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

MaLE HOMOSEXUALITY

the gods. He also reads to him certain erotic dialogues of the old philosophers with their pupils, and, in a word, he is always about with him, but Dromon has threatened to tell the young man’s father.

‘“ Chelidonion: You ought to have greased his palm properly !

“« Drosis : | have done that, but he is mine without that, for he is violently in love with that maid of mine, Nebris.t

‘ Chelid.: Tf that is so, be of good courage: everything will turn out as you wish. I think I will also write on a wall of the Ceramicus,? where his father is in the habit of walking, in large letters: ‘ Aristzenetus is corrupting Cleinias,’ so that | may support Dromon’s accusation.”

(Perhaps the writer might attain her object, to separate the lover from his rival; but it would at the same time terribly compromise the loved one. In ancient Greece there was no idea of this kind. It is, of course, not so much the reproach of pederasty as such, with which she hopes to injure Aristzenetus, as the fact that he misuses his influence as teacher. While the father hopes that the son is being brought up by his teacher to become a famous man, he is only regarded by him as a favourite.)

“ Drosis: But how will you write that without anyone seeing you?

“ Chelid.: By night, Drosis, with a lump of coal.

“‘ Drosis: Good luck to you! If you help me to fight, I still hope to get the better of that windbag Aristeenetus.”

1 The name means ‘‘ Fawn ’’, from her particoloured dress.

2 It was a special meeting-place for lovers of boys. Boys were also found in large numbers in barbers’ shops (xovpeta, Demosth. in Aristog., 52, 786; Theophr., Charact., 8,5 ; Aristoph., Plutus, 338) ; in perfumers’ shops (upo7wAeia, Aristoph., Knights, 1375); in the physicians’ rooms (¢atpe? a, see p.439, n.); the baths (Theophr., Charact., 8, 4), and many other places, especially the lonely and dark Pnyx (ZEschin., Tim, 34, 81), a hill west of the Areopagus, surrounded by ruined buildings, where male prostitution took place.

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