History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

POLYGAMY IN OLDEN TIMES. 381
house a concubine, upon the death of his wife, instead
of inflicting upon his children a step-mother.
If monogamy is the only natural form of sexual
relationship, how happens it that, throughout the lifetime
of the race, there have been and still are so
many other forms of relationship? From time immemorial
polygamy has existed, and has been sanctioned
by all religions. Bramin, Parsee, and Rajpoot
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 Christianity
in SjriSi and Egypt were many polygamists
who remained uncensured. The rabbies 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 throughout
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 altogether
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 adulterous
and unlawful. While the utmost license was
allowed the husband, the wife was held under close restrictions.
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 class never