CHAPTER II.
On the Conduct of the Elder Wife Towards the Other Wives
of Her Husband, and on that of a Younger Wife towards
the Elder Ones. Also on the Conduct of a Virgin Widow
Re-married; of a Wife Disliked by Her Husband; of the
Women in the King’s Harem; and Lastly on the Conduct
of a Husband Towards Many Wives.
The causes of re-marriage during the lifetime of the wife are as follows:
- (1) The folly or ill temper of the wife.
- (2) Her husband’s dislike to her.
- (3) The want of offspring.
- (4) The continual birth of daughters.
- (5) The incontinence of the husband.
From the very beginning a wife should endeavor to attract the heart of her husband by showing to him continually her devotion, her good temper, and her wisdom. If however, she bears him no children, she should herself tell her husband to marry another woman. And when the second wife is married, and brought to the house, the first wife should give her a position superior to her own, and look upon her as a sister. In the morning the elder wife should forcibly make the younger one decorate herself in the presence of their husband, and should not mind all the husband’s favor being given to her. If the younger wife does anything to displease her husband the elder one should not neglect her, but should always be ready to give her the most careful advice, and should teach her to do various things in the presence of her husband. Her children she should treat as her own, her attendants she should look upon with more regard even than on her own servants, her friends she should cherish with love and kindness, and her relations with great honor.
When there are many other wives besides herself, the elder wife should associate with the one who is immediately next to her in rank and age, and should instigate the wife who has recently enjoyed her husband’s favor to quarrel with the present favorite. After this she should sympathize with the former, and having collected all the other wives together, should get them to denounce the favorite as a scheming and
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