M/M: Love Conquers Evil: Harmodius & Aristogeiton, Max. Tyr. Diss. 8

Harmodius and Aristogeiton

Name: Maximus of Tyre Date:   2nd century CE Region:   Tyre [modern Lebanon] Citation:    Dissertation 18.2.a-e

Harmodius, a Athenian youth had two lovers: Aristogeiton was a citizen  and Hipparchus was a tyrant. Aristogeiton was distinguished for his behavior, and knew his place in life, but Hipparchus was wicked, and abused his position. Harmodius was beautiful and worthy of love, and so he matter-of-factly rejected the tyrant and dated the private citizen. Hipparchus became angry at this fact and, took his anger out on both youths, as well as Harmodius’ sister, whom he dishonored and banned from carrying the sacred baskets at the Panathenian Festival. Immediately Hipparchus paid the penalty for his conduct. The shameful lust of the tyrant, together with Harmodius’ courage, his appropriate love of Aristogeiton, and his love of virtue, were the cause of the liberation of Athens from tyranny.

Μειρακίῳ Ἀττικῷ δύο ἦσαν ἐρασταὶ, ἰδιώτης καὶ τύραννος. ὁ μὲν δίκαιος ἦν διὰ ἰσοτιμίαν, ὁ δὲ ἄδικος δι’ ἐξουσίαν. ἀλλὰ τὸ γε μειράκιον ὄντως ἦν καλὸν καὶ ἐρᾶσθαι ἄξιον. ὥστε ὑπεριδὸν τοῦ τυράννου τὸν ἰδιώτην ἠσπάζετο. ὁ δὲ ὑπ ̓ ὀργῆς, ἄλλα τε ἀμφοτέρους προπηλάκισεν, καὶ ἀδελφὴν Ἀρμοδίου  Παναθηναίοις ἥκουσαν ἐπὶ τὴν πομπὴν κανηφοροῦσαν ἐξήλασεν ἐπ ἀτιμίᾳ. Διδόασι δίκην ἐκ τούτου Πεισιστρατίδαι, καὶ ἦρξεν ἐλευθερίας Ἀθηναίοις ὕβρις τυράννου, καὶ μειρακίου θάρσος καὶ ἔρως δίκαιος καὶ ἐραστοῦ ἀρετή.

Adolescens quidam Atticus, amatores habebat duos, privatum hominem et tyrannum: quorum alter vir probus erat, conditionis suae memor: alter improbus, potentiae fiducia. Sed et adolescens vere pulcher erat, et amore non indignus: quo facilius tyrannum contempsit, privatum hominem amplexus est. Quare succensus ille, praeter alias iniurias, quis utrunque affecit, sororem Harmodii quae Panathenaeorum festo ad gerendum canistrum veniebat, cum ignominia eiecit. Huius facinoris poenam statim Pisistratidae dedere, causaque Atheniensibus libertatis fuit, contumeliosa tyranni libido, adolescentis audacia, probusque amor, et amatoris virtus.  Translated into Latin by Claudius Larjot

Maximus of Tyre [2nd century CE, modern Lebanon] was listed as one of the most influential people in the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’ life. He spent most of his life in scholarly pursuits; his Dissertations were a collection of philosophical treatises based on the works of Plato.

M/M: A Praise of Patroclus: Maximus of Tyre, Diss. 8

Name: Maximus of Tyre Date:   2nd century CE Region:   Tyre [modern Lebanon] Citation:    Dissertation 18

Right at the beginning of the Iliad, Homer presents us with two lovers who are fighting over a captive woman: one [Agamemnon] is bold and passionate, the other [Achilles] is soft spoken, but not impervious to feeling emotion. The one [Agamemnon] shoots daggers from his eyes, slanders everyone, and threatens each and everyone present; the other [Achilles] quietly leaves, throwing himself on the ground and weeping, lost; he says he will leave, but stays nonetheless.

Another type of love is shameful love, the kind that Paris has: he withdraws from the heat of battle to snuggle with his lover, and is an adulterer in every sense of the word.

You can also find perfect love [castum amorem], which is reciprocal, the kind that Hector and Andromache shared. Andromache called Hector her husband and lover, her husband and brother, and every other name shared with a loved one. In turn, he told her that he was more worried for her than for his own mother.

You can read about sexual love [Venereum] in the bedding scene of Juno & Jupiter.

You can read about lust in Penelope’s suitors; seductive love in the case of Calypso; loves brought about by love potions with Circe, and manly love [virilem] in the case of Patroclus. This love [between Patroclus and Achilles] is brought about by mutual effort, and remains steadfast even in death. It exists between two young men, both beautiful, both consensual [castus]. They both take care of each other. One grieves, the other consoles; one sings, the other enjoys the song.

The one expresses his feelings to the other: when Patroclus wants permission to join the fight, on the verge of tears if he wasn’t allowed by his lover. Yet when Achilles allows him to join the Greeks in battle, he gave both his blessing and even his own weapons. And Achilles is terrified while Patroclus is engaged in battle, and wishes to die when Patroclus is slain, and then resolves his anger. His nightly visions, his dreams, his tears are all proof of his love for Patroclus: even the lock of hair that he offers to his lover’s tomb in a final gift [is proof].

These are the types of love you find in Homer.

Et ecce statim in principio operis amatores introducit duos, qui de captiva una inter se certant, quorum alter audax est & furiosus: alter lenior quidem, huius tamen perturbationis haud immunis. Alter ex oculis flammam iacit, omnibusque maledicit, et minatur ordine: alter tacite recedit, humi lacrimans procumbit & anxius oberrat: discessurum denique se ait, cum maneat. Alia est impudici amoris imago, quam in Paride habes, qui proelio se subducit, thalamum intrat, et ubique moecho est similis. Invenies et castum amorem, qui utrinque mutuo respondet, quem in Hectore habes & Andromache: quae viro suo et amatori Hectori, patris fratrisque et si quae praeterea amicissima sunt tribuit nomina. Ille vicissim, ne de matre quidem sua se tam sollicitum esse ait, quam de illa. Habes et Venereum in concubitu Iunonis & Iovis. Et libidinosum, in procis: illecebrosum in Calypsone, veneficum in Circe, virilem in Patroclo: qui labore mutuo accenditur, et ad mortem usque constans manet. Quorum uterque iuvenis, uterque pulcher, uterque castus est. Alter instruit, alter instruitur, alter dolet, solatur alter, alter canit, auscultat alter. Affectum amatorium et hoc exprimit, quod cum pugnae potestatem sibi fieri optet Patroclus, lacrimetur tanquam non impetraturus hoc ab amante. Qui tamen et veniam illi concedit, et arma sua. Sed et cunctante eo metuit, et iam mortuo mori quoque optat, iramque suam deponit. Amatoriae sunt et nocturnae visiones, et somnia, et lacrimae illae: donum postremo ultimum quod sepulchro impendit, capillus. Haec sunt amatoria Homeri.
 Translated from the Greek by Claudius Larjot

Maximus of Tyre [2nd century CE, modern Lebanon] was listed as one of the most influential people in the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’ life. He spent most of his life in scholarly pursuits; his Dissertations were a collection of philosophical treatises based on the works of Plato.

M/M: The Army of Theban Lovers, Maximus of Tyre, Diss. 8

The Army of Theban Lovers

Name: Maximus of Tyre [Cassius Maximus Tyrius] Date:   2nd century CE Region:   Tyre [modern Lebanon] Citation:    Dissertation 18.2.f-k

Epamonidas liberated Thebes from Sparta’s control by weaponizing love. In Thebes there were many young soldiers in love.  Epamonidas put weapons in their hands, and created a squadron of lovers who had incredible valor and were undefeatable. Whether in battle formation or in melee they easily repelled the enemy’s assault, the likes of which have never been seen, not even under the skillful leadership of the Trojan War hero Nestor, nor in the descendants of Heracles in the Peloponnesian campaign,  nor in the Peloponnesian campaign against Athens.

The reason for this was that each man had to prove themselves to their lover, either to fight well in their lover’s eyes, or out of necessity, since each man had to defend his own sweetheart. And in turn, a rivalry spurred on their bravery, so they could perform equally as well as their lover, just as the puppies of hunting dogs follow the bigger dogs in the pack.  

Ἐλευθεροῖ τὰς Θήβας Ἐπαμεινώνδας ἀπὸ Λακεδαιμονίων σρατηγήματι ἐρωτικῷ. Μειρακίων πολλῶν καλῶν ἐρασταὶ ἤσαν Θήβησιν πολλοὶ νεανίαι. ὅπλα δους Ἐπαμεινώνδας τοῖς ἐρασταῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐρωμένοις συνέταξεν λόχον ἱερὸν του ἔρωτος. δεινὸν καὶ ἄμαχον καὶ συνασπίζοντα ἀκριβῶς καὶ ἄῤῥηκτον οἷον ουτε ὁ Νέστωρ περὶ τὸ Iλιον συνεστήσατο ὁ δεινότατος τῶν σρατηγών, οὔτε Ἡρακλείδαι περὶ Πελοπόννησον ουτε Πελοποννήσιοι περὶ τὴν Ἀττικὴν. ἔδει γὰρ ἕκασον τῶν ἐραστῶν ἀριστεύειν, καὶ διὰ φιλοτιμίαν ἐν ὄψει τῶν παιδικῶν μαχόμενον καὶ δὶ ἀνάγκην ὑπερμαχούντα τῶν φιλτάτων. ἦν δὲ καὶ τὰ μειράκια ἐφάμιλλα ταῖς ἀρεταῖς τοῖς ἐραςταῖς, ὥσπερ ἐν θήρᾳ σκύλακες συμπαραθέοντες τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις τῶν κυνῶν.

Epamonidas amatorio stratagemate Thebas in liberatem a Lacedaemoniis vindicavit. Erant Thebis multi pulchri adolescentuli qui amabantur, multi pulchri iuvenes qui amabant. Utrisque arma in manum Epamonidas dat, et utrisque cohortem instruit amatoriam, quae mirae virtutis planeque inexpugnabilis cum esset, conferto simul agmine facile hostium impetum sustinuit. Qualem neque imperatorum solertissimus Nestor, in Troiano agro, neque in Peloponnesiaco Heraclidae, neque in Attico instruxere Peloponnesii Necesse enim fuit amatores singulos, vel existimationis suae causa, quod in oculis adolescentulorum pugnarent, vel necessitatis, quod singuli amicissimum defenderent, strenue rem gerere. Vehemens rursus aemulatio adolescentulos pungebat, ut cum amatoribus sibi suis paria facerent: sicut in venatione catuli, qui maiores canes sequuntur.  Translated into Latin by Claudius Larjot

Maximus of Tyre [2nd century CE, modern Lebanon] was listed as one of the most influential people in the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’ life. He spent most of his life in scholarly pursuits; his Dissertations were a collection of philosophical treatises based on the works of Plato.

Sappho & Socrates: A Comparison, Maximus of Tyre, Dis. 18

Name: Maximus of Tyre Date:   2nd century CE Region:   Tyre [modern Lebanon] Citation:    Dissertation 18

Well, if it's appropriate to compare ancient literature with modern, what is Sappho's poetry except the Socratic art of love? For it seems to me that they both sought after the same thing: Socrates enjoyed the love of men, Sappho enjoyed the love of women.

• Both confessed that they loved many people, and were captivated by the most beautiful. 
• And the relationship that  Alcibiades, Charmides, and Phaedrus had with Socrates, 
• so too did Gyrinna, Athis and Anactoria have with Sappho. 
• And Prodicus, Gorgias, Thrasymachus and Protagoras were Socrates' rivals, 
• Gorgo and Andromeda were Sappho's rivals. 
• Sometimes Sappho blew off her lovers, sometimes she yelled at them, sometimes she would blow them away with the charm of Socratic wit.
• Socrates said: "Io, protect me!"
• Sappho said, "Protect me, son of Polyanax!"
• Socrates said that he did not date Alcibiades (whom he had a crush on for a while) until he could handle advanced conversations. 
• Sappho said, "you're just a little girl, way too immature." 
• Socrates criticized the body language and how sophists sat down; 
• Sappho sang, "the woman wearing a country-style dress." 
• Diotima said to Socrates that Cupid was not the son but the slave and attendant of Venus. 
• Sappho says the same thing in one of her poems: "You, too, o Cupid, you most beautiful slave." 
• Diotima said  that love flourishes in good times, and dies in bad times. 
• Sappho says the same thing: she calls love "bittersweet" and that it  gives troublesome gifts. 
• Socrates calls love a sophist; 
• Sappho called it a architect of words. 
• Socrates said that his love of Phaedrus put him in a Bacchic rage; 
• Sappho said that love shakes her mind like the winds shake the mountain treetops.   
• Socrates chided Xanthippe when she was sad about his impending death; 
• Sappho wrote to her daughter that "Grief wasn't appropriate (nefas) in the house of the muses, and it certainly isn't appropriate for us."

Sapphus vero (si quidem antiquiora cum recentioribus conferre fas est) quid est aliud quam amatoria ars Socratis? Videntur enim mihi idem spectare uterque, hic cum virorum, illa cum mulierum celebrat amorem. Uterque plurimos se amare fatetur, et ab omnibus formosis facillime capi. Quod enim Alcibiades illi & Charmides, et Phedrus, hoc Sapphoni Lesbiae Gyrinna, Athis, et Anactoria: et quod Socrati aemuli illi Prodicus, Gorgias, Thrasymachus, et Protagoras, hoc Sapphoni Gorgo et Andromeda. Interdum namque increpat illas, interdum arguit, tum ubique urbana illa Socratis elucet dissimulatio. Ionem salvere iubeo, ait Socrates. Plurimum salvere Polyanactis filium iubeo, ait Sappho. Negat se Alcibiadem quem diu ante amarat, priusquem e coloquiis suis fructum haurire posset, accedere voluisse Socrates. Parva mihi puella videre, nec adhuc matura, ait Sappho. Ille habitum alibi & discubitum sophistae perstringit: ila alibi canit, Quaedam rustica tunica induta. Amorem ait Diotima apud Socratem, non filium, sed pedissequum esse Veneris & famulum. Venus alibi apud Sapphonem in oda quadam ait, Et tu pulcherrime famule amor. Rursus Diotima ait, florere amorem cum abundat, mori cum eget. Illa utrumque coniungit: cum Amorem dulceamarum vocat, et dona aid dare, sed molesta. Socrates Amorem sophistam vocat, Sappho verborum architectum. Phaedri amore tanquam Bacchico furore concitare se ait Socrates. Illa vero, Amore mihi mentem, inquit, impulit, venti instar qui montanis incidit arboribus. Socrates Xanthippen perstringit, cum mortem eius dolet: illa filiae suae scribit, Nefas in poetica domo luctum esse; neque id nobis sit dignum. 

Translated into Latin by Claudius Larjot

Maximus of Tyre [2nd century CE, modern Lebanon] was listed as one of the most influential people in the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’ life. He spent most of his life in scholarly pursuits; his Dissertations were a collection of philosophical treatises based on the works of Plato.