Preston T. Massey

Female Beauty and Male Attraction in Ancient Greece Preston T. Massey

This engaging study documents how ancient Greeks perceived the qualities of female hair as both alluring and attractive, and, therefore, seductive and dangerous. In this sense, ancient Greeks viewed feminine hair differently than it is perceived today. While modern culture can identify with ancient culture by considering a woman's hair to be sexually attractive, ancient Greek culture took this issue one step further by placing an uncovered woman's hair on the same emotional level as a bare breast. One of the principal elements of this historical study is how ancient Greek men tried to deal with the danger and delight of women. In one sense, this book focuses upon male coping mechanisms for dealing with their attraction to female beauty. The life of ancient Greeks is of enduring interest because it is a study of how humans lived and wrote about themselves within the context of the sexual dynamics of that culturally conditioned male/female relationship. From a human point-not just from a purely historical one-this dynamic is a fascinating subject, one that is not likely to end. A secondary consideration of this investigation is the effect a woman's voice has upon the male. As such, this book shows that both hair and voice provide magnetic sources of attraction.