Two Men Giving Birth: Phlegon of Tralles, De Mirab. 26-27

TRIGGER WARNING: human trafficking

26. Dorotheus medicus in Commentarios suos retulit, Alexandreae in Aegypto cinaedum peperisse: foetum conditum, miraculi causa, asservari.

27. In Germania, in exercitu Romano, quem T. Curtilius Mancias duxit servus militis peperit: Athenis Conone praeside, Romae Q. Volusio Saturnino, et P. Cornelio Scipione consulibus.

26. Δωρόθεος δέ φησιν ο ιατρός εν Υπομνήμασιν έν Αλεξανδρεία τη κατ Αίγυπτον κίναιδον τεκεϊν. το δε βρέφος ταριχευθέν χάριν του παραδόξου φυλάττεσθαι

27. Έν Γερμανία εν τω στρατω των Ρωμαίων ός ήν υπό Τίτα Κουρτιλίω Μα γκία, το αυτό τούτο έγένετο. Δούλος γαρ στρατιώτου έτεκεν άρχοντος Αθήνησιν Κόνωνος. υπατευόντων έν Ρώμη Κλίντου Ούλουσίου Σατορνίνου και Ποπλίου Κορνηλίου Σκιπίωνος.

--Phlegon of Tralles, De Mirabilia 26-27, Translated into Latin by Wilhelm Xylander

26. In his Commentaries, Dorotheus the Physician reports that in Alexandria in Egypt, a man* gave birth. The fetus was preserved and displayed on account of the marvel.

27. While on campaign in Germany, among the Roman army led by T. Curtilius Mancias, a slave of a soldier also gave birth. This happened when Conon was in charge of Athes, and when Quintus Volusius Saturninus and Publius Cornelius Scipio were consuls of Rome. 

* Phlegon uses the term κίναιδος here to explain the man’s pregnancy. Although this term was often used pejoratively in the ancient world, Phlegon uses it neutrally here.

Phlegon of Tralles	MAP:
Name:  Phlegon Date: 2nd century CE Works:  On Marvels	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
According to the Suda [φ527], Phlegon of Tralles was a freedman of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He wrote numerous works in Greek that are now lost, including the Olympiads and Roman festivals. His work, On Marvels, is a collection of extraordinary occurrences throughout history.	Roman Greek Literature

 

From Aeteta to Aetetus: Phlegon of Tralles, de Mirab. IX

 Note: Throughout his work, Phlegon uses the term ἀνδρόγυνος as an umbrella term for people of extraordinary sex, making no differentiation between intersex and transgender people. 

Quin et Laodiceae, quae est in Syria, mulier Aeteta nomine, etiamnum cum marito degens, e femina vir extitit, cui nomen Aetetus: praeside Athenis Macrino, Romae consulatum gerentibus L. Lamia et Aeliano Vetere. Hunc ipse quoque vidi.

Kai ές Λαοδίκειαν δε της Συρίας γυνή ονόματι Αίτητη, συνοικούσα τω ανδρι έτι, μετέβαλε την μορφήν, και μετωνομάσθη Αίτητος ανήρ γενόμενος. Άρχοντος Αθήνησι Μακρίνου, υπατευόντων

έν Ρώμη Λουκίου Λαμία, και Αιλιανού Ουέτερος, τούτον και αυτός έθεασάμην. 

--Phlegon of Tralles, de Mirabilia IX, Translated to Latin by Wilhelm Xylander

Also in Laodica (which is in Syria), there was a woman by the name of Aeteta living with her husband when she changed from woman to man, and then used the name Aetetus. This happened when Macrinus was in charge of Athens, and when Lucius Lamia and Aelianus Vetus were consuls in Rome. I saw this man with my own eyes. 

Phlegon of Tralles	MAP:
Name:  Phlegon Date: 2nd century CE Works:  On Marvels	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
According to the Suda [φ527], Phlegon of Tralles was a freedman of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He wrote numerous works in Greek that are now lost, including the Olympiads and Roman festivals. His work, On Marvels, is a collection of extraordinary occurrences throughout history.	Roman Greek Literature

Sympheron the Gardener: Phlegon of Tralles De Mirab. VIII

 Note: Throughout his work, Phlegon uses the term ἀνδρόγυνος as an umbrella term for people of extraordinary sex, making no differentiation between intersex and transgender people. 

Eodemque tempore Epidauri alius fuit androgynus, natus inopibus parentibus, cui nomen prius erat Sympherusa: in virum autem mutatus, Sympheron coepit vocari, vitamque colendis hortis trivit.

Και άλλος δέ τις ανδρόγυνος κατά τους αυτους χρόνους εγένετο έν Επιδαύρω γονέων απόρων παίς ος εκαλείτο πρότερον Συμφέρουσα. ανηρ δε γενόμενος, ωνομάζετο Συμφέρων. κηπουρών δε τον βίον διηγεν.

--Phlegon of Tralles, De Mirabilibus VIII, Translated into Latin by Wilhelm Xylander

At the same time in Epidaurus, there was another [adrogynos], born of poor parents, whose name was Sympherousa. Turning into a man, he began to be called Sympheron, and spent the rest of his life gardening.

Phlegon of Tralles	MAP:
Name:  Phlegon Date: 2nd century CE Works:  On Marvels	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
According to the Suda [φ527], Phlegon of Tralles was a freedman of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He wrote numerous works in Greek that are now lost, including the Olympiads and Roman festivals. His work, On Marvels, is a collection of extraordinary occurrences throughout history.	Roman Greek Literature

The Story of Tiresias: Phlegon of Tralles, De Mirab. 4

Iam Hesiodus, Dicaearchus, Clitarchus, Callimachus, aliique nonnulli, de Tiresia haec narrant. Tiresiam, Eumaris, filium, in Arcadia cum esset mas in monte Cyllene, serpentum, quos coire videbat, alterum vulnerasse: illicoque, mutato sexu, in feminam mutatum esse, ac cum viro concubuisse. Monitum autem oraculo Apollinis, ut, cum coeuntes serpentes iterum deprehendisset, alterum itidem sauciaret, ita enim in pristinum sexum rediturum, observata opportunitate, consilio dei fuisse obsecutum, itaque recuperasse pristinam naturam.

 

Iστερεί δε και Ησιοδος και Δικαίαρχος και Κλείταρχος και Καλλίμαχος  και άλλοι τινές περι Τειρεσίου τάδε. Τειρεσίαν τον Fυμάρους και εν Αρκαδία άνδρα οντα, εν τω ορει τω εν Κυλλήνη όφεις ιδόντα έχεύοντας τρωσαι τον έτερον και παραχρήμα μεταβαλείν την ιδέαν Γενέσθαι γαρ εξ ανδρος γυναίκα και μιχθήναι ανδρί. Του δε Απόλλωνος αυτώ χρήσαντος, ως εαν τηρήσας έχεύοντας ομοίως τρώση τον ένα έσται οίος ήν παραφυλάξαντα τον Τειρέσιαν ποιήσαι τα υπό του θεού ρηθέντα και ούτως κομίσασθαι την αρχαίαν φύσιν.

--Phlegon of Tralles, De Mirabilibus IV., Translated into Latin by Wilhelm Xylander

Hesiod, Dicaearchus, Clitarchus, Callimachus, and many others have this to say about Tiresias:

When Tiresias, the son of Eumaris, was a man, he saw serpents mating on Mt. Cyllene in Arcadia and wounded one of them. From that point on,  his sex was changed and he was turned into a woman--even slept with a man!

The Oracle of Apollo advised Tiresias that the next time they caught sight of serpents mating, they should wound the other one, and then they would return to their original gender. Finding an opportunity to do so, they obeyed the god's words and returned to their original state.

Phlegon of Tralles	MAP:
Name:  Phlegon Date: 2nd century CE Works:  On Marvels	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
According to the Suda [φ527], Phlegon of Tralles was a freedman of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He wrote numerous works in Greek that are now lost, including the Olympiads and Roman festivals. His work, On Marvels, is a collection of extraordinary occurrences throughout history.	Roman Greek Literature

 

"I Love Her As My Own..." Pliny the Younger Ep. 6.32 And Roman Masculinity

Roman men could form loving, parental bonds with their friends' children.

C. PLINIUS QUINTILIANO SUO S.  

1 Quamvis et ipse sis continentissimus, et filiam tuam ita institueris ut decebat tuam filiam, Tutili neptem, cum tamen sit nuptura honestissimo viro Nonio Celeri, cui ratio civilium officiorum necessitatem quandam nitoris imponit, debet secundum condicionem mariti <uti> veste comitatu, quibus non quidem augetur dignitas, ornatur tamen et instruitur. 2 Te porro animo beatissimum, modicum facultatibus scio. Itaque partem oneris tui mihi vindico, et tamquam parens alter puellae nostrae confero quinquaginta milia nummum plus collaturus, nisi a verecundia tua sola mediocritate munusculi impetrari posse confiderem, ne recusares. Vale.   

--Pliny the Younger, Letters 6.32

From: Pliny 

To: My Dear Quintilianus 

Greetings,

(1) Although you are very fiscally responsible, and you have raised your daughter to act according to her station as child of yours and as the granddaughter of Tutilius, the fact of the matter is that she is going to marry Nonius Celer, a very socially prominent man who requires a certain elevated lifestyle because of his political obligations. Your daughter therefore ought to have lifestyle fitting for a husband of such stature—including clothes and servants. These will not increase her social standing, but they will reveal it and enhance it.  

I know that although you are blessed in spirit, you are not blessed in funds. Therefore, I will take it upon myself to provide part of the financial burden, and give “our” girl with $500,000 (for I feel I am like another parent to her). I give such a paltry sum knowing that your pride would not hinder you from accepting it. Take care.   

PLINY THE YOUNGER	MAP:
Name: Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus   Date:  61 BCE – 113 CE Works:  Letters	REGION  1
BIO:	Timeline:
Pliny the Younger was an Italian born noble and nephew of the famous natural historian Pliny the Elder. He is best known for publishing his private correspondence, in which he flouts his connections with other illustrious Romans (including the Emperor Trajan and the author Tacitus). Two of the most famous examples of these are his “eyewitness” account of the explosion of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE and his letter to the emperor Trajan regarding the treatment of Christians.	SILVER AGE LATIN

"I Can't Wait to Hold Your Babies!" Pliny the Younger Ep. VI.26 and Roman Masculinity

Roman men could have loving and affectionate friendships with their peers without stigma

C. PLINIUS SERVIANO SUO S.  

1 Gaudeo et gratulor, quod Fusco Salinatori filiam tuam destinasti. Domus patricia, pater honestissimus, mater pari laude; ipse studiosus litteratus etiam disertus, puer simplicitate comitate iuvenis senex gravitate. Neque enim amore decipior. 2 Amo quidem effuse — ita officiis ita reverentia meruit -, iudico tamen, et quidem tanto acrius quanto magis amo; tibique ut qui exploraverim spondeo, habiturum te generum quo melior fingi ne voto quidem potuit. 3 Superest ut avum te quam maturissime similium sui faciat. Quam felix tempus illud, quo mihi liberos illius nepotes tuos, ut meos vel liberos vel nepotes, ex vestro sinu sumere et quasi pari iure tenere continget! Vale.  

--Pliny the Younger, Letters 6.26 

From: Pliny 

To: His Dear Servianus 

Greetings! 

(1) I am so happy for you, and I congratulate you that you have betrothed your daughter to Fuscus Salinator. He comes from a noble house, has an extremely honorable father, and an equally honorable mother; he himself is very well educated and refined, with childlike honesty, youthful affability, and the austerity of a man much older.  And I’m not letting my feelings for him delude me. 

(2) For I love him abundantly—as much as he deserves, based on the dignity and respect he has shown me—and nevertheless, because I love him, I might judge his character more keenly. And I promise you, as I have found out about him, you too will see that the son-in-law you are getting is better than you can ever hoped for. 

(3) What else? Hopefully he will make you a grandfather ASAP—and make a grandkid that’s just like him, too! What a great time it will be, when I can take from you+r lap his kids—your grandkids—and cuddle them as if they were my very own!  Take care.  

PLINY THE YOUNGER	MAP:
Name: Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus   Date:  61 BCE – 113 CE Works:  Letters	REGION  1
BIO:	Timeline:
Pliny the Younger was an Italian born noble and nephew of the famous natural historian Pliny the Elder. He is best known for publishing his private correspondence, in which he flouts his connections with other illustrious Romans (including the Emperor Trajan and the author Tacitus). Two of the most famous examples of these are his “eyewitness” account of the explosion of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE and his letter to the emperor Trajan regarding the treatment of Christians.	SILVER AGE LATIN

The Birth of Bacchus: Ovid, Fasti III.713-718

 Tertia post Idus lux est celeberrima Baccho:

     Bacche, fave vati, dum tua festa cano.

nec referam Semelen, ad quam nisi fulmina secum               715

     Iuppiter adferret, ~parvus inermis eras~;

nec, puer ut posses maturo tempore nasci,

     expletum patrio corpore matris opus.

--Ovid, Fasti III.713-718

The third day after the Ides is famous for Bacchus:

Bless me, Bacchus, while I sing of your holiday.

I’ll not mention [your mother] Semele, whom Jupiter visited with lightning

while you were an innocent little baby—premature.

So that you could be born at an appropriate time,

A father’s body was used to complete a mother’s function.

OVID	MAP:
Name: Publius Ovidius Naso   Date:  43 BCE – 18 CE Works:  Ars Amatoria                Metamorphoses*               Tristia, etc.	REGION  1
BIO:	Timeline:
Ovid was one of the most famous love poets of Rome’s Golden Age. His most famous work, the Metamorphoses, provides a history of the world through a series of interwoven myths. Most of his poetry is erotic in nature; for this reason, he fell into trouble during the conservative social reforms under the reign of the emperor Augustus. In 8 CE he was banished to Bithynia, where he spent the remainder of his life pining for his native homeland.	GOLDEN AGE ROME

Solve for X: Greek Anthology, XIV.1

POLYCRATES:

Fortunate Pythagora, Musarum Heliconius surculus,

dic mihi interroganti, quot sapientiae in certamen

tuae domi sint, inter-se-contendentes optime.

PYTHAGORAS:

Ego igitur dixerim, Polycrates: dimidia-pars quidem

circa pulchras dant-operam doctrinas; quarta pars rursos

immortali naturae laborem-adhibent: sed septimae-parti

silentium penitus curae-est, et aeterni intus sermones.

Tres vero mulieres sunt, Theano autem supereminet

Tot Pieridum interpretes ego duco.

Πολυκράτης

 Όλβιε Πυθαγόρη Μουσέων Ελικώνιον έρνος

είπέ μοι ειρομένω οπόσοι σοφίης κατ αγώνα

σοισι δόμοισιν έασιν άεθλεύοντες άριστα

Πυθαγόρας 

Τοιγάρ έγών είπoιμι Πολύκρατες ημίσεες μεν

αμφί καλά σπεύδουσι μαθήματα τετρατοι αύτε

 αθανάτου φύσεως πεπονήαται εβδομάτοις δε

 σιγή πάσα μέμηλε και άφθιτοι ένδοθι μύθοι

 τρείς δε γυναίκες έασι Θεανώ δ εξοχος άλλων

 Τόσσους Πιερίδων υποφήτορας αυτός αγινώ.

--Socrates, Greek Anthology XIV.1, Translated into Latin by Fred. Duebner

Polycrates:

Blessed Pythagoras, protégé of the Heliconian Muses,

Tell me: how many students

Are striving for excellence

Within your household?

Pythagoras:

Polycrates, I’ll tell you:

half of them are studying literature;

a fourth of them are studying immortal nature;

a seventh part of them are silent in meditation.

Three of them are women; Theano is the best of them.

That is the number of interpreters of the Muses that I teach.

<Anonymous>	MAP:
Name:  ???? Date:  Works:  Greek Anthology; Anthologia Graeca; Florilegii Graecii	REGION  UNKNOWN
BIO:	Timeline:
The Greek Anthology is a modern collection of Greek lyric poetry compiled from various sources over the course of Greco-Roman literature. The current collection was created from two major sources, one from the 10th century CE and one from the 14th century CE. The anthology contains authors spanning the entirety of Greek literature, from archaic poets to Byzantine Christian poets.	Byzantine Greek

Kissing Sappho is like... Greek Anthology V.246

Mollia quidem Sapphonis basia, molles artuum

plexus niveorum, mollia cuncta membra:

anima vero ex adamante duro facta: usque enim ad sola

est amor labra, cetera vero sunt virginitatis

Ac quis haec ferat? fortasse aliquis, fortasse, 

hoc quisitim Tantaleam sustinebit facile.

Μαλθακά μέν Σαπφούς τα φιλήματα μαλθακά γυίων

 πλέγματα χιονέων μαλθακά πάντα μέλη

ψυχή δ εξ αδάμαντος απειθέος άχρι γάρ οίων

έστιν έρως στoμάτων τάλλα δε παρθενίης

 Και τις υποτλαίη τάχα τις τάχα τούτο ταλάσσος

δίψαν Τανταλέην τλήσεται εύμαρέως

--Paulus Silentiarius, Greek Anthology V.246; Translated into Latin by Fred. Dubner

Soft...

Sappho’s kisses are soft

Soft...

Is her

Embrace—snow-white limbs—

Soft

Are all her limbs.

But her mind?

Nope!

Tougher than steel

Unyielding

Cannot be persuaded (απειθέος)

Only her lips are open for love,

The rest are for the ladies*

Who’s going to put up with that?

Someone, maybe—someone who can endure

The thirst of Tantalus.

 

* pun: παρθενίης, “belonging to maidens,” here refers to both chastity and / or a love of women

Paul the Silentiary	MAP:
Name:  Paulus Silentiarius Date:  6th century CE Works:  [poetry]	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
Paul the Silentiary was a bureaucrat in the court of the Roman Emperor Justinian I in Constantinople. Dozens of his poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology.	BYZANTINE / LATE GREEK

<Anonymous>	MAP:
Name:  ???? Date:  Works:  Greek Anthology; Anthologia Graeca; Florilegii Graecii	REGION  UNKNOWN
BIO:	Timeline:
The Greek Anthology is a modern collection of Greek lyric poetry compiled from various sources over the course of Greco-Roman literature. The current collection was created from two major sources, one from the 10th century CE and one from the 14th century CE. The anthology contains authors spanning the entirety of Greek literature, from archaic poets to Byzantine Christian poets.	Byzantine Greek