Editing Eromenos (section)

== Attitudes ==
The Athenians banned slaves from pursuing courtship of freeborn youths with themselves as the active partner, as ''Against Timarchus'' states that ‘A slave shall not be the lover of a free boy nor follow after him, or else he shall receive fifty blows of the public lash’; but this did not apply to free men. Nevertheless, to be in such a relationship with honour, ''eromenoi'' were supposed to resist the pursuit of their ''erastes'' to test their love, before finally yielding.<ref name=":2">Cantarella, ''Bisexuality in the Ancient World'', 20.</ref> According to Foucault, an ''eromenos'' should avoid being chased too easily, receiving too many gifts or quickly getting into a relationship before the ''erastes'' proved their passion, love and responsibility. Moreover, the perception of pederasty varied in different cities. While it was allowed in Elis and Boeotia, Ionians did not accept pederastic courtship. Athenians held a complicated attitude, as it was considered that Athenian fathers ought to protect their sons from suitors.<ref name=":2" />