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

OBSCENE TERMS AND OBSCENITIES

girls or boys; also give him books to read, which stimulate lust and in which love-stories are insinuatingly treated.”

4. OBSCENE TERMS AND OBSCENITIES

The Greek language abounds in obscene terms and more or less ingenious obscenities and plays upon words, of which an imposing number has been collected by Moritz Schmidt in his large edition of Hesychius (v, 88). As is natural, they are mostly to be found in the remains of comedy, of which specimens have often been given, so that here I content myself with a few supplementary remarks.

In the Knights of Aristophanes (1384 ff.) occurs the following :

“ Sausage-Seller : On these conditions then accept this folding-stool, And here’s a stout youth to carry it for you. And, if anywhere you choose, make a folding stool of him.

“ Demos.: Happy man! now am I reinstated in my former position.

“ Sausage-Seller : You will say so, when I give you the thirty years’ peace. Come hither, peace, quickly [beautiful girl enters, representing Peace].”

However, in Aristophanes and the old Comedy generally, alcypodoyd, that is, the frank and unconcealed expression of indecencies is much more frequent than tévoa, the concealed obscenity and ambiguously wanton manner of expression, which is better adapted to the new comedy to which Aristotle has justly referred.

A characteristic example occurs in the loveromance of Achilles 'Tatius where part of the speech of the priest of Artemis (viii, 9) consists solely of obscenities conveyed by doubles entendres.

In an epigram of the Palatine Anthology addressed to a dancer, terms are employed belonging to musical technique, under which an obscene meaning is concealed (Anth. Pal., v, 99).

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