ABSTRACT
Marriage is the principal vehicle for exploration of male–female relationships in antiquity. The opening passages from Archaic Greece (passages 56–8) portray marriage as a necessary evil, a state of mind that reflects a view of women as the troublesome sex. Ancient Greece and Rome were public societies in terms of the emphasis placed on reputation and the strongly felt element of shame that underpinned decisions and actions. The choice of a partner, therefore, was of paramount significance to a man’s standing in the community. Inappropriate unions, even among the middle and lower classes, were a potential source of public scrutiny and criticism, as Hesiod reminds his audience (passage 57). The misogynistic tone of Hesiod (passage 56) is developed to extremes by Semonides (passage 58), while the matter of appropriate age of a prospective partner (passage 56) is taken up in the salutary advice of Honestus (passage 60).
