Debunking the myth of openly practiced and institutionalized pederasty and homosexuality in ancient Athens and Sparta

 

I will expand this post, it's not finished.

I will discuss the following topics:
1) Legal and Cultural Prohibitions, death penalty for Pederasty and Homosexuality in Ancient Athens and Sparta

2) Ancient Greek Attitudes Towards Pederasty and Homosexuality  

3) From Love to Wisdom: Unraveling the Complex Meanings of Eros in Ancient Greek Culture

4) The Perils of Historical Misrepresentation: Examining Biases and Stereotypes in Popular Online Sources on Ancient Greek Homosexuality and pederasty

5) Fxploring the Misconception of Erastes and Eromenos: The Ancient Greek Terminology Implied Mentor-Mentored Relationship, Not Sexual Bonding
6) Bad translations and distortions of the ancient Greek texts
7) Athenian law against slave abuse:
8) Extra ancient Greek opinions about same sex relations
9) More examples of distortion of the meaning

10) The similarities between the ancient Greek and the modern Greek attitudes towards same-sex relationships.

11) Ancient Greek homosexual and Pedo art (not finished) 

The introduction:

My aim in this article is to challenge the common misconception that ancient Athens and Sparta were societies that openly practiced and institutionalized pederasty and homosexuality. While it is not my intention to deny the existence of such relationships, the notion that they were widely accepted and celebrated in ancient Athens and Sparta has been exaggerated and distorted.

By examining primary sources from these societies, this article seeks to demonstrate that the prevailing attitudes and practices of the time viewed pederastic relationships as taboo and shameful. Furthermore, it is important to note that the existence of modern-day examples of pederasty, such as those associated with Epstein Island, cannot be used as evidence to support the idea that contemporary American society is accepting of such practices. Such behaviors are widely condemned and criminalized in the United States, just as pederastic relationships were criminalized and viewed as shameful in ancient Greece.

It is an oversimplification to assert that ancient Greece was institutionalizing and openly accepting of pederastic relationships, as it would be to claim that contemporary American society is tolerant of such pederastic relationships due to the existence of Epstein Island, where wealthy individuals and even possibly the president of the USA Bill Clinton engaged in such behavior. Although pederastic relationships were not unheard of among the Greek elite, the public at large considered it shameful and implemented protective measures to safeguard their children from predatory behavior by their mentors.

Before you say "but gay vase paintings". Only around 30 "homosexual" vases were found out of over 100,000. Hilarious. They based their whole narrative of "common people openly promoted, practiced and institutionalized pederasty and homosexuality in ancient Athens and Sparta "theory" on 30 homosexual vases which the majority were just mythology and vaguely "gay".

When it comes to ancient Greek pedo art, very few examples of this type of art have been found among the 100,000 pieces of ancient Greek art. It was a practice that was reserved for the wealthy elite, similar to what occurred at Epstein Island. However, it is important to note that the ancient Greek philosophers and ordinary citizens ridiculed the small group of wealthy individuals who engaged in such reprehensible behavior, just as in modern America with Epstein Island. This behavior was limited to an ultra-wealthy elite group, rather than being widespread among the general population of ancient Athens. The mainstream media has distorted the truth by portraying it as if all ancient Athenians engaged in this behavior, which is completely false. And according to that logic then every single modern American is getting fucked in the ass as a kid, obviously that's not true.

The promotion of the misconception that ancient Greek openly institutionalized pederasty and homosexuality was real by some pedophiles as a means of justifying their own behavior is not only historically inaccurate but also morally reprehensible. Their argument as a coping mechanism is that they are intelligent and accomplished like the ancient Greeks who founded Western civilization, simply due to that association. While it is true that these practices existed among some of the Greek elite just like in modern American Epstein island, they were not universally accepted, were subject to moral scrutiny and death penalties even during that time period. Their attempt to use these historical practices as a justification for contemporary pedophilia is both dangerous and unjustifiable. Moreover the idea that ancient Greece openly institutionalized "homosexuality" is often promoted within the context of relationships between homosexual adult men and adolescent boys it is particularly concerning that some individuals attempt to blur the distinction between pedophilia and homosexuality, and even between other forms of love such as the bond between a father and son, teacher and student, or mentor and mentored, likely with the intention of making pedophilia more socially acceptable. Such a deliberate conflation is not only misguided but also has the potential to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and attitudes.

In ancient Athens and Sparta, erastes-eromenos relationships were characterized as non-sexual mentorships. Any sexual behavior initiated by the erastes (mentor) towards the eromenos (mentored) was considered shameful, disgraceful, an abomination by both cities. The term "Pederasty" in ancient Greece referred to a mentor-mentored relationship between an older man and a younger man, in which the older man shared his knowledge and skills with the younger. The term derives from the Greek words "pais" (boy) and "erastes" (lover), but the love involved was not romantic or sexual in nature. Rather, the older man loved the younger as a son or student, that had love for knowledge and his desire to share it with the younger man and sought to educate and guide him in life.

The texts examined in this article provide an overview of the attitudes, practices, customs, and legal frameworks that condemn pederasty and homosexuality in ancient Athens and Sparta.

The original ancient Greek texts can be accessed through the Perseus links provided on the right-hand side.

1) Legal and Cultural Prohibitions, death penalty for Pederasty and Homosexuality in Ancient Athens and Sparta

Athenian death penalty law for pederasty that existed since the 7th century BC until Roman times:

Explanation of the Athenian law: The teachers of boys must open and close the school during specific hours and no one older than the boys is allowed to enter the room while they are there, except for certain family members. Anyone who violates this rule will be punished with death. If a gymnasium supervisor allows someone to enter in violation of this rule, they will face punishment for seducing free-born youth.
"The teachers of the boys shall open the school-rooms not earlier than sunrise, and they shall close them before sunset. No person who is older than the boys shall be permitted to enter the room while they are there, unless he be a son of the teacher, a brother, or a daughter’s husband. If any one enter in violation of this prohibition, he shall be punished with death.  A gymnasiarch who does permit this and fails to keep such a person out of the gymnasium, shall be liable to the penalties prescribed for the seduction of free-born youth."
-Aeschines, Against Timarchus 1.12

Spartan constitution/custom against pederasty and homosexuality:

According to Xenophon about Sparta in Constitution of the Lacedaemonians (Spartans), a relationship ("association") between a man and a boy could be tolerated, only if it was based around platonic friendship or mentorship but if it was sexual then it was considered "an abomination" tantamount to incest.
"The customs instituted by Lycurgus were opposed to all of these. If someone, being himself an honest man, admired a boy's soul and tried to make of him an ideal friend without reproach and to associate with him, he approved, and believed in the excellence of this kind of training. But if it was clear that the attraction lay in the boy's outward beauty, he banned the connexion as an abomination; and thus he caused lovers to abstain from boys no less than parents abstain from sexual intercourse with their children and brothers and sisters with each other."
-Xenophon, Constitution of the Lacedaimonians 2.13

Pay attention to how he says that lovers/mentors (erastes) must abstain from sexual intercourse from their beloved boys the same way parents abstain from sexual intercourse with their children and brothers and sisters with each other.

"Friendship among the Spartans was truly innocent : if any thing unlawful happened, both persons must either forsake their Country or their lives."
-Aelians various history 3.12 

Ancient Athenian death penalty law for homosexuality that has existed from the 7th century BC until Roman times:

"if any Athenian man acts as a female companion, he will have the following penalties:
He is not allowed to join the 9 lords,
He is not allowed to be elected priest,
He is not allowed to be the people's advocate,
He is not allowed to exercise power inside or outside of Athens,
May not be sent as a herald of war,
he is not allowed to express an opinion,
He is not allowed to enter (public) Temples,
May not be crowned at coronations,
He is not allowed to enter the sacred area of the market.
Therefore if any man who has been convicted of acting as a female companion act contrary to these prohibitions, he shall be put to death."
-Aeschines, Against Timarchus 1 21
 
Any kind of effeminate roles and acts by men in Athens were banned, which means any kind of male-on-male sexual acts were obviously prohibited. Just like a society that punishes only the prostitute but not the client still stands against prostitution, banning effeminate behavior reflects a broader cultural opposition to such activities. So, it would be illogical to claim that Athens, which banned and punished any kind of effeminate acts and roles taken by men, promoted, celebrated, and ritualized male-on-male sexual acts openly.

Original ancient Greek text:
ἐάν τις Ἀθηναῖος ἑταιρήσῃ (act as a female companion)
Misleading tanslation:
If any Athenian shall have prostituted his person,  
We must note a mistake in the English translations. While the translation speaks of “prostituting his person” the original makes no reference what so ever to “prostitution” but clearly states ἑταιρήσῃ.

ἑταιρήσῃ - This verb derives from "ἑταιρέω," which in this context, means "to act as a female companion" or "to play the role of a female companion." In certain contexts, it can imply engaging in behaviors considered effeminate or inappropriate for a man by societal standards of the time.

The use of both terms πεπορνευμένος (according to Liddle & Scott “to prostitue” and ἡταιρηκώς ( according to Liddle & Scott = to keep company) clearly indicates that the laws did NOT apply ONLY to those that had prostituted themselves, but also to those that had formed homosexual relations.
"“Or the man who has failed to perform all the military service demanded of him, or who has thrown away his shield.” And he is right. Why? Man, if you fail to take up arms in behalf of the state, or if you are such a coward that you are unable to defend her, you must not claim the right to advise her, either. Whom does he specify in the third place? “Or the man,” he says, “who has debauched (ἡταιρηκώς) or prostituted (πεπορνευμένος) himself.” For the man who has made traffic of the shame of his own body, he thought would be ready to sell the common interests of the city also. But whom does he specify in the fourth place?"

2) Ancient Greek Attitudes Towards Pederasty and Homosexuality

Athenians view on homosexuality:

"kinaidoi","faggots","poustides" were considered as "against nature, most shameful, defiled with the sins of a woman, impulse of nature" (I don't support such discrimination, i'm just stating what they thought)
"Such, then, was the judgment of your fathers concerning things shameful and things honorable; and shall their sons let Timarchus go free, a man chargeable with the most shameful practices, a creature with the body of a man defiled with the sins of a woman? In that case, who of you will punish a woman if he finds her in wrong doing? Or what man will not be regarded as lacking intelligence who is angry with her who errs by an impulse of nature,while he treats as adviser the man who in despite of nature has sinned against his own body?"
Aeschines, Against Timarchus 1 185 

The phrase παρὰ φύσιν (against nature) actually says it all.


The relationship between "lover"/mentor (erastes) and "beloved"/mentor (eromenos) is a mentorship. But when boys were caught engaging in sexual acts with their lovers/mentors they were often mocked/bullied by their peers, indicating that it was considered a great disgrace in Athens. The fathers also placed guards for their children so they wouldn't get molested by their mentors. The evidence suggests that the ancient Greeks did not imply that the erastes-eromenos "pederastic" relationship to be sexual, but instead it was a mentor-mentored father to son-like relationship. This is supported by the fact that boys caught engaging in sexual acts with their mentors were ridiculed and bullied, and fathers took measures to protect their children from being molested by their mentors.
"So true it is that both gods [183c] and men have given absolute licence to the lover, as our Athenian law provides. Thus far, then, we have ground for supposing that here in our city both loving some one and showing affection to one's lover are held in highest honor. But it happens that fathers put tutors in charge of their boys when they are beloved, to prevent them from conversing with their lovers: the tutor has strict injunctions on the matter, and when they observe a boy to be guilty of such a thing his playmates and fellows reproach him, [183d] while his reproachers are not in their turn withheld or upbraided by their elders as speaking amiss; and from this it might rather be inferred that his behavior is held to be a great disgrace in Athens."

-Plato, Symposium 183 

The part "put tutors in charge" is misleading because in ancient Greek it says "put παιδαγωγός in charge"/"παιδαγωγοὺς ἐπιστήσαντες", παιδαγωγός was a slave who went with a boy from home to school and back again. The parents put them in charge to make sure that the erastes/mentor would not sexually abuse the eromenos/mentored.

παιδαγωγός: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=e%28tai%3Droi&la=greek&can=e%28tai%3Droi0&prior=kai\
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CF%80%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%B4%CE%B1%CE%B3%CF%89%CE%B3%CF%8C%CF%82#Ancient_Greek

3) From Love to Wisdom: Unraveling the Complex Meanings of Eros in Ancient Greek Culture

The modern Western interpretation of the ancient Greek term eros (love) as solely referring to sexual desire is a flawed understanding that overlooks the broader meaning of the term, akin to claiming that expressing love for one's parents or friends is indicative of homosexuality, or that a mentor caring for a student is indicative of pederasty. A more nuanced interpretation of eros (love) in its cultural context reveals that it encompasses a range of emotions and behaviors, including friendship, mentorship, and platonic love, and that it was considered an essential aspect of human flourishing in ancient Greece.

In ancient Greek the word ἔρος = (love, desire) can be applied to all kinds of loves.  "eros" was be used to describe any intense emotional attachment or desire, including knowledge, hobbies, friends, family, romantic partner.

This passage adds to the understanding of the varied interpretations of eros (love, desire), a concept encompassing both love and desire, in ancient Greek culture. It emphasizes the importance of loving and desiring wisdom and knowledge, and argues that such love and desire must be in harmony with wisdom, highlighting the intricate and nuanced nature of eros in ancient Greek thought.
Diotima said to Socrates:
"Why, a child could tell by this time,’ she answered, ‘that they are the intermediate sort, and amongst these also is Love (eros). For wisdom has to do with the fairest things, and Love (eros) is a love (eros) directed to what is fair; so that Love (eros) must needs be a friend of wisdom, and, as such, must be between wise and ignorant."

-Plato, Symposium 204b 

4) The Perils of Historical Misrepresentation: Examining Biases and Stereotypes in Popular Online Sources on Ancient Greek Homosexuality and pederasty

An instance of the prevalence of inaccurate information and historical misrepresentation on popular online platforms, such as Wikipedia, is evident, which references secondary sources from historians who hold biased perspectives as "gay activists", not to imply that being gay is inherently negative, but the idea that ancient Greece openly institutionalized "homosexuality" is often promoted within the context of relationships between homosexual adult men and adolescent boys.

The misleading wikipedia article says:
"Pederasty in ancient Greece was a socially acknowledged romantic relationship between an older male (the erastes) and a younger male (the eromenos) usually in his teens.[2] It was characteristic of the Archaic and Classical periods.[3] The influence of pederasty on Greek culture of these periods was so prevalent that it has been called "the principal cultural model for free relationships between citizens."
That there is no evidence in ancient Greek texts of openly practiced, institutionalized and endorsement or promotion of romantic pederasty in Sparta and Athens. Any assertion to the contrary would be a distortion of historical facts. Such assertions are often based on misinterpretations of the ancient Greek words for mentor (erastes/lover) and mentored (eromenos/beloved) as referring to a romantic or sexual relationship, but it actually referred to a mentor-mentored relationship based on education and guidance rather than romantic or sexual attraction.

5) Exploring the Misconception of Erastes and Eromenos: The Ancient Greek Terminology Implied Mentor-Mentored Relationship, Not Sexual Bonding

The relationship between erastes (mentor) and eromenos (mentored) in Sparta serves as a noteworthy illustration of the cultural values attached to such mentorship in ancient Greece. Erastes-eromenos relationships in Sparta were expected to be devoid of any sexual undertones, and any instances of sexual behavior between the two were deemed reprehensible, an abomination, akin to incestuous behavior and were banned. His comparison clearly draws parallels between the dynamics of the relationship and those of a parent-child or sibling bond. Any assertion that there existed a sexual component in that relationship is a complete misrepresentation of historical facts.-Xenophon, Constitution of the Lacedaimonians 2.13

6) Bad translations and distortions of the ancient Greek texts

Another example of of a false translation and total distortion of the texts:

"Homosexuality," Plato wrote, "is regarded as shameful by barbarians and by those who live under despotic governments just as philosophy is regarded as shameful by them, because it is apparently not in the interest of such rulers to have great ideas engendered in their subjects, or powerful friendships or passionate love-all of which homosexuality is particularly apt to produce.""

Misleading article https://www.csustan.edu/sites/default/files/honors/documents/journals/sexinstone/Zive.pdf 

This is a the proper summary of what he said:

"For this thing (eros) love/desire is shameful to barbarians, because of those tyrannies, and both philosophy and love of exercise. For, I suppose, it is not useful for the rulers that great ideas arise among their subjects, nor strong friendship and partnerships and all those other things which eros loves to create"

This is also a great example of friendship and eros/love being mentioned together. 

https://scholarworks.brandeis.edu/esploro/outputs/graduate/Reinterpreting-Eros-in-Platos-Symposium/9923879939601921#file-0 

Plato did not even mention anything about homosexuality in Greek. He said eros which means love. There is not a single mention of homosexuality, male on male sex in the texts.

Here's is what he actually said:

"[182a] just as we force them, so far as we can, to refrain from loving our freeborn women. These are the persons responsible for the scandal which prompts some to say it is a shame to gratify one's lover: such are the cases they have in view, for they observe all their reckless and wrongful doings; and surely, whatsoever is done in an orderly and lawful manner can never justly bring reproach.
“Further, it is easy to note the rule with regard to love in other cities: there it is laid down in simple terms, while ours here is complicated. For in Elis[182b] and Boeotia and where there is no skill in speech they have simply an ordinance that it is seemly to gratify lovers, and no one whether young or old will call it shameful, in order, I suppose, to save themselves the trouble of trying what speech can do to persuade the youths; for they have no ability for speaking. But in Ionia and many other regions where they live under foreign sway, it is counted a disgrace. Foreigners hold this thing,[182c] and all training in philosophy and sports, to be disgraceful, because of their despotic government; since, I presume, it is not to the interest of their princes to have lofty notions engendered in their subjects, or any strong friendships and communions; all of which Love is pre-eminently apt to create. It is a lesson that our despots learnt by experience; for Aristogeiton's love and Harmodius's friendship grew to be so steadfast that it wrecked their power. Thus where it was held a disgrace to gratify one's lover, the tradition is due to the evil ways of those who made such a law—[182d] that is, to the encroachments of the rulers and to the cowardice of the ruled. But where it was accepted as honorable without any reserve, this was due to a sluggishness of mind in the law-makers. In our city we have far better regulations, which, as I said, are not so easily grasped.
“Consider, for instance, our saying that it is more honorable to love openly than in secret, especially when the beloved excels not so much in beauty as in nobility and virtue; and again, what a wonderful encouragement a lover gets from us all:"

-Plato, Symposium 182a-d 

"I presume, it is not to the interest of their princes to have lofty notions engendered in their subjects, or any strong friendships and communions; all of which Love is pre-eminently apt to create."
Notice how he mentions love and friendship together. Because friends love each other. Loving your family and friends is not sexual.
In ancient Greek the word ἔρος = (love, desire) can be applied to all kinds of loves.  "eros" was be used to describe any intense emotional attachment or desire, including knowledge, hobbies, friends, family, romantic partner.

Plato's Symposium is a philosophical text that explores the nature of love and desire. It is a dialogue between a group of men, including Socrates, who take turns giving speeches about love and its various forms.

The symposium is set at a dinner party, hosted by the playwright Agathon to celebrate his recent victory at the City Dionysia. Each of the guests is invited to give a speech about love, and their speeches range from humorous to serious, from poetic to philosophical.

Socrates, who arrives late to the party, gives a speech in which he describes his own experiences of love as a spiritual quest for beauty and truth. He argues that true love is not focused on physical pleasure or attraction, but on the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.

Throughout the dialogue, the characters engage in a lively discussion about the nature of love, with each speaker offering their own unique perspective. The symposium ultimately raises questions about the relationship between desire, knowledge, and morality, and remains a classic work of philosophical literature to this day.

7) Athenian law against slave abuse:

"[If any Athenian shall outrage a free-born child, the parent or guardian of the child shall demand a specific penalty. If the court condemn the accused to death, he shall be delivered to the constables and be put to death the same day. If he be condemned to pay a fine, and be unable to pay the fine immediately, he must pay within eleven days after the trial, and he shall remain in prison until payment is made. The same action shall hold against those who abuse the persons of slaves.]”
Aeschines, Against Timarchus 16
"Now perhaps some one, on first hearing this law, may wonder for what possible reason this word “slaves” was added in the law against outrage. But if you reflect on the matter, fellow citizens, you will find this to be the best provision of all. For it was not for the slaves that the lawgiver was concerned, but he wished to accustom you to keep a long distance away from the crime of outraging free men, and so he added the prohibition against the outraging even of slaves. In a word, he was convinced that in a democracy that man is unfit for citizenship who outrages any person whatsoever."
Aeschines, Against Timarchus 17

8) Extra ancient Greek opinions about same sex relations:

Plato says same sex relationships are against nature and that the Ganymede story is a fabrication by the Cretans
"when male unites with female for procreation the pleasure experienced is held to be due to nature, but contrary to nature when male mates with male or female with female, and that those first guilty of such enormities were impelled by their slavery to pleasure. And we all accuse the Cretans of concocting the story about Ganymede."

The passage suggests that sexual behavior should be governed by the law of nature, and that citizens should exercise self-restraint and care for their offspring in order to preserve the species.
"[840d] but have fallen into a strait because of the cowardice of the many, I maintain that our regulation on this head must go forward and proclaim that our citizens must not be worse than fowls and many other animals which are produced in large broods, and which live chaste and celibate lives without sexual intercourse until they arrive at the age for breeding; and when they reach this age they pair off, as instinct moves them, male with female and female with male; and thereafter"
Plato, Laws 840d

Publicly refers to homosexuals as "disgusting creatures".
"If therefore Misgolas is willing to come forward here and testify to the truth, he will be doing what is right; but if he prefers to refuse the summons rather than testify to the truth, the whole business will be made clear to you. For if the man who did the thing is going to be ashamed of it and choose to pay a thousand drachmas into the treasury rather than show his face before you,1 while the man to whom it has been done is to be a speaker in your assembly, then wise indeed was the lawgiver who excluded such disgusting creatures from the platform."
1 It is evident from this that when a formal summons to testify in court was refused, a definite fine was inflicted.
-Aeschines, Against Timarchus 17
"But when [p. 419] Philoxenus,2 the governor of the coast-lands of Asia Minor, wrote to Alexander that there was in Ionia a youth, the like of whom for bloom and beauty did not exist, and inquired in his letter whether he should send the boy on to him. Alexander wrote bitterly in reply, ‘Vilest of men, what deed of this sort have you ever been privy to in my past that now you would flatter me with the offer of such pleasures?’"
-Plutarch: On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander 1 12

9) More examples of distortion of the meaning

It appears that the editors of Wikipedia allow for substantial distortion of cited texts while simultaneously prohibiting the use of exact quotations and proper summaries. For instance, the following excerpt was altered in a sneaky way that implies the allowance of some sexual attraction when he Xenophon clearly says that lovers/mentors (erastes) must abstain from sexual intercourse from their beloved/mentored (eromenos) boys the same way parents abstain from sexual intercourse with their children and brothers and sisters with each other.
"a man might aim for idealized friendship with a boy but a sexual relationship was considered "an abomination" tantamount to incest."
The altered version of the text reads:
"but only if it was based around friendship and love and not solely around physical, sexual attraction,"
According to Xenophon about Sparta in Constitution of the Lacedaemonians (Spartans), a relationship ("association") between a man and a boy could be tolerated, only if it was based around platonic friendship or mentorship but if it was sexual then it was considered "an abomination" tantamount to incest.
"The customs instituted by Lycurgus were opposed to all of these. If someone, being himself an honest man, admired a boy's soul and tried to make of him an ideal friend without reproach and to associate with him, he approved, and believed in the excellence of this kind of training. But if it was clear that the attraction lay in the boy's outward beauty, he banned the connexion as an abomination; and thus he caused lovers to abstain from boys no less than parents abstain from sexual intercourse with their children and brothers and sisters with each other."
-Xenophon, Constitution of the Lacedaimonians 2.13

This suggests that the editors of Wikipedia permit significant changes to the meaning of texts, potentially leading to a distorted understanding of the original material.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pederasty_in_ancient_Greece&diff=prev&oldid=901255543

10) The similarities between the ancient Greek and the modern Greek attitudes towards same-sex relationships.

Modern Greeks still view same-sex sexual relationships in a similar way as ancient Greeks, although modern globalization and western media influence is changing that. The term "poustis" is the modern equivalent of the ancient Greek derogatory term "kinaidos". In ancient Greece a man who acts as the receiver during anal intercourse may have been the recipient of the insult "kinaidos", meaning effeminate. The negative attitudes towards homosexuality that existed in ancient Greece might still be present in modern Greek society.

The "poustis" is considered to be the "real homosexual," while the "kouloumbaras" is viewed as a man who has simply fulfilled his sexual urges with a member of the same sex. This suggests that the negative attitudes towards homosexuality are still very much present in modern Greek society, and that there is a double standard at play when it comes to attitudes towards homosexuality.

"In general, deviation from heterosexual sex seems to “posit a threat to the view that sex is innate” (Loizos and Papataxiarchis, 1991, p227) and therefore homosexuality is treated with “exaggerated horror.” In Cyprus, as in Greece, homosexual behavior has been interpreted as involving an ‘active’, very masculine man, and a ‘passive,’ ‘feminine’ man. Cypriots widely accept that the passive member in a male homosexual relationship is the ‘real homosexual’, the poustis; 15 the active partner is jokingly called kouloumbaras, and he can be more socially accepted as a man who had ‘normal’ sexual urges fulfilled with a member of the same sex. Many sexual activities jokingly described by soldiers (eighteen to twenty year old men) involve “X having been f … d by Y, because he is gay.”16 This contradictory attitude on male homosexuality is reflected in the study by Georgiou mentioned above, who found that “the Cypriot priests … believed that the passive homosexual was by far worse than the active one … and also reflects the societal attitudes of the majority of Cypriot males.” (Georgiou, 1992). One of my interviewees told me that her husband had such experiences with two men in the army and that he confessed it to her when they first met; she found it strange but acceptable because her husband was the active partner: “he is not exactly a poustis, right?”17 Sexist, essentialist discourses dominate in these interpretations, as traditional associations of sexual passivity and weakness are connected with gay men, who are ‘feminine in behavior’ (yenekotoi, poustidhes). By penetrating, and thus feminizing the homosexual man, the conceived ‘straight’ man acquires power. However, a commonly used term to “suggest the possibility of sexual attraction between women” (Loizos and Papataxiarchis, 1991, p229) does not exist. Further, “not only is there no female counterpart to the poustis, but there is no common term for a woman who would wish to take a ‘male role, either.” Female homosexuality, if expressed, is a deep secret that no one wishes to uncover. The association of women’s sexuality to fertility is so strong that a need for women to ‘express’ sexuality in ways that cannot result to procreation is beyond perception (Loizos and Papataxiarchis, 1991, p229)"

In conclusion, the use of the term "poustis" in modern Greek society suggests that negative attitudes towards homosexuality still persist, and that there is a double standard at play when it comes to attitudes towards homosexuality. While the ancient Greeks may not have been homophobic in the modern sense of the term, It is clear that the negative attitudes towards homosexuality that were present in ancient Greece have persisted into modern times.

11) Ancient Greek homosexual and Pedo art (part 11 not finished yet)

 "A surprise to him was the relatively low number of male homosexual scenes of copulation: 13 to 15, as opposed to 82 heterosexual ones or, put another way, 18% of the total (using the higher figure). He had expected a stronger showing of the homosexual theme, “given the view scholarship has taken over the last century or so... Sophia Kaempf-Dimitriadou in her book Die Liebe der Götter in der attischen Kunst des 5. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. (1979). Of her 393 vase paintings, 14% have a male homosexual content, in the form of gods pursuing mortal adolescents.”

Because of 30 vases depicting homosexuality, they came to that conclusion that ancient Athens and Sparta openly practiced and institutionalized pederasty and homosexuality, that it was promoted by the public, LOL. 

There are over 100,000 ancient Greek vase paintings, but only a very small percentage (0.05%) depict homosexuality, and most of that is about mythology. Even when you exclude the mythology-themed paintings, only 0.01% depict non-mythological homosexuality. If homosexuality and pederasty were such central aspects of ancient Greek culture, then we would expect to see more representation of them in the artwork. According to the misleading wiki it was "the principal cultural model for free relationships between citizens", lol. Homosexuals usually being obsessed with sex would suggest that there should be even more depictions of it in ancient Greek art. Aren't Athens and Sparta supposed to have openly practiced and institutionalized pederasty and homosexuality?. Maybe they just didn't obsess over sex 24/7 like modern western societies do? Where were these ancient Greek vase paintings found? Were they mainly produced by a few wealthy elite? 
https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/1995/1995.08.01/

I have to repeat this for people who keep forgetting or can't comprehend that it is not my intention to deny the existence of such relationships but my aim in this article is to challenge the common misconception that ancient Athens and Sparta were societies that openly practiced and institutionalized pederasty and homosexuality and that the notion that they were widely accepted and celebrated in ancient Greece has been exaggerated and distorted.


It was Walter Pater (in the late 1800’s poet and tutor) he and his ‘band’ that just out of a weird coincidence were all homosexuals (his ‘lover’ William Money Hardinge, John Addington Symonds, his buddy Alfred Pretor, Symond’s Latin Prof. John Conington, Edward Carpenter…etc) , originally began this fiasco of a theory in Oxford.
We find them introducing a totally new ‘theory’, in which Platonic love has nothing to do with “phyche” but is totally based on phisical attraction.

Later we find a list of wanna-be ‘historians’ of Hellenic sexuality, see: Michel Foucault, John Boswell, John Winkler and David Halperin..etc that were or are homosexuals striving to make some connection between homosexuality and Hellenism. The reason, of course, is simple. The Hellenes have always been viewed as a model of civilisation. So what better way to justify their sexual preference than by connecting it to the greatness of the Hellenic civilization and by doing so, legitimising same-sex?

While today with the words ‘heterosexual’ and ‘homosexual’ (note that both terms including lesbianism were coined after Pater and Co’s fiasco of a theory) we simply denote the sexual preference of an individual. The ancient Hellines on the other hand, while had, absolutely no form of definition for ‘heterosexuals’.. used the term ‘κιναίδος’ (kinaidos).. in order to describe ‘homosexuals’ and their preference..

Why this is of some interest/significance some may wonder… as I said, while the terms today simply define one’s sexual preference, the term ‘κιναίδος’ (kinaidos) actually shows us what they believed.. In order to approach this, we’ll take Epicletus account who has written: ‘the beginning of knowledge comes from the analysis of names’… so we have :

‘κιναίδος‘ (kinaidos) = “he who ‘κινεί την αιδώ’ (kinei ten aido)

from :
‘κινέω’ (kineo) = to move , to meddle with things sacred” and
‘Αιδώς’ (aidos) = “the personification of a conscience, of shame”

hence why the comprehensive “Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon” defines the activity of ‘κιναιδεία’ (kinaideia) as “unnatural lust”

So in reality the very word’s meaning is ‘he who provokes Αιδώς’ (shame).. we see to speak of acceptance when the very term used to describe them indicates their beliefs which was that homosexuals ‘provoke shame’ is rediculous. Also, we should not neglect to mention the well known fact that whoever meddle with ‘Αιδώς’ (Aidos) was always paid a visit by her companion Nemesis.




Update 30/04/2023 The youtuber metatron also covered the subject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbOKIsMuNWU

I will add more stuff
To be continued...

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