On the Nobility and Excellence of the Female Sex

HENRI. COR. AGRIP.

Abigail, the wife of Nabal—a most wicked man—was prudent and wise, as well as beautiful. For this reason, she preserved the life and property of her husband from the fury of David. Thus, a bad man was saved by a beautiful woman. David addressed her with these words: “Go in peace to your house; behold, I have heard your voice and have honored your face.” Since all beauty is either spiritual, vocal, original: "uocalis." This refers to the beauty of speech, eloquence, or a pleasant voice. or physical, Abigail was beautiful in every respect: in the prudence of her 1 Samuel 25 Agrippa cites this as 2 Kings 25 following the Vulgate numbering, where 1–2 Samuel are 1–2 Kings. spirit, in the eloquence of her speech, and in the loveliness of her body. For this reason, after the death of her husband Nabal, she became one of the wives of David.

And Bathsheba was a woman of such remarkable form that David, captured by love for her, wed her after the death of her husband and elevated her to royal dignity above all others. Likewise, 1 Kings 1 Cited as 3 Kings 1 in the original Latin. Abishag the Shunammite, because she was a most beautiful girl, was chosen for the purpose of restoring warmth to the now-aging King David by lying beside him. Therefore, the old king wished to increase her status with the highest honors, and after the king's death, she was held in the place of a powerful queen.

To this end, we also read of the wonderful beauty of Queen Vashti, and of Esther 1 & 2 Esther, who was preferred over her and was even more outstanding, possessing an exceedingly beautiful and graceful face. We also read of Judith, Judith 8 & 10 whose beauty the Lord increased to such an extent that those who beheld her were struck with wondering amazement. Finally, there is Susanna, Daniel 13 who was extremely delicate and beautiful in appearance.

What of the fact that we also read how, after the various trials of Job Job 42:13–15 Cited as the final chapter of Job. and the completion of his labors, the Lord—besides the other things he deserved for his supreme patience—gave him three daughters