Victor Davis Hanson: Gay Old Times? Oliver Stone perpetuates a classical myth

National Review ^ | December 15, 2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Semper Paratus]

BTW do you like Gladiator movies?

I do. You ever been in a Turkish prison?

No I haven't.

Not that there's anyting wrong it.

[Question_Assumptions]

What really amazes me about all this is that those Greek relationships were clearly unequal, likely abusive, possibly coerced, and were basically older men using their status to take advantage of boys -- yet many modern gays seem to look at all of this an interpret it as a healthy and accepted form of homosexuality. Uh, no. It's abuse and would be abuse if those those older men were treating young women like that (and I'm sure that happened, too).

[metesky]

VDH gives Stone the b!tch slapping he deserves.

One wonders how many peoples views of real historical events have been skewed by Oliver the Great?

[jonno]

No, but I sure picked a bad day to stop...

[jjmcgo]

Ever seen a grown man naked, Timmy?

Hey, you're Kareem Abdul Jabbar!

[Semper Paratus]

Hey, you're Kareem Abdul Jabbar!

Roger, Rodger.

[Restorer]

And all those young men (at least those of high status) grew up and did exactly the same thing to another generation of young boys.

This was expected and admired behavior at the time. For me it ties right in with the eager acceptance and promotion of slavery, the gladiatorial games and other aspects of classical life that I just can't comprehend.

For instance, by my standards they had very odd attitudes with regard to the honorability of work and trade.

[Xenalyte]

You LIE.

How the hell does that DiCaprio woman keep landing male roles?

[Xenalyte]

What's the vector, Victor? Do we have clearance, Clarence?

[Cincinatus]

It must be true -- I found it on the internet!

[King Prout]

as always, thanks for the VDH ping

[Semper Paratus]

What's the vector, Victor? Do we have clearance, Clarence?

Have to go. Making fish for dinner.

[Patrick1]

This is the Grassy Knoll version of history again from Mr. Stone.

[Petronski]

Airplane! riffs can break out anywhere, like a brush fire.

[rightinthemiddle]

I get the feeling "Alexander" is going to become a midnight-showing cult-classic in the Village.

What do they call those short leather skirts?

[onedoug]

Oliver The Stoned.

[Tensgrrl]

Ha Ha, and the actress playing his Mom sounds like a recent immigrant from some "stan" from the former Soviet Union!

[Zhangliqun]

Isn't it time somebody made a movie about Stone?

[Question_Assumptions]

For instance, by my standards they had very odd attitudes with regard to the honorability of work and trade.

Actually, their attitudes are probably more "normal" than our attitudes. The way a culture views those things actually plays a fairly significant role in how well they do certain things. Thomas Sowell goes into it in some detail in his book Race and Culture.

[Restorer]

That work and commerce are honorable endeavors when honest are indeed pretty unusual and therefore abnormal points of view from a historical viewpoint. But I'll stick with them anyway.

I've read Tom's book. As usual, excellent.