Intersex and Famous: Favorinus (Philostratus, VS 1.8.1-2)

The Famous Intersex Scholar Favorinus

Name: Philostratus Date:   170 – 250 CE Region:    [modern Greece] Citation:     Lives of the Sophists 1.8.1-2

Similarly, eloquence also made the philosopher Favorinus famous among the sophists. He was from the city of Arelate [1], which is situated on the Rhone River in western Gaul. He was born of ambiguous sex, and intersex, which was clear from his body type and his voice. He remained beardless even as an old man, and his voice was high-pitched, the same voice that eunuchs have. This didn’t stop him romantically, though! He was charged with adultery by a man of consular rank. He got into an argument with the emperor Hadrian, but didn’t suffer any major consequences for it. And so, his life was one of three mysteries: he was a Gaul who spoke Greek; he was a eunuch charged with adultery; and he got into a fight with an emperor without dying. [This is more a praise of Hadrian’s virtue, since the emperor could have arguments with others, yet treat others as equals, even though he could put them to death for disagreeing with him.]     

[1] Modern Arles, France

ὁμοίως καὶ Φαβωρῖνον τὸν φιλόσοφον ἡ εὐγλωττία ἐν σοφισταῖς ἐκήρυττεν. ἦν μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἑσπερίων Γαλατῶν οὗτος, Ἀρελάτου πόλεως, ἣ ἐπὶ Ἠριδανῷ ποταμῷ ᾤκισται, διφυὴς δὲ ἐτέχθη καὶ ἀνδρόθηλυς, καὶ τοῦτο ἐδηλοῦτο μὲν καὶ παρὰ τοῦ εἴδους, ἀγενείως γὰρ τοῦ προσώπου καὶ γηράσκων εἶχεν, ἐδηλοῦτο δὲ καὶ τῷ φθέγματι, ὀξυηχὲς γὰρ ἠκούετο καὶ λεπτὸν καὶ ἐπίτονον, ὥσπερ ἡ φύσις τοὺς εὐνούχους ἥρμοκεν. θερμὸς δὲ οὕτω τις ἦν τὰ ἐρωτικά, ὡς καὶ μοιχοῦ λαβεῖν αἰτίαν ἐξ ἀνδρὸς ὑπάτου. διαφορᾶς δὲ αὐτῷ πρὸς Ἀδριανὸν βασιλέα γενομένης οὐδὲν ἔπαθεν. ὅθεν ὡς παράδοξα ἐπεχρησμῴδει τῷ ἑαυτοῦ βίῳ τρία ταῦτα: Γαλάτης ὢν ἑλληνίζειν, εὐνοῦχος ὢν μοιχείας κρίνεσθαι, βασιλεῖ διαφέρεσθαι καὶ ζῆν. τουτὶ δὲ Ἀδριανοῦ ἔπαινος εἴη ἂν μᾶλλον, εἰ βασιλεὺς ὢν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἴσου διεφέρετο πρὸς ὃν ἐξῆν ἀποκτεῖναι.

Pariter et Favorinum philosophum eloquentia in sophistis clarum fecit. Erat enim ex Hesperiis Galatis ille, Arelate urbe, quae ad Rhodanum fluvium condita est. Natus est autem sexu ambiguo et androgynus, id quod et specie et voce apparebat; imberbis enim facie etiam senex erat et vox acute et acriter cum intentione sonabat, quales eunuchos solet formare natura. Tanta nihilo minus ardebat venerea cupidine, ut vel adulterii reus a viro consulari fieret. Ex controversia autem, quae ei cum imperatore Hadriano orta est, nihil cepit incommodi quare haec tria vitam suam admiranda habuisse dictabat, quod Gallus graece loquutus esset, quod eunuchus reus factus esset adulterii, quod cum imperatore contendens salvus evasisset. Hoc autem Hadriano potius laudi fuerit habendum, quod imperator qui fuit tanquam aequalis cum eo concertarit, quem interficere licebat. Translated into Latin by Anton Westermann

Philostratus [Lucius Flavius Philostratus; 170 – 250 CE, modern Greece] was a Greek scholar who lived during the late 2nd and early 3rd century CE. He was a member of the imperial Roman social circle; one of his works, the Life of Apollonius of Tyana, he dedicates to the Roman empress Julia Domna.

From Bride to Groom: Greek Anthology 9.602

From Bride to Groom

Name:      Evenus Date:        5th century BCE Region:    Paros [modern Greece] Citation:  Greek Anthology 9.602

I, who once raised my virgin hands

In worship of Aphrodite,

I, who often prayed

For a wedding and a pregnancy,

I, who laid aside my wedding gown

and entered a marriage bed,

I—suddenly transformed into a man’s body 

And now I am called “groom,” not “bride.”

And I no longer worship Aphrodite, but

Ares and Hercules!

Long ago, the Thebans told the story of Tiresias;

Now Chalcis will tell my story,

Who went from ball gown to baseball cap.

ἅ ποτε παρθενικαῖσιν ἱλασκομένα παλάμῃσιν Κύπριδα, σὺν πεύκαις καὶ γάμον εὐξαμένα,  κουριδίους ἤδη θαλάμῳ λύσασα χιτῶνας, ἀνδρὸς ἄφαρ μηρῶν ἐξελόχευσα τύπους: νυμφίος ἐκ νύμφης δὲ κικλήσκομαι, ἐκ δ᾽ Ἀφροδίτης Ἄρεα καὶ βωμοὺς ἔστεφον Ἡρακλέους. Θῆβαι Τειρεσίην ἔλεγόν ποτε: νῦν δέ με Χαλκὶς τὴν πάρος ἐν μίτραις ἠσπάσατ᾽ ἐν χλαμύδι.

Quae olim virgineis propitiabam palmis Cypriam, et cum taedis etiam prolem precabar, nuptiales iam thalamo solvens tunicas, viri statim e femoribus edidi formas: ac sponsus ex sponsa vocor, et post Aphroditam Martem et aras redimio Herculis. Thebae Tiresiam narrabant olim; nunc vero me Chalcis illam prius in mitra salutavit in chlamyde. Translated into Latin by Johann Friedrich Duebner

Evenus of Paros [5th century BCE, modern Greece] was a Greek poet whose works were preserved in the Greek Anthology. Little is known about him, although it is suggested that this author is the same poet mentioned by Plato.

A Woman's Choice: Marcia Remarries Cato, Lucan, Pharsalia 2.326-353

A Woman Says “I Do…” Again

Name:  Lucan Date:  d. 65 CE Region:  Corduba [modern Spain] / Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Civil War 2.326-353

As the sun was chasing away the cool twilight,

A knock shook Cato’s front door.

It was the widowed Marcia, still grieving,

Who came straight from her husband's pyre.

[She was originally married to Cato, a much better man,

But when she had paid the price of three children,

Her fertile self was used to provide offspring to another's home,

By joining families with a mother's blood.]

After that husband's final funeral rites, 

With tear-stained face, her hair disheveled,

Her flesh mangled with grief's blows,

She begged Cato, upset:

“When I was still fertile,

I followed your orders, Cato.

I took another husband. 

I had this other husband's babies.

Now, post-menopausal, I return to you,

Unable to be bartered out again.

Let me return to our original marriage,

Let us return to our original pledge (even if only in name).

Let my tombstone read, ‘Here lies Marcia, *Cato's* husband,’

Don't let anyone question why I left your household the first time—guessing whether I left in shame or in duty.

I'm not here ‘for the good times,’

I come in bad times, to support you in your troubles.

I'll follow you into battle.

Why should I be left behind, sheltered in peace,

And not just as close—or closer—than Cornelia was in times of war?”

Cato heeded her words. And, although it wasn't an appropriate time for a wedding,

(Destiny was playing a reveille for war), they had a quiet ceremony.

There wasn't much fuss; the gods were the only guests to the wedding.

A Woman Says “I Do...” Again

Interea Phoebo gelidas pellente tenebras

pulsatae sonuere fores, quas sancta relicto

Hortensi maerens inrupit Marcia busto.

Quondam virgo toris melioris iuncta mariti,

mox, ubi conubii pretium mercesque soluta est                  

tertia iam suboles, alios fecunda penates

inpletura datur geminas et sanguine matris

permixtura domos; sed, postquam condidit urna

supremos cineres, miserando concita voltu,

effusas laniata comas contusaque pectus                  

verberibus crebris cineresque ingesta sepulchri,

non aliter placitura viro, sic maesta profatur:

“Dum sanguis inerat, dum vis materna, peregi

iussa, Cato, 

Et geminos excepi feta maritos:

visceribus lassis partuque exhausta revertor                  

iam nulli tradenda viro. Da foedera prisci

inlibata tori, da tantum nomen inane

conubii; liceat tumulo scripsisse ‘Catonis

Marcia’, nec dubium longo quaeratur in aevo

mutarim primas expulsa an tradita taedas.   

Non me laetorum sociam rebusque secundis

accipis: in curas venio partemque laborum.

Da mihi castra sequi: cur tuta in pace relinquar

et sit civili propior Cornelia bello?”

     Hae flexere virum voces, et, tempora quamquam                  

sint aliena toris iam fato in bella vocante,

foedera sola tamen vanaque carentia pompa

iura placent sacrisque deos admittere testes.

Lucan [Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, 39 – 65 CE, modern Spain] was a Roman poet born in Corduba [modern day Spain]. He was an influential poet during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero, but his involvement in the Pisonian Conspiracy of 65 CE cut his life short. His most influential work, the Pharsalia, is an epic poem that recounts the Civil War of 49/48 BCE with Julius Caesar as the antagonist.

The Birth of Dionysus: Lucian, Dialogi Deorum 9

The Birth of Bacchus

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:   Dialogue of the Gods 9 [1]

Mercury: Neptune, Jupiter just gave birth.

Neptune: Really? He gave birth? How? ...But he didn’t look pregnant!

Mercury: You’re right: he didn’t have a pregnant belly.

Neptune: Oh—I get it! He gave birth out of his head again, like he did to Minerva! His *head* was pregnant!

Mercury: Nope! He gave birth to Semele’s child from his thigh.

Neptune: Good for him! His whole body is a womb! But who is this Semele gal?

Mercury: She’s from Thebes. She’s one of Cadmus’ daughters. He got her pregnant.

Neptune: So he gave birth to the kid instead of her?

Mercury: Yes, although the story isn’t worth your time. Juno attacked Semele (she knew her rival was pregnant), and convinced her to ask Jupiter to come to her with his thunderstorm power. When he approached her in all his godly power, the whole house burned down, and Semele perished in the fire. And then Jupiter ordered me to cut the womb out of her, and to bring it to him (it wasn’t quite seven months old—not yet old enough to live). After that I cut him open and put the child inside his thigh, so it could finish growing there. And now, three months later, he gave birth—and now he’s recovering.

Neptune: Where is the infant now?

Mercury: I took Dionysus (oh, by the way, that’s the kid’s name) to Nysa, and handed him over to the Nymphs so they can raise him.

Neptune: So Jupiter is both the infant’s father and mother?

Mercury: I guess so. Well, I’ve got to go and give him some water to wash the wound, and help him take care of the afterbirth.

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[1] This excerpt begins at line 12

Ἑρμῆς: τέτοκεν ἀρτίως, ὦ Πόσειδον. Ποσειδῶν: ἄπαγε, τέτοκεν ἐκεῖνος; ἐκ τίνος; ...; ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ ἐπεσήμανεν ἡ γαστὴρ αὐτῷ ὄγκον τινά. Ἑ: εὖ λέγεις: οὐ γὰρ ἐκείνη εἶχε τὸ ἔμβρυον. Π: οἶδα: ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔτεκεν αὖθις ὥσπερ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν: τοκάδα γὰρ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἔχει. Ἑ: οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ μηρῷ ἐκύει τὸ ἐκ τῆς Σεμέλης βρέφος. Π: εὖ γε ὁ γενναῖος, ὡς ὅλος ἡμῖν κυοφορεῖ καὶ πανταχόθι τοῦ σώματος. ἀλλὰ τίς ἡ Σεμέλη ἐστί; Ἑ: Θηβαία, τῶν Κάδμου θυγατέρων μία. ταύτῃ συνελθὼν ἐγκύμονα ἐποίησεν. Π: εἶτα ἔτεκεν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνης;

Mercurius: Peperit iam modo, Neptune. Neptunus: Apage: illene peperit? ex quo? ...: sed nec indicium fecit eius uterus tumoris ullius. M: Recte ais: neque enim ille habebat foetum. N: Teneo: ex capite peperit iterum, ut Minervam: puerperum enim habet caput. M: Neutiquam: sed in femore ferebat ex Semele infantem. N: Euge, ut bonus ille totus nobis uterum gestat & in omni parte corporis! At quaenam est Semele? M: Thebana, Cadmi filiarum una: illam congressus gravidam fecit. N: Tum peperit, Mercuri, eius vice?

Ἑ: καὶ μάλα, εἰ καὶ παράδοξον εἶναί σοι δοκεῖ: τὴν μὲν γὰρ Σεμέλην ὑπελθοῦσα ἡ Ἥρα — οἶσθα ὡς ζηλότυπός ἐστι — πείθει αἰτῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ Διὸς μετὰ βροντῶν καὶ ἀστραπῶν ἥκειν παρ᾽ αὐτήν: ὡς δὲ ἐπείσθη καὶ ἧκεν ἔχων καὶ τὸν κεραυνόν, ἀνεφλέγη ὁ ὄροφος, καὶ ἡ Σεμέλη μὲν διαφθείρεται ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός, ἐμὲ δὲ κελεύει ἀνατεμόντα τὴν γαστέρα τῆς γυναικὸς ἀνακομίσαι ἀτελὲς ἔτι αὐτῷ τὸ ἔμβρυον ἑπτάμηνον: καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐποίησα, διελὼν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ μηρὸν ἐντίθησιν, ὡς ἀποτελεσθείη ἐνταῦθα, καὶ νῦν τρίτῳ ἤδη μηνὶ ἐξέτεκεν αὐτὸ καὶ μαλακῶς ἀπὸ τῶν ὠδίνων ἔχει. Π: νῦν οὖν ποῦ τὸ βρέφος ἐστίν; Ἑ: ἐς τὴν Νῦσαν ἀποκομίσας ἔδωκα ταῖς Νυμφαις ἀνατρέφειν Διόνυσον ἐπονομασθέντα. Π: οὐκοῦν ἀμφότερα τοῦ Διονύσου τούτου καὶ μήτηρ καὶ πατὴρ ὁ ἀδελφός ἐστιν; Ἑ: ἔοικεν. ἄπειμι δ᾽ οὖν ὕδωρ αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ τραῦμα οἴσων καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ποιήσων ἃ νομίζεται ὥσπερ λεχοῖ.

M: Ita plane, tametsi fidem mereri res tibi non videatur: Semelen enim dolis aggressa Juno (nosti gravem eius aemulationem) inducit ad petendum a Jove, cum tonitrubus ac fulminibus ut veniat ad se. Cum morigeratus accessit fulmen habens, succensum est tectum, ipsaque Semele perit ab igne: tum me iubet, exsecto utero mulieris, deferre nondum maturum ad se foetum septimestrem: postquam feci, perscisso femori suo indit, ut maturaretur ibi. Nunc tertio iam mense partum edidit, atque imbecillius ex laboribus habet.  N: Ubinam nunc infans est? M: In Nysam ablatum tradidi Nymphis educandum, imposito Dionysi nomine. N: Ergo utrumque Dionysi istius & mater & pater est hicce? M: Ergo quidem videtur. At abeo, aquam ipsi ad vulnus laturus, ceteraque curaturus, quae solent, tanquam puerperae. Translated into Latin by Tiberius Hemsterhuis and  Johan Frederik Reitz

Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.