Response to ?Common Love? by Russell Spitler
Kat McLarn
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Russell Spitler, in his paper ?Common Love,? argues that the concept of Common love as described in Pausanius? speech in Plato?s Symposium is also reflected in Greek drama.Κ As an example, he analyzes Euripides? Hippolytus and shows how the central love in the play ? that of Phaedra for Hippolytus ? carries all the signs of being Common.Κ This type of analysis need not be limited to Greek drama, however, nor is it exclusive to tragedy.Κ As an example, Terence?s Roman comedy, The Brothers, also includes love that fits the criteria as Common.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ The first criterion Russell uses is that Common love is between a man and a woman.Κ The Brothers contains two such relationships.Κ One is between Ctesipho and Bacchis, the other between Aeschinus and Pamphila.Κ As in Hippolytus, the gender roles are clear.Κ The women are passive and objectified:Κ Bacchis never speaks, and Pamphila never appears on stage.Κ It falls to the men, Aeschinus in particular, to carry the action, as when Aeschinus carries Bacchis off from her owner (pp 345-348).Κ Aeschinus is also described as the aggressor in his relationship with Pamphila, ?the poor girl he vilely seduced? (p 353).
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ The second criterion is that Common love is based in lust.Κ As shown by Geta?s quote above, this is certainly the case for Aeschinus, who has a reputation for indulgence (p. 342).Κ Despite Demea?s best efforts, lust is also behind Ctesipho?s love for the music-girl Bacchis.Κ He mentions his shame (p. 351), and his father is horrified when he finds out (p. 377).Κ In accordance with the standard persuer-persued model, the women show no lust, but they do not show desire for intellectual growth, either.Κ There is nothing Celestial about these relationships.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ While Hippolytus is a more vivid illustration of Common love, and a better example of its negative characteristics, the type of love Pausanius describes is clearly not limited to the time and culture of Plato and Euripides.