The woman almost never is able to adjust her life so as fully to satisfy both.

She is between two fires.

Euripides understood this when he put into Medea's mouth a cry as modern as any that Ibsen has conceived:-- Of all things upon earth that grow, A herb most bruised is woman.

We must pay Our store of gold, hoarded for that one day, To buy us some man's love; and lo, they bring A master of our flesh! There comes the sting Of the whole shame.

And then the jeopardy, For good or ill, what shall that master be; 'Tis magic she must have or prophecy-- Home never taught her that--how best to guide Toward peace this thing that sleepeth at her side.
And she who, laboring long, shall find some way Whereby her lord may bear with her, nor fray His yoke too fiercely, blessed is the breath That woman draws! Medea's difficulty was that which is oftenest in the way of a woman carrying her business in life to a satisfactory completion--false mating.