In her “Brothers Poem,” Sappho loved her brothers Charaxos and Larichos beyond masculine gender roles of merchant-trader and Iliadic warrior. … Read the post Sappho’s gender-defying love for her brothers Charaxos & Larichos
For doing good, Piers Plowman elevates sober, common labor over the Socratic intellectual practices of Plato’s Symposium and Xenophon’s Symposium. … Read the post Piers Plowman: sober, common labor over symposia of Plato & Xenophon
Like Bishop Nonnus seeing Pelagia, the monk John Climacus valued men’s sexuality and taught that worldly love provides the pattern for divine love. … Read the post John Climacus endorsed Bishop Nonnus gazing on actress-dancer Pelagia
In the Byzantine novel Drosilla and Charikles, a couple’s passionate love redeemed a dour old woman who allegorizes college sex tribunal officials. … Read the post Drosilla and Charikles shows college sex police can be redeemed
Among ancient Roman mass media, pantomime had an attention share probably only slightly smaller than chariot racing and gladiator fights. Ancient Roman pantomimes presented emotionally fraught mythic episodes through the bodily movement of a mute, solo dancer. Pantomime rapidly gained attention beginning about 23 BGC under the reign of Augustus. Two pantomime dancers — Bathyllus … Continue reading ancient Roman pantomime: Bathyllus, Pylades, and other celebrities