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Section Children's Section  Conjugal Love  Love was irrelevant
to the success of a marriage in Roman eyes. Marriage was there
in order to provide children. Loved was a welcome thing, but by
no means necessary. And in many ways it was seen as somewheat
ridiculous. It diminished once ability for rational thought. And
so being in love was not something to be envied. In any case,
just as it was deemed socially unacceptible to talk about sex,
so too was it thought indecent to indulge in any public displays
of loving affection. And so married couples would not kiss in
public - not even a simple kiss on the cheek. There are examples
of Roman attitudes for love. Pompey's devotion to his young wife
Julia (Caesar's daughter) was only seen as effeminate weakness.
Old Cato's affection for the slave girl he eventually married
was seen as the pathetic lustings of a lecherous old dodderer.
The bed in the atrium of Roman houses was a symbolic reminder of
the very re