Do you believe in love at first sight? The Greeks and the Romans certainly did. But far from
enjoying this romantic moment carefree they saw it as a cruel experience and an infection.
Then what are the symptoms of falling in love? Are there any remedies? Any form of immunity?
This book explores the conception of love (erôs) as a physical emotional and mental disease
a social-ethical disorder and a literary unorthodoxy in Greek and Latin literature. Through
illustrative case studies the contributors to this volume examine two distinct yet
historically and poetically interrelated traditions of 'pathological love': lovesickness as
similar to disease and deviant sexuality described in nosologic terms. The chapters represent a
wide range of genres (lyric poetry philosophy oratory comedy tragedy elegy satire novel
and of course medical literature) and a fascinating synthesis of methodologies and approaches
including textual criticism comparative philology narratology performance theory and social
history. The book closes with an anthology of Greek and Latin passages on pathological erôs.
While primarily aimed at an academic readership the book is accessible to anyone interested in
Classics and or the theme of love.
