User:Yobmod/LGBT themes in classical mythology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greco-Roman mythology feature male same-sex love in many of the constituent myths. These myths have been described as being crucially influential on Western LGBT literature, with the original myths being constantly re-published and re-written, and the relationships and characters serving as icons.[1] In comparison, lesbianism is rarely found in classical myths.[2]
The patron god of hermaphrodites and transvestites is Dionysis, a god gestated in the thigh of his father Zeus, after his mother died from being overwhelmed by Zeus's true form.[14] Other gods are sometimes considered patrons of homosexual love between males, such as the love godess Aphrodite and gods in her retinue, such as the Erotes: Eros, Himeros and Pothos.[15][16] Eros is also part of a trinity of gods that played roles in homoerotic relationships, along with Heracles and Hermes, who bestowed qualities of Beauty (and Loyalty), strength, and eloquence, respectively, onto male lovers.[17] In the poetry of Sappho, Aphrodite is identified as the patron of lesbians.[15]