How many quotes did Christine de Pizan wrote?

The author Christine de Pizan wrote around 32 of quotes.

44 Christine de Pizan Quotes on Argument, The Treasure of the City of Ladies and Gender stereotypes

Q: What is the best Christine de Pizan quote?

"Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the opposite point of view and keep the best arguments for themselves, for aggressors are always quick to attack those who have no means of defence." - Christine de Pizan

Q: What are some Christine de Pizan quotes?

"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." "Just as women's bodies are softer than men's, so their understanding is sharper." "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. (...) Therefore, since it is necessary to call on such skill, ingenuity, and effort in order to seduce a woman, whether of high or humble birth, the logical conclusion to draw is that women are by no means as fickle as some men claim, or as easily influenced in their behaviour. And if anyone tells me that books are full of women like these, it is this very reply, frequently given, which causes me to complain. My response is that women did not write these books nor include the material which attacks them and their morals. Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the opposite point of view and keep the best arguments for themselves, for aggressors are always quick to attack those who have no means of defence. But if women had written these books, I know full well the subject would have been handled differently. They know that they stand wrongfully accused, and that the cake has not been divided up equally, for the strongest take the lion's share, and the one who does the sharing out keeps the biggest portion for himself." - Christine de Pizan

Q: What are some short Christine de Pizan quotes?

"[A] person whose head is bowed and whose eyes are heavy cannot look at the light." "Does a rake deserve to possess anything of worth, since he chases everything in skirts and then imagines he can successfully hide his shame by slandering [women in general]?" "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?" - Christine de Pizan

There is quite often argument and discord, as much in outlook as in conversation, between old people and young ones, to the point that they can hardly stand each other, as though they were members of two different species.

I do not consider my deeds or my knowledge to be a great thing. The only fact is – and I can say this honestly – that I love learning and a solitary life.

These are my habits and the way I spend my life: studying literature.

What do you care if people talk? Those who talk cannot harm you. Why should you be worried? You should only think about those things that please you. You have only one life in this world: soon you’ll reach your eternal rest.

I considered myself most unfortunate because God had made me inhabit a female body in this world.

For this reason, it is well said that misfortune is sometimes good for something, for it teaches at the same time that it hurts.

Speak gently but look out for your rights.

Only the dead fail to reach out with both hands.

Though sad at heart, to sing joyfully.

Once a man criticized my desire for knowledge by saying that it was not fitting for a woman to possess learning because there was so little of it. I replied that it was even less fitting for a man to possess ignorance because there was so much of it.

Condemning all women in order to help some misguided men get over their foolish behaviour is tantamount to denouncing fire, which is a vital and beneficial element, just because some people are burnt by it, or to cursing water just because some people are drowned in it.

A woman with a mind is fit for any task.

By nature man without woman can feel no joy. She is his mother, his sister, his loving friend. She is seldom his enemy.

Joy Quotes Love Quotes / Enemies Quotes Feminism Quotes Friends Quotes Men and women Quotes Mothers Quotes Relationships Quotes

De leerling, die de meester vragen stelt om wijzer te worden, moet niet worden bestraft, als hij alles wil onderzoeken.

The Book of the City of Ladies Quotes

For you know that any evil spoken of women so generally only hurts those who say it, not women themselves.

Equality Quotes Gender Quotes Prejudice Quotes The Book of the City of Ladies Quotes Women Quotes

I find it most offensive that the character of Reason, whom [Jean den Meun (author of the Romance of the Rose)] himself calls the daughter of God, should put forth such a statement as ... where she says by way of a proverb that "in the war of Love it is better to deceive than be deceived." And indeed I dare say that in making that statement Jean den Meun's Reason denied her Father, for the doctrine He gave was altogether different.

Betrayal Quotes Love Quotes / Deceit Quotes Dishonesty Quotes Falsehood Quotes Le Débat Sur Le Roman De La Rose Quotes Reason Quotes Romance of the rose Quotes

There is absolutely no shame in living within your income, however small it may be, but there is shame if creditors are always coming to your door.

The Treasure of the City of Ladies Quotes

[Women] complain about many clerks who attribute all sorts of faults to them and who compose works about them in rhyme, prose, and verse, criticizing their conduct in a variety of different ways. They then give these works as elementary textbooks to their young pupils at the beginning of their schooling, to provide them with exempla and received wisdom, so that they will remember this teaching when they come of age ... They accuse [women] of many ... serious vice[s] and are very critical of them, finding no excuse for them whatsoever.This is the way clerks behave day and night, composing their verse now in French, now in Latin. And they base their opinions on goodness only knows which books, which are more mendacious than a drunk. Ovid, in a book he wrote called Cures for Love, says many evil things about women, and I think he was wrong to do this. He accuses them of gross immorality, of filthy, vile, and wicked behaviour. (I disagree with him that they have such vices and promise to champion them in the fight against anyone who would like to throw down the gauntlet ...) Thus, clerks have studied this book since their early childhood as their grammar primer and then teach it to others so that no man will undertake to love a woman.

Love Quotes Teaching Quotes / Books Quotes Clichés Quotes Der Sendbrief vom Liebesgott / The Letter of the God of Love Quotes Double standards Quotes Empowerment Quotes Falsehood Quotes

We've never heardAbout a marvel quite so great,For all the heroes who have livedIn history can't measure upIn bravery against the Maid.

Feminism Quotes Humanism Quotes Renaissance Quotes

[S]ince you are angry at me without reason, you attack me harshly with, "Oh outrageous presumption! Oh excessively foolish pride! Oh opinion uttered too quickly and thoughtlessly by the mouth of a woman! A woman who condemns a man of high understanding and dedicated study, a man who, by great labour and mature deliberation, has made the very noble book of the Rose, which surpasses all others that were ever written in French. When you have read this book a hundred times, provided you have understood the greater part of it, you will discover that you could never have put your time and intellect to better use!" My answer: Oh man deceived by willful opinion! I could assuredly answer but I prefer not to do it with insult, although, groundlessly, you yourself slander me with ugly accusations. Oh darkened understanding! Oh perverted knowledge ... A simple little housewife sustained by the doctrine of Holy Church could criticise your error!

Attacks Quotes Beliefs Quotes Clichés Quotes Convictions Quotes Dignity Quotes Double standards Quotes

[I]f you seek in every way to minimise my firm beliefs by your anti-feminist attacks, please recall that a small dagger or knife point can pierce a great, bulging sack and that a small fly can attack a great lion and speedily put him to flight.

Attacks Quotes Beliefs Quotes Clichés Quotes Convictions Quotes Dignity Quotes Double standards Quotes

[J]ust the sight of this book, even though it was of no authority, made me wonder how it happened that so many different men – and learned men among them – have been and are so inclined to express both in speaking and in their treatises and writings so many wicked insults about women and their behaviour. Not only one or two ... but, more generally, from the treatises of all philosophers and poets and from all the orators – it would take too long to mention their names – it seems that they all speak from one and the same mouth. Thinking deeply about these matters, I began to examine my character and conduct as a natural woman and, similarly, I considered other women whose company I frequently kept, princesses, great ladies, women of the middle and lower classes, who had graciously told me of their most private and intimate thoughts, hoping that I could judge impartially and in good conscience whether the testimony of so many notable men could be true. To the best of my knowledge, no matter how long I confronted or dissected the problem, I could not see or realise how their claims could be true when compared to the natural behaviour and character of women.

Character Quotes / Behaviour Quotes Books Quotes Clichés Quotes Conduct Quotes Double standards Quotes Empowerment Quotes

There Adam slept, and God formed the body of woman from one of his ribs, signifying that she should stand at his side as a companion and never lie at his feet like a slave, and also that he should love her as his own flesh.

The Book of the City of Ladies Quotes

When we take your person into account, you who are a young maiden, to whom God gives the strength and power to be the champion who casts the rebels down and feeds France with the sweet, nourishing milk of peace, here indeed is something quite extraordinary! For if God performed such a great number of miracles through Joshua who conquered many a place and cast down many an enemy, he, Joshua, was a strong and powerful man. But, after all, a woman – a simple shepherdess – braver than any man ever was in Rome! As far as God is concerned, this was easily accomplished. But as for us, we never heard tell of such an extraordinary marvel, for the prowess of all the great men of the past cannot be compared to this woman's whose concern it is to cast out our enemies. This is God's doing: it is He who guides her and who has given her a heart greater than that of any man.

Courage Quotes Freedom Quotes Leadership Quotes War Quotes / Ditié de Jehanne d'Arc Quotes Empowerment Quotes Feminism Quotes Gender Quotes Men Quotes Oppression Quotes

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.

Peace Quotes War Quotes Wisdom Quotes / Aggression Quotes Circumspection Quotes Empowerment Quotes Men Quotes Peacemaking Quotes Superiority Quotes

My Lady, you certainly tell me about wonderful constancy, strength and virtue and firmness of women, so can one say the same thing about men? (...)Response [by Lady Rectitude]: "Fair sweet friend, have you not yet heard the saying that the fool sees well enough a small cut in the face of his neighbour, but he disregards the great gaping one above his own eye? I will show you the great contradiction in what the men say about the changeability and inconstancy of women. It is true that they all generally insist that women are very frail [= fickle] by nature. And since they accuse women of frailty, one would suppose that they themselves take care to maintain a reputation for constancy, or at the very least, that the women are indeed less so than they are themselves. And yet, it is obvious that they demand of women greater constancy than they themselves have, for they who claim to be of this strong and noble condition cannot refrain from a whole number of very great defects and sins, and not out of ignorance, either, but out of pure malice, knowing well how badly they are misbehaving. But all this they excuse in themselves and say that it is in the nature of man to sin, yet if it so happens that any women stray into any misdeed (of which they themselves are the cause by their great power and longhandedness), then it's suddenly all frailty and inconstancy, they claim. But it seems to me that since they do call women frail, they should not support that frailty, and not ascribe to them as a great crime what in themselves they merely consider a little defect.

Virtue Quotes / Clichés Quotes Constancy Quotes Double standards Quotes Empowerment Quotes Feminism Quotes Firmness Quotes

How was she created? I'm not sure if you realize this, but it was in God's image. How can anybody dare to speak ill of something which bears such a noble imprint?

Nature Quotes / Female Quotes God Quotes Medieval Quotes Misogyny Quotes Society Quotes The Book of the City of Ladies Quotes

Oh! What honour for the female sex! It is perfectly obvious that God has special regard for it when all these wretched people who destroyed the whole Kingdom – now recovered and made safe by a woman, something that 5000 men could not have done – and the traitors [have been] exterminated. Before the event they would scarcely have believed this possible.

Courage Quotes Freedom Quotes Leadership Quotes War Quotes / Ditié de Jehanne d'Arc Quotes Empowerment Quotes Feminism Quotes Gender Quotes Men Quotes Oppression Quotes

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.

[The wives of powerful noblemen] must be highly knowledgeable about government, and wise – in fact, far wiser than most other such women in power. The knowledge of a baroness must be so comprehensive that she can understand everything. Of her a philosopher might have said: "No one is wise who does not know some part of everything." Moreover, she must have the courage of a man. This means that she should not be brought up overmuch among women nor should she be indulged in extensive and feminine pampering. Why do I say that? If barons wish to be honoured as they deserve, they spend very little time in their manors and on their own lands. Going to war, attending their prince's court, and traveling are the three primary duties of such a lord. So the lady, his companion, must represent him at home during his absences. Although her husband is served by bailiffs, provosts, rent collectors, and land governors, she must govern them all. To do this according to her right she must conduct herself with such wisdom that she will be both feared and loved. As we have said before, the best possible fear comes from love. When wronged, her men must be able to turn to her for refuge. She must be so skilled and flexible that in each case she can respond suitably. Therefore, she must be knowledgeable in the mores of her locality and instructed in its usages, rights, and customs. She must be a good speaker, proud when pride is needed; circumspect with the scornful, surly, or rebellious; and charitably gentle and humble toward her good, obedient subjects. With the counsellors of her lord and with the advice of elder wise men, she ought to work directly with her people. No one should ever be able to say of her that she acts merely to have her own way. Again, she should have a man's heart. She must know the laws of arms and all things pertaining to warfare, ever prepared to command her men if there is need of it. She has to know both assault and defence tactics to insure that her fortresses are well defended, if she has any expectation of attack or believes she must initiate military action. Testing her men, she will discover their qualities of courage and determination before overly trusting them. She must know the number and strength of her men to gauge accurately her resources, so that she never will have to trust vain or feeble promises. Calculating what force she is capable of providing before her lord arrives with reinforcements, she also must know the financial resources she could call upon to sustain military action. She should avoid oppressing her men, since this is the surest way to incur their hatred. She can best cultivate their loyalty by speaking boldly and consistently to them, according to her council, not giving one reason today and another tomorrow. Speaking words of good courage to her men-at-arms as well as to her other retainers, she will urge them to loyalty and their best efforts.

Justice Quotes Knowledge Quotes Leadership Quotes Peace Quotes War Quotes Wisdom Quotes / Ability Quotes Administration Quotes Equality Quotes Good governance Quotes Government Quotes Prudence Quotes

As for those who state that it is thanks to a woman, the lady Eve, that man was expelled from paradise, my answer to them would be that man has gained far more through Mary than he ever lost through Eve.

Christ Quotes Eve Quotes Feminist Quotes Jesus Quotes The Book of the City of Ladies Quotes Woman Quotes

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.

Education Quotes Knowledge Quotes Learning Quotes / Arts Quotes Boys Quotes Empowerment Quotes Equality Quotes Gender Quotes Girls Quotes

The foolish rush to end their lives.Only the steadfast soul survives.

Courage Quotes / Death Quotes Endurance Quotes Life Quotes Lyric Poetry Quotes Steadfastness Quotes Strength Quotes

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?

Marriage Quotes / Harshness Quotes Husbands Quotes Lovelessness Quotes Married life Quotes Matrimony Quotes Men Quotes

The man or the woman in whom resides greater virtue is the higher; neither the loftiness nor the lowliness of a person lies in the body according to the sex, but in the perfection of conduct and virtues.

Virtue Quotes / Clichés Quotes Conduct Quotes Double standards Quotes Empowerment Quotes Equality Quotes Gender Quotes

[W]hen someone finds himself quite unjustly attacked and hated on all sides, there is no need for such a person to feel dismayed by misfortune. See how Fortune, who has harmed many a one, is so inconstant, for God, Who opposes all wrong deeds, raises up those in whom hope dwells.

Hope Quotes / Belief Quotes Ditié de Jehanne d'Arc Quotes Endurance Quotes Hatred Quotes Injustice Quotes Life Quotes

Causing any damage or harm to one party in order to help another party is not justice, and likewise, attacking all feminine conduct [in order to warn men away from individual women who are deceitful] is contrary to the truth, just as I will show you with a hypothetical case. Let us suppose they did this intending to draw fools away from foolishness. It would be as if I attacked fire -- a very good and necessary element nevertheless -- because some people burnt themselves, or water because someone drowned. The same can be said of all good things which can be used well or used badly. But one must not attack them if fools abuse them.

Fire Quotes Individuality Quotes Truth Quotes / Abuse Quotes Argument Quotes Clichés Quotes Conduct Quotes Damage Quotes Danger Quotes

Not all men (and especially the wisest) share the opinion that it is bad for women to be educated. But it is very true that many foolish men have claimed this because it displeased them that women knew more than they did.

Education Quotes Knowledge Quotes Wisdom Quotes / Abilities Quotes Empowerment Quotes Inequality Quotes Men Quotes Superiority Quotes Suppression Quotes

Does a rake deserve to possess anything of worth, since he chases everything in skirts and then imagines he can successfully hide his shame by slandering [women in general]?

Clichés Quotes Der Sendbrief vom Liebesgott / The Letter of the God of Love Quotes Double standards Quotes Gender Quotes Hypocrisy Quotes Immorality Quotes

[A] person whose head is bowed and whose eyes are heavy cannot look at the light.

Hope Quotes Light Quotes Sadness Quotes / Burdens Quotes Ditié de Jehanne d'Arc Quotes Eyes Quotes Grief Quotes Hopelessness Quotes Oppression Quotes

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. (...)Therefore, since it is necessary to call on such skill, ingenuity, and effort in order to seduce a woman, whether of high or humble birth, the logical conclusion to draw is that women are by no means as fickle as some men claim, or as easily influenced in their behaviour. And if anyone tells me that books are full of women like these, it is this very reply, frequently given, which causes me to complain. My response is that women did not write these books nor include the material which attacks them and their morals. Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the opposite point of view and keep the best arguments for themselves, for aggressors are always quick to attack those who have no means of defence. But if women had written these books, I know full well the subject would have been handled differently. They know that they stand wrongfully accused, and that the cake has not been divided up equally, for the strongest take the lion's share, and the one who does the sharing out keeps the biggest portion for himself.

Books Quotes Clichés Quotes Deceit Quotes Defenselessness Quotes Der Sendbrief vom Liebesgott / The Letter of the God of Love Quotes Double standards Quotes

Just as women's bodies are softer than men's, so their understanding is sharper.

Gender stereotypes Quotes Men and women Quotes

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.

Education Quotes Knowledge Quotes Learning Quotes / The Treasure of the City of Ladies Quotes

Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the opposite point of view and keep the best arguments for themselves, for aggressors are always quick to attack those who have no means of defence.

Argument Quotes Deceit Quotes Defenselessness Quotes Der Sendbrief vom Liebesgott / The Letter of the God of Love Quotes Double standards Quotes Falsehood Quotes

44 Christine de Pizan Quotes on Argument, The Treasure of the City of Ladies and Gender stereotypes - Quotes.pub