The Plague of Lust, Vol. 1 (of 2): Being a History of Venereal Disease in Classical AntiquityRosenbaum, Julius
History
The Plague of Lust, Vol. 1 (of 2): Being a History of Venereal Disease in Classical Antiquity
Rosenbaum, Julius
Sexually transmitted diseases -- History
_Mentula cum doleat puero, tibi_, Naevole, _culus_,
Non sum divinus, sed scio quid facias.
(To Naevolus.—When I see _pained and sore the boy’s penis and your
posterior_, Naevolus,—I’m no wizard, but I know what it is you do).
Here we see both parts suffering from disease, the paederast in his
penis, the pathic in his posterior: and _Martial_ concludes Naevolus
was a _cinaedus_.
But more especially must phimosis and paraphimosis have had a tendency
to be set up in the case of the paederast. These at first, because
the continuous state of erection of the _penis_ which is a feature of
these affections was obviously the most visibly conspicuous symptom,
were designated by the name Satyriasis, the usual appellation of the
latter condition. This will also give a probable explanation of the
mortality from this cause observed by _Themison_ in _Crete_[266],—a
locality notorious, as we have seen, for the dishonouring of boys,—and
generally for the frequency of Satyriasis, which often took an almost
epidemic character in that island. Paraphimosis it should be noted
in passing had already been only too frequently noted as affecting
masturbators. Physicians indeed say nothing as to the predisposing
causes, and explain the disease as arising from an _Acrimonia humorum_
(Acridness of the humours) or from drinking a Philtre (Love-potion).
_Naumann_[267] appears to wish to make the Satyriasis that prevailed
in Crete some form of leprous affection, but for this view we can find
absolutely no ground.
Much more frequent mention is found of affections of the _rectum_ among
the pathics as consequences of paederastia. First come fissures, and in
their train ulcers of the _rectum_; whence the expressions _sectus_,
_percisus_ (cut), and the like are applied so often in Roman writers to
the pathic, and to his vice generally. So _Martial_[268] says:
IN CARINUM.
_Secti podicis usque ad umbilicum_
Nullas reliquias habet Carinus,
Et prurit tamen usque ad umbilicum.
O quanta scabie miser laborat!
Culum non habet, est tamen cinaedus.
(To Carinus.—Carinus has no relics left of _his fundament, cut up
to the very navel_; and yet he itches with desire up to the very
navel. Oh! what a vile itch torments the unhappy man! He possesses no
posterior, and nevertheless is a cinaedus (pathic).)
IN LESBIAM[269].
De cathedra quoties surgis, jam saepe notavi,
_Paedicant miseram_, Lesbia, _te tunicae.
Quas cum conata es dextra, conata sinistra
Vellere, cum lacrimis eximis et gemitu._
Sic constringuntur gemina Symplegade culi,
Et Minyas intrant Cyaneasque nates.
Emendare cupis _vitium deforme_? docebo.
Lesbia, nec surgas censeo, nec sedeas!
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