A Joke That Ended a Tyrant
One time, Periander of Ambracia drank too much, and joked to his young lover: “aren’t you pregnant by me yet?” As seen above, ancient Greek attitudes towards submissive acts were complicated. To do it was often OK, but to talk about it, as in kiss and tell, was not. Especially when it came to other free Greek men, as there was a heavy stigma of effeminacy attached to receptive partners, or bottoms who were penetrated. Ancient Greek culture was a macho one, in which masculinity and martial prowess were highly esteemed. In such a society, perceptions of effeminacy could greatly harm a man’s status within the community.
To make matters worse, Periander cracked his drunken joke in the presence of others at his court. That immediately elevated things from what could have been handled as a private lovers’ quarrel, and into a public humiliation. Periander thought his joke was hilarious, and so did many of those present. One person who did not think it was funny was the tyrant’s young lover, the butt of the joke. Shamed that his lover had accused him of effeminacy, and enraged that he had done so publicly, he grabbed a knife and ended Periander right then and there.
