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. Christine De Pizan
About This Quote

In this quote, Epictetus is telling his students that they should not go against the truth in order to mislead men. If a man genuinely believes that a woman is a fool or a liar, then that fool or liar is not an enemy. Thus, if a man who truly believes that a woman is foolish or deceitful follows her, Epictetus would not consider him to be an enemy of virtue.

Source: The Book Of The City Of Ladies

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  1. 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...
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