Preface.

belongs to the man. She is his possession, she is his rib, his playmate appropriated for him by God, she cannot be separated from him; she is his glory, his splendor. Between him and her is the strong bond of God, which cannot be torn until death separates them.

Before I prove all this, however, and present with sun-like clarity the high status and dignity of this supposedly deified sex, and how necessary this bond is between it and the male sex, I must touch upon the tyrannical conscience of the Roman-established clergy, who desire to tear this divine bond and set human nature itself outside its own boundaries.

Indeed, that ingenious fable or story founded in nature is known, concerning an Egyptian king who had his son locked away in such a manner that he did not come into any human society until he had reached his manly age. Which precaution the king took for no other reason than to learn where the human mind, by nature, has its greatest inclination of its own accord. After time had passed, the father had this room opened, and had invaluable treasures of gold and precious stones presented to him, as well as the most costly foods and most delicate drinks, and the most pleasant lute music, among which were also several well-dressed women. When all these things were shown to this young prince, so that he might choose something for himself, it was observed that he looked at the well-dressed women with fixed eyes. When he finally asked what these were, he was given the answer that these were devils who deceive men. To which speech this prince answered nothing else—

The catchword "men" indicates the continuation of "menschen" on the following page.