The evidence for the ideal pederastic relationship being the typical when you look at the Greece try daunting, nevertheless instance for atypical matchmaking isn’t entirely shed. There clearly was documentation on lives away from same-gender partners have been of the same otherwise similar decades when these were together.
Without completely different on the greatest pederastic relationship, Agathon and you will Pausanias prove that there were different same-sex appeal and you may communications during the ancient Greece you to definitely went beyond your finest
The initial significant illustration of a beneficial pederastic pair which had been perhaps not most readily useful is actually Achilles, the new legendary Greek character, and you will Patroclus. These was basically comparable into the decades, and there’s much dissension on which of them was the fresh erastes and which had been the brand new eromenos. In the Greek disaster Myrmidons, Achilles is represented as spouse and Patroclus try illustrated since the brand new dear, even in the event Phaedrus presents an effective disagreement towards reverse within the Platos Symposium, into the mention of Achilles exacting revenge with the Hector, the one who killed Patroclus:
“By-the-way, Aeschylus evaluate, it was Achilles who was crazy about Patroclus, try rubbish. A little besides the undeniable fact that he was so much more beautiful than Patroclus…and had not even mature a beard, he was along with, according to Homer, far younger. In which he need to have already been more youthful because it’s a keen undoubted undeniable fact that the gods…are very amazed and delighted, and you will grant a perks, if younger boy try devoted so you’re able to his lover, than just if spouse is faithful in order to your” (Plato, 178A-185C: 183).
The reality that Achilles, among old Greeces most well-known heroes, was employed in an effective pederastic dating which had been things apart 
from most useful gives credence on existence regarding almost every other exact same-many years, same-gender couples.
Several other pederastic relationships featuring lovers out-of equivalent ages is actually compared to Alexander the favorable and you can Hephaestion. Both were lifelong companions, and their relationship are reminiscent of compared to Patroclus and Achilles, getting whom Alexander held a good respect. Alexander and you may Hephaestion constantly journeyed together and you will fought within the fights together; Alexander also went in terms of to refer so you can Hephaestion as an extension regarding themselves during the an encounter to your quit mommy of the queen Dareius:
“Therefore during the daybreak, brand new king took with him the most appreciated away from his Members of the family, Hephaestion, and you will involved the ladies. They both was outfitted exactly the same, however, Hephaestion was taller and a lot more good-looking. Sisyngambris grabbed him into king and performed your obeisance. Because the others establish generated signs so you can their and you will pointed in order to Alexander employing give she are ashamed by the girl mistake, but made yet another initiate and you will did obeisance to Alexander. The guy, but not, cut in and told you, “Never ever notice, Mom. To own indeed the guy too are Alexander” (Diodorus, ).
The new closeness ranging from Alexander and you can Hephaestion, together with resemblance of their many years, factors to the pederastic matchmaking being one outside the best, and will be offering significantly more facts that top wasn’t the only types of matchmaking experienced inside ancient Greece.
There is certainly without doubt that the best pederastic relationships try certainly higher prominence in lots of ancient greek language city-says. One can possibly even believe it had been the most famous, considering all records available on the topic. However, levels and you will account from matchmaking between members of our very own newest community are not always affiliate regarding dating total; it is also possible that an appropriate pederastic relationship illustrated during the composing might not have already been probably the most are not skilled sort of same-intercourse communication into the Greece. Very, whilst better pederastic relationship are probably the best form of from dating for the ancient Greece, it absolutely was certainly not the only one it is possible to.
References
Other circumstances getting felt when revealing finest pederastic matchmaking are regarding Agathon and Pausanias. Agathon is a young poet just who organized brand new social gathering one to is actually the background having Platos Symposium, and Pausanias is their erastes (Plato, 178A-185C: 180-182). Its dating was most readily useful in the sense which they differed during the age by in the a decade, having started the dating whenever Agathon was 18. Yet not, Agathon and you can Pausanias resided together far more than the common pederastic few. It looks on the proof readily available you to neither kid previously got a girlfriend or got pupils. Indeed, when Agathon emigrated to help you Macedonia sometime anywhere between 411 and you may 405 to help you remain his field since the good dramatist, Pausanias opted for him (Dover, II.C.4.: 84).