Gay greek mythology

Some myths suggest a romantic relationship between Hermes and the hero Perseus. Pan frequently was depicted in sculpture chasing both women and men around with his always-erect penis and oversized scrotum. The incident drew a curse upon the city of Thebes.

By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. People have worshiped queer gods and deities for millennia.

A gay cupbearer on Mount Olympus? And for those who think same-sex nuptials are a 21st-century invention, Apollo also was in a relationship with Hymen, the god of marriage. Above: Alexander Kiselev, Apollo and Hyacinth Euripedes wrote that this divine Peloponnesian hero was on the way to compete in the Nemean Games when his Theban tutor Laius ran off with him and raped him.

Male lovers in the Trojan War? While tolerance is often presented as a sign of civilization's progress, a reading of Greek mythology reveals greater acceptance of.

10 Gay Greek Mythology :

Of course, many mythological texts and artworks connect Daphnis to the satyr Pan, god of music. Other myths also disclose Achilles was struck by the beauty of Troilus, a Trojan prince. While a famous philanderer who sired countless demigods by every peasant girl in need of an explanation to her parents, Zeus famously selected the young mortal Ganymede to serve as his cupbearer on Mount Olympus.

A myth traced in origin to the Boeotia region mentions a relationship between Narcissus and the smitten Ameinias, whom Narcissus would eventually grow tired of before sending him a sword as a kiss-off. In this dive through history, we explore 52 immortals who enjoyed same-sex relationships.

The relationship provided the foundation of the custom of paiderastia, the practice of Greek men at the time maintaining erotic relationships with adolescent boys on the side. A figure mostly known for his obsessive vanity, this son of a nymph and a river god would spend his last days gazing at his own reflection, but the first man he showed affection for was not himself.

Above: Zeus and Ganymede, artist and date unknown. The sun god, one of the most important in all literature, was also quite the libertine. These bonds, reflected in episodes from Greek mythology, such as the heroic relationship between Achilles and Patroclus in the Iliad, were thought to boost morale as well as bravery due to the desire to impress and protect their lover.

Mortals throughout history looked to the gods for guidance, love, and acceptance regardless of sexuality. Above: Chrysippus, kidnapped by Laius, looks for his father Pelops running behind the chariot; Volute Krater image B.

The wing-heeled messenger of the gods was said in multiple myths to have male lovers. The most famous love poem written by Pindar to declare his love for the young Theoxenus was described by gay rights scholar Magnus Hirschfeld as "one of the gay greek mythology perfect love gay 3 in the Greek.

Ameinias, desperately depressed over the rejection, killed himself. A gay cupbearer on Mount Olympus? Besides dalliances with numerous nymphs, Apollo was also lover to Macedonian Prince Hyakinthos, who died catching a thrown discus, then turned by the god into the hyacinth flower.

The Pseudo-Apollodorus also said Apollo had been with Thracian singer Thamyris in the first man-on-man relationship in history. Male lovers in the Trojan War? While Homer never explicitly states a gay relationship between Achilles and sidekick Patroclus, many scholars read a romantic connection between the two, as only Patroclus ever drew out a compassionate side to the famously arrogant warrior.