| I'm also in the camp of not having Achilles and Patroclus, but for different reasons. I will admit that the homosexual relationship of the two became romanticised in later works, however. If Troilus and Cressida is on here, I say have at it, I guess, but it shouldn't be Homer listed. The real issue is that it doesn't fit the scheme of pedarasty in the ancient world. The relationship existed between an older man in a position of power, and a younger man under his control. Therefore, while Patroclus is clearly an older man than Achilles, the balance of power is juxtaposed. Achilles is a more powerful man, and therefore it would be unacceptable for him to take an older man as his lover. Hoc dicto, I also once wrote a paper defending a similarly switched relationship between Marcus Aurelius and Fronto. Ah well. |
Hidden Names
Name Dropping
...But Is It Shakespeare?
