# Who gets the most pleasure, the man or the woman? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 30, 2001, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939 "2001-08-30T15:09:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BorgChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BorgChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgChild)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/1 "2001-08-30T15:09:38Z")
I have no real comments on the answer, I guess, other than the fact that as a man it would be rather fun to have a “state of sustained orgasm”. My problem is with the question: as far is I know, Tiresias is not a prophet of any kind. There does exist a myth that a man named Tiresias was once punished by a god to spend ten years (more or less) as a woman. After he became a man again, Zeus and his wife Hera were arguing once over who had the most pleasure during sex, the man or the woman. They called Tiresias before them, because he had lived his life as both male and female, and therefore could anwser the question. When asked, Tiresias replied: “Take the male orgasm, and multiply it by nine, and you still wiil not get the feelings that a woman gets when she has an orgasm.” After that, he was punished again. Not by Zeus, as one would imagine, but by Hera, for disclosing the secrets of a woman to men. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/2 "2001-08-30T15:13:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BorgChild \* > After that, he was punished again. Not by Zeus, as one would imagine, but by Hera, for disclosing the secrets of a woman to men. Uh oh…did he also tell them how women can find car keys from three rooms away? jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/3 "2001-08-30T15:15:54Z")
Tiresias appears in many myths, chiefly as a prophet. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/4 "2001-08-30T15:31:36Z")
Judging from personal experience, I would guess the woman gets a LOT more out of it. There’s an old joke, used by comedian Rusty Warren in her act (although I don’t know if she originated it) that went like this: “Stick your finger in your ear when it itches and scratch. Which feels better, your finger or your ear?” Maybe this is the knowledge Tiresias got, but was killed by Hera before he could reveal. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/5 "2001-08-30T17:58:32Z")
Tiresias’ punishment from Hera was blindness. Zeus, of course, didn’t like to see his buddy punished, but he couldn’t directly reverse Hera’s punishment, it being the direct act of another deity. He could, however, make up for it, and so he gave Tiresias the gift of prophesy as a replacement. Big T’s most notable appearance as a seer was in _Oedipus Rex_, but also as recently as T. S. Eliot’s “Wasteland”: “And I, Tiresias, once blind, now see…” ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/6 "2001-08-30T18:00:45Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment. Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link: [Who gets the most pleasure from sex, the man or the woman? (05-Jan-1990)](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_224.html) * * * moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/7 "2001-08-30T20:36:31Z")
I think you mangled that quotation. I heard it and was so struck that I’ve remembered it verbatim ever since. The way I heard it, it goes “if the pleasures of sex be counted as ten, nine go to the women and one to the men.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/8 "2001-08-31T17:10:32Z")
Well, you’ve both mangled the quotation, because it was originally in Greek, not English. It looks to me like **BorgChild** got a more literal translation, and **Chas.E** got a poetic translation. No big deal. ---
**Author:** ![BorgChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BorgChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgChild)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/9 "2001-08-31T22:57:13Z")
Many thanks to Chronos for correcting me about Tiresias not being a prophet. Seems like I didn’t get the full story, and I’m always willing to admit my mistakes. As for Chas E., I actually like your translation much more. I also guess that yours was the more literal translation, because most mythes were poetic in nature. The quotation is used only brought forth the meaning of what Tiresias said, without the articulacy. I have got to remember that quote. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/10 "2001-09-01T00:57:06Z")
[[Uh oh…did he also tell them how women can find car keys from three rooms away?]] jarbabyj Huh. I guess I need me a good woman, then. Who’da thought? Jill ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/11 "2001-09-01T22:22:53Z")
Nah, literal translations of poetry usually end up being in prose, unless it’s two closely related languages (like Middle and Modern English, for example). You have to put in a little extra work and change a few words around to turn it back into poetry. In this particular example, the meanings come out pretty much the same, but sometimes things can be changed considerably that way. It’s a question of whether you value the sound or the meaning more. ---
**Author:** ![foxhole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@foxhole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxhole)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/12 "2001-09-03T16:06:24Z")
As an experienced hypnotist I can assure you that a womans ability to orgasm is virtually unlimited as when in trance she can be made to orgasm at will and for as long as she can physically take the pleasure/pain. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/13 "2001-09-03T22:47:07Z")
From The Perseus Project’s copy of Apollodorus’ _Library and Epitome_, 3.6.7, Tiresias’ quote says: > [@](#): > > oiên men moiran deka moirôn terpetai anêr, > tas de dek’ empiplêsi gunê terpousa noêma. which I inexpertly translate to “One part alone of ten does a man enjoy, but the ten does a woman fill, enjoying a thought.” I guess my Greek is too rusty to be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Carpenter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Mr\_Carpenter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Carpenter)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/14 "2001-09-04T04:31:00Z")
Foxhole I don’t think that is true for all women. I know some who will never have any organisms for as long as they live–under hypnosis or otherwise. And as far as that “ear thing goes”, it is not telling it like it is. A finger is not a penie. Penies have feelings and an ear does not have the muscle contractions, and undulations like a “you know what” has in a woman. So saying that, I think men have lots of pleasure from it because men always bother women for their powerboxes. And women seem to have the most pleasure because they are more verbal and they can’t help being verbal. ---
**Author:** ![foxhole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@foxhole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxhole)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/15 "2001-09-04T12:45:52Z")
I feel sorry for the women you know, or know you. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/16 "2001-09-04T13:42:05Z")
> [@](#): > > And as far as that “ear thing goes”, it is not telling it like it is. A finger is not a penie. Penies have feelings and an ear does not have the muscle contractions, and undulations like a “you know what” has in a woman. Later today we will explore the concept of a “joke”. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/17 "2001-09-05T04:39:50Z")
Please, please tell me he doesn’t think “penie” is the singular of “penis”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Carpenter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Mr\_Carpenter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Carpenter)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/18 "2001-09-05T04:50:18Z")
Penie is Penis. I just want to use the real word. Foxhole, the women the know me like me. Since I am knew here since yesterday, I am not sure what is considered acceptable dialogue here, so I really held back what I wanted to explain. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Carpenter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Mr\_Carpenter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Carpenter)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/19 "2001-09-05T04:56:54Z")
I can’t edit my post above. Please forgive that post it is full of mistakes! I am very sleepy and I shall retire now. _leaves embarrassed as heck_ :o ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939/20 "2001-09-05T15:23:14Z")
Mr Carpenter said: > [@](#): > > Penie is Penis. I just want to use the real word. Sorry, you’ll have to explain that one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-most-pleasure-the-man-or-the-woman/78939.md?page=2)