Melissa (philosopher) facts for kids

Melissa was a Pythagorean philosopher who lived around the 3rd century BC. Her name comes from the Greek word melli, which means honey.

Who Was Melissa?

Not much is known about Melissa's life. We only know about her from a letter she wrote to another woman named Cleareta (or Clearete). This letter was written in a special old Greek language called Doric Greek. It is believed to be from about 200 to 300 BC.

Her Famous Letter

Melissa's letter talks about how a wife should be modest and good. It also says she should obey her husband. Because of what the letter says, some people think it might have been written by a man pretending to be Melissa.

However, the person who wrote the letter does not say that women are naturally weaker or less smart than men. It also doesn't say that a woman needs a man to tell her how to be good. This makes it an interesting piece of writing from ancient times.