war had been 

 brought about at her instigation and that the Peloponne- 

 sian war had been undertaken to avenge an insult which 

 had been offered her. These and similar statements which, 

 when not absurd, were greatly exaggerated, show the 

 boundless influence she wielded over Pericles, and what an 

 important part she took in the government of Greece in 

 the zenith of its glory. 



But, however great her influence, we are warranted in 

 asserting that it was never exercised in an illegitimate 

 manner. She was ever, as history informs us, the good, 

 the wise, the learned, the eloquent Aspasia. It was her 

 goodness, her wisdom, her rare and varied accomplish- 

 ments, her clear insight and noble purposes that gave her 

 the wonderful power she possessed and which enabled her, 

 probably more than any one person, to make the age of 

 Pericles not only the most brilliant age of Greek history, 

 but also the most brilliant age of all time. 1 



1 It is proper to add that certain modern writers will not admit 

 that Aspasia was ever an hetsera in the sense of being a courtesan. 

 After Pericles had divorced his first wife, he lived with Aspasia as his 

 second wife, to whom he was devoted and faithful until death. Ac- 

 cording to Greek law, which forbade Athenian citizens to marry for- 

 eign women, he could not be her legal husband; but, there can be no 

 doubt that he always treated her with all the respect and affection 

 due to a wife. His dying words: "Athens entrusted her greatness 

 and Aspasia her happiness to me," clearly evince her nobility of 

 character and the place she must ever have occupied in the great 

 statesman 's heart. 



The most important notices in ancient writings, respecting Aspasia, 

 are found in Plutarch's Pericles, Xenophon's Memorabilia of Socra- 



