A fascinating subject, is it not?
Here is the key extract from Lysistrata, perhaps the first major piece of "women's power" literature. Lysistrata (purple) tells the male magistrate (green) why she and the other women (orange) are taking over the state.
Edit: reformatted, per milum's note, at the cost of going to extended length [innocent -e]
Croak your own fate, you ill-omened antiquity.
.....You be the spokeswoman, lady.
..........................................................I will.
Think of our old moderation and gentleness,
.....think how we bore with your pranks, and were still,
All through the days of your former pugnacity,
.....all through the war that is over and spent:
Not that (be sure) we approved of your policy;
.....never our griefs you allowed us to vent.
Well we perceived your mistakes and mismanagement.
.....Often at home on our housekeeping cares,
Often we heard of some foolish proposal you
.....made for conducting the public affairs.
Then would we question you mildly and pleasantly,
.....inwardly griving, but outwardly gay;
"Husband, how goes it abroad?" we would ask of him;
....."what have ye done in Assembly to-day?
What would ye write on the side of the Treaty stone?"
.....Husband says angrily, "What's that to you?
You, hold your tongue!" And I held it accordingly.
.....That is a thing which I never would do!
Ma'am, if you hadn't, you'd soon have repented it.
.....Therefore I held it and spake not a word.
Soon of another tremendous absurdity,
.....wilder and worse than the former we heard.
"Husband," I say, with a tender solicitude,
....."Why have ye passed such a foolish decree?"
Viciously, moodily, glaring askance at me,
....."Stick to your spinning, my mistress," says he,
"Else you will speedily find it the worse for you,
.....War is the care and the business of men!"
Zeus! 'twas a worthy reply, and an excellent!
.....What! you unfortunate, shall we not then,
Then when we see you perplexed and incompetent,
.....shall we not tender advice to the State?
So when aloud in the streets and the thoroughfares
.....sadly we heard you bewailing of late,
"Is there a Man to defend and deliver us?"
....."No," says another, "there's none in the land;"
Then by the Women assembled in conference
.....jointly a great Revolution was planned,
Hellas to save from her grief and perplexity.
.....Where is the use of a longer delay?
Shift for the future our parts and our characters;
.....you, as the women, in silence obey;
We, as the men, will harangue and provide for you;
.....then shall the State be triumphant again,
Then shall we do what is best for the citizens.
.....Women to do what is best for the men!
That were a shameful reproach and unbearable!
.....Silence! old gentleman.
..... ..............................Silence for you?
Stop for a wench with a wimple enfolding her?
No, by the Powers, may I die if I do.
Do not, my pretty one, do not, I pray,
Suffer my wimple to stand in the way.
Here, take it and wear it, and gracefully tie it
Enfolding it over your head, and be quiet.
during these line the women bedeck the man in the garb of a spinning-woman
Off to your carding, your combing, your trimming.
War is the care and the business of women.
