Suzy Dixon, Sasheen Ekramullah, Robyn Hendrix & Allison Spies

Clara Hardy

Gender and Sexuality in Classical Antiquity

3 March 2002

When was the last time that you lied? When was the last time you were tricky, dishonest, or wily? Feeling guilty? Well, don’t. You are not the only one who has cheated or used cunning for selfish purposes. And you’re certainly not the first… or the last. The practice of deception as a means of control has spanned both time and space. Deceit is just as prevalent today as it was in ancient times, and the study of it in classical antiquity can lead us to better understand its role in society today. From William Shakespeare to Walt Disney, the portrayal of deception exposes gender biases in modern society that can be traced to viewpoints from ancient Greece and Rome.

This journal studies the different approaches taken to deceit by both men and women in ancient Greek and Roman literature. It contrasts male and female attitudes towards deceit in terms of honor, power, and death. In addition, the journal analyzes the differences and similarities between the motives behind deception in both the mortal and the divine world.

In ancient texts, females are generally perceived as inherently deceptive. Aristophanes describes mortal women in his play Women at the Thesmophoria as "disloyal, chattery, unwholesome, the bane of men’s lives" (lines 431-432). They are continually shown participating in secretive acts such as baby-swapping, covert drinking, committing adultery and petty theft. Even the use of cosmetics is seen as deceitful as it is a method of masking one’s true form. Cleopatra is notorious for using her physical beauty and presence to bend men to her will. Phaedra in Hippolytus leaves a deceptive suicide note, leading to the death of her step-son and the destruction of her husband; in Women of Trachis, Deianira’s misguided actions tainted with doubt and deceit lead to her own death and her husband’s as well.

The Greek and Roman goddesses are also ascribed with similar negative traits. Aphrodite and Athena use deceit for exacting revenge on Hippolytus and Ajax, who both defied their celestial authority in the Greek tragedies of Euripides and Sophocles. They are painted as cruel, vicious, and vengeful. Roman Juno, in Virgil’s Aeneid, displays her bitter rage and jealousy through her dishonest acts, disrupting the lives of the entire Trojan army. Because of a past personal offense by Paris, Juno destroys the kingdom of Carthage and delays the founding of Rome. Despite the emphasis on feminine deceit, male duplicity is present as well. However, it is more acceptable because it glorifies masculinity and power.

In Aristophanes, women’s trickery is contrasted with the lies of their husbands. The male characters openly admit to their selfishness and greed, and though their dishonesty occurs on a larger scale, it is considered more accepted than the petty crimes of women. As shown in Hesiod’s Theogony and Sophocles’s Philoctetes, men’s motives appear largely to be the acquisition of power and honor, whereas women’s are a result of upholding societal roles. They have little power in the polis except when wielding the weapon of craft.

Despite significant strides toward gender equality in modern society, stereotypes still pervade, and deceit is still seen as an inherent feminine trait. Looking back at one of the classics of contemporary literature, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is portrayed as the quintessential deceptive and power-hungry woman who orchestrates the destructive acts, which culminate in the demise of herself and her husband. Even in animated fairy tales, the villainous antagonists are almost always women, reinforcing the stereotype of naturally treacherous women and cementing it in the subconscious beliefs of youth. These are just two small examples among many that show the enduring depiction of intrinsically devious women, a powerfully damaging image that continues to thrive. Its root in classic literature and treasured fables that will be told, retold, and modeled after for ages to come keeps it ingrained in society’s mind. Each publicized act of deceit done by a woman silently confirms this notion, making it a formidable obstacle to overcome this stereotype. Perhaps further study of this concept in historical contexts can aid in the reevaluation of accepted social norms and assumptions.