Calling all those interested in Hephaistion!

[Jeanne]

Okay, folks. Help me out with a little research. If you consider yourself to be a fan or enthusiast of HEPHAISTION in particular, not just (or only) Alexander, the please fill out this survey ...http://www.opinionpower.com/Surveys/321026769.htmlAlso, please feel free -- nay, please DO -- advertize this survey in other journals or communities, bulletin boards, groups, etc., where you think there may be interest. The more responses I receive, from the greater variety of places, the better the statistical results. There are five questions, and it won't take you more than 10 minutes, tops.How do you know if you're a 'fan' of Hephaistion? Do you ....
--get disgruntled if a bio on Alexander makes insufficient mention of Hephaistion?
--flip to the index of a book to see how many times Hephaistion's name is cited?
--judge a fictional work by whether or not Hephaistion plays a large role?
--look for information about Hephaistion in particular, not just Alexander?If you answered 'yes' to two or more of the above, then you probably qualify as a fan of Alexander's #2 guy. (If you're only moderately interested in him and really more of a fan of Alexander himself, please don't take the survey. Thanks.)Besides my own journal and my Hephaistion website, this notice has been crossposted to the LJ communities, Megalexandros, _alexander_, classics, and hephaistionfans, as well as here.

[S]

Greetings Jeanne,Since there is sure to be interest,may I post this survey on the Alexandria Eschate discussion group?Regards,
Sikander

[Jeanne]

Most certainly! And drat, I knew I was forgetting a group. I'm not on a computer right now with email, but yeah, please do pass it on there.

[marcus]

Hmm, so what if I am very interested in Hephaestion, but actually don't *like* him very much? :-)All the bestMarcus

[amyntoros]

Now don't go trying to weasel your way into this survey, Marcus! Doing research on Hephaistion for your long-awaited Pothos article doesn't qualify you as a fan! LOL!

[marcus]

But I do love doing surveys ...But that is the rub, y'see - I am *very* interested, despite not actually liking him ... but if I am therefore disqualified, then what's the point of a 'survey' ... or is it a survey to decide who Hephaestions' "biggest fan" actually is ...?ATBMarcusPS: Sorry, this isn't meant to be peevish, but I am genuinely intrigued - but I also don't see the point unless I understand better what the survey is actually about.

[Jeanne]

Hmmm, that's an interesting question, since fans do usually LIKE the subject of their fascination. (g)I don't want to talk too much about what I'm using the survey for, as I don't want to possibly prejudice answers. (That's also why sruvey totals aren't revealed. I'll post the results later when the survey is over on July 1st.) But I do think it's safe to say that unless you have some liking for him, you wouldn't fall in the group I'm calling a fan. And by liking for him, that doesn't mean you must think he's perfect or faultless, mind. ;> (IMO, most of these guys are sharks; Alexander was just the Great White.) (IMO, most of these guys are sharks; Alexander was just the Great White.) (IMO, most of these guys are sharks; Alexander was just the Great White.)You may have an ambiguous love-hate relationship with him, and still be a fan. But if your primary reaction to him is dislike or aversion, then I'd say don't take the survey.--Dr. Jeanne

[Jeanne]

I understand the question. See my other answer to help clarify. I *suspect* that this survey probably doesn't pertain to you, for the purposes I intend to use it. That is, just given the little you've said, I'm not sure you'd qualify yourself as a 'fan' by the criteria I'm using, when you see the final work. I do mean 'fan' in a more traditional sense, not just someone who has an interest in, and pursues serious research on, a particular topic.For comparison, Waldemar Heckel has done a lot of research on Hephaistion, but I wouldn't call him a 'fan.' By contrast, and even though I tend to regard Hephaistion (and the whole court) with a certain amount of cynicism, I would probably call myself a 'fan.' The difference probably has to do with the amount of relative respect I, or Waldemar, would grant Hephaistion. Waldemar doesn't particularly like or think very highly of him, whereas I don't necessarily 'like' him in the usual sense, but I respect him and think he's severely underrated.(Another comparison, I enjoy the acting of Russel Crowe and would probably call myself a fan of his work -- but I don't like HIM much, from what I've read of him.)Dr. Jeanne

[Linda]

At a guess I would say that the survey *might* conclude that school-girl type crushes which create imaginings of slashy type relationships can lead to learning :)Certainly, a teenage pashes on Hephaestion *and* Patroclus led me to read the Illiad, the Odyssey, and Arrian, and Heckel, and try to learn Greek...I just wish I had thought to do classics at university. Of course, intense interest in relationships and how they work is a driving force in society, and more in women than men, maybe.Marcus, I can understand the mechanism by which people like or admire Hephaestion - maybe a romantic interest, or an identification of the problems of being the "consort" to a great man, or an admiration of his loyalty. However, I don't understand how you can dislike him - there doesn't seem to me to be enough data...I think the reasons for liking him are quite abstract, and in some ways don't have much to do with his character, which is difficult to really know in any clarity. But he wasn't a Gaveston, an adventurer, who was a bad influence on his King. He argued with Craterus and Eumenes - otherwise, there are only a few sayings attributed to him - and his actions are generally fairly neutral. You can't dislike him because Alexander favoured him, can you? That does seem to me to be a common reaction - and more prevalent in men (straight) than in women...maybe another survey.Oh, and Jeanne, I was really pleased to see you included transgendered people in your gender choice in the survey - great to see that.Linda

[marcus]

Hi Linda and Jeanne,Jeanne (first) - thanks for your answer. I get the picture and feel that I probably shouldn't do the survey :-)Linda - good call on the business of "like" or "dislike" - purely subjective, particularly because of the lack of data (as you say). As Jeanne says (quite rightly) they were *all* sharks ... as I've explained before, and despite having been attacked for it at the time I'll say again - my 'dislike' is as much the result of the romanticising of Hephaestion as much as it is a result of the little we actually know about him. Too many people have made him this dreamy, lovely man, because they (might) have a very romantic view of Alexander and therefore feel that Heph *had* to be some sort of paragon. OK, that's a rather exaggerated explanation of where I'm coming from, but hopefully you get the picture.ATBMarcus

[birdlover]

Jeanne,How are you? We have missed you over at Dreamworks (Epic Film Talk forum, now). I hope you come back and visit.Thanks for your post. I will defintely take a look at the survey and help you out. I wish you the best with it.Dara