Talk:The Last of the Wine

HOMOSEXUALITY IN CLASSICAL ATHENS - AND IN THE NOVEL
To speak of homosexuality in the context of ancient Athens is anachronistic. There was purdah, and there were deep male friendships, but whether the latter were sexual relationships is another matter.


 * Hmmm...you should really elaborate. The idea of sexuality being anachronistic seems a little ridiculous to me.  If you have beef with the content of the novel itself, I don't really think this is the place to discuss it. Andral 06:16, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

Homosexuality anachronistic? What utter garbage. Please, repress homosexuality personally if you like if it's a problem for you, but don't try to airbrush it out of history. Male-male sexual relationships were normal in ancient Athens, and this is depicted in the novel (as well as in contemporary accounts and countless vase paintings). Please acquaint yourself with a modium of history before disfiguring Wikipedia with homophobic nonsense masquerading as academic caution.

PLOT SYNOPSIS ERRORS
1. LYSIS was not an Olympic victor - he makes it to the Isthmian games (NOT the Olympics) and in the final match he loses (and is, indeed, almost killed)

2. Alexis never meets ASTER - he sees the preternaturally beautiful boy performing at a religious festival and is entrtanced. However, Aster is the beloved of Aristokles (aka PLATO) and already fully involved in a relationship with him; therefore, Alexis keeps his distance - considerable distance. Further, Aster dies during the siege of Athens, prior to the surrender; after the siege and the surrender, Alexis comes upon the grave-stele and realizes that it was carved by SOCRATES (whose first profession was stone-carver).

The PLOT SYNOPSIS needs a general tune-up. Do any others wish to engage it?

JTGILLICK (talk) 22:18, 22 January 2008 (UTC)