Posted: 2/13/2020
Don’t believe in the often repeated and widespread myth that women were oppressed and subjugated by men during most of human history! Women always had their ways to get even and teach men a lesson.
Case in point, Nyssia, the wife of the Lydian king Candaules in the early 7th century BC. “Candaules often told his favourite bodyguard, Gyges, how beautiful the queen was and, thinking Gyges did not believe him, urged Gyges to contrive to see her naked. Gyges initially refused as he did not wish to dishonor the queen. Nevertheless, Candaules was insistent and Gyges had no option but to obey his king. So Gyges hid in Candaules' bedroom and, when the queen entered, watched her undress. As she was getting into bed, he quietly left the room, but the queen saw him and realised what had happened. Herodotus commented: "For with the Lydians, as with most barbarian (i.e., non-Greek) races, it is thought highly indecent even for a man to be seen naked".
The queen silently swore revenge for her shame. Next day, she summoned Gyges to her chamber. ... she confronted him immediately and presented him with two choices. One was to kill Candaules and seize the throne with Nyssia as his wife. The second was to be executed immediately by her trusted servants. ... He decided to take the first course of action and assassinate the king.”
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