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Kaitlyn Johonnesson
PHIL 2310-001
Professor Glazebrook
November 8, 2013

The Effects of Pederasty on the Philosophy of Love

Pederasty, or a relationship between an older man, the lover, and a young boy, the
beloved, was a relationship practiced by the intellectual elite of Ancient Greece. The Ancient
Greeks viewed love differently from the contemporary perspective; they used nomenclature that
specified different kinds of love, being eros, or erotic love, and philia, or fondness for something
or someone. I will show that pederasty was beneficial to the philosophy of love and shaped the
idea that love should be more than just lustful conquest. To prove that pederasty was beneficial
to the philosophy of love, I will explore how the relationship became popular among the Ancient
Greeks and how that created a positive situated ethos, as well as the effects of the relationship on
both the lover and the beloved and why those effects contributed to the philosophy of love.
Pederasty gained a positive situated ethos during its popularization, which led to the
belief that it was a virtuous relationship. Pederasty became popular first in Crete, and then spread
throughout the rest of Greece along with gymnasia. At first, in Crete, the relationship was
entirely sexual. Laws stated that men could not marry until they were in their thirties, so they had
to satisfy their sexual needs through other socially acceptable means, using slaves, flute girls,
prostitutes, or younger men (Armstrong Percy, 21). Pausanias defined this type of relationship as
being common, being from Aphrodite of Zeus and Dione, who was more opportunistic and
irrational than her older counterpart, Aphrodite of Uranus, whose love was heavenly (Plato,
180d). The sexualization of young males became more noticeable with the increased popularity

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of gymnasia, or athletic games, and nude art such as the Kouros Anavysos, which showcases a
young male with smooth skin, thick thighs, and large genitalia (Armstrong Percy, 23, 28). As
gymnasia was sexualized, pederasty was moralized. Because the Greeks associated sexualized
males with gymnasia, they in turn affiliated the virtues of gymnasia with pederasty. Soon, the
lovers would begin associating their relationship with beloveds as a virtuous relationship. As
pederasty was considered to be virtuous and sexually pleasing, the intellectual elite of Athens
found the relationship intriguing. Unlike women and slaves, men could become productive
members of society, participating in the political process and glorifying those who taught them
by contributing intellectual discussion and teaching others. It was the lovers responsibility to not
squander their beloveds reputation and uphold their legacy by excelling in the world of
academia and impressing the academic elite (Plato, 181d-e). The idea of reputation being passed
down through the younger generations appealed to Athenian men who wanted to spread the love
of wisdom, but more importantly wanted to be famous amongst other intellectuals. Because of
the virtuous reputation surrounding pederasty, the relationship became more socially acceptable
and even admired by the Athenian elite.
When the relationship was practiced with the intent of being virtuous, the effects of the
relationship were beneficial to both the lover and the beloved. Although some current
philosophers like Enid Bloch believe it was abusive because the boys had little choice in the
matter, gaining, in some cases, and tarnished reputation, the relationship still was practiced by
some in a way that was beneficial to both the lover and the beloved (Bloch, 183). The Ancients
believed that love was not good or bad in and of itself, and believed pederasty was morally
neutral (181a). As Pausanias said in Platos Symposium, When an action is done nobly and
correctly, it becomes noble and beautiful, but not done correctly, it becomes shameful, which

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implies that when beloveds were mistreated, the relationships were not considered pure and were
not held in high esteem by the intellectual elite in Athens (181a).If a relationship could be
beneficial to both parties, as well as society overall, then the relationship could not be inherently
harmful. When the lover only used his beloved to obtain sexual release and had no intentions of
teaching him virtue, the act was demoralizing to both the lover and beloved; in turn, when the
relationship was proper, both the lover and the beloved benefitted in both intellectual and sexual
ways (Plato, 181b). Practiced correctly, boys would satisfy their lovers sexual needs, and in
return they would receive education and training to be a good citizen. The beloveds would grow
into the world of the elite, learning the ways of wisdom and how to live an intelligent life, while
the lovers would gain not only sexual gratification, but also the reputation of a master teacher.
When the Ancients referred to the relationship as being the most pure, it referred to a pederast
relationship that was meant to be virtuous (Plato, 181a). Because it was revered as the most
heavenly and pure relationship a man could have, it caused the philosophers of the time to think
about a relationship as something that is mutually beneficial (Plato, 181c). Pederasty caused the
Ancients to view loving relationships as an act that would incorporate both philia and eros.
Pederasty acted as a stepping stone for ancient philosophers to view the ultimate romantic
relationship as an integration of both erotic love and fondness. Pederasty was the first type of
popular relationship that explored the bond created by two people who share sexual and
intellectual interests. The bond built between a lover and beloved was obvious, and the ancients
knew this bond was because of the complexities of the relationship, which eventually transferred
to other relationships. The relationship involved not only sexual pleasure, but also discussion of
the future, politics, and ethical dilemmas. Even though this relationship could only occur
between two males, it was the beginning of a philosophy that would incorporate all genders and

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relationships. Pederasty benefitted the philosophy of love by creating an outlet for sexually
frustrated males to come together in lust as well as intellect.

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Works Cited
Armstrong Percy, William. "Reconsiderations About Greek Homosexualities." Journal of
Homosexuality. 49.3-5 (2005): 13-61. Print.
Bloch, Enid. "Sex between Men and Boys in Classical Greece: Was It Education for Citizenship
or Child Abuse?." Journal of Men's Studies. 9.2 (2001): 183. Print.
Plato. Symposium. Trans. William S. Cobb. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press,
1993. Print.