Timaeus of Tauromenium (c.356-260 BCE)
History of Sicily
Timaeus seems to have been the one who invented the system
of dating by Olympiads later popularized by Eratosthenes. He wrote
a 38 book history of Sicily, his homeland (although he lived in
Athens for fifty years). Polybius praised him, but also accused
him of falsification. [Ref. Oxford Companion to Classical
Literature]
This passage is printed in W. Churchill: Homosexual Behaviour
Among Males, (New York: 1967), p. 77 but without a specific
citation. It is significant because of his specific claim that
"active" and "passive" homosexual activity
were not objectionable.
On Homosexuality among the Tyrrhenians
It is not considers objectionable among the Tyrrhenians to have
to do with boys openly, whether actively or passively, for paederasty
is a custom of the country…
When they are with friends or relatives their custom is the following.
When they have stopped drinking and are going to bed, servants
bring into them courtesans, beautiful boys, or women, while the
lamps are still burning. When they have enjoyed themselves sufficiently
with these, they fetch young men in their prime and let them enjoy
themselves with these courtesans, beautiful boys, or women. They
pay homage to love…
They are very find of women, but find more pleasure with boys
and with young men. These are very beautiful since they take the
greatest care of their persons and remove all troublesome hairs
from their bodi. |
