从同性恋透视古代希腊社会── 一项历史学的分析

Homosexual relationships between leading members of the society are recorded in Greekliterature. In the law of Athens homosexuality is held perfectly legal and even respectable.Further evidence of Greek poetry, vase painting and the Greek language reveals that homosexuality is fashionable in the aristocratic circle of the Greek polls. On the whole the Greeksregard homosexual relationship as superior to and more sublime than heterosexual relationship. This paper proposes that the key to understanding the Greek concept of love and homosexuality lies in the status of women. In the typically male-dominated society of the GreekPolls women are held to be inferior to men. Hence there can be no love between man andwoman since love can only exists between two equals. Furthermore,the almost complete separation between men and women in social life created an atmosphere favourable for the emergence and spread of homosexuality.