Erastes/Eromenos

Erastes/Eromenos This concept originates in Ancient Greece, where Pederasty was a socially acknowledged erotic and educative relationship between an adult male (Erastes) and a younger male (Eromenos) usually in his teens.

Examples The origins of this male-male relationship even predates the Greek period. If you look at "The Epic of Gilgamesh"-- which is believed to be the oldest written story-- Gilgamesh has a variation of this kind of relationship with his companion Enkidu. 

Examples One example of an ideal pederastic couple was Zeus and Ganymede.  “Zeus was so taken by the beauty of the mortal Ganymede that he made the boy immortal:  “Boy-love is such a delight, since even the son of Cronus,/King of the gods, once came to love Ganymede,/And seizing him, brought him up to Olympus and made him/Eternal in the lovely flower of boyhood” (Theognis, 1341-50: 45).  The pederastic relationship of Zeus and Ganymede was ideal because of their age difference, but more importantly it was a sign to the Greeks that it was okay for them to participate in the same kind of relationship. ” (Holemen, par. 4). If it was good for the gods, then surely it was good for the mortals!  

Examples “Another case to be considered when discussing ideal pederastic relationships is that of Agathon and Pausanias.  Agathon was a young poet who hosted the dinner party that was the setting for Plato’s Symposium, and Pausanias was his erastes (Plato, 178A-185C: 180-182).  Their relationship was ideal in the sense that they differed in age by about 10 years, having started their relationship when Agathon was 18.  However, Agathon and Pausanias stayed together far longer than the typical pederastic couple.  It seems from the evidence available that neither man ever took a wife or had children.” (par. 4). This is proof that variations of the “ideal” existed.

Examples “One example of a pederastic couple that was not ideal was Achilles, the legendary Greek hero, and Patroclus.  These two were similar in age, and there is much dissension as to which of them was the erastes and which was the eromenos.  In the Greek tragedy Myrmidons, Achilles is depicted as the lover and Patroclus is depicted as the beloved, though Phaedrus presents a good argument for the opposite in Plato’s Symposium, in reference to Achilles exacting revenge on Hector, the person who killed Patroclus” (par. 5).

Continued “Incidentally, Aeschylus’ view, that it was Achilles who was in love with Patroclus, is nonsense.  Quite apart from the fact that he was more beautiful than Patroclus…and had not yet grown a beard, he was also, according to Homer, much younger.  And he must have been younger because it is an undoubted fact that the gods…are most impressed and pleased, and grant the greatest rewards, when the younger man is loyal to his lover, than when the lover is loyal to him” (Plato, 178A-185C: 183).” (par. 5). The fact that Achilles, one of ancient Greece’s most famous heroes, was involved in a pederastic relationship that was anything other than ideal lends credence to the existence of other same-age, same-sex couples. 

Examples Socrates was said to be the "ultimate" Erastes of the Greek period. He took young proteges under his wing, often educating them and introducing them to Greek society... and sometimes engaging in intimate relationships with them. 

Examples “Another pederastic relationship featuring partners of similar ages was that of Alexander the Great and Hephaestion.  The two were lifelong companions, and their relationship is reminiscent of that of Patroclus and Achilles, for whom Alexander held a great respect.  Alexander and Hephaestion always traveled together and fought in battles together; Alexander even went so far as to refer to Hephaestion as an extension of himself: “Never mind, Mother. For actually he too is Alexander” (Diodorus, 17.38). (Holemen, par. 6).

Dynamics “The power dynamics involved in such a relationship, with the erastes always in control, ensured that the erastes kept his dignity as a fully-functioning member of Greek society, while the eromenos grew up under the tutelage of such a man and as such could become a great citizen when he reached adulthood. ”… “ The erastes shows restraint in his “pursuit” rather than his “capture” of the young boy, and the eromenos would similarly show restraint by not immediately giving into the older man’s sexual desires.” (Holemen, par. 2).

Dynamics  ”Another important reason for the age difference between the erastes and eromenos was that the older male was responsible for teaching the younger male about Greek politics, military, and social gatherings (Hubbard, Introduction: 12).  The ideal erastes was meant to be more of a teacher than a lover.  The eromenos would receive this training in exchange for the sexual favors he provided to his erastes.” (Holemen, par. 3).

In Our Literature It is commonly thought that Lord Byron engaged in such “pederastic” relationships. We saw hints of this in the film Haunted Summer. In the film, Byron takes the young, handsome Dr. Polidori under his wing. Byron introduces him in literary circles and even gives him the idea for his most well-received literary endeavor, Vampyre. There is also consensus of thought that the relationship between Byron and Polidori was, at one point, intimate.

Consider this academic article: “Prey to some cureless disquiet”: Polidori’s Queer Vampyre at the Margins of Romanticism Mair Rigby Cardiff University Abstract Dr. John Polidori’s appropriative rewriting of Lord Byron’s unfinished “Fragment” as The Vampyre has long been of interest to the field of Gothic studies for its representation of the first coherent vampire in English Literature. In recent years, the inscription of sexual rhetoric in both texts has attracted further critical attention. Featuring men who traverse the explosively tense line between compulsory homosocial relations and the culturally prohibited horrors of homoerotic desire, these texts can certainly be read in the light of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s identification of the homophobic “paranoid gothic.” However, considered together, The Vampyre and the “Fragment” reveal more than anxieties about male bonding. In this essay, I explore the nexus of concerns raised by The Vampyre, its relation to the “Fragment,” and the perceived relationship between Polidori and Byron with the aim of working towards a repositioning of these marginal Gothic works as indeed both disquieting and deeply queer. The “Fragment” represents Byron’s contribution to the now mythical “ghost story competition” at Villa Diodati in 1816 which also inspired the writing ofFrankenstein. The man Mary Shelley dubbed “Poor Polidori” stands on the margins of this famous gathering, but he and his story remain a haunting presence in more than one respect. Focussing upon the way in which modern sexual discourse has helped make the author into an object of sexual interest, I propose that the production of Polidori as a strange, sexually suspect figure strikingly illustrates how the Gothic rhetoric of the sexual “unspeakable” can reverberate out from the text and into our thinking about the author.

In Our Literature Rimbaud & Verlaine had a relationship of “mythic” proportions. Critics and fans focus attention on their relationship as much as their work. While Verlaine was older than Rimbaud, and he should have been the “educator” in their “pederastic” relationship, it was Rimbaud who eventually took on this role.

Rimbaud & Verlaine Verlaine was an older, established “court poet.” He was well-received and successful. Rimbaud was only 17 and a “nobody” in literary circles. He was just a poor country boy. Verlaine saw his talent and took him under his wing. This began the “erastes/eromenos” dynamic.

Rimbaud & Verlaine At first, Verlaine attempted to do what any good “erastes” would do: Integrate his “eromenos” into “high society.” However, Rimbaud simply did not fit in. He was an outcast, and rather than cut his losses, Verlaine followed him. In typical “pederastic” form, Verlaine had more enthusiasm for the relationship than did Rimbaud. But, rather than humbly accepting Verlaine’s tutelage, Rimbaud used it to his advantage.

Rimbaud & Verlaine Upon Rimbaud’s prompting, Verlaine left his home, his wife, his newborn… his life, to travel. The two poets explored together, and some of their best work was written during their time together. However, in these relationships, a balance of power is important, and in this case, the scale was eventually tipped.

Rimbaud & Verlaine Verlaine allowed both “the bottle” and Rimbaud to exert control over his life. Rimbaud knew he was in control, and he used Verlaine. However, he was “just a kid,” and Verlaine should have known better. Verlaine lost his wife and his good standing. In a drunken, desperate state, he shot Rimbaud. He went to jail. Rimbaud, without a financial crutch, quit writing and became a gunrunner in Africa.

Rimbaud & Verlaine Rimbaud maintained that he had “said all he wanted to say.” He had accomplished, through writing, what he wanted to. He knew he would never be an accepted, elite, “court” poet. He simply put down his pen. Thanks to Verlaine, who saw his genius, Rimbaud’s works were published and circulated after his death. He went on to influence a whole generation of writers, artists, musicians, etc.

Rimbaud & Verlaine Pederastic relationships are not always ideal. They can be destructive. However, we have a long history of these types of relationships across cultures and across time. Consider the research that shows that most gay males admit that their first partner was older.

Wilde & Bosie Famed Victorian author Oscar Wilde suffered a similar fate as Verlaine. “In 1892, on the first night of his acclaimed play "Lady Windermere's Fan", Oscar was re-introduced to a handsome young Oxford undergraduate, Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed "Bosie". Oscar was mesmerised by the cocky, dashing and intelligent young man and began the passionate and stormy relationship which consumed and ultimately destroyed him.” Wilde eventually went to jail for sodomy (homosexuality was illegal in Victorian England). "In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it."  - Oscar Wilde

Modern Examples Liberace famously had relationships with younger men, most notably Scott Thorson. At only 16, he became involved with Liberace who was 40 years his elder. Thorson was a “nobody,” but Liberace took him under his wing. He taught him how to dress, got him plastic surgery, gave him a job, etc. When they separated, Liberace took a new, younger lover.

Modern Examples “Queer As Folk” was a groundbreaking show that ran from 2000-2005 on Showtime. The main character in the show was Brian, 29. A beautiful man with a huge ego, Brian refuses to be tied down… until he meets Justin, 16. At first, Brian “introduces” Justin to gay culture– he is “the educator.” Later, the two engage in a type of “reverse-pederastic” relationship, as Justin becomes Brian’s “educator” and shows him how change can bring happiness.

Further Reading http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=170142 http://shelf3d.com/i/Pederasty%20in%20ancient%20Greece http://books.google.com/books?id=Fke7pcstmv0C&pg=PA275&lpg=PA275&dq=erastes+eromenos+in+modern+society&source=bl&ots=H5CwVappdz&sig=rwwm3E7Jlpt4fj6utOiAc5sWZcg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=cRJwUtGtMubP2QWw9oHADQ&ved=0CGEQ6A