The Perspective of a Male Youth

My name is Siromos and I am a male youth in Athens. Though I have heard the elitist perspective towards pederasty, I am not sure that I am truly convinced. Though I see many other male youths at the school of martial arts talking to the older elite men, I think that there are too many rules implemented by society keeping use out of the relationships for a reason. For example, when we go to school, all contacts between boys and adult males have to be overseen by public officials to ensure that nothing bad happens. I cannot even have individual attention from my boxing coach at boxing practice because the Law of Solon says that it is bad for boys to get individual attention from their coaches. Along with that, schools cannot open before sunrise and cannot close after dusk and there are restrictions on who can even enter the school. The ruling officials even thought it was necessary to make rules that say that boys are not allowed to be hired out for sexual services by his father, brother, uncle, or guardian. If they do so both they and the person that hired the boy are subject to public actions. If there is a law about it, people must be doing it which is bad. My parents also have a lot of their own rules for me and I am in some ways treated like my sisters. I am not allowed to talk to anyone that I do not know and I have to always be modest and chaste. The last time that I talked to a man who wasn't a family member, my father punished me for it, but all the man said he wanted to do was mentor me and show me how to be a man. I don't think it is all that bad, but I suppose if there are rules, it must be important that I do not engage in pederastic activity.

Though I do not do it, I guess some of the less well-off boys who practice with me at the school of martial arts use it to get ahead. Apparently letting an older man have sex with you allows you to be acculturated and it sets you apart from the slave-boys. It must be important for them because letting an older man have sex with you brings great shame and takes away all of your honor as a citizen of Athens. I have heard that the boys do not even enjoy the sex. It is all for the pleasure of the older man who is called an erastes.

While Acrisius may think that he is right about this whole pederasty thing, but if there are so many rules regulating youth and adult male interactions to keep these relationships from happening, how could they possibly be appropriate? Also, my parents are usually right about things they tell me not to do so I have a feeling that they are right about not letting me have sex with older men. I guess people have other perspectives than me, but I think mine makes the most sense.