(Boylove Documentary Sourcebook) - The Conventional Pederastic Ancient Greek Lyrical Motif of the Mythological Comparison of a Young Male Beloved to Deities or Heroes, as Featured in a Poem by Alcaeus

Eros, Winged in Frontal View, Flying and Carrying a Fillet. Oil flask (lekythos) by the Brygos Painter. Greek, Late Archaic Period, about 490–480 B.C. Greece, Attica, Athens. Ceramic, Red Figure. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, 10.180.

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). Footnote omitted.

Note: The ancient Greek sanctuary of Olympia in Elis was located at the foot of the Kronion (Mount Kronos), mentioned below, meaning that this poem is a prayer for the victory of a young athlete competing in the Olympic Games. Adolescent boys had their own category of sporting events, with the minimum age for participation being estimated to have been twelve years.

64.—ALCAEUS

Zeus, Lord of Pisa, crown under the steep hill of Cronos Peithenor, the second son of Cypris. And, Lord, I pray thee become no eagle on high to seize him for thy cup-bearer in place of the fair Trojan boy. If ever I have brought thee a gift from the Muses that was dear to thee, grant that the god-like boy may be of one mind with me.

Ganymede with Zeus Transformed into an Eagle. Roman marble copy of the 2nd century AD after an original Greek sculptural group of the 4th century BC. Naples, Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

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)

External links

• THE EPIGRAMS OF ALKAIOS OF MESSENE (Greek Love Through the Ages)
• PURSUIT AND FLIGHT BY SIR KENNETH DOVER (Greek Love Through the Ages)
• DID THE GREEKS PEDICATE THEIR LOVED BOYS? (Greek Love Through the Ages)