Speranza

In Greece Hermes was the protector of gymnasia. In Athens, the festival of young boys, or paides, was known as the Hermaia.

It is not surprising that same-sex loves were attributed to Hermes as they were to Apollo.

Hermes's eromenos was Antheus (of Assesos).

According to tradition, the perfect erastes is a young man, a recent initiate, who takes advantage of his newly acquired social status by treating younger boys as women.

Marriage, a serious business, comes only later.

In this context, comes the accidental death of Antheus by his erastes Paris, in the course of a game.

It is after this accidental murder that Paris leaves for Sparta.