The Erotic Essay

Well, since you wish to hear the essay, I shall bring it out and read it aloud; but first you must understand its purpose. The writer’s desire is to praise Epicrates,[*](It was at the house of a certain Epicrates that Lysias was supposed to have delivered his love-speech; Plat. Phaedrus 227b.) whom he thought to be the most charming young man in the city, although there were many fine gentlemen among those of his own age, and to surpass him more in understanding than in beauty of person. Observing also that, generally speaking, most erotic compositions attach shame rather than honor to those about whom they are written, he has taken precautions that this should not happen in his case, and has written only what he says he is convinced of by his judgement, believing that an honest lover would neither do anything shameful nor request it.[*](This topic is treated by Cicero De Amic. 12.)

Now, that part of my essay which you may find to be the most erotic, so to speak, is on this topic, but the rest of it in part praises the lad himself and in part counsels about his education and his design for living.[*](The author plainly hints at a threefold partition of his theme: the erotic part, Dem. 61.3-9, eulogy, Dem. 61.10-32, and the protrepticus, Dem. 61.36-55. Blass sees a twofold division only, eulogy and protrepticus. In either case the remaining sections serve as introduction, transition and epilogue. Exhortations to the study of philosophy were called protreptics.) whole essay is written as one would put it into a book, because discourses intended to be delivered ought to be written simply and just as one might speak offhand, while those of the other kind, which are planned to last longer, are properly composed in the manner of poetry and ornately.[*](There is a reference to these two styles in Isoc. 4.11, as Blass notes. The epideictic is akin to poetry in the use of figures of speech (see Dem. 61.11); the reference of ornately is chiefly to rhythm. In both the Funeral Speech (Dem. 60) and the Erotic Essay there is careful avoidance of hiatus; rhythmical clausulae are not infrequent; Gorgianic parallel clausulae occur (Dem. 61.32).) For it is the function of the former to win converts and of the latter to display one’s skill. Accordingly, to avoid spoiling the essay for you or rehearsing my own opinions about these questions, I ask you to lend your attention, since you are immediately going to hear the essay itself, because Epicrates is also at hand, whom I wished to hear it.

Observing that certain of those who are loved and possess their share of good looks make the right use of neither one of these blessings, but put on grand airs because of the comeliness of their appearance and exhibit reluctance to associate with their admirers,[*](The Greek word means lover or sweetheart, applied to men as well as women.) and so far fail in judging what is best that, because of those who pervert the thing, they assume a surly attitude toward those also who desire to associate with them from pure motives, I concluded that such young men not only defeat their own interests but also engender evil habits in the rest,

and that the high-minded should not follow their foolish example, bearing in mind particularly that, since actions are not absolutely either honorable or shameful but for most part vary according to the persons concerned,[*](The same distinction is made in synonymous terms, Isoc. 6.60.) it is unreasonable to adopt the same attitude toward both classes of men, and secondly, that it is the height of absurdity to envy those who have a host of firm friends but to repulse their admirers, who are a separate group and alone feel drawn by nature, not toward all, but only to the beautiful and modest.

Moreover, although those who have never yet seen such a friendship turn out well or have severely condemned themselves on the ground that they would be incapable of associating innocently with casual acquaintances, it is perhaps not unreasonable to entertain this prejudice[*](He means the prejudice against any compromise with associations that might lead to homosexuality, variously known as boy-love, Greek love or Doric love.); but for those so disposed as yourself, who have not utterly refused to hear how very many benefits accrue through love without shame and have lived the rest of their lives with the utmost circumspection, it is not reasonable to have even a suspicion that they would do anything shameful.

Consequently I have felt all the more a moved to write this essay, feeling sure I should not fail to secure two most honorable rewards.[*](The use of the dual savors of poetry.) For when I have described the good qualities you possess, I hope that at one and the same time I shall prove you to be worthy of admiration and myself not senseless if I love you, being what you are; and secondly, in tendering the advice that is most urgently needed I believe I shall present proof of my own goodwill and furnish a basis for our mutual friendship.