comments about the pink dollar

[Linda]

AndrewI am not sure whose nose is where, now. You are right - by saying I agree with some people (Amanda, not Gail, sorry), I disagree with others. That's the way of it. But it was not just the opinions of these people I valued, but how they discussed the issue. The language being used by some was quite offensive, and the assumptions about gay people (pansy etc) very offensive. In my opinion. And instead of being insulting, the people mentioned argued rationally (and some other did as well). This is a troublesome area, and I was surprised to read things by people whose posts on other issues I enjoyed.I have disagreed with Tre, for example, on this issue before, but I always respected her right to differ, because it was argued from her interpretation of the sources, and knowledge of current scholarship. I felt I had to write and express what I felt, as I was getting very disheartened here.I am not sure what book you are referring to - I sent you a copy of an ebook that I had purchased. Illegally, I may add. It isn't my book - I was returning a favour. Being selectively nice. As General Macarthur said "It's nice to be nice." Linda

[Tre]

I am reminded of a great story. When Sir Laurence Olivier was on stage, he was being heckled by someone from the audience for much of the night. Olivier, having reached the limit of endurance turned toward the audience with one arm outstretched, pointing at the heckler. Waiting for his moment in the play he uttered the immortal words which shall ring in theatrical history forver, "Mount yonder braying ass."Andrew, it is always better to be Olivier than the quadruped. The lines are better.I shall however, continue to enjoy your work with the the interesting Dr. Vasko :-)Regards,Tre

[S]

Greetings,
No, I did not write a book
I have *no* idea what Andrew is referring too!!
Believe me, I know not to dabble in that which I do not know how to do well..
Regards,
Sikander

[S]

Greetings Andrew,
FIrst, I have often complimented posters for their words, including when I disagree with what they say but admire how they say it- and I know how hard it can be for those who post things about their personal lives because they leave themselves open for attack elsewhere, as has happened to a poster here since this thread began.
I can understand how you feel, but you have mistaken my intent- it was not to make others feel badly, but to acknowledge particular individuals, one for their skill at understanding ancient sources, one for courage. And I will continue to periodically do this, as I have always done.
Second, I have never written a book, Andrew, so have no idea what you are referring to. Is this posted anywhere? Sikander is a popular name, so there may well be a Sikander writing books but it is not me. I don't pretend to have that skill
Regards,
Sikander

[beausefaless]

I deleted the file you sent me so I hope you feel at ease, I forgot who you were, oh well, It wont be the last time I put my foot in my mouth but it's better for you to be pissed at me than me be pissed at you, so I wish you a great life.

[jan]

Hi Tre,I am responding to the tirade comments. As I receive these in my mail, I find that I have to come to the message boards to respond.I was commenting upon Alexander as I read the article written by Zimmerman on this board, and I liked her explanation of the Alexander-Hephaestion friendship.Gays today are not to be compared to gays of yesteryear. There is vast ignorance regarding attitudes in the past. I read a chapter in the book by Agnes Savill on Alexander and His Times. She makes a great case in her presentation.I personally do not care what happened then as it is today that really counts for me.I have been reading children's books and they are written in such a manner as to make Alexander appear heroic and noble. Nobody can live up to some of these author's attitudes, but they make for interesting reading.My first intro into Alexander was through an Englishman, Arthur Weigall, an Egyptologist, who has written a book on Cleopatra also. His book is anything but enobling and heroic. He describes Alexander as having been called a lunatic and a madman. He examines Alexander from an adult point of view, and also discusses his children and his sex life in a manner that would sell books to his generation of readers.His book woke me up! No book of this time period even comes close to his. Alexander is a human being and a great one, but one who is very flawed. I still prefer this book to all others that I have read, and I hope to read all the original classics when I can find them.Thanks, and my deepest regards to you,Jan

[jan]

Hello Tre,Thank you for your comments. I have already responded to this post, but I believe that reading my comments again, I should clarify my point.I was stunned when I read that homosexuality meant a death sentence. I would imagine that is the reason that so many gays and lesbians hide under the cover of bisexuality or marriage. That had to have been a serious reason for personal unhappiness.I have always been for the rights of young women to know the true status of her male partner so that she does not waste her time. And vice versa with lesbians and male partners. Women want and require sexual satisfaction as much as men do, and I think it only fair that a woman know whether her "love" is gay or straight. For that reason alone, I am for gay rights.History of gay life is another story. I do not believe that much of history is ever accurately reported. People who hate one another have called people names just out of spite and anger, and that has not always made them the name that they are called at all.I suspect enemies of Alexander may have whispered and lied about him. Today, we simply do not know.My emphasis upon Alexander is not upon his sexuality at all, as I think that is his personal business and not anyone else's. I honestly dislike the effort to lump him in a group when nobody today can honestly assert the truth of what he had been at all. If that offends anyone, that is simply a problem on behalf of the person offended. I am stating uncategorically that nobody today knows what his sex life is. He lived over 1000 years ago. Jan

[Tre]

Hello Jan:I was commenting upon Alexander as I read the article written by Zimmerman on this board, and I liked her explanation of the Alexander-Hephaestion friendship.She wrote her doctoral dissertation on Hephaistion and a number of articles as well. For the record, she believes that Alexander and Hephaistion were lovers, although she is not certain if they were as adults. I would say she is the reigning expert on Hephaistion. I don't agree with everything she has written, but she backs up her arguments very nicely.Gays today are not to be compared to gays of yesteryear. There is vast ignorance regarding attitudes in the past. I read a chapter in the book by Agnes Savill on Alexander and His Times. She makes a great case in her presentation.Seville's book, which I have read, is not considered one of the better ones on Alexander. I would suggest that you read Arrian, Curtius, Plutarch and Diodorus with their cultural bias in mind. Plutarch and Diodorus are available for reading on the web and Arrian?s Indica. If you can read Latin, Curtius is on the web too. You might want to supplement with Justin as there is an excellent translation out there by JC Yardley and Waldemar Heckel which is worth it for the footnotes alone. The book is entitled Justin, Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus, Volume 1. A lot of the book is devoted to the parallels between Curtius and Justin along with some excellent commentary by Waldemar Heckel, who is a well known Alexander scholar with more of middle of the line opinion of the King. It is much better to read the ancient stuff first, rather than modern scholarship because it keeps changing. I personally do not care what happened then as it is today that really counts for me.Ah, but there's the fun. One cannot quite comprehend the ancients by using modern methodology. For instance the death of Parmenion is widely decried in modern scholarship, but the plain fact is, Alexander had absolutely no choice. Those who think it was OK to leave Parmenion still breathing wouldn't have lasted 10 seconds in their culture. Or as Jack London put it so well 'kill or be killed.'I have been reading children's books and they are written in such a manner as to make Alexander appear heroic and noble. Nobody can live up to some of these author's attitudes, but they make for interesting reading.He was heroic and noble by the standards of his culture and in many instances, ours. But like a