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Name: Hyginus Date: 64 BCE – 17 CE Region: Hispania [modern Spain] / Alexandria
[modern Egypt]; Rome [modern Italy] Citation: Fables 274.10 |
In ancient times, they did not have midwives. Since
Athenians did not allow slaves or women to learn the art of medicine, women
were dying in childbirth because of their
A certain young lady named Agnodice desired to
learn medicine. Since she truly had it in her heart to learn, she shaved her
head, dressed in men's clothing, and learned medicine under the tutelage of
Hierophilus. Once she had learned what she needed to, she would visit women who
were in labor.
Whenever a woman thought she was a man and did not
want to be treated by her, she would lift up her tunic and show them that she
was a woman. Then the patient would allow her to help.
When doctors saw that they were no longer needed in
delivery, they began to attack Agnodice, calling her a pervert and a corruptor
of women, and accused her patients of faking their illnesses to spend time with
her.
They took Agnodice to trial, during which she lifted her dress and proved that she was a woman. And when the doctors began to double down, continuing to attack her, the top women of the town entered the court and declared, “You men are not our husbands, but our enemy, because you have condemned the one person who has discovered a way for us to be safe.” Then the Athenians modified the law, and allowed free-born women to learn the art of medicine.
Antiqui obstetrices non habuerunt, unde
mulieres verecundia ductae interierant (nam Athenienses caverant, ne quis
servus aut femina artem medicinam disceret). Agnodice quaedam puella virgo
concupivit medicinam discere.Quae cum concupisset,
demptis capillis habitu virili se Hierophilo cuidam tradidit in disciplinam.
Quae cum artem didicisset et feminam laborantem audisset ab inferiore parte, veniebat
ad eam. Quae cum credere se noluisset existimans virum esse illa tunica sublata
ostendebat se feminam esse: et ita eas curabat. Quod cum vidissent medici se ad
feminas non admitti Agnodicem accusare coeperunt, quod dicerent eum glabrum
esse et corruptorem earum et illas simulare imbecilitatem. Quod cum Areopagitae
consedissent Agnodicem damnare coeperunt. Quibus Agnodice tunicam allevavit et
se ostendit feminam esse. Et validius medici accusare coeperunt. Quare tum
feminae principes ad iudicium convenerunt et dixerunt: “Vos coniuges estis, sed
hostes, quia quae salutem nobis invenit eam damnatis.” Tunc Athenienses
legem emendaverunt ut ingenuae artem medicinam discerent.
Hyginus [Caius Julius Hyginus; 64 BCE – 17 CE, modern
Spain or Egypt] was one of Augustus’ freedmen and a famous mythographer. He was
originally from Hispania [modern Spain]. Some think that he was
actually from Alexandria [modern Egypt], and brought to Rome as a boy by Caesar
after the fall of Alexandria. He studied under the Greek scholar Cornelius
Alexander, then followed in his footsteps. He was in charge of the Palatine
library, and despite this, still had the time to teach many people. He was very
close friends with the poet Ovid and Clodius Licinius, the former consul and
historian who, after Hyginus fell into poverty, supported him financially
for as long as he lived.
