Marriage

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In concession to ancient Athenian standard mores, Epicurus did not entirely disapprove of marriage, and did not expect his followers to take any vows of celibacy; in fact, some of the students in Epicurus' Garden were allegedly married couples themselves.

Yet Epicurus' approval of marriage is cautious at best, as he finds it permissible in "certain circumstances." One would also expect some value (i.e., pleasure) to be attached to wedlock. None is offered.

Ironically, after Lucretius savagely disparages amorous infatuation, and downgrades sexual intercourse to a rather brutish bodily function, he endorses marriage by presenting it in a warmer, or at least more practical light than Epicurus ever did.

This discrepancy may stem from the significantly different mores of Greek and Roman societies; this also applies to the respective views on parenthood.

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