Customer Reviews

Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths

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Hats off to Andrew Calimach! For the past century writers, poets, mythologists, historians and the public at large have either ignored the sexual overtones of Greek myths and history, or have distorted or attacked this valuable body of information to mold their own prejudices. This can be said for those who overplay the significance of the homoerotic aspect of myths as well as those who debunk it as gay delusions of grandeur. In readdressing nine important and 'well-known' stories with fresh insight and with fine scholarly technique, Calimach gives us as clear an interpretation of these foundations of civilzation as can be found. His introduction to the concept of myths is succinct and illuminating. He wisely threads his tales with a debate (Lucian's 'Different Loves') that places his reassembled fragments of myths as narrative, thus giving a sense of timelessness of reference to his subject. Scholars and psychologists and philosophers and theologians and gender studies veterans have argued their perspectives ad infinitum. Calimach has the good graces to simply piece together all the varying fragments of information about these nine myths and presents this reconstruction for us to interpret. No preaching here, just a request for open minds, for acknowledging the fact that love between males can be documented as timeless.

My only reservations with the texts is in the language of their presentation. Part of the word choices are intended to make the stories more updated in language (much like the new version of the Bible as opposed to the King James version). At times, however, he resorts to slang which can cause an 'aha!' reaction to readers searching to disprove his facts [as in Narcissus: 'what a dish he was', and 'the most gorgeous guy he had ever seen']. These rare phrases are all the more distracting because of the generally eloquent and elegant writing style of the book in general. But this is a small criticism in what is destined to become a permanent volume of all librairies. Excellent reading, a fine work of research, and a much needed resource book for writers, students, historians, and for those who are looking for an enriching and worthwhile book on the Greeks. An excellent read and a satisfying moment of edification.

Here are nine classic Greek Mythical tales that have been restored and retold exposing for the first time the love between men in early times. Only these are no ordinary men but the Greek Gods and heroes we thought we all knew. Though I'm not an historian or scholar with a gifted knowledge of Greek Myths or legends, I found this book to be fascinating, exciting, and informative, as well as easy to read. It's a fine collection of male love stories from the early writings of Greek Myths. This is a beautifully designed book, from it's cover to it's dust jacket. It's enhanced with black and white photos included in each chapter, displaying appropriately related classical Greek sculpture and art.

Andrew Calimach says he has carefully restored these stories from the primary sources, completing the missing myths from scattered fragments. Whatever research was required to honestly restore these Greek Myths, we are the fortunate ones for these tales are lovingly translated. There's the tale of Hercules and Hylas; a classic coming of age tale; Achilles and Patroclus, a tale of deep love between two courageous warriors, and my favorite Narcissus, a handsome youth who spurns the love of another... These are just three of the touching tales that Calimach has brought to light in this fine collection.

This is a book that the specialist, academic, or ordinary reader can enjoy. These are fascinating legends with a different focus centering on male love that will keep you reading way past the midnight hour. Hopefully, Andrew Calimach will do more research and bring us more LOVERS' LEGENDS. Truly Captivating!

Joe Hanssen

This is a neat little book that presents a selection of the Greek myths, many of them familiar, only this time with formerly expurgated "gay" material put back in. The stories have been put together by a man named Andrew Calimach, who apparently dug through tons of original Greek tales to find the material which has so often been "neutered" or rewritten so it's de-emphasized.

The varying stories were then pieced together in what are some really wonderful myths -- wonderful in and of themselves and wonderfully written. The book is also illustrated throughout with original ancient artwork, so you can see the various gods, nympths, goddesses and mortals the stories revolve around. In the stories you'll see Zeus & Ganymede, Hercules & Hylas, Apollo & Hyancinthus, Narcissues, and (for you fans of Troy) Achilles & Patroclus, among others.

Here's a little excerpt from the Achilles & Patroclus story, which takes place during the Trojan War:

Noble Achilles, the fiercest of the Greek fighters, led the troops headlong into battle, like some savage beast unleashed, and his dear friend, Patroclus, fought always by his side, tempering Achilles' wildness and pride with loving sound advice...

[Then later after Patroclus has been killed on a mission]

...the Greeks broke away the broken corpse to Achilles' lodge. Black grief crushed Achilles, his eys brimmed with endless tears. He threw himself upon Patroclus' body, full of reproaches for throwing his life away. "Why so ungrateful, after all our kisses? Why so uncaring for the holy union of our thighs?" He mourned without let, forgetting sleep, forgetting food and drink, and day after day put off the funeral, unable to part with his friend.

Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths by independent scholar Andrew Calimach is a "restored and retold" selection of nine classic Greek mythical stories with homosexual content. Lovers' Legends straightforwardly presents instances of love between men perhaps the most well known to the general public being that of Hercules and his male love Hylas, as well as Orpheus, who sought the love of men because no woman could compare to his doomed Eurydice. Recommended for both academic and the non-specialist general reader, Lovers' Legends is erudite, scholarly, thoughtfully annotated, highly accessible presentation enhanced with black-and-white photographs of thematically appropriate classical Greek sculpture.

Lovers' Legends is the first modern work to gather Greek myths of male love and make them available to the non-specialist general reader. Primary sources have been translated for readers of all ages and include well-known myths with a different focus. A fine survey of male love in early writings.

Came in impeccable condition. Bought it as a gift for someone who loves it!

This is an important, joyfully readable book that fills in the blanks that have been missing for so long. I hope the Lambda Literary Awards and the National Books Awards give it the serious consideration it deserves.

There are several problems as an ancient historian that I have with this book. The first is a lack of direct citation. Each story is a combine of several ancient sources, you can find these in chapter notes, but presented as though Calimach has done a straight translation of one source. This is a big problem because 1) it demonstrates a very poor way to do scholarship and 2) it misrepresents how these stories developed over time. That is my second major problem as a historian: no sense of when these stories develop. Yes, the sources in the notes are listed chronologically but that's it. My third problem is a lack of commentary. Here we have a story of Heracles and Hylas but what does it mean? Why was it told? Where did it fit into the corpus of Heracles adventures? Why did the story change over time? My final problem relates to this: no information on the author beyond the briefest notes at the end. Homer's goals are not the same as Lucian's, Plutarch is not Euripides. Without all this information the book is merely one more interpretation of the stories but not a representation of what they were in the classical world.

As a gay person, I am appalled by what the author considers homosexuality in this book. The male/male relationships outlined are generally between a man and a teenager. Though the modern word "youth" is a rather vague term for any young person living between childhood and maturity, in the introduction it is suggested that the word "youth" indicates a 16-year-old male. In the modern sense, this is pedophilia. I do not share Calimach' lament that "our children" should read such stories as they have been reconstructed in the book. There is enough child abuse that goes on the world, without sharing stories that make it seem okay. I also do not agree with Ms. Peterson's statement that the Old Testament God condoned the raping of women by the Israelites. Where exactly did she find that? Perhaps she misinterpreted some passages in order to justify her point. It is no wonder that many feel, even today, centuries after these stories have been written, that gay people abuse children! Such sentiments can make it more difficult for gay couples to adopt and easier for the ignorant to spread lies. In my own researching, I have looked a little at "gay" myths from other cultures and have found the same adult/child relationship. This is terrible and I should hope that any more myth collections use the proper terminology, not mistaking homosexuality for something else. Hopefully there are "real" gay myths out there to be read.

I give Andrew Calimach props for discovering transending topics in today world veiw. I'm doing research on greek mythology and I strongly believe Calimach doesn't know what he wrote about. Calimach picked out anything that remotely seemed to show homosexual tendency's. The reader has to understand it was common practice to become close with someone with in the Greek Community. I suggest that if you have read or about to read this book (Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths) that you do your own research with an objective eye. To make the deision, what is gay? and what was simply wrote from a homeric point of view.