# 26. How Women have brought about the Downfall of States

A riot was caused in the city of Ardea owing to a quarrel between the patricians and the plebs about a marriage. A rich woman was anxious to get married, and a plebeian and a noble both asked for her hand. She had no father, and whereas her guardians wanted her to marry the plebeian, her mother preferred the noble. This caused such a disturbance that people took up arms, the nobles in support of the noble, and the plebs in support of the plebeian. The plebs were beaten, left Ardea, and sent to the Volsci for help. The nobles appealed to Rome. The Volsci were first in the field, reached Ardea, and laid siege to the city. The Romans then came along, hemmed the Volsci in between the city and their own army; with the result that, straitened by famine, they were forced to surrender at discretion. The Romans then entered the city, killed the promoters of the disturbance and restored order.

There are several points to be noticed here. First, we see how women have been the cause of many troubles, have done great harm to those who govern cities, and have caused in them many divisions. In like manner we read in Livy’s history that the outrage done to Lucretia deprived the Tarquins of their rule, and that done to Virginia deprived the Decemviri of their power. Among the primary causes of the downfall of tyrants, Aristotle puts the injuries they do on account of women, whether by rape, violation or the breaking up of marriages. But this we have discussed at length in the chapter dealing with conspiracies. I say here, then, that absolute princes and the rulers of republics should not treat such matters as of small moment, but should bear in mind the disorders that such events many occasion and look to the matter in good time, so that the remedy applied may not be accompanied by damage done to, or revolts against, their state or their republic; as happened to the people of Ardea who allowed the quarrel between their citizens to grow and to split them into factions, and then, to unite them again, had to appeal to foreigners for assistance, which is an excellent prelude to slavery.

Let us turn now to the other point to be noted, which is how in a city unity can be restored. Of this I shall speak in the next chapter.