This volume is an academic and philological exploration of erotic life in classical Greece and Rome, originally assembled to illuminate obscure references in ancient literature. The author compiles and categorizes the mechanics of human passion into distinct classifications, ranging from traditional copulation to specialized anatomical variations.
The text systematically breaks down these practices across eight chapters, examining normal intercourse, pederasty, oral practices, masturbation, cunnilingus, tribadism, bestiality, and multi-person groupings known as spintrian postures. Each category is illustrated with extensive quotations from Greek and Latin poets, historians, and satirists, including Ovid, Martial, and Juvenal.
Rather than offering sensationalism, the study approaches these historical customs through a cold, analytical lens. The material demonstrates how pervasive these behaviors were across all levels of ancient society, from common citizens to emperors.
Throughout the pages, the text contrasts modern prudishness with the frank acknowledgment of physical desires in antiquity. It examines the technical vocabulary, the social attitudes, and the physical positions associated with each manifestation of the amorous fancy.
The work concludes by presenting a comprehensive numerical index of these postures, serving as a definitive reference for classical scholars and historians investigating the esoteric habits of antiquity.
