In the book of Genesis, Lot faces a mob of Sodomites intent
on harming the men in his home. His offer is surprising by today’s standards; “I
have two daughters who have known no man, I will give them to you to do with as
you please, but do not harm the men who took shelter under my roof.” Most would
be horrified at this offer, as this would mean throwing two twelve year old
girls to a frenzied mob, who would not protect them from something as trivial
to them as a gang-rape. However, to the people of the time, it was of no
consequence to them. Women were nothing but property.
From Abortion to Pederasty is a wonderful collection of
essays by today’s scholars on controversial topics in the classics. Sexual
violence, child abuse, and rape often figure in the bible, mythology, and other
forms of classical literature, and we often wonder how we can reconcile that
against today’s codes of conduct. Sharon James, for instance, writes how many
students and female coworkers confided in her that they were the victim of
sexual assault, which she finds rife on today’s college campuses. For her, it’s
difficult to hear this when the classics in her curriculum often have instances
of rape, just not blatantly stated.
James, like other writers in this book, looks at this from
the standpoint of the scholar, not a prosecutor. She welcomes the opportunity
to have open dialogue on this topic, and have the students compare the
treatment of women in the classics to the norms of today. Whether it’s the story
of the Sabine women, Lucretia, these issues can’t be ignored in the classroom.
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