Posted by George V. Simmons on July 11, 19101 at 10:11:04:

In Reply to: Nisus & Euryalus, Camilla posted by Ferox Milites on April 20, 19101 at 01:05:32:

"No" to both your questions. The Amazons were well established mythic figures so the mention of Camilla would evoke no notions of the sort you imply. Similarly, close and emotional friendships among young warriors in the antique world were expected, accepted, and even admired. So no frison for Vergil's audience here either.
It is important to be on guard against the tendency to ume modern attitudes were shared by ancient authors and their audiences.
: Does anyone else think that these characters are kind of downplayed in The Aeneid? I mean, Camilla breaks all the traditional molds of a Roman woman by being both a warrior and a , something unheard of in Virgil's day, and Nisus & Euryalus are two male lovers, while they are both adult. Apparently it was considered okay back then if an older man was with a teen boy, as long as the boy was the pive partner. All three are praised for their bravery, but Virgil seems to shy away from addressing any of the issues he introduces when placing these unique characters in his epic poem. Could he possibly have been a little more risque then the scholars believe? Is he really an Ovid in disguise?

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