Homoeroticism is a prominent theme in Greco-Roman mythology, with many myths depicting intimate and romantic relationships between men. These are accompanied by related motifs such as cross-dressing, androgyny, and fluid expressions of gender and identity.

These myths have been described as being crucially influential on Western LGBTQ+ literature, with the original myths being constantly re-published and re-written, and the relationships and characters serving as icons. In comparison, lesbian relationships are rarely found in classical myths.

Homosexuality and bisexuality Apollo, the god of music and prophecy, was often invoked to bless homosexual unions.Christine Downing, Myths and mysteries of same sex love Due to his numerous same-sex relationships, in modern times he's considered a patron of homosexual love. Apollo was also called "the champion of male love" by Andrew Callimach.Andrew Callimach, Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths Other gods are sometimes considered patrons of homosexual love between males, such as the love goddess Aphrodite and gods in her retinue, such as the Erotes: Eros, Himeros, Anteros and Pothos. Eros is also part of a trio of gods that played roles in homoerotic relationships, along with Heracles and Hermes, who bestowed qualities of beauty (and loyalty), strength, and eloquence, respectively, onto male lovers. Sappho's poetry contained strong devotion to Aphrodite as well as same–sex love between women, leading to Aphrodite being identified as a patron goddess of lesbians.

Same-sex relationships and pursuits

Achilles and AntilochusPhilostratus, Imagines, (2.7.1) Achilles and Patroclus Agamemnon and ArgynnusClement of Alexandria, Protrepticus II.38.2 Ameinias and Narcissus Apollo and AdmetusCallimachus, 'Hymn to Apollo' Apollo and AdonisPtolemy Hephaestion, New History Book 4 (summary from Photius, Myriobiblon 190) Apollo and BoreasValerius Flaccus, Argonautica 4.465 Apollo and BranchusConon, 33 Apollo and CarnusPausanias, Description of Greece, 3.13.4–5 Apollo and CyparissusOvid's Metamorphoses, 10 Apollo and Helenus'Photius', Bibliotheca Apollo and Hyacinth Apollo and Hymenaios Apollo and IapisVirgil, Aeneid, 391-394 Asclepius and HippolytusClement of Alexandria, Clementina Homilia, V, 15. Athena and MyrmexServius' Commentary on Virgil, Aeneid 4.402 Athis and LycabasOvid's Metamorphoses, 5 Cephalus and PterelausStrabo, Geography 10.2.9 Chiron and DionysusPhotius, Bibliotheca, 190.33 Cleostratus and MenestratusPausanias 9.26.7 Cycnus and PhaethonOvid, Metamorphoses, 2, 367 sqq. Cycnus and PhyliusAntoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses, 12 Cydon and ClytiusVirgil, Aeneid 10.325 Dionysus and Ampelus Dionysus and Prosymnus Dionysus and StaphylusSuda s.v. Enekheis: "Stafulos o eromenos Dionusou" Eurybarus and AlcyoneusAntoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses, 8 Euxynthetus and LeucocomasPlutarch, Amatorius 20 Hephaestus and Peleus Heracles and AbderusPhilostratus, Imagines, Heracles and DiomusStephanus of Byzantium, s.v. Diomeia, Kynosarges Heracles and EurystheusAthenaeus, Deipnosophists, 13.80 Heracles and Hylas Heracles and Adonis Heracles and Argus Heracles and Iolaus Heracles and NestorPhotius, Bibliotheca, 190.10 Hermes and AmphionPhilostratus the Elder, Imagines 1. 10 Hermes and Crocus Hermes and PerseusPseudo-Hyginus, De Astronomica 2.12. Hermes and PolluxPhotius, Bibliotheca excerpts - GR Hesperus and HymenaeusServ. Ecl. 8.30 Hymenaeus and Argynnus Hypnos and EndymionLicymnius, Fragment 771 (from Athenaeus, Scholars at Dinner) (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric V) Kalamos and KarposNonnus, Dionysiaca Laius and Chrysippus Marsyas and OlympusPseudo-Plutarch, On Music, 7.Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists, 2.5.5. Meles and TimagorasPausanias 1.30.1 Minos and AtymniusPseudo-Apollodorus, 3.1.2 Minos and GanymedeAthenaeus, Deipnosophists, 13.77 Minos and MiletusAntoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses, 30 Minos and Theseus Nisus and Euryalus Orestes and PyladesLucian, Erotes Orpheus and Kalais Pan and Daphnis Paris and AntheusLycophron, Alexandra 134. Polyphemus and SilenusEuripides, The Cyclops 580—585. Poseidon and NeritesAelian, On Animals, 14. 28 Poseidon and Pelops Rhadamanthus and TalosSuda s.v. Theta 41. Θάμυρις. Sarpedon and Atymnius Sarpedon and Miletus Thamyris and HyacinthPseudo-Apollodorus, 1. 3.3. Theseus and PirithousOvid's Heroides, 4 Zephyrus and Cyparissus Zephyrus and Hyacinth Zeus and Ganymede

Sex and gender

Transgender The gender-change theme also occurred in classical mythology. The reason for the transformation varies, as in the case of Siproites (Σιπροίτης), a hunter from Crete, who was transformed to a woman by Artemis after having seen the goddess bathing/nude.Antoninus Liberalis, cited by Francis Celoria. The Metamorphoses of Antoninus Liberalis: A Translation with Commentary, pp.71.Orion: The Myth of the Hunter and the Huntress, pp.125-126. University of California Press.

There was also a motif of a woman needing to disguise herself as a male and later being transformed into a biological male by mysterious forces (mainly the gods). In the cases of Iphis and Leucippus, the woman's mother was pressured (by her husband) to bear a male child so the protagonist was forced to impersonate a male from birth. Later in life, manhood was "granted" through the blessing of a deity (Juno/Hera in Iphis' case and Leto in Leucippus').

Caeneus and Mestra, each of whom was a mate of a god (Caeneus was a rape victim of Poseidon/Neptune and Mestra was a lover of the same god), were granted manhood by the said god. Mestra, however, had the ability to change her shape voluntarily, instead of staying in male form like Caeneus and other instances above.

Tiresias, on the other hand, became female because he struck a couple of copulating snakes, displeasing Hera, who punished him by transforming Tiresias into a woman. Later the sentence was remitted, due to either trampling on the mating snakes or avoiding them, and he became male again. In another version, Tiresias' sex-change was caused by an argument between Zeus and Hera, on which they debated whether a male or a female had greater pleasure in sex, so they transformed him into a female to experiment.

Caeneus Iphis Leucippus Mestra Siproites Tiresias

Androgynes and intersex

According to Leah DeVun, a "traditional Hippocratic / Galenic model of sexual difference – popularized by the late antique physician Galen and the ascendant theory for much of the Middle Ages – viewed sex as a spectrum that encompassed masculine men, feminine women, and many shades in between, including hermaphrodites, a perfect balance of male and female". DeVun contrasts this with an Artistotelian view of intersex, which argued that "hermaphrodites were not an intermediate sex but a case of doubled or superfluous genitals", and this later influenced Aquinas.

Hermaphroditus (also the namesake of the word hermaphrodite), the son of Hermes and Aphrodite, is considered the god of hermaphrodites and intersex people. Hermaphroditus was depicted as a winged youth with both male and female features, that is, usually female thighs, breasts, and style of hair, and male genitalia.

Dionysus has been dubbed "a patron god of hermaphrodites and transvestites" by Roberto C. Ferrari in the 2002 Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. He is often described as effeminate or "man-womanish" In ancient greek and roman literature. According to Seneca's Oedipus, Dionysus wore female clothing as a child to evade Hera's wrath, and even after reaching adulthood and reconciling with her, he continued to wear and favor feminine attire and ornaments.Seneca, Oedipus, 420 His adversary Lycurgus mocks Dionysus's effeminate appearance, describing his attire as women's garments.Nonnus, Dionysiaca 20.226 the satirist Lucian satirizes his effeminacy in Dialogues of the Gods and The Parliament of the Gods. In Orphic Hymn 41, the goddess Mise is referred to as an aspect of Dionysus, who is described as "male and female" (ἄρσενα καὶ θῆλυν).

In addition to Dionysus/Mise, several gods are referred to as "both male and female" or "both female and male" in the Orphic Hymns, including Selene,Orphic Hymn 8 Athena,Orphic Hymn 31 and Adonis.Orphic Hymn 55 In Cyprus and Athens, an aspect of Aphrodite with male genitals and in some cases a beard, called Aphroditos, was worshipped. Macrobius (c. 400s AD) wrote in his Saturnalia, at 3.8.2: There's also a statue of Venus on Cyprus, that's bearded, shaped and dressed like a woman, with scepter and male genitals, and they conceive her as both male and female. Aristophanes calls her Aphroditus, and Laevius says: Worshipping, then, the nurturing god Venus, whether she is male or female, just as the Moon is a nurturing goddess. In his Atthis, Philochorus, too, states that she is the Moon and that men sacrifice to her in women's dress, women in men's, because she is held to be both male and female.Macrobius; Kaster, Robert A. (2011), Saturnalia, Volume 2, Harvard University Press; p. 58

Agdistis (Cybele) Aphroditus The Enarees Hermaphroditus The Machlyes Phanes Salmacis The Scythians Venus Barbata Venus Castina

See also

LGBT themes in mythology LGBT themes in speculative fiction LGBT literature LGBT history Homosexuality in ancient Greece Homosexuality in ancient Rome Religion and homosexuality Transgender people and religion

References

Bibliography