Hypatia (born around be 350-370 CE) was one of the classical period's most amazing women. A philosopher, astronomer mathematician and lecturer, she was said to be comfortable moving amongst men. She never married, and had one of history's iconic rejections of a proposal... 
Picture the scene. Hypatia, the fuckin polymath philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, etc etc, is giving a public lecture, teaching knowledge. And then some dude, in the middle of her lecture, in the most egregious "more of a question than a comment" in history PROPOSES TO HER
At first, she tried to diffuse the situation by playing the lyre at him. But this dude was not to be deterred. He very much wanted to turn this lecture given by a respected philosopher, astronomer and mathematician into an opportunity to date her.
Oh yeah, did we mention while this chap is getting on Hypatia's last nerve while she's out there just trying to give a lecture, she's on her period? IMAGINE the test of your patience, we know we'd skip the lyre playing and go straight to what she did next...
So Hypatia whips out her bloody menstrual rags and says to this guy who is trying to propose to her while she's giving a lecture, "This is what you really love, my young man, but you do not love beauty for it's own sake."
Essentially, it was a 4th century way of saying the Marilyn Monroe "If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best". But with added menses.
Suffice to say, it worked. The young man was traumatised by the one-two punch of a public callout and a reminder menstruation exists. He immediately abandoned his pursuit.
There are no further accounts of anyone disturbing one of Hypatia's lectures with a proposal of marriage.
There are no further accounts of anyone disturbing one of Hypatia's lectures with a proposal of marriage.
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