Ancient Quote by Stephen Marche
“Look at The Iliad, there's all this stuff about men loving children. The King of Sparta was the most brutal warrior of ancient Greece, and the only thing he liked to do was horse around with kids when he was back from slaughtering. One thing that feminism revealed is that being a distant patriarchal figure was not something men wanted to be. They want to be more involved in the lives of their children, and you can see that once they're allowed to have that connection, they crave it.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Iliad (Epic Poem) by Homer, c. 8th century BC
The quote suggests that historically, even fierce warriors sought affection and involvement with children, challenging the notion that masculinity is purely distant and brutal.
In simple terms: Warriors also wanted love and connection with kids.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and support men’s desire for parental involvement.
Themes
masculinity
parenthood
feminism
historical perspective
emotional needs
Mood
reflective
hopeful
analytical
Type
observational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- family counseling
- fatherhood programs
- educational curricula
- media representation
- policy making
Key Concepts
patriarchal critique
gender roles
emotional intelligence
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies encourage emotional openness in fathers?
- What barriers prevent men from engaging with their children?
A Different Perspective
Modern societal expectations may still pressure men to conform to stoic stereotypes, limiting expression of affection.
![“Their [Lacadaemonian] women, it is said, were bold and masculine, overbearing to their husbands in the first place, absolute mistresses in their houses, giving their opinions about public matters freely, and speaking openly even on the most important subjects.” quote by Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/473/plutarch-597_ancient-greece_their-lacadaemonian-women-it-is-said-wer_3025911.jpg)
![“The division [between how much housework men and women do] is declining across all advanced economies - not for the reasons that people want, which is men are doing more, but because women are doing less of it, but even then, the trend is getting towards equality.” quote by Stephen Marche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c39/stephen-marche-15665_division_the-division-between-how-much-housework_168872.jpg)
