1. 385L16

2. ta aphrodisia (Gk. ) : “things that pertain to Aphrodite” venerea (Lat
ta aphrodisia (Gk.) : “things that pertain to Aphrodite” venerea (Lat.) : “things that pertain to Venus”

3. Sexual Identity and Power Relations
SUPERIOR
INFERIOR
ACTIVE
PASSIVE
PENETRATOR
PENETRATED
DOMINANT
SUBMISSIVE
MALE
FEMALE

4. • sexual desire (like desire for food and drink) natural and intense • no conflict/contrast between flesh and spirit, body and “soul” • sexual activity essential for physical, emotional, psychological, social health • regulation of sex primarily a function of health regimen (dieta), not morality • moral judgments pertain to sex with respect to frequency, intensity, and role, not act or object • sexual identity role-determined, not anatomical • inappropriateness of heterosexual/homosexual dichotomy

5. Regimen for Sex
• timeliness (age; time of day; season) • venue • sexual position (superior/inferior) • status/social position • dietary regimen (dieta) • moderate satisfaction vs. over-indulgence • self-control and autarchy (enkrateia vs. akrasia) • orgasm as mikra epilepsia • ejaculation as “small death”

6. Frequency of Sex GENDER CAUSE CONDITION Female infrequent sex
hysterikê pnyx; “wandering womb”
Male
sexual overindulgence
dorsal phthitis

7. Over-indulgence and dorsal phthitis
Dorsal phthitis [“wasting”] arises from the bone marrow, and frequently affects newlyweds and people who have frequent sex. Although they are feverless and eat well, they waste away. The patient will report a tingling feeling that starts at his head and crawls down his spine, like ants. When he passes urine or has a bowel movement, copious moist semen appears in it; he becomes sterile and has nocturnal emissions whether he sleeps with a woman or not. He experiences shortness of breath and weakness when walking or running, especially uphill; his head feels heavy and his ears ring. When after a time violent fevers overtake him, he dies.