In the 90s and 2000s, when the Internet occupied a very modest place in Russian reality, the series that were shown on Russian television, intoxicated by the freedom of speech and image that had washed over it, were very popular. Among the many foreign and domestic films that had lost the concept of morality and honor, films began to appear in which a new woman was shown, namely a female warrior, who, one might say, “put men on their shoulder blades with one left hand.” Looking at such images of a beautiful but aggressive woman was very unusual and somehow strange. But this was unusual and strange for people of Soviet education, where, although a woman was glorified as a worker equal to a man on the country’s construction sites, she nevertheless remained both a loving wife and a caring mother. But the young girlish hearts of the post-Soviet period liked the images of a woman-bitch and a woman-warrior. But of course! They are beautiful! They conquer men! They are so independent and most importantly have amazing charisma that a male movie hero does not have.

So what wind brought these charismatic femish women to the expanses of the Russian movie screen and why all this? Is this just the fantasy of Hollywood film artists and screenwriters or is it a political order? Or maybe in our time a woman should be like this? So, a superhero? Let's try to find answers to these questions in this article. Let's go, dear reader, and, may God help us, find the truth.

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Wonder Woman movie (2017) – Analysis without emotions

The trailer and the very idea of ​​the film “Wonder Woman” immediately caused a certain reaction from the public: feminists were happy about the presence of a female warrior in the cinema, adequate people decided that this was another movement of the Overton Window towards feminofascism (ideas of women's superiority over men).

Plot

Young Diana lives on an island hidden from humanity, where, besides her, only ageless Amazon women live. A mini-state of eternally young women was created by the Greek god Zeus, and the Amazons were created to help people and protect them from the god of war Ares. But the Amazons do their job (for which they were made) they perform extremely poorly - that is, they simply settled on their island far from people, having the only weapon available against the enemy of the human race and not wanting to use it. They are also belligerent towards all the people they were supposed to protect.

The main character Diana is the only child in a society of adult women who considers the position of her experienced mentors to be “slightly” wrong. She absorbed the mythology of the island, as well as the thirst for battle, which she clearly inherited from her father, Zeus (who is unknown until the end of the film, but predictable).

It should be immediately noted that the film “Wonder Woman,” like some other superhero-themed films, building its plot on the key characters of ancient myths, continues to adapt in a modern way the mythical epic, which at one time served as one of the main tools for shaping the worldview of the Hellenes. One can only guess about what goals are pursued by those who are trying to once again immerse people in the seemingly forgotten stories of the pagan gods.

But let's return to our story. One day, the British pilot Steve accidentally flies into the women's paradise, and a whole ship of militant Germans arrives after him. So, after the battle, not without losses among the highest rulers of the women's paradise, the Amazons learn that without their care, things have gone, to put it mildly, very poorly for humanity - the First World War is upon us.

Already matured Diana, despite her mother’s prohibition, wants to go help people, she is sure that Ares is to blame for everything, who brings all their evil and aggression into people. Diana and Steve travel to the outside world, where Diana plans to find and kill Ares to stop the wars on earth.

The first thing I want to discuss is the ideas of feminism in the film:

Analyzing the gender topic, let's start with the advantages:

1. Diana is feminine. And in one way this is a plus of the film, and in another it is the main minus, or rather, the main lie of the authors, but we will analyze this below. Diana is beautiful, gentle, naive, amorous, caring, kind, loves children. She did not lose what her feminine nature carried, and in the end, she defeated the enemy, strengthening her strength with faith alone - faith in love. This makes Diana very different from most female warriors in movies, including Xena and many others. An interesting point is that in the mythology of the Amazons it is indicated that they were supposed to bring love/understanding to people. Since Ares instilled negative feelings in people - anger, aggression, evil, the Amazons had to become his antipodes. But the women decided not to do their work - they did not bring love, they did not protect humanity at all, hiding and fenced off from their own charges, entrusted to them by “God”, in his last breath. Moreover, they tried to protect Diana from her direct destiny - the murder of Ares, for which she was born.

1. There are equal parts strong men and strong women in the film. Actually, the antagonists of the film are a man and a woman, the protagonists are a man and a woman, and at the same time the protagonist Steve is not shown as someone who is worse, stupider or weaker than Diana. Naive in our world, Diana needs his care and some kind of mentoring. Actually, this distinguishes Wonder Woman from Marvel films by type "Jessica Jones", or Disney's Star Wars, Frozen etc. After all, even in the absence of the idea of ​​an island of women and Amazons, outright feminofascism is shown: women are wonderful heroes, strong, brave, honest, etc. and men are, at best, backup dancers.

Now let's move on to the disadvantages. And, alas, there are a lot of them, and almost all of them fit into:

1. The first is a standard lie. Films where there is an image of a female warrior always lie, in several points, first of all, about her appearance - in “Wonder Woman” it was said that in addition to superpower from the blood of Zeus, Diana also trained from childhood to be a real warrior... In this topic It is better to see once than to discuss a hundred times.

So, real champions in combat sports. Is it possible to detect femininity in them? One of two things: Either strong, hardened by trained muscles, or femininity, one does not combine with the other in real life.

Film fictional warriors:

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2. Second lie associated with the fact that a trained woman can be equal in battle to a trained man. No, he can not. Physically. Women in war could be successful snipers, pilots, and even tank crews, but in direct hand-to-hand combat, a woman cannot defeat a man, all other things being equal. (well-being, presence of a weapon, or something that can be used as a weapon). Films about superheroes and female warriors in general are built on the fact that a woman personally, with her thin arms and legs, beats several enemy special forces, receives retaliatory blows, and after that goes to fight the enemy again. Sometimes they try to justify this: they say, “she has superpowers,” but this is a lie that enters the subconscious. Thus, a girl can inadequately calculate her physical strength and find herself in a frankly unpleasant situation, and in this way the age-old taboo that “the fair sex cannot be beaten” is lifted from the boy.

The films do not show that the blow of a woman and a man have a fundamental difference in the degree of harm to the enemy. Although anyone who has an idea of ​​human physiology understands that men and women react differently to the same impact due to physiological differences.

3. The next disadvantage is sexualization of female aggression. Again, all Hollywood filmmakers suffer from this. “Wonder Woman” managed to put on an armored suit that exposed her hips, neck, and arms – right under the enemy’s blows. If the fact that Diana is not afraid of bullets was somehow explained - they say, her bracelets and shield attract them and then reflect them, then in terms of hand-to-hand combat or the use of knives - it looks simply ridiculous. However, this image is given by default to girls as a model of behavior, and to boys as a model of an ideal woman: aggressive, angry, half-naked, rude, etc. After all, it is superheroes today that in most cases become the idols of children.

4. Since childhood, Diana has directly dreamed of fighting, dreams of fighting, but her mother does not allow her to do this. The situation looks artificial for two reasons:

• On the one hand, the girl is fascinated by the training of others and that is why she is so eager to learn the art of combat as soon as possible. Accordingly, if the mother wanted to reduce her daughter’s “fighting spirit,” then she would have to try to interest her in something else, and not just forbid her to train.

• On the other hand, according to the plot, Diana is the only one who can kill their enemy Ares, which means that the mother’s behavior with her prohibitions looks doubly stupid.

It turns out that mother-daughter conflict– absolutely artificial and unviable, or rather, it is extremely illogical and absurd in the film’s universe. Such a violation of cause-and-effect relationships highlights the reason for which this conflict was woven into the plot: to once again show the negative image of parents, conveying to young viewers the idea of ​​​​the need to ignore parental authority.

Total– “Wonder Woman” has the typical problems of a movie about female superheroes, but the level of feminism, compared to many other films and cartoons, is very low, and in some moments, the gender theme even has positive images. Many feminists considered the film to almost “betray their interests.”

good and evil

The main theme of the film is that the naive Diana believes Ares to be responsible for the aggressiveness of humanity. The story of Ares is slightly adjusted, and from the god of war of the Greek pantheon, he turned into a likeness of Lucifer, instilling evil feelings in people.

As was clear from the first frames, Diana will have to learn the terrible truth: people fight because they themselves are full of evil and aggression, at least this is how Ares twists it, who honestly admits that he does not force anyone to commit evil (the topic is presented sufficiently ambiguous, since from the words of Ares it follows that, although he does not force, he at least motivates to commit evil acts). But, after talking with different people, Diana comes to a different conclusion - people are full of evil, treachery and aggression, but also full of goodness, light and love, and it depends only on them what ideals they will fight for and how they will behave.

Actually, this is a fairly simple idea that lies at the heart of many parables, including the famous parable of the two wolves, but it is rarely seen in modern cinema, especially in comic books.

Since the tendencies of modern Hollywood tend to present good and evil not as a personal choice, but as something that governs a person and for which he is not to blame, this idea can be carried into the positive meaning of the film “Wonder Woman”.

Responsibility and moral choice

Another positive meaning of “Wonder Woman” is that it does not have such a strong complex of being chosen, and it is said that any person can do the right thing. This is also shown by the moment when Diana leaves her mother for the war:

– Do you understand that you may not return?
– Who will I be if I stay?

Or as Steve explains it:

“My father told me: “If something wrong happens in the world, then you can either do nothing or do at least something.” I choose the second one.

Thus, the film shows quite conscious heroes who rushed to save the Motherland and the world, and not the infantile “chosen ones” as is customary in modern teenage cinema.

vulgarity

The film's big drawback is its vulgarity, which significantly increases the age limit. Diana and Steve often talk, including about intimacy, then she catches him naked, and from the direction of her gaze, it is clear that she is looking.

30th minute:

Diana - How typical are you for members of your gender?

Steve - I'm...perhaps larger than average.

Conversations about the 12 volumes of Clio, dedicated to “bodily pleasures,” which Diana read at home, and according to which, “men are suitable for conceiving children, but not carnal pleasures.”

It is also worth noting the above-mentioned Diana costume, which is not particularly suitable as armor, but it emphasizes her figure and makes her appear more naked than dressed in the frame.

Historical inconsistencies

Since the film tells about an important historical period, it is worth noting that the events shown in the film are a very alternative history, and indeed an alternative reality.

Multiculturalism shown in the film (like the Scotsman, Arab and Indian that Steve recruits in London), has nothing to do with the reality of that time, real historical characters and real stories taken as the basis of the film’s military line do not stand up to criticism. Diana kills the quite historical Erich von Ludendorff in 1918, although he lived until 1937 and was close to Hitler.

For some reason, the “father” of chemical weapons was replaced by the “mother” - Doctor Poison, after all, for the sake of feminism. On the other hand, they showed men who saw Diana even close to the front and immediately threw demonstrative hysterics, although according to the plot it was already the end of the war, and women in the First World War had already managed to distinguish themselves not only as rear workers, but also as direct participants in the hostilities.

And most importantly, although the entire plot revolves around the theme of the First World War and its main participants, the creators managed not to mention Russia even once.

In general, in its historical outline, “Wonder Woman” is strikingly similar to "The First Avenger", from watching which one gets the impression that fascism was fought exclusively by brave American soldiers, who were only sometimes helped by individual Europeans.

Support team

A few words should be said about those who help Wonder Woman and her “boyfriend” defeat the Germans. It is gradually becoming a tradition that superhero squads recruit characters exclusively from marginalized individuals, at least if we take into account their official history, appearance and demeanor.

This time, such an honor was given to: the spy and notorious liar Samira, the alcoholic and part-time sniper Charlie and the smuggler Leader. The main thing that interests them at the time of “recruitment” is not the defense of the Motherland and ending the war, but the amount of payment. The main character, quite deservedly, at the moment of meeting her, comments on this trinity: “a liar, a murderer and a smuggler - charming!” Just to understand the pattern of Hollywood’s destructive plot moves, let’s quote a similar phrase from the main character from a recently released film "Three X's: World domination": “The good, the bad, the extreme and the downright crazy – these are the ones I can work with!”

In the future, naturally, it turns out that a good nature is hidden in the soul of each of them, that they are ready to fight even without money, and that simply an unfortunate fate forced these characters to become what they are. Thus, the film continues the already stable trend of depicting good in the image of evil, which imposes a stereotype of positive perception of outwardly negative heroes.

Alcohol

There are several scenes in which the main characters drink alcohol.

Sexualization

Several inappropriate vulgar episodes; through the heroine, who is almost naked in battle, they are trying to sexualize female aggression.

Violence

Lots of fight scenes, which suits the genre. Adequate attitude towards violence and evil.

Morality

Although “Wonder Woman” does not have those shortcomings that are filled with recent films about superheroes, it is still full of typical Hollywood information poison: from vulgarity to an inappropriate interpretation of history and the replication of a generally unnatural and destructive image of a female warrior dressed up like a one-piece swimsuit.

Inside the film there is an unconditionally positive message, which, by the way, is rare for modern cinema - that each of us is responsible for what we bring into this world through our actions.

Elizaveta Kvasnyuk

Dmitry Raevsky

Lovers, following the example of bees, live a life as sweet as honey.

Corpus lnscriptionum Latinarum,

IV, 8408

Carnal love was present everywhere, causing both commoners and patricians to lose their heads. Of course, morality changed over time, and Ovid allowed himself to give advice to lovers that Cato would consider the height of indecency. But if during the Republic morality rejected some innovations, the demons of the flesh no less tormented these defenders of virtue. The famous Cato is an example of this kind: he once forced a respected man to be expelled from the Senate simply because he allowed himself to kiss his wife in the presence of his daughter; however, having grown old, widowed and living in the same house with his son and daughter-in-law, Cato himself indulged in criminal love with a young lady, the daughter of his secretary, whom he eventually married.

However, in those days there was nothing particularly scandalous about this and the Romans always found sensual pleasures outside of marriage, which our civilization rejects. To better understand this amazing paradox, we should remember that the ancient Romans looked at women differently. If a Roman woman from a good family was obliged to lead a virtuous lifestyle, and noble mothers of the family were obliged to remain faithful to their spouses, then those who could not enter into a legal marriage - slaves, freedwomen, courtesans - were free to dispose of their own bodies. Once, while walking through the Forum, the stern Cato met a young man leaving a brothel. He blushed with shame, but Cato, on the contrary, praised him for visiting “corrupt women” and not encroaching on the honor of noble Roman women. The next day, the same young man had the misfortune to again catch the eye of Cato in the same situation, and, they say, Cato again approved of him - because he goes to the girls, and does not live with them!

But a girl from a good family was the subject of strict supervision. History has left us many examples of this. A certain teacher was found hugging his student - and quite chastely - and he was put to death. Another teacher entered into a relationship with his student - and the father of the family chose to kill both the teacher and his own daughter, who was forever disgraced.

The concept of defilement, so important to the Romans, explains why adultery was initially impossible for a woman, while it was considered quite natural for a man. The fact is that a woman received seed from a man, and her blood could be polluted if the relationship was illegal. In this case, the woman lost her honor and could no longer perform marital duties. This did not apply to the man, because he gave and did not receive. His blood was not defiled by anyone. Consequently, it was considered normal for a man to have concubines, and the Romans practiced de facto polygamy, although the law prescribed monogamous marriages. However, cohabitants could not belong to good families. The owner of the house was satisfied with slaves, foreigners, and maids, and it even happened that they aroused jealousy in his legal wife.

We have already seen that the Romans were in no hurry to get married, and many preferred to live with concubines, whom they could send away at any moment. Some of Plautus's characters publicly declare that they would rather live happily with a slave or freedwoman than be subjected to the tyranny of a wife from a noble family. However, illegal unions produce children who do not have the right to claim their father's inheritance. And if for the common man this mattered little, then for members of high society everything looked different: precisely in an effort to prevent the reduction of noble families, Augustus took measures obliging men to enter into legal marriage. But these measures turned out to be ineffective - perhaps because the emperor himself set a bad example. Suetonius says that Augustus's own wife Livia selected young maids for him who were submissive to his desires.

Women, of course, also entered into illicit relationships. In the most ancient times, anyone guilty of adultery was put to death. The fate of her lover was also unenviable: he either died under the blows of the whip of an insulted husband, or was deprived of the organ that served as the main instrument in the implementation of criminal passion... But gradually, along with the evolution of morals, the revenge of deceived husbands became more humane, and in order not to become a laughing stock, Having exposed their shame to the public, they preferred to divorce their wife, keeping her dowry. The law passed by Augustus even obliged deceived husbands to divorce their wives - otherwise they could be considered pimps. At the end of the Republic, the Romans begin to look at love more leniently. The tragic story of Virginia, who lived in the middle of the 5th century BC. e., by this time it seems to them somewhat outdated. This story, testifying to the severity of ancient morals, is told by Titus Livius. Lucius Virginius was a centurion (commander of a century) of the Roman army, an exemplary soldier and citizen. Both he and his wife at one time received a strict upbringing and raised their daughter in the same way. Meanwhile, the decemvir Appius Claudius became madly infatuated with the young maiden and intended to make her his mistress. The girl had already reached adulthood and was distinguished by her extraordinary beauty. Appius gave her generous gifts, but everything was in vain. Then he ordered one of his associates to declare her a slave. He claimed that the girl was not the legitimate daughter of Virginia, but a slave adopted from one of the slaves. Despite the intervention of the girl's uncle, her fiancé and his father, the court recognized her as a slave and ordered her mother to be returned to her master. And then Virginia took his daughter away from the crowd and stabbed her in the heart with a knife to save her honor.

Indeed, in the last century of the Republic, morals were changing rapidly. Already in the plays of Plautus, lustful young men and depraved old men are depicted, spending their time in the Forum and pursuing young girls. The most disadvantaged classes expressed their feelings more openly - apparently because fewer than the nobility were constrained by the framework of ancient traditions.

The ashes of Vesuvius have preserved for us a living picture of this state of morals. The walls of some streets and public buildings are covered with graffiti, evidence of the fun and hectic life in Pompeii. Here there are indecent words denoting exploits of love, and charming poems. The lover expresses his gnawing impatience on marble; The mule driver is in vain eager to quench his passion with the young man: “If you are experiencing love passion, mule driver, you better hurry to Venus. I love a young handsome boy." Someone writes vindictively, turning to the gods: “I ask that my rival perish.”

There are often inscriptions testifying to the tenderness of love: “Long live the one who loves, let the one who does not know how to love perish.” Or: “Oh! How I would like your arms to wrap around my neck, how I would like to kiss your tender lips...” These inscriptions fully convey the love fervor characteristic of the Mediterranean peoples.

But love is also an art. Along with freedom of morals comes their sophistication. It is no coincidence that the most famous work of this kind in Antiquity is called “The Science of Love.” Its author, the poet Ovid, was expelled by Augustus for immoral statements contained in this book. At least that was the official reason that the emperor used. But Ovid did not describe anything that did not happen every day on the streets and in the houses of Rome for a long time. And Horace did not mean anything bad when he called for enjoying the body of a courtesan, since the charms of a matron in a long dress are more expensive:

Apart from the face, you can’t see anything about the matron,

The table is lowered to the toes, and a robe is thrown over top -

There are a lot of things that get in the way of getting to the point!

The transparent tunic of the courtesan allows you to better see her beauty and make sure that the requested price corresponds to the “product”:

Here everything is in plain sight: you can see through the Kos fabrics

As if naked; Is it not a skinny thigh, or crooked legs?

Ovid is especially valuable to us because he was more of a chronicler of his time than a scandalous poet. His descriptions of love are not so much a description of his own experience as a statement of a general theory. Ovid generalizes much more than Horace. He does not believe that only courtesans are suitable for pleasure. Ovid wants to see the desired in every woman. This is the feeling of a winning man. Ovid likes to compare a love victory to military service. The poet also likes to present the lover as a hunter, obliged to study the territory well. Rome is a favorable territory for love. Isn't amor (love) an anagram of Roma?

The Forum is suitable for a love hunt, and there is even more room for spectacles:

Here you can sit next to me, and no one will say a word to you,

Here, even if you snuggle sideways, no one will be surprised.

It’s so good that the seats are narrow, that you can’t help but be crowded!

That the law allows you to touch beauties while crowding!

This is where you need to look for clues for insinuating speech,

And it’s okay if the words in it are vulgar.

A conversation ensues. There is an opportunity to show signs of attention to the beauty:

If a speck of dust accidentally lands on a girl's chest -

Shake this speck of dust off it with a gentle finger.

Even if there is no speck of dust, still shake it off gently...

"The Science of Love" is more than a simple textbook of practical advice. This is a book in which the poet proves himself to be a subtle psychologist and shows us the ideas that men and women of his time had about love:

No matter how much he repeats “I don’t want to,” he will soon want to, like everyone else.

The secret joy of Venus is sweet to both youth and maiden,

Only more modest - she, and more openly - he.

If we could agree not to touch women, -

The women themselves, I swear, would start touching us.

True, the maiden does not dare to start another game, -

However, I'm happy to accept it if she doesn't start.

Really, the one who expects the initial step from a woman,

Apparently he thinks too highly of his beauty.

The first attack is for a man and the first requests are for a man,

So that a woman can give in to requests and flattery.

The path to mastery is prayer. A woman loves a man's requests -

So tell her how you fell in love with her...

If, however, you feel that your prayers are boring,

Stop, step back, let satiety pass.

For many, what is not there is sweeter than what is available:

The less you put pressure, the less people will dislike you.

And don’t point too clearly at Venus’s goal:

By calling it in the name of friendship, you will bring love closer.

I myself saw how strict maidens softened from this

And then they allowed their friend to become their lover.

So, a man must believe in himself and boldly begin courtship:

Everyone wants to look and wants to be looked at -

This is where feminine and girlish shame finds its end.

You may have to enlist the help of a maid. In addition, you should promise, assure, give gifts, shower your friend with compliments, who, having surrendered, will lay down her arms before the power of eloquence. However, you should be careful about some things, such as the birthday of the one you love:

...Birthdays and other gift dates -

These are the darkest days for you.

No matter how stubborn you are to give, she will not miss hers:

A woman will find a means to rob passionate men.

The peddler came and laid out the goods in front of her,

She will review them and turn to you,

“Choose,” he will say, “to taste, I’ll see how picky you are,”

And then he’ll kiss you and coo: “Buy it!”

...If you don’t have money on you, they say, he’ll ask for a receipt,

And you will envy those who do not know how to write.

Well, what if she is born twice or thrice a year?

And is there an offering waiting for the birthday cake?

A lover must also be strict about his appearance. “Just be neat and clean” is the main commandment. Ovid sketches for us a portrait of an ideal man: tanned skin, a short and spotless toga, trimmed hair and beard, clean nails, no nose hair, and especially: “Let your breath not smell of bad freshness.” If these rules are followed, the lover has a good chance of achieving what he wants. He can only use his eloquence to shower the beauty with compliments, admiring her delicate face or tiny leg. For it is true that

Words will help brighten up the blemish...

If it’s mowing, then call it Venus; light eyes - Minerva;

And completely emaciated means light and slender;

Don’t be too lazy to call a short one fragile, and fat one - a fat one

And dress the flaw in the beauty adjacent to it.

And finally, the lover must be able to cry, because “tears will melt diamonds. / Just be able to show how moist your cheek is!” If you weren’t able to cry, “run the oil over your fingers and over your eyelashes.”

I say: be compliant! Concessions bring victory.

Whatever comes to her mind, do it like an actor!

If he says “no”, you will say “no”; if he says “yes”, if you say “yes”: obey!

Will praise - praise; will scold - scold;

If he laughs, you will laugh too; shed a tear - cry;

Let it be a decree for all facial expressions!

Submission to your beloved is a guarantee of pleasure - the pleasure that you experience next to your chosen one. Ovid believes: when you get married, you fulfill a duty that leads to the marital bed even when you and your wife are in a quarrel; when you are a lover, you deal only with love. Love, therefore, is first of all pleasure. And in the name of this pleasure, a lover can even endure a rival, confident that his beauty will return to him if he is patient and restrained:

It was hot that day, and it was already approaching noon.

I was tired and lay down on the bed.

One shutter was only closed, the other was open,

So that there was partial shade in the room, as if in a forest, -

Soft, flickering light, like the hour just before sunset

Or when the night has passed, but the day has not yet arisen.

By the way, such twilight is for girls of modest disposition,

In it their fearful shame finds the necessary shelter.

Then Corinna came in wearing an unbelted light shirt,

Strands of hair fell over snow-white shoulders.

According to legend, Semiramis entered the bedroom

Or Laida, who has known many husbands...

I tore off the light fabric, although it was thin, it did not interfere much -

The shy woman still fought with me because of her,

I just fought like those who don’t want their own victory,

Soon, having betrayed herself, she surrendered to her friend without difficulty,

And she appeared naked before my eyes...

Her body appeared to me in impeccable beauty.

What kind of shoulders did I caress! What hands have I touched!

How full the breasts were - if only I could squeeze them passionately!

How smooth her belly was under her perfect breasts!

The figure is so magnificent and straight, young strong thigh!

Is it worth listing?.. Everything was worthy of admiration.

I pressed her naked body to mine...

Anyone knows the rest... We fell asleep tired together...

Oh, if only my afternoons would pass like this more often!

It is clear what could have angered Augustus in these verses. The portrait of the lover that Ovid describes is the complete opposite of the Roman as politicians portrayed him. Ovid talks about a man who prefers free love to marriage, agrees to infidelity, becomes a slave to the one he loves; the spouse, as we have already seen, must serve as a model of virtue. Where is the traditional image of the father - the lord and head of the family? What would old Cato say, for whom intimate life was strictly regulated by the authority of a husband who observed traditions in spite of pleasure? However, by that time Cato's theories were outdated. This was Ovid's justification, since the lover's patience and submission had one goal: love. This love, according to Ovid, must be protected, nourished, made necessary through the force of habit. Then everyone will give themselves to the other and receive an equal share of pleasure, and pleasure itself will never turn into obligation. Ovid equally condemns both prostitution and... marriage: “It is too easy to possess those who are always nearby...”

Thus, the pleasure of lovers is considered not as mere entertainment, but as a sweet destiny in which the deepest feelings are born. At the same time, Ovid assures us that love is not determined by the framework of the law, from which it is completely free, but that it is anarchic and uncontrollable. This is undoubtedly the poet's mistake. Indeed, it seems that the tender mutual feeling experienced by the lovers marks an important revolution in the sexual mentality of the Romans, and in an era of changing morality, the poet can only shock the authorities. Ovid presents us with the act of love as a union of two bodies, each of which seeks to bring pleasure to the other. He advises a woman to adopt a pose that best emphasizes her body:

The one with a good face, lie down, stretched out, on your back;

The one with a beautiful back, show off your back.

Atalanta touched Milanion's shoulders with her feet -

You, whose legs are slender, can follow their example.

To be a horsewoman suits a small person, but a tall one - not at all...

If the outline of a smooth side is pleasing to the eye -

Get on your knees on the bed and throw your face back.

If boyish hips are light and breasts are flawless

Lie across the bed, place a friend above you...

“Let a shudder and a groan repeat about joy, / And an escaping sigh, and a babble, a witness to happiness...” Such a phrase seems quite natural today, but one can imagine how revolutionary it was for the old Romans. Under the Republic, sexuality could under no circumstances be the preserve of women. Sexual morality took into account that there are two partners, but one of them is passive and must serve for pleasure and obey the male law, and the second is the master, imposing his dominance and forcing him to “serve himself.” Such a “male” position fully corresponded to the image of the all-powerful father of the family, who had the rights to life and death even to his own wife and had power both at home and in city affairs. Political, family and sexual life were the lot of men, and we have already seen that initially a woman through marriage only passed from the guardianship of her father to the guardianship of her husband. A man could lose his honor by giving pleasure to his partner, and lovers of oral sex were considered disgraced and lacking masculinity. There was only a male orgasm, and in the surviving paintings in Pompeii we see how a woman, sitting in the position of a horseman, serves to satisfy a man voluptuously stretched out on a bed. This is the same relationship between master and slave.

Moreover, the slave did not have to be a woman. A minion could also satisfy the owner of the house, since homosexuality was widespread in this era. More precisely, however, to talk about bisexuality. Roman society did not condemn “unnatural love,” but the one who inspired such love was passive, that is, he served his beloved. Such a role was only suitable for a creature of the lowest rank. Seneca noted that passivity “is a crime in a person of free birth; for a slave it is his duty; for a freedman it is a courtesy, his moral duty towards his patron.” Indeed, a favorite insult of the Romans was the expression "te praedico", meaning in the crudest terms: "I will take you in the ass", or "irruo", meaning: "I will let you suck." A passive partner (or partner) or lover of orogenital contact covered himself with shame; the honor of the active participant in the act did not suffer at all. Thus, we see that sexual morality was based on the same criteria as social morality: a Roman citizen was obliged to maintain his active role, and a slave did not cover himself with shame by serving his master. That is why the owner was applauded when he enjoyed both his wife and his slaves - men or women. Young Romans from the age of fourteen tried to declare their masculinity: sexual activity proved their maturity. Girls, as we know, reached puberty at twelve years of age.

Changes in morals at the end of the Republic era, awareness of the dangers that free love brings, also change sexual morality. As we have already said, a woman is emancipated, and love in the full sense of the word gradually becomes a reality. The morality of masculinity, based on a rigid social order, gives way to the recognition of virtue and the dominance of conjugal love. The emphasis, therefore, is on chastity, and the head of the family from a tyrant becomes a life partner. Moreover, in the era of the Empire, a man's social status is no longer associated with his status as a participant in the political life of the city; citizens lose the right to speak, and even the most powerful of them are merely imperial servants. The new virtue prohibits relationships outside marriage and condemns homosexuality. Young man of the 2nd century AD e. strives to remain chaste as long as possible. He becomes modest and bashful, there is nothing in him of the young Republican man who was not afraid of any violence. It is this new morality that will be used, starting from the 3rd century AD. e., Christianity.

A few words should also be said about homosexuality. All civilizations knew it, but they all gave it different meanings. In Rome, homosexuality and especially pederasty were not as widespread as in Greece, since the moral standards of the Romans differed from the Greeks. Officially, Roman customs prohibited homosexual relations between two persons of Roman blood. Public morality also condemned this type of relationship. However, cases of this kind are known; some of them ended with the death penalty for the perpetrators.

Most often, such relationships were practiced in the army: the reason for this was long military campaigns far from the homeland. But the connection had to be kept secret, since exemplary punishments were practiced. Plutarch tells the story of Marius's nephew, Gaius Lucius, who "could not look at young people without a trembling desire." One day this Gaius Lucius, being an officer in his uncle’s army, became infatuated with one of his soldiers, a certain Trebonius. One evening Lucius ordered Trebonius to come to his tent. He obeyed the boss. But when Lucius, based on strict military subordination, set out to demand that Trebonius yield to his advances, he pulled out his sword and killed the officer. Maria was not there at that moment. Having returned, he ordered Trebonius to be brought to him, and no one wanted to defend the one who killed the commander’s nephew. Trebonius decided to tell everything and asked his comrades who were present at this scene to confirm his words. The truth triumphed, and instead of punishment, Mari rewarded the brave soldier and advised everyone to follow his example.

They acted completely differently when nothing threatened Roman blood, and what was prohibited with a citizen was permitted with a young slave. In Roman houses it was customary to have one or more minions in order to satisfy this type of carnal pleasure with complete impunity.

In fact, pederasty existed in Rome long before the influence of the Greeks began to take effect. Polybius says that back in the 6th century BC. e. The Romans bought boys for love for one talent. In the 3rd century BC. e. this practice becomes even more widespread, and the law of Scatinius, passed in 226 BC. e. and prohibiting this form of debauchery did not lead to its eradication. The greatest Romans are known for their homosexual activities. Thus, Caesar was captivated by the charms of Nicomedes, king of Bithynia, and his soldiers, during the triumph of their leader, recalled not only his military, but also his love victories: “Caesar conquers the Gauls, Nicomedes Caesar: / Today Caesar triumphs, having conquered Gaul, - / Nicomedes triumphs, having conquered Caesar.”

Tiberius, Caligula, Hadrian, Elagabalus also set a bad example in this matter. Nero indulged in debauchery without any restraint. Suetonius says that he castrated a boy named Sporus and married him in public, having celebrated “the wedding with all the rites, with a dowry and a torch, with great pomp he brought him into his house and lived with him as a wife,” which led some to say : “People would be happy if Nero’s father had such a wife!” Nero carried him with him everywhere, “kissing him every now and then.” The emperor also liked other entertainments: for example, “in animal skin, he jumped out of the cage on naked men and women tied to poles and, having satisfied his wild lust, gave himself to the freedman Doryphoros: he married this Doryphoros, as he married him - Arguing, shouting and screaming like a girl being raped."

One can easily imagine how eagerly the aristocracy followed the imperial example. Rich citizens housed young slaves, called “pleasure boys,” and they were always ready to respond to the most voluptuous desires of the owner. Most of these boys came from Eastern, Asian or African countries and already knew how to arouse sensuality with lustful poses and words. The Egyptians, Syrians and Moors enjoyed the greatest success.

Trimalchio in the novel Petronius says that he came to Italy from Asia very young and adds: “For fourteen years he was kind to my master like a woman. And he satisfied the hostess too.” He made a fortune from this, and therefore would hardly have agreed with Juvenal, who said: “It is better to be a slave cultivating the land than cultivating your master.”

Minions were intended solely for sexual pleasure. Always richly dressed, with long curled hair, they served as decoration for the feasts given by their master, and served by performing songs, dancing or reciting obscenities, which was unusually popular with ill-bred guests, who found it amusing that such things should be uttered by such young children. The only reward for these poor boys was the patronage of their master, who usually let them go when they grew up, as in the case of Trimalchio.

But male prostitution also had darker forms. How many young provincials who came to Rome, faced with poverty, were forced to sell themselves for a few aces! Money played an important role in this type of prostitution. The poet Tibullus fell in love with the young Marat, who cheated on him with a courtesan. Tibullus understands him and even more - he helps, but all the time he asks him not to sell himself. Marat would be happy to remain faithful, but he cannot resist Titus, an old man, ugly and suffering from gout, because Titus is rich. Then Tibullus drives Marat away, wanting Titus to have his wife make him a thousand-fold cuckold. Many of these courtesans lived with their lovers, took care of the house and cooking, sometimes earning a few random coins. Often these young people changed their lover if a more profitable patron turned up for them. The poet Catullus, having broken up with Clodia, fell in love with a depraved young man named Juventius, about whom, however, there were rumors that he came from a good family. But the poet was already thirty-one years old, and he could not make the proper impression on this young man, shameless and dissolute, who preferred Aurelius to Catullus, handsome, but penniless. Catullus tries to intimidate his rival: “Give me this desired young man; I am frightened by your phallus, destructive of children, innocents and old people.” Or: “A sad fate threatens you: they will spread your legs and insert radishes and fish into the hole.” (This was the punishment for a man caught in the act of a crime against morality.) But nothing can force Juventius to part with Aurelius. Catullus does not understand why “with such overpopulation, his young friend chose this man, poorer than a gilded statue.”

In fact, age was an important obstacle to male love. It is to his “five dozen” that Horace attributes the young Ligurin’s lack of interest in him. The poet tells us that he was never tender in love, but sought first of all the sensual satisfaction of his desire. However, at fifty years old, despite his age, this still beardless young man, whose face “shines purple” and whose long hair flows over his shoulders, cannot go out of his mind. “Ligurin, isn’t it you in a dream / I’m holding you in my arms, or I’m rushing along the Field of Mars / after you, / Or I’m floating on the waves, but you’re flying away!” . But the beautiful young man preferred a younger and richer lover.

The unlucky lover could only console himself in the men's lupanaria. There were plenty of them, especially in Subura, on the Esquiline and at the Pont Sublicia. They were also held in the basements of some theaters and circuses and even in some taverns, using a phallus as a sign. There were enough effeminate young men playing a passive role, as well as hairy men with powerful penises. All of them, of course, were slaves, sometimes freedmen. Male prostitution, despite the tax imposed on it during the Empire, flourished to such an extent that Emperor Alexander Severus, who took power in 222 AD. e., was never able to destroy it, fearing that such a measure would excite passions too much.

It is clear that in homosexuality, as in heterosexuality, extreme leniency was combined with severe ruthlessness when it came to the purity of the race. However, this was not an obstacle to achieving the desired goal, according to Juvenal and some other writers. One of the characters in Petronius' Satyricon, Eumolpus, tells how he managed to secretly seduce his master's son. During his military service, Eumolpus lived with one person. “As soon as conversations began at the table about beautiful boys, I always became so sincerely ecstatic, and with such stern importance I refused to disgrace my ears with immoral conversations, that everyone, especially my mother, began to look at me as a philosopher.” One day, when everyone was sleeping after a feast in the dining room, Eumolpus noticed that the boy was not sleeping. Then, loud enough for him to hear, Eumolpus whispered to Venus: “O Venus, mistress! If I kiss this boy so that he doesn’t feel it, then in the morning I’ll give him a couple of doves.” The boy “started snoring” and allowed himself to be kissed. The next day Eumolpus brought pigeons. That same evening, in the same way, he promised a gift of roosters if the boy allowed himself to be caressed. The boy allowed it. For the third time, Eumolpus promised a Macedonian horse if the boy agreed to “complete and desired happiness.” The pleasure was received in full, but the next day Eumolpus was unable to buy a trotter, which was more difficult to get than pigeons or a rooster. The disappointed boy refused to give in to Eumolpus and threatened to tell his father everything. Burning with desire, Eumolpus finally convinced him to give himself up once again. However, the teenager again reminded his friend to fulfill his promise. Eumolpus promised and, having received what he was looking for, fell asleep. But the boy woke him up and asked: “Why don’t we do anything more?” Angry and tired, Eumolpus replied: “Sleep, or I’ll tell my father!” .

Surely this happened more than once in Roman houses without the knowledge of their owners. But the outcome was not always so fun.

The easiest way to satisfy carnal pleasure in Rome was with the help of prostitutes. On this score we have very rich information, which is given to us by Latin comedies and especially the plays of Plautus and Terence. These plays were addressed primarily to people burdened with everyday worries, since the performances took place on holidays.

Young people from high society, tipsy soldiers, naive provincials, and lustful old men indulged in love with equal passion. The goddess of pleasure was the courtesan. Of course, the life described in these comedies was far from reality, since it ignored the need for daily hard work, however, the caustic depiction of love experiences offered to us often reflects the cruel reality: after all, the comic takes real life as a basis. And of course, although such plays were set in Greece and the characters had Greek names, the issues they raised were purely Roman.

As we have already seen, Roman morality allowed a certain amount of sexual freedom, provided that the purity of Roman blood remained inviolable. Here is what the character of “Curculion” Plautus says about this:

There is no ban.

Buy goods openly, if you have money,

No one will forbid you to walk down the street -

Don’t you dare walk through someone else’s garden.

If you abstain from married widows and virgins

And from free boys, love others.

A prostitute is nothing more than a thing that can be bought like any other product. Therefore, there is no shame in purchasing it and using its services. We remember how Cato praised the young man for visiting the lupanarium; in the next century, Cicero would write that one must be rigorist in order to prohibit young people from visiting prostitutes, that this would be “a divergence from the morality and tolerance of our ancestors.” Public opinion was less tolerant towards the elderly, as evidenced by one of the characters in Plautus’s comedy:

Whether seasons or ages - everything has its own.

If there is such a law as to make old people wanton,

What will happen to our state?

Even in the legend about the birth of Rome, included in the official history of the city, there were plots related to prostitution: after all, the twins Romulus and Remus, before they were taken by Acca Larentia, the wife of the shepherd Faustulus, were nursed by a she-wolf, and “she-wolves” were usually called prostitutes. According to another tradition, Akka Larentia herself became a famous courtesan, whom the priest of Hercules offered to his master as payment for a lost bet. Having become the heiress of a wealthy husband, she brought her fortune as a gift to the Roman people. It was in memory of these events that the Larentalia festival was celebrated in Rome on December 23. Prostitutes were also associated with the cult of the goddess Flora, the ancient goddess of fertility and pleasure. It was said that another famous courtesan named Flora also brought her enormous fortune as a gift to the Romans. The Floral Festival, decorated with games, took place from April 28 to May 3, during the spring renewal. Ovid, in the Fifth Book of his Fasti, writes about this goddess, who “sends us gifts for pleasure.” And he adds that part of the holiday is the glorification of courtesans, since

She is not a prude at all, she avoids pompous speeches,

She wants her holiday to be open to everyone,

And she urges you to live to your fullest in the blooming years,

And forget about the thorns when the roses fall.

Indeed, during these holidays, courtesans walked in front of spectators and undressed at their request. Undoubtedly, it was a very popular holiday, but its religious meaning was quickly forgotten. Initially, the nudity of corrupt women was just a symbolic ritual to promote fertility. Tertulian, a Christian author and witness to these, in his opinion, sinful scenes, does not mention anything of the kind. The only thing he notes is that the prostitutes exposed themselves and loudly named their prices. “Even things were shown that should have remained hidden in the depths of their caves, so as not to come out into the daylight.”

Other holidays also gave an important place to public women, especially Vinalia, celebrated on April 23, when Venus was also celebrated along with Jupiter in a temple erected in 181 BC. e. consul Porcius Licinius. Ovid writes about this holiday, invented by prostitutes to make offerings to Venus:

Virgos available, celebrate a holiday in honor of Venus!

Venus holds the power to bring a lot of profit to you.

Demand, smoking incense, her beauty and success,

Ask her for jokes and insinuating words.

As soon as daylight broke, the Temple of Venus turned into a huge fair of prostitutes. The ugliest ones arrived before sunrise, and the most famous ones arrived around noon. All the prostitutes of Rome gathered here, as well as many onlookers who discussed their merits. Woe to those who did not have a perfect body: the crowd could subject them to insults. Here, public women from the most vile whores to the most elegant courtesans were exchanged and sold as ordinary items of trade.

In Rome, prostitutes lived everywhere, but in some quarters there were especially many of them, so that a real map of the city's pleasures can be drawn up. From Aventine to Subura, any Roman could choose a woman according to his tastes and condition. Public places, places of promenade and especially places of spectacle were the main meeting places. The richest courtesans showed off their luxurious toilets under elegant porticoes, and near the Campus Martius, the vicinity of the Temple of Isis was famous for the fact that the most beautiful girls gathered there (and therefore the goddess Isis enjoyed the reputation of a bawd in Rome). Under the arches of a large circus or amphitheater, the most well-known category of prostitutes awaited clients from the middle social strata who came to have fun, while on the streets of Subura the scum of society satisfied their lust in unimaginable filth. There was even a whole quarter, Submeniy, called the “quarter of prostitutes.” There was a whole string of closets without windows. Martial says that they were closed only with curtains, behind which practically naked slaves, girls and boys waited for clients in the stench and dirt.

We are talking about the lowest category of lupanarii, where for two aces you could satisfy your desire. But there are few places in the city where more expensive establishments offer better comfort to the client. In Pompeii, many such rooms have been preserved, where there was only a stone bench covered with a skinny mattress. The walls were covered with obscene inscriptions, and at the entrance to each room a small poster told clients about the services of a prostitute. Most often, these places were breeding grounds for sexually transmitted diseases. The cost of services here reached 16 asses, but these were pennies compared to the thousands of sesterces that were requested by some famous courtesan who invited a client to her home or came to his home. Some rich people created their own small private lupanaria (such, for example, existed in some houses in Pompeii) and did not miss the opportunity to invite sensual dancers to their feasts. According to Juvenal, they began to “wriggle / In the Gaditian manner in a melodious round dance / To the approval of clapping, squatting with trembling butts.” At this point, the guests could no longer contain their excitement to the “crackle of castanets with words that / The naked girl will not say, hiding in a stinking den,” amused by “the obscene sound and the various arts of lust.” If you believe the satirical poet, carnal pleasures were hardly different between the rich and the poor in the closets of Subura. But, he slyly adds, “only the poor / Are ashamed to play with dice, and are ashamed to be obscene, but when / a rich man does this, he will be known as both cheerful and dexterous.”

People became prostitutes for various reasons. Often slaves were purchased specifically for these purposes. Some pimps raised abandoned children or children who were sold to them. Every year, several thousand children and teenagers became the subject of purchase and sale. Typically, children were handed over to the lupanaria at the age of fourteen, but it was not uncommon in neighborhoods such as Subura to find very young children forced to sell themselves. Prostitution was often caused by poverty, and many prostitutes born into ordinary families were forced to submit to necessity. Sometimes they were tempted by the possibility of easy money. One of Terence's characters traces the path of such a girl:

At first she led a bashful life here,

Severe and modest; weaving ourselves

And she sought food with yarn;

But then the lovers appeared

With promises and payment, one, another.

All people tend to enjoy work

Go down: accepts the offer,

And there he already takes up fishing.

For others, prostitution was a means to gain freedom. When the owner released one or two slaves, they preferred, without losing anything, to earn a living in the already familiar way. Since freedmen often maintained “business” ties with their patron, he received some profit from the enterprise and everyone found their own benefit in this.

The only one who did not find any monetary gain for himself was the young rake, unable to resist the powerful call of his flesh. Often he went bankrupt or ruined his father or friend by supporting a courtesan - who, as a rule, did not feel any gratitude to him. Kharin from Plautus's "Merchant" tells his story frankly. He was barely twenty years old when he fell in love with a courtesan, whose master demanded from him everything he possessed. His father, having learned about this connection, tried to appeal to him so that he would pull himself together and not throw away the fortune he had earned through backbreaking labor for the sake of the beauty’s love.

Some managed to approach the courtesan by bribing the gatekeeper with a cup of wine or deceiving her by disguise; others made a hole in the wall of the house. But the easiest way to achieve her love was, of course, money. Strabax in "The Rude" Plautus used his father's name in order to obtain the necessary amount.

Often the courtesan herself demanded expensive gifts. The courtesans of Latin comedy are marked by fickleness, hypocrisy and complete heartlessness. For them, a young lover is always preferable to an old man, who is most often too greedy:

It’s like a fish is a pimp’s lover! Only fresh

It’s good for business, there’s a lot of juice in it and a lot of sweetness,

And cook it the way you want - fry, boil, turn.

He is willing to give, pliable to requests, and has places to take from.

How much he gave, what the loss is, he cannot comprehend; all the concern is

Diniarchus from The Brute says the same thing:

Before you have time to give one away,

How hundreds of new requirements are waiting for you:

Either the gold is missing, or the cloak is torn,

Either a maid was bought, then a silver

A vessel, or an antique bronze one, a bed

Luxurious, or Greek cabinets,

Or... You always have to give something

To a lover, he is always in debt to a girl.

It required real art of hypocrisy to take any gift for granted. When Diniarch’s rival gives their common mistress two Syrian slaves, she feignedly exclaims: “Is it really not enough for you how much I feed the maids?! Moreover, you are bringing me a whole swarm of them to eat my bread.” Then he gives her a Phrygian cape, and she declares: “For all my suffering, this is such an insignificant gift to me!”

For a courtesan, neither the feelings nor even the beauty of a man are important. On the contrary, she prefers the ugly one because he pays generously to make her forget about his ugliness. The servant of one courtesan from the comedy Plautus talks about how her mistress should act. Regarding one of her lovers, she says: “As long as there was anything, he gave; now - with nothing; we have what he had; his destiny is what we had before.”

And he adds:

You should always have a good pimp

Good teeth. If anyone comes

Meet him with a smile, speak to him kindly;

Thinking evil in the heart, wishing good with the tongue;

To be a minx - to be like a thorn bush.

If he touches you a little, he will prick you or ruin you completely.

She doesn’t need to hear excuses from her lover:

He has become impoverished - he should be resigned for bad service, away!

A true lover is only one who is an enemy in his own name,

Love while you have it; no - look for another craft,

Give a place of peace to others, what to give to those who still have it.

The one who, having given, does not want to give again, is worthless.

We love only the one who gave, and immediately forgot about it.

Whoever ruins a business by abandoning it is a true lover.

The lack of tenderness was carefully hidden. It was necessary to instill in the lover’s soul hope for future happiness. Accordingly, the courtesan needed to take care of her toilet. What we said in the previous chapter about the Roman lady is also true about the courtesan, especially when she was dealing with a generous lover. Although sometimes the advertised luxury was ostentatious and hid the need and difficult living conditions. Public women went out dressed in a brown toga, indicating their occupation, but rich courtesans competed in outfits with the richest Roman women. They had to be slender, well made up, combed and strewn with jewelry. But the exaggeration of their dress and make-up set them apart from other women. In tunics of bright colors and extravagant cut, with red blush on their cheeks, they were likened to the imaginary and fantastic world that they loved to create around themselves.

This is how the author of one of the comedies describes their flirtatious behavior:

“She makes a sign to one, and glances at the other; she loves one and embraces the other; her hand is busy with it, and with her foot she pushes him; She gives her ring to one, and calls on the other with the tips of her lips; she sings with it while tracing the words for it with her finger.”

Having fallen in love with a courtesan, a man fell into a trap: they restrained him with all their might in order to force him to spend his fortune. All means are good for this. For example, you can demonstrate sudden coldness, which only arouses desire. Or invent some lie, like the courtesan in The Rude, who tried to make her soldier lover believe that while he was on the campaign, she had fathered his child. A favorite remedy was also to incite jealousy. But as soon as her lover went bankrupt, the courtesan alienated him from her, inventing another lie: from unbearable headaches to sudden piety, which required chaste behavior for a while. It really was professional art.

A courtesan could be hired by a client for any period of time. In this case, she came to his house to satisfy his desires, both for one night and for a month or even a year. A contract was concluded that could be terminated if the courtesan met another, more profitable lover. Thus, in Plautus’s “Bacchides,” before moving on to a new lover, Bacchides must repay her debt to the cruel military man who hired her for a year. The “employer” must always be wary of deception, that is, the infidelity of the hired courtesan. Plautus's play "Donkeys" preserved an example of such a contract, of course, somewhat exaggerated, as befits the comedy genre. The lawyer draws up an agreement for Diabolus with Philenia for a period of one year for twenty minas of silver, setting the following conditions:

Don't dare let anyone else in,

Do not pass off as a friend and protector

Or for a friend's lover: only you,

For all others the doors must be locked,

Make a sign on the door: the place is occupied.

Do not refer to incoming letters,

Don't dare write letters or wax tablets

Keep it in the house. Is this a dangerous picture?

Sell. Four days to fix

With the payment of money on time, but he won’t do it,

Then it’s your choice: you can burn it if you want.

Don't dare write - so there won't be any wax in the house.

Don't invite guests - only you have the right to invite.

And don’t shoot at those called with your eyes,

And if he looks, let him go blind immediately.

Drink wine from the same glass with you;

Let him accept from you; she'll start

You - after; so that she understands like you,

No more and no less...

Let him not give room for suspicion in anything:

Do not press your feet on anyone,

Getting up, and whether on the nearest bed

Getting up, getting off it, no one hands

Do not serve, do not let the ring look

And don’t ask anyone to give it to her.

Dice for you alone

Let him bring it; having given up, don’t dare say:

“Yours”: let him call you by name.

Let him pray to the goddesses exclusively,

Not to God at all; if piety

If he finds something like this, let him tell you about it,

You will pray to God for mercy.

You cannot nod, blink, or wink at strangers.

When the light is turned off at night, she is in darkness

And you shouldn’t move...

Do not utter an ambiguous word,

Let her speak only in Attic.

If he starts coughing, just let him cough,

Not like sticking your tongue out at someone;

Pretend that your nose is running - you yourself

You'll wipe it under her nose so she can't

Send a furtive kiss.

Let the bawd mother not come near the wine,

Let him forget about the abuse. Scold someone a little -

Now the punishment: twenty days

Deprive of wine...

If it happens to the maid, he orders him to take it

Wreaths, garlands, ointments - for Cupid,

Whether to Venus, let your slave keep track of who

Gives to Venus or their man.

And if he wants to maintain cleanliness,

May he return the same number of nights unclean.

This agreement is very interesting for us. It is clear that Diabol's lawyer is trying to provide for all the unexpected, listing both the most ordinary and the most incredible situations, showing us that he has both experience and knowledge of the tricks of courtesans. Even if we neglect some of the details added to enhance the comic, one can imagine the unenviable fate in store for Philenia - the fate of a woman-thing used solely for pleasure, and also to increase the prestige of a young lover. But this is when the courtesan appears in the house; if, on the contrary, the lover comes to her, then in this case the courtesan dominates, who gives consent or refuses to give paid pleasure.

However, the main recipient of the profit from the contract or gifts from the lover was usually not the courtesan herself, but the pimp or procurer. These people were devoid of any scrupulousness. The pimp was usually an intermediary between the client and the prostitute; it was he who had to be bargained with, and the deal fell through if the client did not pay the requested price. The pimp pushed around both clients and prostitutes, whom he mercilessly exploited. Often it was a native of the countries of the East; From there he also brought girls. The pimp was an object of special hatred on the part of the Romans. Curculion Plautus says this about him:

Rights from the pimp? When their tongue is theirs only

To break treaties! Own someone else's

And you let strangers go, strangers are in your power!

You have no rights, it is not for you to defend the rights of others.

A race of pimps between people...

What are men or mosquitoes, bedbugs, and lice, and fleas.

You are fit for evil, for abomination, but not for good.

A decent person will not stand with you in the square,

And if it happens, they blame him, vilify him, suspect him...

This is a strict, ruthless and rude owner. No one can pity him. He endures insults all the more easily because, as a rule, he comes from the people. Sometimes he even uses a whip. Ballion, the pimp from Plautus' Pseudolus, tells about himself:

Hey, are you listening, women?

I am speaking to you.

You spend your life in purity, in pampering

And fun. The greatest husbands

I will test my famous friends now...

Treat lovers today, let them

They will give me more gifts,

Let them deliver a yearly supply, otherwise

Tomorrow everyone will be on the street.

This really was the most terrible threat of a cruel pimp: as soon as one of the girls did not satisfy the owner’s appetites, even if she was in a relatively privileged position, she could find herself half naked on the street in front of a rickety kennel, serving the most ordinary client for a few aces.

Ballion says to one of these “girls”:

I'll start with you, Gedimia,

Girlfriend of the grain merchants.

They have no grain,

You know, they are moving mountains.

Let them grain here

They will bring you for a whole year

For me and everyone in the household,

So that I would completely choke.

Such sentences help to better understand the greed of courtesans, whose feelings could be anything but sentimental.

Sometimes the pimp gave his courtesans an excellent education. But this was not explained by philanthropy, but by their own commercial interest. A pimp is a trader. He does everything to lure the client, and once he hooks him, he sucks him clean. When the lover has no more money left, the pimp becomes adamant and gives him the same advice as Ballion:

If I loved you, I would find it, I would borrow it,

Yes, I would go to the pawnbroker, but I would add interest,

I would have stolen it from my father... You would have bought butter on credit and sold it for cash,

So, look, even two hundred minutes have come to you.

The unfortunate man exclaims in horror: “How can I steal from my father?! / And even if I could, devotion to the parent interferes.” “Devotion and embrace at night, not Phenicia,” answers the pimp.

The pimp acts in his own interests, often dishonestly. He can promise a girl to a lover at one price and immediately sell her more profitably to another. The credo of Dorion, the pimp from Terence's Phormion, is to choose the one who pays ahead of others. He is asked if he feels ashamed. “Not at all, since it gives me income.” This is the moral of the pimp. Therefore, it is not surprising that lovers sometimes deceive him. Most often, as in Terence’s “Brothers,” they kidnap some courtesan, then bargain with the pimp, promising to return her if he is satisfied, for example, with half the price he initially set. Or the pimp is accused of harboring a slave and embezzling a sum of money. Finding himself in such a delicate situation, the pimp is forced to give in. Thus cunning and dexterity serve pleasure.

So, prostitution, as a rule, turns into a fair of deceived dupes. Carnal pleasure, like other pleasures, has different levels corresponding to each social class. But most often it is selfish. The prostitutes of the Subura quarter leave no illusions to their clients. A slightly different picture emerges when it comes to courtesans, whose services are very expensive. Of course, most of their clients are looking only for voluptuousness and sensual pleasures, but there are also those who are pushed into the arms of courtesans by true feelings. We already know why these unfortunate people are ruined and deceived: pimps do not allow their charges to surrender to the will of feelings. Nevertheless, it would be an exaggeration to say that courtesans are always devoid of feelings. Morals change, and if in the theater of Plautus the courtesans are always greedy, then the theater of Terence also talks about love and the courtesan seems more like a friend than a simple instrument of pleasure. “Mother-in-Law” Terence introduces us to one such courtesan. In this play, a young man named Pamphilus goes on a journey. His wife Philumena is hiding from the world because she is expecting a child, conceived before the wedding, because her husband dishonored her. Having returned, Pamphil does not recognize the child as his own. Pamphilus has a mistress, Bacchides. All the relatives turn away from the young man, but Bacchida settles the matter, returning Pamphilus his wife and son, as well as the affection of his relatives:

What joy my arrival has brought to Pamphilus today!

What happiness I gave! It took away so many worries!

I save my son: with them he was ready to destroy him.

I returned my wife, which he could not count on.

Other mistresses are not at all inclined to do this:

It is not in our interests to have a happy marriage

The lover found it. I swear, to such baseness

I will never bring myself down for selfish reasons.

While it was possible, I was an affectionate friend in him

She had both generous and sweet; unpleasant

This marriage was for me, I confess; but that's what I did

So that the trouble becomes completely undeserved.

But from whom a lot of pleasant things were experienced,

And it’s only fair to endure the trouble from that!

History has preserved for us several examples of such nobility among courtesans and in life. This is Hispala, the freedwoman about whom Titus Livy writes: “She was worthy of more than the profession to which slavery led her, but which she continued to do after her liberation in order to help herself in need.” Hispala fell in love with a young man named Abutius, and they began dating. The young man had no money, and Gispala did not ask him for it. However, Abutius was awaiting initiation into the mysteries of Bacchus. This cult, which appeared in Rome not so long ago, was known to Ghispala, who accompanied her former mistress on it. She knew all the horrors of initiation and understood that her lover could die. Despite the danger that threatened her, Hispala chose to tell everything to the consul and saved Abutius. Her revelations marked the beginning of the famous Bacchanal Case of 186 BC. e.

Terence. The Girl from Andros, 69–79. Translation by A. Artyushkov.

Plautus. Donkeys, 178–184.

Plautus. Rude, 51–58.

Plautus. Rude, 217–218, 226–236.

Plautus. Donkeys, 758 et seq.

Plautus. Kourculion, 495–504.

Plautus. Pseudolus, 172–180.

The trailer and the very idea of ​​the film “Wonder Woman” immediately caused a certain reaction from the public: feminists were happy about the presence of a female warrior in the cinema, adequate people decided that this was another movement of the Overton Window towards feminofascism (the idea of ​​​​the superiority of women over men).

But “Wonder Woman,” despite some of its very serious shortcomings, unexpectedly turned out to be not such a bad film. Although, alas, unsuitable for the target audience.

Plot

Young Diana lives on an island hidden from humanity, where, besides her, only ageless Amazon women live. A mini-state of eternally young women was created by the Greek god Zeus, and the Amazons were created to help people and protect them from the god of war Ares. But the Amazons do their job (for which they were made) extremely poorly - that is, they simply settled on their island far from people, having the only weapon available against the enemy of the human race and not wanting to use it. They are also belligerent towards all the people they were supposed to protect.

The main character Diana is the only child in a society of adult women who considers the position of her experienced mentors to be “slightly” wrong. She absorbed the mythology of the island, as well as the thirst for battle, which she clearly inherited from her father, Zeus (who is unknown until the end of the film, but predictable).

It should be immediately noted that the film “Wonder Woman,” like some other superhero-themed films, building its plot on the key characters of ancient myths, continues to adapt in a modern way the mythical epic, which at one time served as one of the main tools for shaping the worldview of the Hellenes. Everyone can speculate for themselves about what goals are pursued by those who are trying to once again immerse people in the seemingly forgotten stories of gods, demigods and mere mortals. For a more holistic understanding of this issue and identifying trends, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with it.

But let's return to our story. One day, the British pilot Steve accidentally flies into the women's paradise, and a whole ship of militant Germans arrives after him. So, after the battle, not without losses among the highest rulers of the women's paradise, the Amazons learn that without their care, things have gone, to put it mildly, very poorly for humanity - the First World War is upon us.

Already matured Diana, despite her mother’s prohibition, wants to go help people, she is sure that Ares is to blame for everything, who brings all their evil and aggression into people. Diana and Steve travel to the outside world, where Diana plans to find and kill Ares to stop the wars on earth.

Promoted ideas

Gender/feminist theme

The first thing I want to discuss is, naturally, the feminism of the film - is it present and to what extent.

Analyzing the gender topic, let's start with the advantages:

1. Diana is feminine. And in one way this is a plus of the film, and in another it is the main minus, or rather, the main lie of the authors, but we will analyze this below. Diana is beautiful, gentle, naive, amorous, caring, kind, loves children. She did not lose what her feminine nature carried, and in the end, she defeated the enemy, strengthening her strength with faith alone - faith in love. This makes Diana very different from most female warriors in movies, including Xena and many others. An interesting point is that in the mythology of the Amazons it is indicated that they were supposed to bring love/understanding to people. Since Ares instilled negative feelings in people - anger, aggression, evil, the Amazons had to become his antipodes. But the women decided not to do their work - they did not bring love, they did not protect humanity at all, hiding and fenced off from their own charges, entrusted to them by “God”, in his last breath. Moreover, they tried to protect Diana from her direct destiny - the murder of Ares, for which she was born.

1. There are equal parts strong men and strong women in the film. Actually, the antagonists of the film are a man and a woman, the protagonists are a man and a woman, and at the same time the protagonist Steve is not shown as someone who is worse, stupider or weaker than Diana. Naive in our world, Diana needs his care and some kind of mentoring. Actually, this distinguishes Wonder Woman from Marvel films by type, or , etc. After all, even in the absence of the idea of ​​an island of women and Amazons, outright feminofascism is shown: women are wonderful heroes, strong, brave, honest, etc. and men are, at best, backup dancers.

Now let's move on to the disadvantages. And, alas, there are a lot of them, and almost all of them fit into:

1. The first is a standard lie. Films where there is an image of a female warrior always lie, in several points, first of all, about her appearance - in “Wonder Woman” it was said that in addition to superpower from the blood of Zeus, Diana also trained from childhood to be a real warrior... In this topic It is better to see once than to discuss a hundred times.

So, real champions in combat sports:

Movie warriors:

No comments needed.

2. Second lie associated with the fact that a trained woman can be equal in battle to a trained man. No, he can not. Physically. Women in war could be successful snipers, pilots, and even tank crews, but in direct hand-to-hand combat, a woman cannot defeat a man, other things being equal (well-being, the presence of a weapon, or something that can be used as a weapon). Films about superheroes and female warriors in general are built on the fact that a woman personally, with her thin arms and legs, beats several enemy special forces, receives retaliatory blows, and after that goes to fight the enemy again. Sometimes they try to justify this: they say, “she has superpowers,” but this is a lie that enters the subconscious. Thus, a girl can inadequately calculate her physical strength and find herself in a frankly unpleasant situation, and in this way the age-old taboo that “the fair sex cannot be beaten” is lifted from the boy.

The films do not show that the blow of a woman and a man have a fundamental difference in the degree of harm to the enemy. Although anyone who has an idea of ​​human physiology understands that men and women react differently to the same impact due to physiological differences.

3.The next disadvantage is sexualization of female aggression. Again, all Hollywood filmmakers suffer from this. “Wonder Woman” managed to put on an armored suit that exposed her hips, neck, and arms – right under the enemy’s blows. If the fact that Diana is not afraid of bullets was somehow explained - they say, her bracelets and shield attract them and then reflect them, then in terms of hand-to-hand combat or the use of knives - it looks simply ridiculous. However, this image is given by default to girls as a model of behavior, and to boys as a model of an ideal woman: aggressive, angry, half-naked, rude, etc. After all, it is superheroes today that in most cases become the idols of children.

4. Since childhood, Diana has directly dreamed of fighting, dreams of fighting, but her mother does not allow her to do this. The situation looks artificial for two reasons. 1. On the one hand, the girl is fascinated by the training of others and that is why she is so eager to learn the art of fighting as soon as possible. Accordingly, if the mother wanted to reduce her daughter’s “fighting spirit,” then she would have to try to interest her in something else, and not just forbid her to train. 2. On the other hand, according to the plot, Diana is the only one who is capable of killing their enemy Ares, which means that the mother’s behavior with her prohibitions looks doubly stupid.

It turns out that mother-daughter conflict– absolutely artificial and unviable, or rather, it is extremely illogical and absurd in the film’s universe. Such a violation of cause-and-effect relationships highlights the reason for which this conflict was woven into the plot: to once again show the negative image of parents, conveying to young viewers the idea of ​​​​the need to ignore parental authority.

Total– “Wonder Woman” has the typical problems of a movie about female superheroes, but the level of feminism, compared to many other films and cartoons, is very low, and in some moments, the gender theme even has positive images. Many feminists considered the film to almost “betray their interests.”

good and evil

The main theme of the film is that the naive Diana believes Ares to be responsible for the aggressiveness of humanity. The story of Ares is slightly adjusted, and from the god of war of the Greek pantheon, he turned into a likeness of Lucifer, instilling evil feelings in people.

As was clear from the first frames, Diana will have to learn the terrible truth: people fight because they themselves are full of evil and aggression, at least this is how Ares twists it, who honestly admits that he does not force anyone to commit evil (the topic is presented sufficiently ambiguous, since from the words of Ares it follows that, although he does not force, he at least motivates to commit evil acts). But, after talking with different people, Diana comes to a different conclusion - people are full of evil, treachery and aggression, but also full of goodness, light and love, and it depends only on them what ideals they will fight for and how they will behave.

Actually, this is a fairly simple idea that lies at the heart of many parables, including the famous parable of the two wolves, but it is rarely seen in modern cinema, especially in comic books.

Since the tendencies of modern Hollywood tend to present good and evil not as a personal choice, but as something that governs a person and for which he is not to blame, this idea can be carried into the positive meaning of the film “Wonder Woman”.

Responsibility

Another positive meaning of “Wonder Woman” is that it does not have such a strong complex of being chosen, and it is said that any person can do the right thing. This is also shown by the moment when Diana leaves her mother for the war:

– Do you understand that you may not return?
- Who will I be if I stay?

Or as Steve explains it:

- My father told me: “If something wrong happens in the world, then you can either do nothing or do at least something.” I choose the second one.

Thus, the film shows quite conscious heroes who rushed to save the Motherland and the world, and not the infantile “chosen ones” as is customary in modern teenage cinema.

vulgarity

The film's big drawback is its vulgarity, which significantly increases the age limit. Diana and Steve often talk, including about intimacy, then she catches him naked, and from the direction of her gaze, it is clear that she is looking.

30th minute:

Diana - How typical are you for members of your gender?

Steve - I'm...perhaps larger than average.

Conversations about the 12 volumes of Clio, dedicated to “bodily pleasures,” which Diana read at home, and according to which, “men are suitable for conceiving children, but not carnal pleasures.”

It is also worth noting the above-mentioned Diana costume, which is not particularly suitable as armor, but it emphasizes her figure and makes her appear more naked than dressed in the frame.

Historical inconsistencies

Since the film tells about an important historical period, it is worth noting that the events shown in the film are a very alternative history, and indeed an alternative reality.

The multiculturalism shown in the film (like the Scotsman, Arab and Indian whom Steve recruits in London) has nothing to do with the reality of the time, the real historical characters and real stories taken as the basis for the military line of the film do not stand up to criticism. Diana kills the quite historical Erich von Ludendorff in 1918, although he lived until 1937 and was close to Hitler.

For some reason, the “father” of chemical weapons was replaced by the “mother” - Doctor Poison, after all, for the sake of feminism. On the other hand, they showed men who saw Diana even close to the front and immediately threw demonstrative hysterics, although according to the plot it was already the end of the war, and women in the First World War had already managed to distinguish themselves not only as rear workers, but also as direct participants in the hostilities.

And most importantly, although the entire plot revolves around the theme of the First World War and its main participants, the creators managed not to mention Russia even once.

In general, in its historical outline, Wonder Woman is strikingly similar to, from viewing which one gets the impression that only brave American soldiers fought against fascism, who were only sometimes helped by individual Europeans.

Support team

A few words should be said about those who help Wonder Woman and her “boyfriend” defeat the Germans. It is gradually becoming a tradition that superhero squads recruit characters exclusively from marginalized individuals, at least if we take into account their official history, appearance and demeanor.

This time, such an honor was given to: the spy and notorious liar Samira, the alcoholic and part-time sniper Charlie and the smuggler Leader. The main thing that interests them at the time of “recruitment” is not the defense of the Motherland and ending the war, but the amount of payment. The main character, quite deservedly, at the moment of meeting her, comments on this trinity: “a liar, a murderer and a smuggler - charming!” Just to understand the pattern of destructive plot moves in Hollywood, here is a similar phrase from the main character from a recently released film: “The good, the bad, the extreme and the completely crazy - these are the ones I can work with!”

In the future, naturally, it turns out that a good nature is hidden in the soul of each of them, that they are ready to fight even without money, and that simply an unfortunate fate forced these characters to become what they are. Thus, the film continues the already stable trend of depicting good in the image of evil, which imposes a stereotype of positive perception of outwardly negative heroes. This topic and its impact on the viewer are discussed in detail in.

Famous geniuses of carnal pleasures

Rating of the most tireless lovers in history

The most inventive lover - Chinese Emperor Yandi Sui Dynasty was known for his sexual ingenuity and ability to please himself. Having accomplished a great many feats, he retired from government affairs and devoted himself entirely to love pleasures. Seven wives and seventy-two court ladies took part in his tireless sex scenes. In addition, his palace contained 3,000 concubines, whom his servants brought from different parts of the country. Sophisticated in all respects, the ruler greatly appreciated innovations in lovemaking and rewarded inventors like royalty. When he traveled, there were always ten chariots in his caravan, in each of which naked beauties reclined on a bed of red satin.

Gaius Julius Caligula. He loved everything and everyone, including his own horse, although he was not noted for bestiality, but he brought him - the horse - to the Senate. He loved only his own half-sister more than a horse, as described in the famous film by Tinto Brass “Caligula” with the actor McDowell, whose face has since become the face of Caligula himself. Gaius Julius ended his life badly - he was killed.

Louis XV. Outdid all the French monarchs in lovemaking. His most famous mistress is Marquise de Pompadour, a depraved lady and, so His Royal Majesty managed to simultaneously maintain an entire Deer Park - that was the name of the complex of small houses in Versailles Park, where the royal concubines lived on full board.

Giacomo Casanova. Books have been written and films made about this man. The memory of him is still alive. The greatest, the most brilliant, the most romantic, the most loving man, although outwardly he was far from handsome. Casanova really loved women so much, and they, without exception, reciprocated his feelings. He left memories that were quite honest and detailed. He died in poverty and loneliness... But there was something to remember!

Marquis de Sade. He was not so bloodthirsty, although the “sadism” did come from him. He was fond of beating with whips, feeding ladies with “Spanish flies”, sitting (not of his own free will) in prisons (Bastille) and insane asylums (Charenton, also in France), the author of “Philosophy in the Boudoir” and a dozen other novels, reading which is advisable only after 21 years old.

Peter I. He was unrestrained in his sexual impulses. Most of all, he liked German women and other European women, except for southern women, since their passion and frivolity aroused in the tsar. According to some fairly common version, Peter I fell victim to his own love of love, and the cause of his death was not hypothermia in the icy Neva water, but banal syphilis. It is a pity that there were no serious PCR examinations for such infections in those ancient times.

Grigory Orlov. The most beloved favorite of Catherine II. Anyone who wants details can read the poem attributed to Ivan Barkov, which is called “Grigory Orlov.”

Alexander Pushkin. The pride of Russian poetry had many mistresses, see Pushkin’s “gallant list”. The lover of women woke up in him quite early. As a teenager, the poet fell madly in love with the 36-year-old queen. According to some sources, his poem “I Remember a Wonderful Moment” does not refer to Anna Kern at all...

Pushkin’s “track record” includes about 130 “official” victims. However, life is not limited to official events... “And the governor’s wife was not so good,” he wrote in a letter to his wife. What he did with this governor’s wife is clear without explanation. It is known that on his playboy path there was a young Kalmyk woman and a courtyard girl who gave birth to a child from him. But socialites were not afraid of the poet’s reputation. For example, his daughter Kutuzov, married to Madame Khitrovo, loved him passionately. And despite the fact that she was not very beautiful and young, Alexander still indulged her passion more than once. In particularly dark moments of his life, Pushkin did not lose his love for women. So, during his exile to the south, the poet began a game of love with the wife of the governor of Odessa, Elizaveta Vorontsova, and, they say, he wore the carnelian ring she gave him until his death.

Lavrenty Beria. Not so much as a great rapist. In this he knew no competition. Beria's women were selected by specially trained people from the security staff, drove around the city in a car and looked out for them. As soon as they see him, grab him and get into the car. Lavrenty ended his life even worse than Caligula: he was shot.

Charlie Chaplin. He loved young girls... And not only did he love them, he also married them. Because of all this I got into a lot of trouble. And they loved his money and his opportunities. Only in adulthood did Charlie meet a woman who truly gave him her heart and gave birth to children.

Jimi Hendrix. Quantitatively surpassed Pushkin and Casanova combined. He had more than a thousand women. The great guitarist lived only 28 years. By the way, he also did other things - he wrote songs, as you know, and his entire legacy has not yet been published.

Let's remember the adventures of the US President John Kennedy . Rumor has it that connection with Marilyn Monroe- this is just the tip of the iceberg. Secretaries, journalists accredited to the White House, and simply “moths of the night.” He could hire call girls and arrange sex orgies by the pool, with White House staff taking part in them. Researchers say that he had a couple of hundred partners, including prostitutes. And all this happened practically in front of his beautiful wife.

Among the most famous womanizers is the famous sweet-voiced Julio Iglesias . The singer himself insists on the figure of 500 women, but rumor claims that this number is 10 times more. Julio’s first wife, the beautiful Filipina Isabel (Enrique Iglesias’s mother), after their divorce in 1979, told curious journalists that the reason for this is that even the most patient woman is unable to reconcile. Julio himself always states in his interviews that he admires the fair sex and is even ready to die for love. And it’s very simple: you need to be rich, know how to dance tango and love, love, love.

But The most prominent playboy is the founder of the magazine of the same name, 89-year-old Hugh Hefner.. He once claimed that 2,000 women had passed through his bed. True or not? Interest Ask…. Only one thing is true - his life principle is “do what you like and don’t care about others.” He basically walks around his luxurious mansion only in a robe, throws crazy parties that even stars find it difficult to attend, and lives with three blondes at once. // Agata Grafova, lady.pravda.ru