“Do not let the bread of the hungry mildew in your larder! Do not let moths eat the poor man's cloak. Do not store the shoes of the barefoot. Do not hoard the money of the needy. Things you possess in too great abundance belong to the poor and not to you. You are the thief who steals from God if you are able to help your neighbor and refuse to do it.” IfsMenGivingHelpingAblePoorPovertyShoesRefuseStoresNeighborStealingHungryBreadAbundanceThievesNeedyPoor ManCloaksMothsBarefootMildew Author:Christine de Pizan
“If it has to be that wars and battles are begun for many reasons and quarrels, then they should also be avoided and shunned by better and more valid reasons.” IfsShouldWarReasonBattleQuarrelsAvoidedWars And Battles Author:Christine de Pizan
“If it were customary to send daughters to school like sons, and if they were then taught the natural sciences, they would learn as thoroughly and understand the subtleties of all the arts and sciences as well as sons.” IfsMenMindWellsArtBodyHappensAbleSchoolScienceNaturalChanceEducationTaughtSonDaughterTasksTouchedDelicateSubtletyArt And ScienceNatural Science Author:Christine de Pizan
“Ah, child and youth, if you knew the bliss which resides in the taste of knowledge, and the evil and ugliness that lies in ignorance, how well you are advised to not complain of the pain and labor of learning.” IfsWellsChildrenPainLyingEvilYouthIgnoranceTasteLaborComplainingBlissUgliness Author:Christine de Pizan
“How many women are there ... who because of their husbands' harshness spend their weary lives in the bond of marriage in greater suffering than if they were slaves among the Saracens?” IfsSufferingGreaterHusbandSlaveWearyHarshness Book:The Book of the City of Ladies Source: The Book of the City of Ladies
“If you would reflect well and wisely, you would realize that those events you regard as personal misfortunes have served a useful purpose even in this worldly life, and indeed have worked for your betterment.” IfsWellsPurposeRealizingEventsRegardMisfortunesWorldlyBettermentWorldly Life Author:Christine de Pizan
“If it were customary to send little girls to school and teach them the same subjects as are taught to boys, they would learn just as fully and would understand the subtleties of all arts and sciences.” IfsLittlesArtSchoolGirlBoysTeachSubjectsTaughtSubtletyArt And Science Author:Christine de Pizan
“Women particularly should concern themselves with peace because men by nature are more foolhardy and headstrong, and their overwhelming desire to avenge themselves prevents them from foreseeing the resulting dangers and terrors of war. But woman by nature is more gentle and circumspect. Therefore, if she has sufficient will and wisdom she can provide the best possible means to pacify man.” IfsMenShouldMeanWarDesireDangerConcernTerrorGentleSufficientOverwhelmingFoolhardyHeadstrongForeseeingOverwhelming Desire Author:Christine de Pizan
“Yet if women are so flighty, fickle, changeable, susceptible, and inconstant (as some clerks would have us believe), why is it that their suitors have to resort to such trickery to have their way with them? And why don't women quickly succumb to them, without the need for all this skill and ingenuity in conquering them? For there is no need to go to war for a castle that is already captured.” IfsWayNeedsBelieveWarSkillsConquerResortsCastlesCapturedIngenuitySusceptibleFickleClerksTrickerySuitors Author:Christine de Pizan
