In Crete, Thebes and Thera, these unions enjoyed religious sanction. The engagement of the lovers, or at least their physical attachment, was accorded the protection of some god or hero. In Thebes, upon the holy promontory near the City, some 50 to 70 meters from the temple of Apollo Karneies and on the sacred site dedicated to Zeus, there is a chiselled inscription, which bears these words: “On this holy place, under the protection of Zeus, Krion has consummated his union with the son of Bathykles and proclaiming it proudly to the world dedicates to it this imperishable memorial. And many Thereans with him, and after him, have united themselves with their boys on this same holy spot.” Referring to Rome in the time of the emperors, during which time lewdness and debauchery assumed forms that could only have been inspired by moral insanity, Bebel states that men and women vied with each other in immorality. The number of public brothels increased rapidly, and besides “Greek love” (Pederasty) was practiced more and more by the men. As an indication of the extent of homosexual indulgence, at one time the number of male prostitutes in Rome was greater than the number of female prostitutes. Later, when the pendulum swung the other way, repressive measures were taken to stamp out the practice of homosexuality. Both Constantine and Theodosius enacted legislation against sexual inversion, even going to the extent of committing the offenders to “avenging flames.” These statutes, however, were not rigidly enforced, and modern opinion on the question may be said to have come from Justinian’s enactments. HOMO-SEXUALITY AMONG PRIMITIVE PEOPLE. Among primitive tribes, religious rites and ceremonies in association with homosexual acts have long been observed. Dr. W. A. Hammond reports that the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico cultivate so-called “mujerados,” of which one is required in every tribe of this group. They play an important role in the Spring religious festivals--which, from the modern viewpoint, are really orgies--in which pederasty figures prominently. These Saturnalia naturally were guarded with the greatest secrecy from the observation of outsiders.