Author: Wikipedia

Abstract: »With the next paper, we move from language and theatrical art to a consideration of both myth and social attitudes as these may underly tragic texts. Pederasty was a markedly upper class behaviour in Athens and therefore attitudes to it became more negative in the mid-fifth century with the rise of radical democracy. Thomas K. Hubbard investigates this development through the presentation of the myth of Chrysippus and his abduction by Laius. He argues that Euripides is the first to link Laius with Chrysippus’ death and that this was consistent with Euripides’ hostility towards pederasty, which contrasted with the benign presentation of it by Aeschylus and Sophocles who reflected more traditional and aristocratic attitudes. Hubbard reviews the fragments and testimonia (discounting the Scholia on Phoenissae and relying instead on the hypotheses to Phoenissae and Septem). He places Chrysippus in a trilogy with Phoenissae and Oenomuus with their shared theme of the ruinous consequences of friendship betrayed. He argues that Euripides’ treatment of the myth is characteristically innovative, and contrasts Euripides’ general attitude to pederasty with that of Aeschylus and Sophocles. Finally he notes the decline in vase-painting of scenes of pederasty and its use as a convenient pretext for personal invective in the two literary genres which best reflect popular values, comedy and oratory.« (Source: Davidson, John, et al. »Introduction.« Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies 49 (2006): xii)

Contents:

	I. Fragments (p. 224)
	II. Testimonia (p. 227)
	III. Trilogy (p. 231)
	IV. Mythological innovation (p. 233)
	V, Homosexuality in Greek tragedy (p. 237)
	VI. Historical context (p. 240)

Wikipedia: Ancient history: Ancient Greece | Art: Ancient Greek art / Pottery of ancient Greece | Literature: Greek literature / Euripides | Literature: Fiction about rape | Myth: Greek mythology / Chrysippus of Elis, Laius | Sex and the law: Rape / Rape in Greek mythology