Epicurean Sex

Epicureans give grave warnings about the dangers of sex, most prominently in Vatican Sayings 51; but we have ample evidence that Epicureans married and had children, which indicates that they did not eschew sex. I will argue that there is no inconsistency here: a wise Epicurean may, on some occasions, pursue sex, despite the risks of sex. I have two goals in this paper. First, I argue for an interpretation of Vatican Sayings 51 which, while taking seriously the dangers of sex, does not prohibit it to wise Epicureans. I motivate this interpretation with evidence about the prevalence of Epicurean marriages. Second, I speculatively propose the conditions under which a wise Epicurean may pursue sex, related to natural variation in sexual desire and to the advantages of Epicurean friendship.