A History of OrgiesAn orgy, the dictionary tells us, is “a wild gathering, marked by promiscuous sexual activity, excessive drinking, etc.” Burgo Partridge tells us precisely what that has meant down through the ages. He begins with the Greeks, who celebrated sexuality at Dionysian festivals, and the Romans, who imported unwholesome brutalities into their orgiastic celebrations. We then learn of the penchant for group sex displayed by medieval popes, the junketings of Restoration England, the aristocratic hedonists of the Hellfire Club and Scotland’s notorious Wig Club, the orgiastic tastes of Casanova and the Marquis de Sade, right into the 20th century and the bizarre excesses of Aleister Crowley. |
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Common terms and phrases
abbey ancient Aphrodite appeared Athenaeus attempt attitude Bacchanalia banquets baths beautiful became Beggar’s Benison body boys brothel Casanova cause celebrated century ceremony Christian Church club connexion copulation Crowley Crowley’s cult dance Dashwood debauchery deity described desire Dionysius dressed drink erotic fact Feast of Fools female festivals flagellants girls goddess Greek guests hair hetairae Hippocleides homosexual honour human idea immorality indecent indulged Kiefer kind ladies later less living Lord Lord Sandwich lust luxury male Marquis de Sade marriage married Medieval Medmenham mind mistress moral motives naked nature night obscene one’s orgies palace period phallus pleasure practised present priests prostitutes Puritan Rasputin Renaissance Roman Rome Sade sadism says seems sensual servants sexual behaviour Sir Francis Sir Francis Dashwood slaves society sometimes story Suetonius Sunday Express temple Theopompus Thyiads took town Victorian West Wycombe whilst whores wife wine woman women worship young