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

Tue ETHICS OF GREEK LOVE

Plut., Pelop., 8). In memory of the love between Heracles and Iolaus there was celebrated in Thebes the Iolzia (Pind., Olymp., vii, 84, and Schol.) consisting of gymnastic and equestrian games, in which arms and brazen vessels were given as prizes to the victor.

In Pausanias we read that an Athenian named Timagoras loved a certain Meles (1, 30, 1) or Meletus, but had been scornfully treated by the boy. Once, when he found himself on a steep mountain slope with Timagoras, Meles requested him to hurl himself down, and he did so, since he valued his life less highly than the absolute fulfilment of any wish expressed by his favourite. In despair at the death of his friend Meles then threw himself also down from the rock.

If we are to draw conclusions from what has been said as to the ethics of Greek love of boys, the following emerges as an undeniable fact: The Greek love of boys is a peculiarity of character, based upon an esthetic and religious foundation. Its object is, with the assistance of the State, to arrive at the power to maintain the same and at the fountain-head of civic and personal virtue. It is not hostile to marriage, but supplements it as an important factor in education. We can also speak of a decided bi-sexuality among the Greeks.

That passion yields to the seriousness of death and makes room for the clarified happiness that revels rather in recollection—that friendship lasts beyond the grave, is shown to us by many epitaphs which, in tenderness of language, dignity of subject, and beauty of form belong to the noblest remains of Greek poetry.

The seventh book of the Palatine Anthology, with its 748 epitaphs, some of them quite excellent, show with what choice taste and tactful feeling the Greeks adorned the grave of their dead heroes and erected tokens of honour of them. I have already collected those devoted to the love of boys in an earlier work,

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