Those Manly Men of Yore

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/opinion/17lipton.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: barry levine 
Date: Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 12:01 PM
Subject: re: Those Manly Men of Yore
To: letters@nytimes.com


To the Editor:

  The idea that womanizing is a vice of the immature isn't an innovation of late antiquity. Twenty eight centuries ago, Homer contrasted Paris with his own brother, Hector. Whereas Paris was an object of scorn for embroiling Troy in a ruinous war to serve his libido, Hector is portrayed as a great warrior, great king, great father, and great husband. Overall, he's the best man in the Iliad. For those without the attention span to read Homer, Robin Williams summarized the lesson: "God showed her sense of humor when she gave Man both a brain and a penis but only enough blood to operate one or the other at a time."

Barry Levine