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The Praise of Folly 33 Greeks, ‘An Ape is an Ape, though clad in Scarlet’; so a woman is a woman still, that is to say foolish, let her put on what ever Vizard she please. But, by the way, I hope that Sexe is not so foolish as to take offence at this, that I my self, being a woman, and Folly too, have attributed Folly to them. For if they weigh it right, they needs must acknowledg that they owe it to Folly that they are more fortunate than men. As first their Beauty, which, and that not without cause, they prefer before every thing, since by its means they exercise a Tyranny even upon Tyrants themselves ; otherwise, whence proceeds that sowre look, rough skin, bushy beard and such other things as speak plain Old age in a man, but from that Disease of Wisdom? whereas women’s Cheeks are ever plump and smooth, their Voice small, their Skin soft, as if they imitated a certain kind of perpetual Youth. Again, what greater thing do they wish in their whole lives, than that they may please the Men? For to what other purpose are all those Dresses, Washes, Baths, Curlings, Slops, Perfumes, and * Simia est simia, etiamsi purpura vestiatur. 1507 D
