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

NEGATIVE AND AFFIRMATIVE OPINIONS

kind of charms or by what seductive words could anyone succeed in catching him, if one did not also make use of the art of the fisherman?” In a comedy of Baton (frag. 5 in Ath., ili, 103¢ and vu, 279aCAF., III, 238) an indignant father complains of a philosopher who has corrupted his son by his false doctrines.

Further, it was quite generally made the subject of reproach if a boy gave himself up for money or any other kind of payment. I have already proved this by a quotation from the Plutus of Aristophanes (153 ff.), and poets are never weary of recalling the good old times when a boy, as a reward for favours granted, was satisfied with a little bird, a tomtit, a missel-thrush, a robin, a quail, or even a ball to play with and such-like trifles.

Here it may be mentioned that women, as was to be expected, on the whole objected to everything that had to do with this love of boys, and thus, in a comedy by an unknown author, a woman says: “ I do not care for a man who himself wants one”’ (frag. in Lucian, pseud., 283—CAF., II, 497).

That hetairze also were jealous of the homosexual intrigues of their customers was a matter of course, but is also confirmed by the conversation of the two hetaire Drosis (the dewy) and Chelidonion (the little swallow) in Lucian (Dial. meretr., 10). Drosis has received a letter from the pupil Cleinias in which he writes that he cannot visit her any more, since the teacher Aristaeenetus watches every step. She complains of her trouble to her friend Chelidonion :—

“ Drosis : Meanwhile, I am dying for love. Now Dromon? tells me that Aristeenetus is a peederast and only uses his knowledge as an excuse to attract the most beautiful young men ; he talks much and often secretly with Cleinias and makes him great promises, as if he would make him equal to

1 Servant of Cleinias, who had brought the letter.

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