in a place where men, young men, and boys were nude, homosexual interaction was common. the authorities tried unsuccessfully to curb it. greek vase paintings of males in the palaestra show teens goosing each other or older males offering love gifts such as hares to teens. in "lysis", the athenian philosopher sokrates is pulled into a palaestra by a group of teenagers. they tell him that one of their number is in love with another. most greek males considered a homosexual relationship a positive palaestra experience. archaeologist stephen miller writes that eros was worshipped as much as hermes and herakles in the palaestra.