ABSTRACT
John Strachan has lovingly documented the use of classicism in late Georgian brand-names, from Alexander Rowland’s headache medicine ‘Elixir of Cerelaeum’ and dental product ‘Odonto’, to Samuel Jones’ ‘Patent Promethean’ water-heating machine and ‘Aetna’ matches. Exotic Classics was central to the forged identity and publishing scam of a notorious fraudster, ‘George Psalmanazar’, who arrived in London in 1703. Renton’s showgirls often supplemented their income by sex work. One of the stranger tales of the collision of Classics and class in the later 19th century involves the symbolism of the mythical Minotaur being used in the campaign against on child prostitution. Dressing up beautiful young women in ancient Greek ceremonial robes became popular with the emergence of the fashion for reviving ancient Greek athletics competitions. A few classicists have unambiguously joined the underclass in being convicted of violent crimes and/or confined in asylums.
