house a concubine, upon the death of his wnfe, in- stead of inflicting upon his children a step-mother.
If monogamy is the only natural form of sexual relationship, how happens it that, throughout the life- time of the race, there have been and still are so many other forms of relationship? From time im- memorial polygamy has existed, and has been sanc- tioned b}^ all religions. Bramin, Parsee, and Raj- poot all indulged in it. Though nothing is said of it in the new testament, we learn from the Talmud that it was lawful among the Jews about the time of Christ's coming. Among the early converts to Chris- tianity in Sjriei and Egypt were many polygamists who remained uncensured. The rabbles of the west prohibited it eight or nine centuries ago, but those of the east, where it is practised by nearly all nations, permit it even now. It is common to-day through- out a large part of the world. Take all the peoples of the earth, of all times and cultures, and those among whom plural wives obtained are far in excess of the others.
Pre-nuptial unchastity was scarcely censured either in Greece or Rome, "If there be any one," said Cicero, "who thinks that young men should be alto- gether restrained from the love of courtesans, he is indeed very severe." Even that most austere of Stoics, Epictetus, makes a wide distinction between what he regards as comparatively innocent pre-nuptial indulgences, and those which were regarded as adul- terous and unlawful. While the utmost license was allowed the husband, the wife was held under close re- strictions. Courtesans were the real companions of men, and the only free women in Athens. Apelles painted them; Pindar and Simonides sang their praises. Aspasia was worshipped before Pericles, and sage philosophers did not hesitate to pay homage at her shrine, and receive words of wisdom from her lips.
In imperial Rome, while the courtesan clas
