The Enchiridion by Epictetus translated by William Abbot Oldfather (1928) 34-41

 The Enchiridion by Epictetus translated by William Abbot Oldfather (1928) 34-41 

Bonus: 

Epictetus on relationships

Summary: Girls are only good for sex, and don't let them forget it.

Commentary: 

34. Sleep on it.

35. If doing something is right, do it openly. If it's wrong, don't do it at all.

36. Don't be greedy.

37. Don't pretend to be something you're not. You'll fail at it, and also waste time you could've been doing something you're good at.

38. Be as careful about moral harm as physical.

39. Take care of your body and don't buy excessive ornamentations.

40. Make sure 14 year women know that they're only good for being sexy, but modest and discrete. 

41. Focus on your mind more than your body.

Obviously, 40 is the one to pull here:

Immediately after they are fourteen, women are called “ladies” by men. And so when they see that they have nothing else but only to be the bed-fellows of men, they begin to beautify themselves, and put all their hopes in that. It is worth while for us to take pains, therefore, to make them understand that they are honoured for nothing else but only for appearing modest and self-respecting.

    My summary is marginally hyperbolic, but I think mostly accurate. I've seen some interpretations saying that it's trying to say that men calling women ladies makes them think they're only good for sex, have to act that way, etc., but I think that's trying to shoe horn a more modern view into it, due to the third sentence. It's not, "it's worth while for us to help them be more complete people" or "it's a shame they're only respected for being sexy." Instead, it reads more as making sure they don't get all uppity and think they're good for other things.

Honestly, seems kind of out of place. I could see, "Don't be distracted by Jezebel Foreheads" or whatever. Still nasty, but on theme. This just feels like a kind of random digression. Maybe Epictetus had a larger point (possibly one of the earlier meanings, or just women are bad at Stoicism?) and this is just what Errian took from the lecture? Disadvantages of reading the translation of the notes of the lecture instead of the original.