 Women’s bodies were discussed separately only where they departed from male anatomy  Several important studies from antiquity set the foundations of gynaecology:  Hippocrates: On the Seed, Nature of Woman, Diseases of Women, Afflictions of Virgins  Soranos Gynaecology  These differ greatly from each other, but several underlying principles are common

 The male is biologically superior (a common view, but not universal)  The male is hotter, and drier; the female is colder and wetter  Much of what can go wrong with women, which does not afflict men, has to do with menstrual blood; its retention causes disease  Thus it is necessary for the womb’s mouth to be kept open through regular intercourse  Virginity is harmful and must be immediately corrected through marriage and sex with a man.  The dominant view among physicians is that both men and women contribute seed to procreation. This explains why children look like both parents.

 Social views on male superiority influence biological perceptions.  The good/right side of the body and the bad/left side  Women are by nature inferior  Women are sex-crazed, as Aristophanic comedy suggests, simply because it is mandated by their biology.  Sexual pleasure has a biological explanation and thus is perfectly natural and expected; its suppression is unhealthy and detrimental to the body.