Sexual life in ancient Greece : with thirty-two full-page plates

CHAPTER IV ‘THE THEATRE

Side by side with the festivals and festal customs public performances are of the greatest importance for the knowledge of the manners of a people. Obviously, our description of Greek theatrical affairs has to be limited to emphasizing what is characteristic of the sexual life of the Greeks, and we must assume the knowledge of Greek dramatic art, at least of the extant drama, as a self-evident postulate of general culture. Our task will therefore be essentially limited to showing what erotic motives were brought before the spectators on the Greek stage, and what performances with erotic background could be publicly seen in Greece. At the same time the fact will become manifest, which appears singular to many but a matter of course to the one who knows, that also on the Greek stage the homosexual components of the life of love are by no means ignored or suppressed for any reason, but on the contrary play a very important, indeed an almost preponderating part; hence, much which in strict sequence belongs to a later chapter will be mentioned here or described in detail.

I. Attic Tragedy

Of Xschylus and Sophocles seven dramatic works of each are completely preserved, of Euripides nineteen. These will not at first be discussed, but only those Attic tragedies which are preserved in fragments. The works completely preserved are so much better known than the fragments, that it seemed to me of more importance to give some account of the latter.

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