He subsequent maintains one Dorkion is not only a great hetaira, but a beneficial hetaira exactly who specializes in an extremely certain customers. He writes into the web page 181:
“Dorkion, upcoming, is another ‘specialist’: she clothes for example a kid to attract most teenage boys who are just to get looking for girls once experiencing (nevertheless becoming partly from inside the) a level of great interest when you look at the men. Dorkion’s dress shows their thighs, which may were such as appealing to like teenagers.”
Cairns reacts so you can Cameron’s argument in the hetairai becoming influenced by money and gifts from the arguing one Dorkion isn’t really trying admission because a keen ephebe or encourage anyone that she’s that, but alternatively only dressed in a keen ephebe’s outfits to point this lady specialty.
I’m personally of your view that it’s impossible to learn if or not Dorkion is supposed to be an effective hetaira as the the latest poem will not offer united states enough factual statements about the lady imperative link reputation. I agree with Cameron you to Dorkion’s nonconforming behavior and you can intended sexual promiscuousness don’t suggest you to this woman is a gender employee.
In addition, however, trust Cairns there is zero proof on the poem to suggest you to Dorkion is attempting so you’re able to persuade anyone that she is actually an enthusiastic ephebe and this Cameron’s conflict on hetairai are depending into currency and you will gift suggestions doesn’t hold up to any form from scrutiny, since, naturally, males would-be very well happy to promote money and you may presents in order to a woman who clothes inside the a keen ephebe’s clothing if that was what they were looking for.
Whether or not Dorkion are a good hetaira or otherwise not, neither Cameron nor Cairns extremely shows you why an earlier tasked-female-at-delivery people such as Dorkion manage choose to skirt and you can behave like an enthusiastic ephebe to start with. Even when Dorkion are an effective hetaira just who specializes in men who’re sexually trying to find a lady who appears and you will serves like a guy due to the fact Cairns reveals, we have been still left in order to wonder as to the reasons Dorkion have selected for it expertise before everything else.
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As much as this point, I’ve been dealing with Dorkion because the a woman because is when Asklepiades identifies him or her and how progressive scholars has actually realized her or him, but I think we should be offered to the possibility that Dorkion’s technique of dress and behavior could well be a term from a good nonconforming self-conception of the sex of some type.
Author: Spencer McDaniel
Hello! I’m an ambitious historian generally trying to find ancient greek social and you can personal history. A few of my main historic appeal become ancient faith, myths, and you can folklore; intercourse and you can sex; ethnicity; and you may relations between Greek cultures and you will societies they seen as overseas. I finished with high change off Indiana University Bloomington into the that have an effective BA of all time and you can traditional training (Ancient greek language and you can Latin languages), which have departmental celebrates ever. I’m currently a student regarding MA program within the Old Greek and Roman Studies from the Brandeis College or university. Look at every posts from the Spencer McDaniel
This will be a rather fascinating poem I was unaware regarding, and i also provides enough opinion about this!
I became actually me reading parts of the newest Greek Anthology recently, from inside the interpretation since i have dont comprehend Greek. I found myself shocked to see one such a classic interpretation because the W.R. Paton’s integrated particular publicly homoerotic poems which were some swinging, unlike getting them into the Latin or deleting her or him. An example was An excellent.Grams. 5.56, that explains bisexuality.
The subject of the newest poem reminded me a small amount of Aelian’s tale regarding Aspasia regarding the dresses out of Tiridates (Various Histories a dozen.1), just who and additionally cross-dressers getting men’s room like.