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Mary Renault Book Discussion
injest:
The Persian Boy is my very favorite. Do you have a fave?
injest:
One of the sweetest and most touching scenes she wrote was a scene in "Fire From Heaven"
Alexander and Hephaistion had climbed up on a high roof to talk (they were midteen at the time) They are in love and innocent still and the scene is so tender...to get the entire flavor of it you would have to quote the entire scene...but she captures youthful desire and confusion so expertly...here Hephaistion has his arm draped
"Hephaistion was thinking how fragile his rib cage seemed, how terrible were the warring desires to cherish it and to crush it"
Kerry:
--- Quote from: injest on December 30, 2006, 08:18:34 am ---The Persian Boy is my very favorite. Do you have a fave?
--- End quote ---
The Persian Boy is my favourite. I've read it many times over the years.
Mary Renault was very ahead of her time in the way she addressed homosexulaity. I'm sure she would agree with you that it shouldn't be an "issue," being gay herself. For example, in her biography of Alexander, "The Nature of Alexander," first published in 1975, comes this quote:
"The certainty is that he never became uxorious. With Hephaestion he remained in love, at a depth where the physical relationship becomes almost irrelevant; and years later Bagoas was still his recognized eromenos. He had been disinhibited, not reversed, and had now achieved the normal Greek bisexuality."
Kerry
injest:
there is a quote in the front of "The Nature of Alexander" (I don't see my copy right off...may be in my son's room..and I ain't going in there...I value my life and limbs!! :laugh:) but it says in effect that you should judge someone by the standards of their OWN time.
It is interesting to me to see how Alexander is portrayed and how she made such a strong arguement against some of the myths surrounding him. For example the story that he was a raging alcoholic...the facts don't back that charge up...
and how the Athenians worked so hard to destroy his legacy..and why...
Kerry:
--- Quote from: injest on December 30, 2006, 08:46:05 am ---there is a quote in the front of "The Nature of Alexander" (I don't see my copy right off...may be in my son's room..and I ain't going in there...I value my life and limbs!! :laugh:) but it says in effect that you should judge someone by the standards of their OWN time.
It is interesting to me to see how Alexander is portrayed and how she made such a strong arguement against some of the myths surrounding him. For example the story that he was a raging alcoholic...the facts don't back that charge up...
and how the Athenians worked so hard to destroy his legacy..and why...
--- End quote ---
It would be impossible for an alcoholic to achieve as much as he did at such a young age. Having said that, however, I must say that it is indisputable historical fact that he enjoyed the odd drop of wine!!! Wine was a very strong brew in those days and it was traditional to dilute it with water in the ancient world. The Macedonians were notorious for drinking their wine straight. It is documented that Alexander lost control whilst under the influence of alcohol - specifically when he killed one of his most beloved generals (forget his name). Re the Athenians, well, they hated him. They were such snobs! Everyone who wasn't Athenian was inferior, especially Macedonians!
It's approaching midnight here and I must away to bed. I will post a beautiful description of Hephaistion from "The Nature of Alexander" tomorrow. I look forward to staying in touch.
Kerry
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