Homosexuals of History

Homosexuals of History

Dear Editor:

Almost daily our media presents us stories of homosexual men and women who are determined to gain the public approval of legal marriage. What used to be thought of as an unspeakable act is now championed by many of our society as a normal alternative to heterosexual marriage.

Last night I was reading Chris Scarre's Chronicle of the Roman Emperors (Thames and Hudson, 1995). In his account of the administration of Nero, he notes that "The most famous sexual excesses, however, were his ‘marriages' to his homosexual lovers Pythagoras and Sporus.... It was said that Nero acted as husband to Sporus and wife to Pythagoras" (p. 54).

An old song from the past said "Everything old is new again." So here we are in the gay 2000's seeing the reoccurrence of "gay marriage."

A few old prudes in Rome objected to the emperor's alternative life-style and family, but most of them either followed his example, shrugged their shoulders or smiled at the novelty of it.

Tradition and mores gradually crumbled before the glacier-like pressure of the "new morality" and same-sex liaisons became common practice. Of course with that came a general moral decay that undermined the family structure of their society which in turn undermined the political foundations of Rome. In 476 barbarians swept away what was left of that once great empire.

It seems to me that there is some useful lesson for modern America in this bit of history.

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