ἴσως δὲ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ σφίγκται οἱ μαλακοὶ
ὠνομάσθησαν· ἢ καὶ ἀπὸ
Μαίας οὕτω λεγομένης ἐν Μεγάροις·
Ἀλλ’ ἔστιν ἡμῖν Μεγαρική τις μηχανή.
ἀντὶ τοῦ, πονηρά· διεβάλλοντο
γὰρ ἐπὶ πονηρία οἱ Μεγαρεῖς.
(Suidas (Lexicon) on the phrase μεγαρικαὶ σφίγγες says: harlots are so called, and perhaps for the same reason debauched men are entitled σφίγκται; or else from a saying current in Megara to this effect:—But we have a certain Megarian trick,—that is a knavish one. For the Megarians were ill spoken of for their knavishness).
[235] Epistle to the Romans, ch. I. vv. 24-26, 27.
[236] Athanasius, Oratio contra Gentes, ch. 26. in “Opera Omnia studio Monachorum Ord. St. Benedicti.” (Complete Works of St. Athanasius, edit. by the Monks of the Order of St. Benedict). Padua 1777. folio.—Vol. I. p. 1.
[237] Amores, chs. 20, 21. The hetaera Glycera would seem, according to Clearchus’ report, to have said, καὶ οἱ παῖδες εἰσι καλοὶ, ὅσον ἐοίκασι γυναικὶ χρόνον. (And boys are beautiful for so long as they resemble a woman). Athenaeus, Deipnos. bk. XIII. p. 605 D. According to Hellanicus, as Donatus, on Terence’s Eunuch., I. 2. 87. notifies, the custom of emasculating boys would seem to have come from the Babylonians. Herodotus, III. 92., says that the Babylonians were bound to deliver every year as tribute to the Persian king 500 castrated boys.