According to the conventional argument, women should be kept to their own "separate sphere" because they have different natures than their male counterparts.  "We acknowledged – did we not? That different natures ought to have different pursuits, and that men’s and women’s natures are different."  Pg. 55  However, Plato did not seem to agree.  "…This does not amount to a proof that a woman differs from a man in respect of the sort of education she should receive; and we shall therefore continue to maintain that our guardians and their wives ought to have the same pursuits."  Pg. 56

 Men and women are not equal in Plato’s Republic.  It is spoken that the women and men should be given the same sort of education, but never is it mentioned that they should hold the same places in society.  In fact, the women are only being given the argument of equal education so as to be better wives to their husbands.  The differences between the two sexes are numerous.  The women are looked upon as only good for being wives and doing other feminine pursuits, while the men can be any number of professions from a physician to a cobbler.  "Need I waste time in speaking of the art of weaving, and the management of pancakes and preserves, in which womankind does really appear to be great, and in which for her to be beaten by a man is of all things the most absurd?"  Pg. 57

 The Greek state should educate women the same as they educate the men, in accordance to Plato’s plan.  However, in reality, if a Greek man were to see a woman exercising naked along with male students, he would laugh out loud at the absurdity of it.

 If the Greek state had followed Plato’s advice, it would have been better for it.  "…Can there be anything better for the interests of the State than that of the men and women of a State should be as good as possible [through equal education]?  There can be nothing better."  Pg. 58