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

DANCE AND BALL-GaAmeEs

contains amongst other matters: ‘“‘ I have told you these few things out of many others, that you may see what a man you have passed over, to play the host to a Diphilus and to hand over even your son to him. He is well adapted for it ; for he is pleasant to the boy and strives to gain his favour. [If it were not indecent for a man like myself, I could tell you more about such things, but if you wish to find out the truth, you need only ask his tutor Zopyrus. Far from it being my wish to destroy his joy in his marriage or to accuse the informers of such shameful charges; although Diphilus has deserved nothing better from me, since he has already taken away two of my pupils; but for the honour of philosophy I would rather say nothing.” Lucian goes on to say: “ When the servant ceased reading, all the guests cast their eyes on young Zeno and his tutor Diphilus, whose astounded countenance, paleness and evident embarrassment only too fully confirmed the accusation of Hetzmocles. Aristenetus became restless, and had difficulty in keeping back his internal agitation, although he invited us to drink and endeavoured to put the best appearance upon what had happened, while he sent back the philosopher’s servant with the usual answer that it should be attended to. Soon afterwards Zeno secretly got up, after his valet, at his father’s orders, had given him a hint that he might retire.”

According to Pausanias (i, 20, 1; cf. Ath., il, 39a, X, 4230; Plutarch, De Nob., 20), the “ Satyr” of Praxiteles was represented as a youth handing the cup.

The assertion of the learned archbishop Eustathius, who lived in the twelfth century, that gitls also were employed as cupbearers, must be an error, as anyone will know who has penetrated the psychology of Greek spirit even to a moderate extent, nor could I quote any Greek authorities for such a custom (Eustathius on Homer, Od., i, 146, P. 1402, 41; his mistake may be due to a passage

171