Evolution of Ideas and Practices From Ancient Times :: essays research papers

Evolution of Ideas and Practices From Ancient TimesPlatos symposium is a order of speeches on what love meant in the society. Although the term homosexuality was not present in ancient times, it was something that was well practiced. Men and women still shared intercourse, but it was not thought of as wrong, or out of the norm, for there to be male and male interaction, and sometimes female and female interaction. Love, the shape shared between two males, came from physical attraction, emotional attraction and mental attraction. Love, the kind shared between a man and a woman came from emotional and mental attraction, and a fate to procreate. After the times of Plato female homosexuality was completely forbidden, although male homosexuality was deemed acceptable. Marriage was often just for procreation, but there was also love involved. gayness in modern times is often thought of as wrong. It is thought of as completely inappropriate for two men or for two women to be together in a sexual way. It is interesting to see how the idea and practice of homosexuality and the practice of love and marriage has evolved through the times.There was overmuch male and male interaction in the times of Plato. Older men often took jr. men under their wings. An older man would teach younger men about the world of love, politics, business etc. in return for sexual favors. In the beginning of Symposium Agathon requests that Socrates be seated next to him so that I may touch you, he said and have the benefit of that wise thought which came into your mind in the portico... Agathon believed that he were to touch Socrates and be with Socrates he could cop Socrates many wisdoms. It would not have been uncommon for the other men in the room to witness a sexual interaction between males, for they themselves surely participated in it. Although it is later learned that Socrates is not a enthusiast of sexual pleasures, he looks better upon stimulation of the brain.Who is really to s ay which kind of love is the true kind of love? Aristophenes tells a story of a different people, and Androgynous people. In the beginning a human was one being with four arms, four hands, four legs, and four feet. This being even had two faces, on either side of the one head it shared. The being was egotistical and upset Zeus, and so Zeus cold shoulder it in half and made two of one in an attempt to humble this being.