What's Your Pleasure?

I was reading the American Churchill’s historical novel set in St. Louis in the Civil War when I came across the word voluptuarian. It is the adjectival form of the word voluptuary and comes from the Latin word voluptuosus, which means pleasure. The same Latin word in another form is where we get the word voluptuous, a word that refers to something (usually someone) that causes sensual pleasure. Voluptuary refers to someone who is devoted to luxurious living and sensual pleasures. The word wastrel comes to mind with this word (and the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son). But the difference between wastral (a diminutive form of the word waster, my dictionary says) and voluptuary is that a voluptuary may not be a waster. My dictionary lists the synonym for voluptuarian as Sybarite, but I would use the word hedonist before thinking of either Sybarite or voluptuary. What’s the difference?

Sybarite is a very interesting noun. It is a reference to the people of ancient Sybaris, in southern Italy (at the front of the instep of the boot). Sybaris became very wealthy and its inhabitants developed a great enjoyment of luxury. According to Athenaeus they passed laws to forbid noisy arts, like blacksmithing and carpentry, so that their sleep would be undisturbed. For the same reason they outlawed roosters in the city. They were the first to bring chamberpots and women to their banquets, the first to minimize the disruption to the feast, the second to add enjoyment. Sybarite (a proper noun, so always capitalized) now means anyone fond of luxury and self-indulgence.

Hedonist is a word (from the Greek word hedone that means delight) that describes a person who lives by the philosophy that the happiness of the individual or society is the chief aim of action. We would say “if it feels good, do it.” This lacks the sense of luxury that Sybarites have and the sensuality of voluptuarians.

The difference between hedonists and Epicureans is not easy to explain. According to www.peacegames.com/Consensus/morality.html the difference is in the qualification of pleasure. Hedonists don’t see one pleasure as being more desirous than another. Epicureans view pleasures as having different qualities; the highest pleasure, according to Wikipedia, “obtained by knowledge, friendship, and living a temperate and virtuous life.” Epicurus advocated abstaining from bodily desires, including sex and eating richly. Epicureanism is a form of Hedonism, at least in philosophy. In current practice and definition they are much different. Epicureanism still retains the sense of pleasure, but with higher standards than hedonism.

While Epicureanism is a proper noun, epicurism is not. Epicureans became associated with an appreciation of high-quality living, including food; so much so, that the word epicure has come to mean a person who has discriminating taste in food and drink. And while the Epicurean would abstain from eating richly, the epicure doesn’t. And with that confusion, a secondary definition for Epicurean is now “suited to or characteristic of an epicure”.

More pleasure to come Sunday.