(Boylove Documentary Sourcebook) - Pederastic Desire in a Poem by Rhianus
From The Boyish Muse (Ancient Greek: Μοῦσα Παιδική Mousa Paidike; Latin: Musa Puerilis [2nd Century AD]), compiled by Strato, in Book 12 of The Greek Anthology (Latin: Anthologia Graeca, 10th–14th Century), Volume 4, translated by W. R. Paton, Loeb Classical Library (London: William Heinemann; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1918).
Boys are a labyrinth from which there is no way out; for wherever thou castest thine eye it is fast entangled as if by bird-lime. Here Theodorus attracts thee to the plump ripeness of his flesh and the unadulterate bloom of his limbs, and there it is the golden face of Philocles, who is not great in stature, but heavenly grace environs him. But if thou turnest to look on Leptines thou shalt no more move thy limbs, but shalt remain, thy steps glued as if by indissoluble adamant; such a flame hath the boy in his eyes to set thee afire from thy head to thy toe and finger tips. All hail, beautiful boys! May ye come to the prime of youth and live till grey hair clothe your heads.
See also
- Puerilities: Erotic Epigrams of "The Greek Anthology" (book)
- Adult friend (dictionary)
- Age of attraction (dictionary)
- Athenian pederasty
- Boylove
- Cretan pederasty
- Ephebophilia
- Erastes
- Eromenos
- Greek love
- Historical boylove relationships in ancient Greece
- Loved boy (dictionary)
- Minor-attracted person (dictionary)
- Pederasty in ancient Greece
- Pedophilia
- Philosophy of ancient Greek pederasty
- Spartan pederasty
- Theban pederasty
- Young friend (dictionary)
