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

Epic PoErtrY

the bloom of his cheeks a sweet blush was glowing. But the other sat crouching hard by, silent and downcast, and he had two dice left which he threw one after the other, and was angered by the loud laughter of Eros. And lo, losing them straightway with the former, he went off empty-handed.”

6. Nonnus

Nonnus, a Greek of Panopolis in the Egyptian Thebaid, who lived in the fourth or fifth century A.D., is the author of a bulky poem in no fewer than 48 cantos called Dionysiaca, that is, the life and deeds of Dionysus. The vast epos describes in bewildering superabundance the victorious expedition of Dionysus to India, interwoven with so many episodes and separate myths, that the whole represents a work that is certainly extremely valuable and interesting, but by no means a unity. The singular thing is that the author was a Christian, but he has created an enthusiastic hymn of Bacchantic, and consequently heathen ecstasy, such as might stand alone in the whole of literature. Hence, there occur in the work so large a number of homosexual episodes that what is most important can only be mentioned here, not given in detail.

The beauty of the youthful Hermes (iii, 412 ff.) is eloquently described, while the beauty of Cadmus (iv, 105) takes as many as fifty-six lines. The Erotes are represented dancing at the wedding of Cadmus and Harmonia (v, 96); with obvious satisfaction the poet tells of the games that Dionysus shared and enjoyed with boys (ix, 160 ff.), and describes in detail how he bathes in company with the wanton and lascivious satyrs (x, 139).

The idyll with the boy Ampelos occupies considerable space (x, 175 to xii), and his beauty 1s painted in glowing colours; Dionysus sees the boy and the description of the love with which he is inflamed for him runs, with various episodes,

465 Hh