The fig leaf was used by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to cover their figs
The Fig as an Aphrodisiac
Fig-ass Aphrodisiac
“Gathering from the vine" was like gathering figs, gathering testicles, gathering female fertility, gathering what is ripe and full of orge, gathering anger. The relation of fertility to both eras Greek and Victorian and anger allows for the metaphorical transfer of the rules of viticulture, fig gathering, heterosexuality, and homosexuality to processes of anger and punishment and makes punishment itself an analogue to sexual intercourse.
Ripe figs testocles
Definitions for FIG : Used as a metaphor, "Have we metaphor?" 1) “Female Identified Gay” A woman who identifies as a gay man and is not trans. 2) A woman who is a gay man on the inside. 3) FIG used as an acronym for 4) That sweet spot between a woman's legs. 5) A Victorian sexual practice involving the insertion of a prepared "finger" of ginger root into the anus. 6) "I don't give a fig" meaning I don't care about anything, similar to modern "I don't give a fuck". 7) Fig is a slang used to imply homosexuality, ie. fag, faggot, "Fe, fi, fo, fuck," as in gathering the sweet juicy parts.
Figs are not only a phallic symbol, they are just as much, or even more, a vulvic symbol. It’s not only that they’re a flower. It’s not only that they split at the seam and burst red and often look as vaginal as all get out. It’s the word for fig and vulva is the same in Greek (sykon), Italian (fica) and several other languages. (FWIW, the word sycophant comes from Greek words for vulva and to show - to show the vulva basically means to bend over and let people have their way.)
The Athenians had a number of fig-related words that could be used to insult those who misspent their erotic passions. In the Peace (1351), sukologein and sukazein are used to describe excessive homosexual intercourse. In another play Cleon is essentially accused 6f) being a homosexual rapist with a word that means “squeezing figs” (aposukazein, Kn. 259). He treats other people’s “testicles” too aggressively and too lustily. Negative forms of sexual behavior included not only “fig squeezing” (aposukazein) but also “fig gathering” (psenizein), another euphemism for homosexual contrectation.’’3 Cleon violated the norms of eras by acting too aggressively.
But how did the sycophant, who “pointed out figs,” violate the norms for standard use of the passions? According to Xenophon, the vine is supposed to point out to the farmer which fruits to pick and only those. There is therefore a right time and method for the exposure of ripe figs or of orge. There were rules against improper exposure in the sexual context. According to Henderson, the desire to “expose what should be hidden” was a fundamental part of sexual aggression. Calling attention to one’s opponent’s genitals was an act of violence, and according to Henderson, “references to testicles in Aristophanes almost always occur in threats (to rip out someone’s testicles) or in violent erotic advances (seizing the testicles in preparation for sexual contact) (e.g., Clouds 713, Birds 442).”
Just one more note for the fig as a the fruit bursting with sexual connotations. On top of everything else, it goes both ways.