Manual of Classical Erotology: De figuris Veneris

A daring fusion of scholarship and sensuality, Manual of Classical Erotology: De Figuris Veneris by Frederick Karl Forberg is one of the most remarkable studies of ancient erotic literature and art ever produced. First published in the early nineteenth century, this erudite yet provocative work explores how the Greeks and Romans understood and represented love, pleasure, and desire, tracing their expressions through poetry, sculpture, and philosophy.

Forberg approaches the subject with the precision of a classicist and the candor of a humanist, compiling examples from Ovid, Aristophanes, Petronius, and other classical authors, while examining the moral, artistic, and linguistic aspects of erotic culture in antiquity. Far from mere scandal, the book stands as a profound exploration of Eros as a force of creativity and civilization, reflecting an age when scholarship itself could challenge the boundaries of propriety.

Rich in linguistic detail and historical insight, this volume remains both a philological reference and a cultural artifact, illuminating the enduring link between classical art, human desire, and intellectual curiosity.

Complete edition of Frederick Karl Forberg’s study of ancient erotic literature and art

Examines Greek and Roman attitudes toward love, sexuality, and morality

Combines classical scholarship with cultural and philosophical reflection

Essential for readers of classical studies, erotic literature, and cultural history