JonathanDiCamillo HonorsEnglish12 9/6/13 LifeasaFreeWoman MynameisAgapeandthepurposeofthisjournalistoinformthereaderwhatitlikeasa freespartanwoman.ItstartedoutasbreezyandchillymorningwhenIawokefrommyslumber. Iquicklyputonmylongwoolcoatandwrappedmyselfinablanketthatmyservantshadgiven me.Iproceededtomeetwiththerestofmyfamily.OneofmysonAabramleftwithhisfather AarontofightinthePeloponnesianwarjustlikeallmentypicallywoulddo.Myservantswere responsibletotakecareofmydaughterandnewbornson.Theretheywereatthedinnertable, withthemaidsservingfreshmeatandalentilsoup.Beforewebegantoeat,wemadeour offeringstoallthegodsandprayedforasafereturnofmydearsonandhusband.Isupported myfamilybyensuringthehousewastakencareof.Iwasresponsibletorunthehouseand makethedecisionswhileAaronwasaway.

. Mymainservantdidn'tcomewithanamewhenweboughther,butshewasknownas Nannytothefamily.ShetookcareofthechildrenandranmyerrandsformewhileIwould loungearoundthehouseandrest.Afterbreakfast,Iwentoutwithmydaughtertogoonawalkto thefountaintogetsomemorewaterforthehouse.Onourwaytothefountain,wecameacross anoldfriendofmyminewhojustrecentlydivorcedherhusband.Shewasoutlookingforanother husbandorpersonfitenoughtohelpherproduceatruewarrior.Thelastonehadterriblegenes whichproducedweakoffspringwhichcertainlywouldntflyinthespartanculture.Iwasquite fondofherdecision.Noonedeservesethepainofgivingbirthtoaworthlessweakling.Afterall, it'sourjobtodeliverthewarriorsintothiswar.Afterwecamebackwiththewater,theservants tookmyinfantsontolaydownwhileIremainedwithmydaughterweSpartanwomentypically formgreatbondswithourdaughters. Wewenttothemasterbedroom,Ilookedoveratanoldpaintingthatwasgiventomeon myweddingdaywhichIshowedtomydaughter.Itwasapictureofawomanbearingabrave warriorwhowasabouttobesentofftodefendSparta.IwastwentyfiveyearsofagewhenIwas marriedtomyhusband.EversincethewarbrokeoutagainsttheAthens,nearlyallthemenhave beengoneatwar,includingmydearhusband.Aaronhadyettoevenseehisnewbornson.It wasnearlytimeformydaughterstutoring,sooneofthemaidswenttogetherwhileIdecidedto gotothecemeteryIputonmyclothesandwent. Iwasgoingtothecemeterytohonormyfriend,whoontheirtombstonehadhername onit.Sheunfortunatelydidnotmakeitaftergivingbirthtoagreatspartanwarrior.Thatwas consideredashonorableasamandyinginbattle.Thatswhyshehadherengravedinhertomb stone.OnmywaythereIdecidedIwouldgetsomeflowersfromapersonnamedJoyce.Joyce hadbeentryingtomakealivingwhileherhusbandwasgone.Shewasapooroldwomenwho didnothaveanyservantsofherown.SoIdecidedIwouldhelpheroutandbuysomeflowers thatIcouldleaveinfromofthetombstone. Shewashappytoseemeandwetalkedabouthowlonelyitiswhileourhusbandswere inbattle.Afterweconversed,IcontinuedtowardtheceremonywhereImadeaprayerandleft

theflowers.IwentforaruntheyareaasIhavetostayfitifIamgoingtobearanotherchild.Inow beganmywayhomesoIcanbewithmychildren. Icameinsideandsatdownatthetable.Themaidsweremakingsomelambchopsforlunch withsomevegetables.MydaughtercameuptomeaskedhowdifferentisitforAthenianwomen arecomparedtous.SoItoldtheblunttruth.ItoldherhowtheAthensisamaledominated societywherethewomendon'thaveanyrightsandarepracticallyaslavetotheirhusband.I explainedthattheirwholepurposeinlifeistobecomeahousewifeanddoallthechoresthatour servantsdoforusnow.Mydaughterwasdisguesedoftheideaofanamaledominatedsociety. IthencontinuedtotellhermoreaboutAthenwomen.Iexplainedhowitwasthewoman's jobtocareforanyonewhowouldbecomeinthehousehold.Ialsoexplainedhowhousewives werenotallowedtobeinthesameroomasanothermaleorevenanswerthedoor.Mydaughter thenaskedmewhathappenedifshedidntwanttobecomeahousewife.Itoldherthenshe couldbecomeaprostitute.SheandIbothagreeditisbettertobeaspartanwomanratherthan anAthenianwomaninamaledominatedsociety.Ithendecidedtocallitadayandrelax. WorksCited "AncientGreeceHistory,mythology,art,war,culture,society,andarchitecture.."Ancient GreeceHistory,mythology,art,war,culture,society,andarchitecture..N.p.,n.d.Web.4 Sept.2013.<http://ancientgreece.com>. "20000NAMES.COM:FemaleGreekNames,Page1of3meaning,origin,etymology." 20000NAMES.COM:20,000+NamesfromAroundtheWorldbabynames,pet,pets,sim,story character,meaning,origin,etymology,etymologies,meanings,origins.N.p.,n.d.Web.4Sept. 2013.<http://www.20000names.com/female_greek_names.htm>. Carr,Karen."AncientGreeceMiddleSchoolHistoryforKids."KidipedeHistoryforKids HomeSchoolandMiddleSchoolSocialStudies.N.p.,n.d.Web.4Sept.2013. <http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/>. "WomeninClassicalAthensWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia."Wikipedia,thefree encyclopedia.N.p.,n.d.Web.4Sept.2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Classical_Athens>. "WomeninancientSpartaWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia."Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia. N.p.,n.d.Web.4Sept.2013.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_ancient_Sparta>.