Aristotle also, in his Constitution of the Massilians, mentions a similar circumstance as having taken place, writing as follows:—“The Phocæans in Ionia, having consulted the oracle, founded Marseilles. And Euxenus the Phocæan was connected by ties of hospitality with Nanus; this was the name of the king of that country. This Nanus was celebrating the marriage feast of his daughter, and invited Euxenus, who happened to be in the neighborhood, to the feast. And the marriage was to be conducted in this manner: —After the supper was over the damsel was to come in, and to give a goblet full of wine properly mixed to whichever of the suitors who were present she chose; and to whomsoever she gave it, he was to be the bridegroom. And the damsel coming in, whether it was by chance or whether it was for any other reason, gives the goblet to Euxenus. And the name of the maiden was Petta. And when the cup had been given in this way, and her father (thinking that she had been directed by the Deity in her giving of it) had consented that Euxenus should have her, he took her for his wife, and cohabited with her, changing her name to Aristoxena. And the family which is descended from that damsel remains in Marseilles to this day, and is known as the Protiadæ; for Protis was the name of the son of Euxenus and Aristoxena.”
τὸ ὅμοιον ἱστορεῖ γενέσθαι καὶ Ἀριστοτέλης ἐν τῇ Μασσαλιωτῶν Πολιτείᾳ γράφων οὕτως· Φωκαεῖς οἱ ἐν Ἰωνίᾳ ἐμπορίᾳ χρώμενοι ἔκτισαν Μασσαλίαν. Εὔξενος δὲ ὁ Φωκαεὺς Νάννῳ ὁ τῷ βασιλεῖ τοῦτο δ’ ἦν αὐτῷ ὄνομα ἦν ξένος, οὗτος ὁ Νάννος ἐπιτελῶν γάμους τῆς θυγατρὸς κατὰ τύχην παραγενόμενον τὸν Εὔξενον παρακέκληκεν ἐπὶ τὴν θοίνην. ὁ δὲ γάμος ἐγίγνετο τόνδε τὸν τρόπον ἔδει μετὰ τὸ δεῖπνον εἰσελθοῦσαν τὴν παῖδα φιάλην κεκερασμένην ᾧ βούλοιτο δοῦναι τῶν παρόντων μνηστήρων ᾧ δὲ δοίη, τοῦτον εἶναι νυμφίον. ἡ δὲ παῖς εἰσελθοῦσα δίδωσιν εἴτε ἀπὸ τύχης εἴτε καὶ δι’ ἄλλην τινὰ αἰτίαν τῷ Εὐξένῳ· ὄνομα δ’ ἦν τῇ παιδὶ Πέττα. τούτου δὲ συμπεσόντος καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀξιοῦντος ὡς κατὰ θεὸν γενομένης τῆς δόσεως ἔχειν αὐτήν, ἔλαβεν ὁ Εὔξενος γυναῖκα καὶ συνῴκει μεταθέμενος τοὔνομα Ἀριστοξένην. καὶ ἔστι γένος ἐν Μασσαλίᾳ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνθρώπου μέχρι νῦν Πρωτιάδαι καλούμενον Πρῶτις γὰρ ἐγένετο υἱὸς Εὐξένου καὶ τῆς Ἀριστοξένης.
And did not Themistocles, as Idomeneus relates, harness a chariot full of courtesans and drive with them into the city when the market was full? And the courtesans were Lamia and Scione and Satyra and Nannium. And was not Themistocles himself the son of a courtesan, whose name was Abrotonum? as Amphicrates relates in his treatise on Illustrious Men—Abrotonum was but a Thracian woman,But for the weal of GreeceShe was the mother of the great Themistocles.But Neanthes of Cyzicus, in his third and fourth books of his History of Grecian Affairs, says that he was the son of Euterpe. And when Cyrus the younger was making his expedition against his brother, did he not carry with him a courtesan of Phocæa, who was a very clever and very beautiful woman? and Zenophanes says that her name was originally Milto, but that it was afterwards changed to Aspasia. And a Milesian concubine also accompanied him. And did not the great Alexander keep Thais about him, who was an Athenian courtesan? And Clitarchus speaks of her as having been the cause that the palace of Persepolis was burnt down. And this Thais, after the death of Alexander, married Ptolemy, who became the first king of Egypt, and she bore him sons, Leontiscus and Lagos, and a daughter named Irene, who was married to Eunostus, the king of Soli, a town of Cyprus. And the second king of Egypt, Ptolemy Philadelphus by name, as Ptolemy Euergetes relates in the third book of his Commentaries, had a great many mistresses,—namely, Didyma, who was a native of the country, and very beautiful; and Bilisticha; and, besides them, Agathoclea, and Stratonice, who had a great monument on the sea-shore, near Eleusis; and Myrtium, and a great many more; as he was a man excessively addicted to amatory pleasures. And Polybius, in the fourteenth book of his History, says that there are a great many statues of a woman named Clino, who was his cupbearer, in Alexandria, clothed in a tunic only, and holding a cornucopia in her hand. “And are not,” says he, “the finest houses called by the names of Myrtium, and Mnesis, and Pothina? and yet Mnesis was only a female flute-player, and so was Pothine, and Myrtium was one of the most notorious and common prostitutes in the city.” Was there not also Agathoclea the courtesan, who had great power over king Ptolemy Philopator? in fact, was it not she who was the ruin of his whole kingdom? And Eumachus the Neapolitan, in the second book of his History of Hannibal, says that Hieronymus, the tyrant of Syracuse, fell in love with one of the common prostitutes who followed her trade in a brothel, whose name was Pitho, and married her, and made her queen of Syracuse.
. Θεμιστοκλῆς τε, ὥς φησιν Ἰδομενεύς, οὐχ ἅρμα ζευξάμενος ἑταιρῶν πληθούσης ἀγορᾶς εἰσήλασεν εἰς τὸ ἄστυ; ἦσαν αὗται Λάμια καὶ Σκιώνη καὶ Σατύρα καὶ Νάννιον. οὐ καὶ αὐτὸς Θεμιστοκλῆς ἐξ ἑταίρας ἦν γεγενημένος ὄνομα Ἀβροτόνου; ὡς Ἀμφικράτης ἱστορεῖ ἐν τῷ περὶ Ἐνδόξων Ἀνδρῶν συγγράμματι Ἀβρότονον Θρήισσα γυνὴ γένος· ἀλλὰ τεκέσθαι τὸν μέγαν Ἕλλησιν φασὶ Θεμιστοκλέα. Νεάνθης δ’ ὁ Κυζικηνὸς ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ καὶ τετάρτῃ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν Ἱστοριῶν Εὐτέρπης αὐτὸν εἶναί φησιν υἱόν. Κῦρος δὲ ὁ ἐπὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐπιστρατεύσας οὐχὶ ἑταίραν οὖσαν τὴν Φωκαίδα τὴν σοφωτάτην καὶ καλλίστην λεγομένην εἶχε συστρατευομένην; ἣν Ζηνοφάνης φησὶ πρότερον Μιλτὼ καλουμένην Ἀσπασίαν μετονομασθῆναι. συνηκολούθει δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἡ Μιλησία παλλακίς. ὁ δὲ μέγας Ἀλέξανδρος οὐ Θαίδα εἶχε μεθ’ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν Ἀττικὴν ἑταίραν; περὶ ἧς φησι Κλείταρχος ὡς αἰτίας γενομένης τοῦ ἐμπρησθῆναι τὰ ἐν Περσεπόλει βασίλεια, αὕτη δὲ ἡ Θαῒς μετὰ τὸν Ἀλεξάνδρου θάνατον καὶ Πτολεμαίῳ ἐγαμήθη τῷ πρώτῳ βασιλεύσαντι Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐγέννησεν αὐτῷ Λεοντίσκον καὶ Λάγον, θυγατέρα δὲ Εἰρήνην, ἣν ἔγημεν Εὔνοστος ὁ Σόλων τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ βασιλεύς, καὶ ὁ δεύτερος δὲ τῆς Αἰγύπτου βασιλεύς, Φιλάδελφος δ’ ἐπίκλην, ὡς ἱστορεῖ ὁ Εὐεργέτης Πτολεμαῖος ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ τῶν Ὑπομνημάτων, πλείστας ἔσχεν ἐρωμένας, Διδύμην μὲν μίαν τῶν ἐπιχωρίων γυναικῶν μάλ’ εὐπρεπεστάτην τὴν ὄψιν καὶ Βιλιστίχην, ἔτι δὲ Ἀγαθόκλειαν καὶ Στρατονίκην, ἧς τὸ μέγα μνημεῖον ὑπῆρχεν ἐπὶ τῇ πρὸς Ἐλευσῖνι θαλάσσῃ, καὶ Μύρτιον καὶ ἄλλας δὲ πλείστας, ἐπιρρεπέστερος ὢν πρὸς ἀφροδίσια. Πολύβιος δὲ ἐν τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τῶν Ἱστοριῶν Κλεινοῦς φησι τῆς οἰνοχοούσης αὐτῷ εἰκόνας πολλὰς ἀνακεῖσθαι κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν μονοχίτωνας καὶ ῥυτὸν ἐχούσας ἐν ταῖς χερσίν. αἱ δὲ κάλλισται τῶν οἰκιῶν, φησίν, οὐ Μυρτίου καὶ Μνησίδος καὶ Ποθεινῆς προσαγορεύονται; καίτοι Μνησὶς μὲν ἦν αὐλητρίς, ἦν δὲ καὶ Ποθεινὴ αὐλητρίς, Μύρτιον δὲ μία τῶν ἀποδεδειγμένων καὶ καινῶν δεικτηριάδων. τοῦ δὲ Φιλοπάτορος βασιλέως Πτολεμαίου οὐκ Ἀγαθόκλεια ἡ ἑταίρα ἐκράτει, ἡ καὶ πᾶσαν ἀνατρέψασα τὴν βασιλείαν; Εὔμαχος δὲ ὁ Νεαπολίτης ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ τῶν περὶ Ἀννίβαν Ἱστοριῶν Ἱερώνυμὸν φησι τὸν τυραννήσαντα Συρακοσίων ἀγαγέσθαι γυναῖκα μίαν· τῶν ἐπ’ οἰκήματος προεστηκυιῶν, Πειθὼ ὄνομα, καὶ ἀποδεῖξαι βασιλίδα.
And Timotheus, who was general of the Athenians, with a very high reputation, was the son of a courtesan, a Thracian by birth, but, except that she was a courtesan, of very excellent character; for when women of this class do behave modestly, they are superior to those who give themselves airs on account of their virtue. But Timotheus being on one occasion reproached as being the son of a mother of that character, said,—“But I am much obliged to her, because it is owing to her that I am the son of Conon.” And Carystius, in his Historic Commentaries, says that Philetærus the king of Pergamus, and of all that country which is now called the New Province, was the son of a woman named Boa, who was a flute-player and a courtesan, a Paphlagonian by birth. And Aristophon the orator, who in the archonship of Euclides proposed a law, that every one who was not born of a woman who was a citizen should be accounted a bastard, was himself convicted, by Calliades the comic poet, of having children by a courtesan named Choregis, as the same Carystius relates in the third book of his Commentaries. Besides all these men, was not Demetrius Poliorcetes evidently in love with Lamia the flute-player, by whom he had a daughter named Phila? And Polemo, in his treatise on the colonnade called Pæcile at Sicyon, says that Lamia was the daughter of Cleanor an Athenian, and that she built the before-mentioned colonnade for the people of Sicyon. Demetrius was also in love with Leæna, and she was also an Athenian courtesan; and with a great many other women besides.
Τιμόθεος δ’ ὁ στρατηγήσας Ἀθηναίων ἐπιφανῶς ἑταίρας ἦν υἱὸς Θρᾴττης τὸ γένος, σεμνῆς δ’ ἄλλως τοὺς τρόπους. μεταβάλλουσαι γὰρ αἱ τοιαῦται εἰς τὸ σῶφρον τῶν ἐπὶ τούτῳ σεμνυνομένων εἰσὶ βελτίους. ὁ δὲ Τιμόθεος καὶ σκωπτόμενός ποτε ὅτι τοιαύτης εἴη μητρὸς καὶ χάριν γε αὐτῇ, φησίν, οἶδα, ὅτι δι’ αὐτὴν Κόνωνός εἰμι υἱός. φιλέταιρον δὲ τὸν Περγάμου καὶ τῆς Καινῆς ταύτης λεγομένης βασιλεύσαντα χώρας Βόας αὐλητρίδος, ἑταίρας τὸ γένος ἀπὸ Παφλαγονίας, υἱόν φησι γενέσθαι Καρύστιος ἐν Ἱστορικοῖς Ὑπομνήμασιν. Ἀριστοφῶν δ’ ὁ ῥήτωρ, ὁ τὸν νόμον εἰσενεγκὼν ἐπ’ Εὐκλείδου ἄρχοντος ὃς ἂν μὴ ἐξ ἀστῆς γένηται νόθον εἶναι, αὐτὸς ἀπεδείχθη ὑπὸ Καλλιάδου τοῦ κωμικοῦ ἐκ Χορηγίδος τῆς ἑταίρας παιδοποιησάμενος, ὡς ὁ αὐτὸς ἱστορεῖ Καρύστιος ἐν τρίτῳ Ὑπομνημάτων. Δημήτριος δ’ ὁ Πολιορκητὴς οὐ δαιμονίως ἤρα Λαμίας τῆς αὐλητρίδος, ἐξ ἧς ἔσχε καὶ θυγατέρα Φίλαν; τὴν δὲ Λάμιαν Πολέμων φησὶν ἐν τῷ περὶ τῆς ἐν Σικυῶνι Ποικίλης Στοᾶς θυγατέρα μὲν εἶναι Κλεάνορος Ἀθηναίου, κατασκευάσαι δὲ Σικυωνίοις τὴν προκειμένην στοάν. ἤρα δὲ καὶ Λεαίνης καὶ αὐτῆς ἑταίρας Ἀττικῆς ὁ Δημήτριος καὶ ἄλλων δὲ πλειόνων.
And Machon the comic poet, in his play entitled the Chriæ, speaks thus:—But as Leæna was by nature form'dTo give her lovers most exceeding pleasure,And was besides much favour'd by Demetrius,They say that Lamia also gratifiedThe king; and when he praised her grace and quickness,The damsel answer'd: And besides you can,If you do wish, subdue a lioness (λέαιναν.)But Lamia was always very witty and prompt in repartee, as also was Gnathæna, whom we shall mention presently. And again Machon writes thus about Lamia:—Demetrius the king was once displayingAmid his cups a great varietyOf kinds of perfumes to his Lamia:Now Lamia was a female flute-player,With whom 'tis always said DemetriusWas very much in love. But when she scoff'dAt all his perfumes, and, moreover, treatedThe monarch with exceeding insolence,He bade a slave bring some cheap unguent, andHe rubbed himself with that, and smear'd his fingers,And said, "At least smell this, O Lamia,And see how much this scent does beat all others."She laughingly replied: "But know, O king,That smell does seem to me the worst of all."“But,” said Demetrius, "I swear, by the gods,That 'tis produced from a right royal nut."
Μάχων δ’ ὁ κωμῳδιοποιὸς ἐν ταῖς ἐπιγραφομέναις Χρείαις φησὶν οὕτως·ὑπερβολῇ δὲ τῆς Λεαίνης σχῆμά τι περαινομένης εὖ παρά τε τῷ Δημητρίῳ εὐημερούσης, φασὶ καὶ τὴν Λάμιαν τὸν βασιλέ’ εὐμελῶς κελητίσαι ποτὲ ἐπαινεθῆναὶ θ᾽. ἡ δὲ τοῦτ’ ἀπεκρίθη· πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ Λέαιναν, εἰ βούλει, κράτει.ἦν δὲ ἡ Λάμια σφόδρα εὔθικτος καὶ ἀστική πρὸς τὰς ἀποκρίσεις, καθάπερ καὶ Γνάθαινα, περὶ ἧς ἐροῦμεν. πάλιν δὲ περὶ τῆς Λαμίας ὁ Μάχων οὕτω γράφει·δημήτριός ποθ’ ὁ βασιλεὺς γένη μύρων Λαμίᾳ παρὰ πότον παντοδαπῶν ἐπεδείκνυτο. ἡ Λάμια δ’ ἦν αὐλητρὶσι ἧς σφόδρ’ ἡδέως σχεῖν φασι κνησθῆναί τε τὸν Δημήτριον. ἀποδοκιμαζούσης δὲ πάντα καὶ πάνυ κατεγχλιδώσης τῷ βασιλεῖ, νάρδον τινὰ διένευσ’ ἐνεγκεῖν εὐχερῆ, τῇ χειρί τε ταἰδοῖον ἀποτρίψας, θιγὼν τοῖς δακτύλοις τουτὶ γε, Λάμια, φησίν, ὀσφράνθητι καὶ εἴσει παρὰ τἄλλα διαφορὰν ὅσην ἔχει. κείνη δὲ γελάσασ᾽ ἀλλὰ τοῦτ᾽, ἔφη, τάλαν, ὄζειν δοκεῖ μοι σαπρότατον πάντων πολύ. Δημήτριος δ’ εἶπ᾽· ἀλλὰ μήν, νὴ τοὺς θεούς, ἀπὸ βαλάνου τοῦτ’ ἐστί, Λάμια, βασιλικῆς.
But Ptolemy the son of Agesarchus, in his History of Philopator, giving a list of the mistresses of the different kings, says—“Philip the Macedonian promoted Philinna, the dancing woman, by whom he had Aridæus, who was king of Macedonia after Alexander. And Demetrius Poliorcetes, besides the women who have already been mentioned, had a mistress named Mania; and Antigonus had one named Demo, by whom he had a son named Alcyoneus; and Seleucus the younger had two, whose names were Mysta and Nysa.” But Heraclides Lenebus, in the thirty-sixth book of his History, says that Demo was the mistress of Demetrius; and that his father Antigonus was also in love with her: and that he put to death Oxythemis as having sinned a good deal with Demetrius; and he also put to the torture and executed the maidservants of Demo.
Πτολεμαῖος δ’ ὁ τοῦ Ἀγησάρχου ἐν ταῖς περὶ τὸν Φιλοπάτορα Ἱστορίαις βασιλέων ἐρωμένας ἀναγράφων φησίν· Φιλίππου τοῦ Μακεδόνας αὐξήσαντος Φίλινναν τὴν ὀρχηστρίδα, ἐξ ἧς καὶ γεννῆσαι Ἀρριδαῖον τὸν μετ’ Ἀλέξανδρον βασιλεύσαντα, Δημητρίου δὲ τοῦ Πολιορκητοῦ μετὰ τὰς προειρημένας Μανίαν, Ἀντιγόνου δὲ Δημώ, ἐξ ἧς Ἀλκυονέα γεννηθῆναι, Σελεύκου δὲ τοῦ νεωτέρου Μύσταν καὶ Νῦσαν. ʽ Ἡρακλείδης δὲ ὁ Λέμβος ἐν τῇ ἕκτῃ καὶ τριακοστῇ τῶν Ἱστοριῶν Δημὼ φησιν ἐρωμένην γενέσθαι τοῦ Δημητρίου· ᾗ ἐπιμανῆναι καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ Ἀντίγονον καὶ ἀποκτεῖναι Ὀξύθεμιν ὡς καὶ πολλὰ συνεξαμαρτάνοντα τῷ Δημητρίῳ, καὶ ὅτι ἀπέκτεινε τὰς τῆς Δημοῦς θεραπαίνας στρεβλῶν.
But concerning the name of Mania, which we have just mentioned, the same Machon says this:—Some one perhaps of those who hear this now,May fairly wonder how it came to passThat an Athenian woman had a name,Or e'en a nickname, such as Mania.For 'tis disgraceful for a woman thusTo bear a Phrygian name; she being, too,A courtesan from the very heart of Greece.And how came she to sink the city of Athens,By which all other nations are much sway'd?The fact is that her name from early childhoodWas this—Melitta. And as she grew upA trifle shorter than her playfellows,But with a sweet voice and engaging manners,And with such beauty and excellence of faceAs made a deep impression upon all men,She 'd many lovers, foreigners and citizens.So that when any conversationArose about this woman, each man said,The fair Melitta was his madness (μανία.) Aye,And she herself contributed to this name;For when she jested she would oft repeatThis word μανία; and when in sport she blamedOr praised any one, she would bring in,In either sentence, this word μανία.So some one of her lovers, dwelling onThe word, appears to have nicknamed the girlMania; and this extra name prevailedMore than her real one. It seems, besides,That Mania was afflicted with the stone.
περὶ δὲ τοῦ εἰρημένου τῆς Μανίας ὀνόματος ὁ Μάχων τάδε φησίν·ἴσως δ’ ἂν ἀπορήσαι τις εὐλόγως θ’ ἅμα τῶν νῦν ἀκροατῶν εἴ τις Ἀττικὴ γυνὴ προσηγορεύετ’ ἢ ἐνομίσθη Μανία. αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ὄνομα Φρυγιακὸν γυναῖκ’ ἔχειν, καὶ ταῦθ’ ἑταίραν ἐκ μέσης τῆς Ἑλλάδος, μὴ τὴν Ἀθηναίων τι κωλῦσαι πόλιν, ὑφ’ ἧς ἅπαντές εἰσ’ ἐπηνωρθωμένοι. τὸ μὲν οὖν ὑπάρχον εὐθέως ἐκ παιδίου αὐτῇ Μέλιττ᾽ ἦν ὄνομα, τῷ μεγέθει μὲν ἦν τῶν τότε γυναικῶν βραχύ τι καταδεεστέρα· φωνῇ δ’ ὁμιλίᾳ τε κεχορηγημένη, πάνυ τ’ εὐπρόσωπος οὖσα καὶ καταπληκτική, πολλοὺς ἐραστὰς καὶ πολίτας καὶ ξένους ἔχουσ’ ὅπου περὶ τῆς γυναικός τις λόγος γένοιτο, μανίαν τὴν Μέλιτταν ὡς καλὴν ἔφασκον εἶναι, καὶ προσεξειργάζετο αὐτὴ τὸ πλεῖον. ἡνίκα τις σκώψειε γάρ, ῥημάτιον εὐθὺ τοῦτο μανίαν ἀνεβόα, αὐτὴ θ’ ὅτ’ ἐπαινοίη τιν’ ἢ ψέγοι πάλιν, ἐπ’ ἀμφοτέρων προσέκειτο μανία τῶν λόγων, διὸ τῆς μανίας τὸ ῥῆμ’ ἐπεκτείνας δοκεῖ καλέσαι τις αὐτὴν τῶν ἐραστῶν Μανίαν· μᾶλλον τὸ πάρεργον ἐπεκράτησ’ ἢ τοὔνομα. ἐδόκει δὲ λιθιᾶν, ὡς ἔοιχ᾽, ἡ Μανία· Γνάθαινα δ’ εἰς τὰ στρώμαθ’ ὅτι προίετο, ἐνουθετήθη τοῦτό πως ὑπὸ Διφίλου. μετὰ ταῦτα δ’ ἡ Γνάθαινα πρὸς τὴν Μανίαν ἐλοιδορεῖτο καὶ λέγει τί τοῦτο, παῖ, εἰ καὶ λίθον εἶχες; ὑπολαβοῦσ’ ἡ Μανία ἔδωκ’ ἄν, ἵν’ εἶχες, φήσ᾽, ἀποψᾶσθαι, τάλαν.
And that Mania was also excellent in witty repartee, Machon tells us in these verses about her,—There was a victor in the pancratium,Named Leontiscus, who loved Mania,And kept her with him as his lawful wife;But finding afterwards that she did playThe harlot with Antenor, was indignant:But she replied,—"My darling, never mind;I only wanted just to feel and prove,In a single night, how great the strength might beOf two such athletes, victors at Olympia."They say again that Mania once was ask'd,By King Demetrius, for a perfect sightOf all her beauties; and she, in return,Demanded that he should grant her a favour.When he agreed, she turned her back, and said,—"O son of Agamemnon, now the GodsGrant you to see what you so long have wish'd for."On one occasion, too, a foreigner,Who a deserter was believed to be,Had come by chance to Athens; and he sentFor Mania, and gave her all she ask'd.It happen'd that he had procured for supperSome of those table-jesters, common buffoons,Who always raise a laugh to please their feeders;And wishing to appear a witty man,Used to politest conversation,While Mania was sporting gracefully,As was her wont, and often rising upTo reach a dish of hare, he tried to raiseA joke upon her, and thus spoke,—"My friends,Tell me, I pray you by the Gods, what animalYou think runs fastest o'er the mountain-tops?"“Why, my love, a deserter,” answer'd Mania.Another time, when Mania came to see him,She laugh'd at the deserter, telling him,That once in battle he had lost his shield.But this brave soldier, looking somewhat fierce,Sent her away. And as she was departing,She said," My love, don't be so much annoy'd;For 'twas not you, who, when you ran away,Did lose that shield, but he who lent it you."Another time they say a man who wasA thorough profligate, did entertainMania at supper; and when he question'd her,“Do you like being up or down the best”She laugh'd, and said, "I'd rather be up, my friend,For I'm afraid, lest, if I lay me down,You'd bite my plaited hair from off my head."
ὅτι δ’ ἦν καὶ ἀστεία τις ἀποκρίνασθαι, τάδε περὶ αὐτῆς ὁ Μάχων ἀναγράφει·τῆς Μανίας ἤρα Λεοντίσκος ποτὲ ὁ παγκρατιαστὴς καὶ συνεῖχ’ αὐτὴν μόνος γαμετῆς τρόπον γυναικός, ὑπὸ δ’ Ἀντήνορος μοιχευομένην αἰσθόμενος αὐτὴν ὕστερον σφόδρ’ ἠγανάκτησ᾽. ἡ δὲ μηθέν, φησί, σοί, ψυχή, μελέτω· μαθεῖν γὰρ αἰσθέσθαι θ’ ἅμα Ὀλυμπιονικῶν νυκτὸς ἀθλητῶν δυεῖν πληγὴν παρὰ πληγὴν τί δύναταί ποτ’ ἤθελον. αἰτουμένην λέγουσι τὴν πυγήν ποτε ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Μανίαν Δημητρίου ἀνταξιῶσαι δωρεὰν καὐτόν τινα. δόντος δ’ ἐπιστρέψασα μετὰ μικρὸν λέγει Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖ, νῦν ἐκεῖν’ ἔξεστί σοι. εἶναι δοκῶν αὐτόμολος ἄνθρωπος ξένος καὶ παρεπιδημήσας Ἀθήνησίν ποτε τὴν Μανίαν μετεπέμψαθ᾽, ὅσον ᾔτησε δούς. εἰς τὸν πότον δ’ ἦν συμπαρειληφώς τινας ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τῶν ἐπιγελᾶν εἰθισμένων ἅπαντα τοῖς τρέφουσιν αἰεὶ πρὸς χάριν βουλόμενος εἶναι γλαφυρὸς ἀστεῖός θ’ ἅμα, τῆς Μανίας ἄριστα παιζούσης σφόδρα ἀνισταμένης τε πολλάκις, εἰς δασύποδα αὐτὴν ἐπικροῦσαι βουλόμενος πρὸς τῶν θεῶν, μειράκια, τί δοκεῖ τῶν ἀγρίων ὑμῖν ποτε ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τάχιστα θηρίον τρέχειν; ἡ Μανία δ’ αὐτόμολος, ὦ βέλτιστ᾽, ἔφη. μετὰ ταῦτα δ’ ὡς εἰσῆλθε πάλιν ἡ Μανία, τὸν αὐτόμολον ἔσκωπτε ῥίψασπίν τ’ ἔφη αὐτὸν γεγονέναι προσβολῆς οὔσης ποτέ. ὁ δὲ στρατιώτης ὑπό τι δὴ σκυθρωπάσας ἀπεπέμψατ’ αὐτήν· διαλιποῦσα δ’ ἡμέραν μηθὲν παρὰ τοῦτο, φησί, λυποῦ, φίλτατε· οὐ γὰρ σὺ φεύγων ἀπέβαλες τὴν ἀσπίδα, μὰ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην, ἀλλ’ ὁ σοὶ χρήσας τότε. ἐν συμποσίῳ δ᾽, ὥς φασι, παρὰ τῇ Μανίᾳ παρεδέξατ’ αὐτὴν τῶν πονηρῶν τις πάνυ. κᾆθ’ ὡς ἐπηρώτησε πότερ’ ἄνω θέλεις ἐλθοῦσ’ ἅμα βαλεῖν ἢ κάτω; γελάσασ᾽ ἄνω, βέλτιστε, φησίν. ὑπό τι γὰρ δέδοικά σε μή μου προπεσούσης· τοὐμπλόκιον ὑπεκτράγῃς.
But Machon has also collected the witty sayings of other courtesans too; and it will not be unseasonable to enumerate some of them now. Accordingly he mentions Gnathæna thus:—Diphilus once was drinking with Gnathæna.Said he, “Your cup is somewhat cold, Gnathæna;”And she replied, "'Tis no great wonder, Diphilus,For we take care to put some of your Plays in it."Diphilus was once invited to a banquetAt fair Gnathæna's house, as men do say,On the holy day of Venus' festival—(He being a man above her other loversBeloved by her, though she conceal'd her flame).He came accordingly, and brought with himTwo jars of Chian wine, and four, quite full,Of wine from Thasos; perfumes, too, and crownsSweetmeats and venison; fillets for the head;Fish, and a cook, and a female flute-player.In the meantime a Syrian friend of hersSent her some snow, and one saperdes; sheBeing ashamed lest any one should hearShe had received such gifts, and, above all men,Fearing lest Diphilus should get at them,And show her up in one of his Comedies,She bade a slave to carry off at onceThe salt fish to the men who wanted salt,As every one did know; the snow she told himTo mix with the wine unseen by any one.And then she bade the boy to fill the cupWith ten full cyathi of wine, and bear itAt once to Diphilus. He eagerlyReceived the cup, and drain'd it to the bottom,And, marvelling at the delicious coolness,Said—"By Minerva, and by all the gods,You must, Gnathæna, be allow'd by allTo have a most deliciously cool well."“Yes,” said she, "for we carefully put in,From day to day, the prologues of your plays."A slave who had been flogg'd, whose back was mark'dWith heavy weals, was once, as it fell out,Reposing with Gnathæna:—then, as sheEmbraced him, she found out how rough all overHis back did feel. “Oh wretched man,” said she,“In what engagement did you get these wounds?”He in a few words answered her, and said,"That when a boy, once playing with his playmates,He'd fallen backwards into the fire by accident."“Well,” said she, "if you were so wanton then,You well deserved to be flogg'd, my friend."Gnathæna once was supping with Dexithea,Who was a courtesan as well as she;And when Dexithea put aside with careNearly all the daintiest morsels for her mother,She said, "I swear by Dian, had I knownHow you went on, Dexithea, I would ratherHave gone to supper with your mother than you"When this Gnathæna was advanced in years,Hastening, as all might see, towards the grave,They say she once went out into the market,And look'd at all the fish, and ask'd the priceOf every article she saw. And seeingA handsome butcher standing at his stall,Just in the flower of youth,—"Oh, in God's name,Tell me, my youth, what is your price (πῶς ἴστης) to-day?"He laugh'd, and said, “Why, if I stoop, three obols.”“But who,” said she, "did give you leave, you wretch,To use your Carian weights in Attica?"Stratocles once made all his friends a presentOf kids and shell-fish greatly salted, seemingTo have dress'd them carefully, so that his friendsShould the next morning be o'erwhelm'd with thirst,And thus protract their drinking, so that heMight draw from them some ample contributions.Therefore Gnathæna said to one of her lovers,Seeing him wavering about his offerings,“After the kids Stratocles brings a storm.”Gnathæna, seeing once a thin young man,Of black complexion, lean as any scarecrow,Reeking with oil, and shorter than his fellows,Called him in jest Adonis. When the youthAnswer'd her in a rude and violent manner,She looking on her daughter who was with her,Said, “Ah! it serves me right for my mistake.”They say that one fine day a youth from PontusWas sleeping with Gnathæna, and at mornHe ask'd her to display her beauties to him.But she replied, "You have no time, for nowIt is the hour to drive the pigs to feed."
καὶ ἄλλων δὲ ἑταιρῶν ἀπομνημονεύματα ὁ Μάχων συνήγαγεν, ὧν οὐκ ἄκαιρόν ἐστιν κατὰ τὸ ἑξῆς μνημονεῦσαι. Γναθαίνης μὲν οὕτως·παρὰ Γναθαίνῃ Δίφιλος πίνων ποτὲ ψυχρὸν γ᾽, ἔφη, τἀγγεῖον, ὦ Γνάθαιν᾽, ἔχεις. τῶν σῶν γάρ, εἶπεν, ἐπιμελῶς, ὦ Δίφιλε, εἰς αὐτὸ γ’ αἰεὶ δραμάτων ἐμβάλλομεν. πρὸς τὴν Γνάθαιναν Δίφιλος κληθείς ποτε ἐπὶ δεῖπνον, ὡς λέγουσι, τοῖς Ἀφροδισίοις, τιμώμενος μάλιστα τῶν ἐρωμένων （ἥσθε δ’ ὑπ’ αὐτῆς ἐκτενῶς ἀγαπώμενοσ） παρῆν ἔχων δύο Χῖα, Θάσια τέτταρα, μύρον, στεφάνους, τραγήματ᾽, ἔριφον, ταινίας, ὄψον, μάγειρον, τὰ μετὰ ταῦτ’ αὐλητρίδα. καὶ τῶν ἐραστῶν Συριακοῦ τινος ξένου πέμψαντος αὐτῇ χιόνα σαπέρδην θ’ ἕνα,αἰσχυνομένη τὰ δῶρα μή τις καταμάθῃ φυλαττομένη τε πολὺ μάλιστα Δίφιλον μὴ δῷ δίκην μετὰ ταῦτα κωμῳδουμένη, τὸ μὲν τάριχος εἶπε ταχέως ἀποφέρειν πρὸς τοὺς σπανίζειν ὁμολογουμένους· ἁλῶν, τὴν χιόνα δ’ εἰς τὸν ἄκρατον ἐνσεῖσαι λάθρᾳ τῷ παιδὶ τ’ ἐπέταξ’ ἐγχέανθ’ ὅσον δέκα κυάθους προσενεγκεῖν Διφίλῳ ποτήριον, ὑπερηδέως δὲ τὴν κύλικ’ ἐκπιὼν ἄφνω καὶ τὸ παράδοξον καταπλαγεὶς ὁ Δίφιλος νὴ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ θεούς, ψυχρὸν γ᾽, ἔφη, Γνάθαιν᾽, ἔχεις τὸν λάκκον ὁμολογουμένως ἡ δ’ εἶπε τῶν σῶν δραμάτων γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς εἰς αὐτὸν αἰεὶ τοὺς προλόγους ἐμβάλλομεν. μαστιγίας μώλωπας ὑψηλοὺς ἔχων μετὰ τῆς Γναθαίνης ἀπὸ τύχης ἀνεπαύετο. περιλαμβάνουσα δ’ αὐτόν, ὡς ἀνώμαλον τὸ νῶτον εἶχε παντελῶς, τάλαν, τάλαν ἄνερ, πόθεν ἔχεις ταῦτ᾽, ἔφη, τὰ τραύματα; κἀκεῖνος αὐτῇ συντόμως ἀπεκρίνατο ὅτι παῖς ποτ’ ὢν ἀνείλατ’ εἰς πυρὰν ὅτε παίζων μετά τινων ἡλικιωτῶν ἐνέπεσεν. ναὶ τὴν φίλην Δήμητρα, δικαίως τοι δέρος, ἄνθρωπε, φησίν, ἐξεδάρης ἀκόλαστος ὤν. παρὰ Δεξιθέᾳ δειπνοῦσα θᾐταίρᾳ ποτὲ Γνάθαινα, τοὔψον ἀποτιθείσης πᾶν σχεδὸν τῆς Δεξιθέας τῇ μητρί, νὴ τὴν Ἄρτεμιν, εἰ, φησίν, ᾔδειν, ἡ Γνάθαινα, τοῦτ’ ἐγώ, τῇ μητρὶ συνεδείπνουν ἄν, οὐχὶ σοί, γύναι. ἐπεὶ προέβη τοῖς ἔτεσιν ἡ Γνάθαινα καὶ ἤδη τελέως ἦν ὁμολογουμένη σορός, εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν λέγουσιν αὐτὴν ἐξίναι καὶ τοὔψον ἐφορᾶν καὶ πολυπραγμονεῖν πόσου πωλεῖθ’ ἕκαστον. εἶτ’ ἰδοῦσα κατὰ τύχην ἱστῶντα κρεοπώλην τιν’ ἀστεῖον πάνυ τῇ θ’ ἡλικίᾳ σφόδρα νέον ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν, μειράκιον, ὁ καλός, φησί, πῶς ἵστης; φράσον. ὁ δὲ μειδιάσας κύβδ᾽, ἔφη, τριωβόλου. τίς δ’ οὑπιτρέψων ἐστί σοι, φησίν, τάλαν, ὄντα γ’ ἐν Ἀθήναις Καρικοῖς χρῆσθαι σταθμοῖς; Στρατοκλῆς δύ’ ἐρίφους προῖκ’ ἐδίδου τοῖς γνωρίμοις λοπάδας δ’ ἐνάλμους ἐπισυνήρτυεν, δοκῶν καὶ διψᾶν ὑποδιπλοῦσθ’ ἂν εἰς τὴν αὔριον τοῖς ἐπισυνάπτειν βουλομένοις τὸν ἑωθινόν, μακρὰς δὲ πράττειν εἰς τὰ λοιπὰ ξυμβολάς. Γνάθαινα δ’ αὑτῆς εἶπε πρὸς ἐραστήν τινα στραγγευόμενον ὁρῶσα περὶ τὰς συμβολάς, Στρατοκλῆς ἐπ’ ἐρίφοις, φησί, χειμῶνας ποιεῖ. ἰδοῦσ’ ἔφηβον ἡ Γνάθαιν᾽ ἰσχνὸν πάνυ καὶ μέλανα λεπτὸν θ᾽, ὡς ἔοιχ᾽, ὑπερβολῇ καὶ λαπαρόν, ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἐφήβων βραχύτερον,ἔσκωπτεν εἰς Ἄδωνιν. ἀναγώγως δέ πως τοῦ μειρακίσκου καὶ τυραννικώτερον αὐτῇ συναντήσαντος ἐμβλέψασα τῇ θυγατρὶ μετ’ αὐτῆς συμπορευομένῃ λέγει· δικαιότερον ἦν, ὦ τέκνον, νὴ τὼ θεώ … λέγουσι Ποντικόν τι μειρακύλλιον ἀναπαυόμενον μετὰ τῆς Γναθαίνης ἀξιοῦν πρῷον γενόμενον, ὥστε τὴν πυγὴν ἅπαξ αὐτῷ παρασχεῖν τὴν δὲ τοῦτ’ εἰπεῖν τάλαν, ἔπειτα τὴν πυγήν με νῦν αἰτεῖς, ὅτε τὰς ὗς ἐπὶ νομὴν καιρός ἐστιν ἐξάγειν;
He also mentions the following sayings of Gnathænium, who was the grand-daughter of Gnath$ena:—It happen'd once that a very aged satrap,Full ninety years of age, had come to Athens,And on the feast of Saturn he beheldGnathænium with Gnathæna going outFrom a fair temple sacred to Aphrodite,And noticing her form and grace of motion,He just inquired “How much she ask'd a night?”Gnathæna, looking on his purple robe,And princely bodyguard, said, "A thousand drachmæ."He, as if smitten with a mortal wound,Said, "I perceive, because of all these soldiers,You look upon me as a captured enemy;But take five mince, and agree with me,And let them get a bed prepared for us."She, as the satrap seem'd a witty man,Received his terms, and said, "Give what you like,O father, for I know most certainly,You'll give my daughter twice as much at night."There was at Athens once a handsome smith,When she, Gnathænium, had almost abandon'dHer trade, and would no longer common be,Moved by the love of the actor Andronicus;(But at this moment he was gone away,After she'd brought him a male child;) this smithThen long besought the fair GnathæniumTo fix her price; and though she long refused,By long entreaty and liberality,At last he won her over to consent.But being but a rude and ill-bred clown,He, one day sitting with some friends of hisIn a leather-cutter's shop, began to talkAbout Gnathænium to divert their leisure,Narrating all their fond love passages.But after this, when Andronicus cameFrom Corinth back again, and heard the news,He bitterly reproach'd her, and at supperHe said, with just complaint, unto Gnathænium,That she had never granted him such libertiesAs this flogg'd slave had had allow'd to him.And then they say Gnathænium thus replied:That she was her own mistress, and the smithWas so begrimed with soot and dirt that sheHad no more than she could help to do with him.One day they say Gnathænium, at supper,Would not kiss Andronicus when he wish'd,Though she had done so every day before;But she was angry that he gave her nothing.Said he, on this, "Gnathena, don't you seeHow haughtily your daughter's treating me?"And she, indignant, said, "You wretched girl,Take him and kiss him if he wishes it."But she replied, "Why should I kiss him, mother,Who does no good to any one in the house,But seeks to have his Argos all for nothing "Once, on a day of festival, GnathæniumWent down to the Piræus to a lover,Who was a foreign merchant, riding cheaplyOn a poor mule, and having after herThree donkeys, three maidservants, and one nurse.Then, at a narrow spot in the road, they metOne of those knavish wrestlers, men who sellTheir battles, always taking care to lose them;And as he could not pass by easily,Being crowded up, he cried—"You wretched man,You donkey-driver, if you get not quicklyOut of my way, I will upset these women,And all the donkeys and the mule to boot."But quick Gnathænium said, "My friend, I pray you,Don't be so valiant now, when you have neverDone any feat of spirit or strength before."
καὶ Γναθαινίου δέ γε τῆς θυγατριδῆς αὐτῆς τάδε ἀναγράφει·εἰς τὰς Ἀθήνας παρεπιδημήσας ξένος σατράπης πάνυ γέρων, ὡς ἐνενήκοντ’ ὢν ἐτῶν, Κρονίοις ἀπιοῦσαν εἶδε τὴν Γναθαίνιον μετὰ τῆς Γναθαίνης ἐξ Ἀφροδισίου τινός, τὸ τ’ εἶδος αὐτῆς τοὺς ῥυθμούς τε καταμαθὼν ἐπυνθάνετο μίσθωμα πράσσεται πόσον τῆς νυκτός, ἡ Γνάθαινα δ’ εἰς τὴν πορφύραν καὶ τὰ δόρατ’ ἀποβλέψασα δραχμὰς χιλίας ἔταξεν. ὁ δ’ ἄφνω καιρίμην πληγεὶς παπαῖ, ζωγρεῖς, γύναι, φήσ᾽, ἕνεκα τοῦ στρατιωτικοῦ· μνᾶς πραξαμένη δὲ πέντε τὰς σπονδὰς ποοῦ καὶ στρῶσον ἡμῖν ἔνδον. ἡ δ’ ἐπιδέξιον βουλόμενον εἶναι τὸν σατράπην ἀπεδέξατο, εἶπεν δέ· μοὶ μὲν δὸς ὅσον ἐπιθυμεῖς, πάτερ· οἶδα γὰρ ἀκριβῶς καὶ πέποιθα τοῦθ’ ὅτι εἰς νύκτ’ ἀποδώσεις τῷ θυγατρίῳ μου διπλοῦν. ἐν ταῖς Ἀθήναις χαλκοτύπος σφόδρ’ εὐφυής, καταλελυκυίας τῆς Γναθαινίου σχεδὸν οὐκέτι θ’ ἑταιρεῖν ὑπομενούσης διὰ τό πως τὸν Ἀνδρόνικον ἡδέως αὐτῆς ἔχειν τὸν ὑποκριτὴν τότε δ’ ὄντος ἐν ἀποδημίᾳ, ἐξ οὗ γεγονὸς ἦν ἄρρεν αὐτῷ παιδίον, οὐχ ὑπομένουσαν τὴν Γναθαίνιον λαβεῖν μίσθωμα, λιπαρῶν δὲ καὶ προσκείμενος πολὺ δαπανήσας ἔσχεν αὐτὴν χρυσίον. ἀνάγωγος ὢν δὲ καὶ βάναυσος παντελῶς ἐν σκυτοτομείῳ μετά τινων καθήμενος κατεσχόλαζε τῆς Γναθαινίου λέγων, ἑτέρῳ τρόπῳ μὲν συγγεγενῆσθαι μηδενί, ἑξῆς καθιππάσθαι δ’ ὑπ’ αὐτῆς πεντάκις. μετὰ ταῦτ’ ἀκούσας Ἀνδρόνικος τὸ γεγονὸς. ἐκ τῆς Κορίνθου προσφάτως ἀφιγμένος ὀργιζόμενος πικρῶς τε λοιδορούμενος παρὰ τὸν πότον ταῦτ’ ἔλεγε τῇ Γναθαινίῳ, αὐτὸν μὲν ἀξιοῦντα μὴ τετευχέναι τούτου παρ’ αὐτῆς μηδέποτε τοῦ σχήματος, ἐν τῷδε δ’ ἑτέρους ἐντρυφᾶν μαστιγίας.ἔπειτεν εἰπεῖν φασι τὴν Γναθαίνιον περιλαμβάνειν γὰρ οὐκ ἐδοκίμαζον, τάλαν, ἄνθρωπον ἄχρι τοῦ στόματος ἠσβολωμένον διὰ τοῦθ’ ὑπέμεινα πολὺ λαβοῦσα χρυσίον, ἐφιλοσόφησά θ᾽, ἵν’ ἄκρον ὡς μάλιστα καὶ ἐλάχιστον αὐτοῦ περιλάβω τοῦ σώματος. ἔπειτα, φασί, τῆς Γναθαινίου ποτὲ τὸν Ἀνδρόνικον οὐ θελούσης παρὰ πότον φιλεῖν, καθάπερ ταῖς πρότερον ἡμέραις ἀεί, ὀργιζομένης δὲ διὰ τὸ μηδὲν λαμβάνειν, ἔπειθ’ ὁ τραγῳδὸς οὐχ ὁρᾷς, Γνάθαιν᾽, ἔφη, ὑπερηφάνως μοι τὴν θυγατέρα χρωμένην; ἡ γραῦς δ’ ἀγανακτήσασα τάλαν, ἔφη, τέκνον περίλαβε, φησί, καὶ φίλησον, εἰ θέλει. ἡ δ’ εἶπε μῆτερ, πῶς, ἔφη, μέλλω φιλεῖν τὸν μηδὲν ὠφέλημα, τὸν ὑπὸ τὰς στέγας τὸ κοῖλον Ἄργος δωρεὰν θέλοντ’ ἔχειν. πανηγύρεως οὔσης ποθ’ ἡ Γναθαίνιον εἰς Πειραιᾶ κατέβαινε πρὸς ξένον τινὰ ἔμπορον ἐραστὴν εὐτελῶς ἐπ’ ἀστράβης, τὰ πάντ’ ἔχουσ᾽ ὀνάρια μεθ’ ἑαυτῆς τρία καὶ τρεῖς θεραπαίνας καὶ νέαν τιτθὴν μίαν. ἔπειτεν αὐταῖς ἐπί τινος στενῆς ὁδοῦ κακὸς παλαιστὴς ἐνέτυχέν τις τῶν ἀεὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσιν ἐπιμελῶς ἡττωμένωνὃς οὐ δυνάμενος τότε παρελθεῖν ῥᾳδίως, ἀλλὰ στενοχωρῶν εἶπεν ὦ τρισάθλιε ὀνηλάτ᾽, εἰ μὴ θᾶττον ἐκστήσῃ ποτὲ ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ, τὰ γύναια ταυτὶ καταβαλῶ σὺν τοῖς ὀναρίοις, φησί, καὶ ταῖς ἀστράβαις. Γναθαίνιον δ’ εἶπ᾽ ὦ τάλαν, μὴ δῆτ᾽, ἄνερ· οὐδέποτε γὰρ τοῦτ’ ἐστί σοι πεπραγμένον.
And afterwards, Machon gives us the following anec- dotes:—They say that Lais the Corinthian,Once when she saw Euripides in a garden,Holding a tablet and a pen attach'd to it,Cried out to him, "Now, answer me, my poet,What was your meaning when you wrote in your play,'Away, you shameless doer"' And Euripides,Amazed, and wondering at her audacity,Said, "Why, you seem to me to be yourselfA shameless doer." And she, laughing, answer'd,“How shameless, if my partners do not think so I”Glycerium once received from some loverA new Corinthian cloak with purple sleeves,And gave it to a fuller. Afterwards,When she thought he'd had time enough to clean it,She sent her maidservant to fetch it back,Giving her money, that she might pay for it.But, said the fuller, "You must bring me firstThree measures full of oil, for want of thatIs what has hindered me from finishing."The maid went back and told her mistress all.“Wretch that I am!” Glycerium said, "for heIs going to fry my cloak like any herring."Demophoon once, the friend of Sophocles,While a young man, fell furiously in loveWith Nico, called the Goat, though she was old:And she had earn'd this name of Goat, becauseShe quite devour'd once a mighty friend of hers,Named Thallus, when he came to AtticaTo buy some Chelidonian figs, and alsoTo export some honey from th' Hymettian hill.And it is said this woman was fair to view.And when Demophoon tried to win her over,“A pretty thing,” said she, "that all you getFrom me you may present to Sophocles."Callisto once, who was nicknamed the Sow,Was fiercely quarrelling with her own mother,Who also was nicknamed the Crow. GnathænaAppeased the quarrel, and when ask'd the cause of it,Said, "What else could it be, but that one CrowWas finding fault with the blackness of the other "Men say that Hippe once, the courtesan,Had a lover named Theodotus, a manWho at the time was prefect of the granariesAnd she on one occasion late in th' eveningCame to a banquet of King Ptolemy,And she'd been often used to drink with himSo, as she now was very late, she said,"I'm very thirsty, papa Ptolemy,So let the cup-bearer pour me four gillsInto a larger cup." The king replied,"You must have it in a platter, for you seemAlready, Hippe, to have had plenty of hay."A man named Morichus was courting Phryne,The Thespian damsel. And, as she requiredA mina, 'Tis a mighty sum, said Morichus,"Did you not yesterday charge a foreignerTwo little pieces of gold?" Wait till I want you,Said she, “and I will take the same from you.”'Tis said that Nico, who was call'd the Goat,Once when a man named Pytho had deserted her,And taken up with the great fat Euardis,But after a time did send again for her,Said to the slave who came to fetch her, "NowThat Pytho is well sated with his swine,Does he desire to return to a goat?"
ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ ταῦτ’ ἀναγράφει· Λαίδα λέγουσι τὴν Κορινθίαν ποτὲ Εὐριπίδην ἰδοῦσαν ἐν κήπῳ τινὶ πινακίδα καὶ γραφεῖον ἐξηρτημένον ἔχοντ᾽·ἀπόκριναι, φησίν, ὦ ποιητά μοι, τί βουλόμενος ἔγραψας ἐν τραγῳδίᾳ ἔρρ᾽, αἰσχροποιέ;καταπλαγεὶς δ’ Εὐριπίδης τὴν τόλμαν αὐτῆς σὺ γάρ, ἔφη, τίς εἶ, γύναι; οὐκ αἰσχροποιός; ἡ δὲ γελάσασ’ ἀπεκρίθη· τί δ’ αἰσχρόν, εἰ μὴ τοῖσι χρωμένοις δοκεῖ; ἡ Γλυκέριον λαβοῦσα παρ’ ἐραστοῦ τινος Κορίνθιον παράπηχυ καινὸν λῄδιον ἔδωκεν εἰς γναφεῖον· εἶτ’ ἐπεὶ τέλος ἔδοξ’ ἔχειν, πέμψασα τὴν θεραπαινίδα τὸ μισθάριον ἔχουσαν ἐκέλευ’ ἀποφέρειν θοἰμάτιον. ὁ γναφεὺς δ’ εἶπεν· ἂν γ’ ἐλᾳδίου ταρτημόριά μοι, φησί, προσενέγκῃς τρία, κόμισαι. τὸ κωλῦον γάρ ἐστι τοῦτό με. ἡ δ’ ὡς ἀπήγγειλ᾽, ὦ τάλαιν᾽, εἶπεν, κακῶν ἡ Γλυκέριον, μέλλει γὰρ ὥσπερ μαινίδας ἀποτηγανίζειν, φησί, μου τὸ λῄδιον.ὁ τοῦ Σοφοκλέους Δημοφῶν ἐρώμενος τὴν Αἶγα Νικὼ πρεσβυτέραν οὖσαν ποτὲ νέος ὢν ἔτ’ αὐτὸς εἶχεν. ἐπεκαλεῖτο δ’ Αἴξ, ὅτι τὸν μέγαν δὴ κατέφαγεν ἐραστήν ποτε Θαλλὸν παρεγενήθη γὰρ εἰς τὴν Ἀττικὴν ὠνησόμενος χελιδονείους ἰσχάδας Ὑμήττιόν τε φορτιούμενος μέλι. λέγεται δ’ ἐκείνην τὴν γυναῖκ’ ἐσχηκέναι πυγὴν πάνυ καλήν, ἣν ποτ’ ἠξίου λαβεῖν ὁ Δημοφῶν. ἡ δ’ εἶπε γελάσασ’ εὖ γ᾽, ἵνα Σοφοκλεῖ λαβὼν δῷς, φησί, παρ’ ἐμοῦ, φίλτατε. Καλλιστίου δὲ τῆς Ὑὸς καλουμένης πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῆς λοιδορουμένης ποτὲ μητέρα Κορώνη δ’ ἐπεκαλεῖτο τοὔνομα, διέλυεν ἡ Γνάθαιν᾽. ἐρωτηθεῖσα δὲ τί διαφέρονται τί γάρ, ἔφησεν, ἄλλο πλὴν ἄλλ’ ἡ Κορώνης, ἕτερ’ ἐκείνη μέμφεται. Ἵππην λέγουσι τὴν ἑταίραν Θεόδοτον ἔχειν ἐραστὴν τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου τότε γενόμενον. αὕτη δ’ ὀψὲ τῆς ὥρας ποτὲεἰσῆλθεν ἐπὶ κώθωνα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Πτολεμαῖον εἰώθει δὲ συμπίνειν αἰεὶ αὐτῷ. λέγει δ’ οὖν ὑστεροῦσα παρὰ πολύ· Πτολεμαῖε, διψῶ, φησί, παππία, σφόδρα· ἀλλ’ ἐγχεάτω μοι τέτταρας κοτύλας πιεῖν εἰς τὴν μεγάλην. ἔπειτεν ὁ βασιλεὺς λέγει· εἰς τὴν λεκάνην μὲν οὖν δοκεῖς γάρ μοι πολύν, Ἵππη, πάνυ χόρτον, φησί, καταβεβρωκέναι. Φρύνην ἐπείρα Μοίριχος τὴν Θεσπικήν· κἄπειτεν αἰτήσασαν αὐτὸν μνᾶν μίαν ὁ Μοίριχος μέγ᾽, εἶπεν οὐ πρῴην δύο χρυσοῦς λαβοῦσα παρεγένου ξένῳ τινί; περίμενε τοίνυν καὶ σύ, φησίν, ἕως ἂν οὗ βινητιάσω, καὶ τοσοῦτον λήψομαι. Νικὼ λέγεται τὴν Αἶγα, Πύθωνός τινος αὐτὴν ποτ’ ἀπολιπόντος, Εὔαρδιν δὲ τὴν παχεῖαν ἀναλαβόντος, εἶτεν ὕστερον μεταπεμπομένου ποθ᾽, ὡς ἔοικ᾽, αὐτήν, λέγειν πρὸς τὸν μετιόντα παῖδα· Πύθων, φήσ᾽, ἐπεὶ ἤδη διάμεστος τῶν ὑείων ἐγένετο, ἐπ’ αἴγει’ οἷός ἐστιν ἀνακάμπτειν πάλιν.
Up to this point we have been recapitulating the things mentioned by Macho. For our beautiful Athens has produced such a number of courtesans (of whom I will tell you as many anecdotes as I can) as no other populous city ever produced. At all events, Aristophanes the Byzantian counted up a hundred and thirty-five, and Apollodorus a still greater number; and Gorgias enumerated still more, saying that, among a great many more, these eminent ones had been omitted by Aristophanes—namely, one who was surnamed Paroinos, and Lampyris, and Euphrosyne: and this last was the daughter of a fuller. And, besides these, he has omitted Megisto, Agallis, Thaumarium, Theoclea (and she was nicknamed the Crow), Lenætocystos, Astra, Gnathæna, and her grand-daughter Gnathænium, and Sige, and Synoris (who was nicknamed the Candle), and Euclea, and Grymæa, and Thryallis, and Chimæra, and Lampas. But Diphilus the comic poet was violently in love with Gnathæna, (as has been already stated, and as Lynceus the Samian relates in his Commentaries;) and so once, when on the stage he had acted very badly, and was turned out (ἠρμένος) of the theatre, and, for all that, came to Gnathæna as if nothing had happened; and when he, after he had arrived, begged Gnathæna to wash his feet, “Why do you want that?” said she; “were you not carried (ἠρμένος) hither?” And Gnathæna was very ready with her repartees. And there were other courtesans who had a great opinion of themselves, paying attention to education, and spending a part of their time on literature; so that they were very ready with their rejoinders and replies. Accordingly, when on one occasion Stilpo, at a banquet, was accusing Glycera of seducing the young men of the city, (as Satyrus mentions in his Lives,) Glycera took him up and said, "You and I are accused of the same thing, O Stilpo; for they say that you corrupt all who come to you, by teaching them profitless and amorous sophistries; and they accuse me of the same thing: for if people waste their time, and are treated ill, it makes no difference whether they are living with a philosopher or with a harlot." For, according to Agathon,It does not follow, because a woman's bodyIs void of strength, that her mind, too, is weak.
μέχρι μὲν τούτων μνημονεύω τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Μάχωνος εἰρημένων. αἱ γὰρ καλαὶ ἡμῶν Ἀθῆναι τοσοῦτον πλῆθος ἤνεγκαν ἑταιρῶν, περὶ ὧν ἐπεξελεύσομαι ὅσον γε δύναμαι, ὅσον ὄχλον εὐανδροῦσα πόλις οὐκ ἔσχεν. ἀναγέγραφε γοῦν Ἀριστοφάνης μὲν ὁ Βυζάντιος ἑκατὸν καὶ λε᾽, Ἀπολλόδωρος δὲ τούτων πλείους, ὁ Γοργίας δὲ πλέονας, παραλειφθῆναι φάσκοντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀριστοφάνους μετὰ ἑταιρῶν πλειόνων καὶ τάσδε, … τὴν Πάροινον ἐπικληθεῖσαν καὶ Λαμπυρίδα καὶ Εὐφροσύνην αὕτη δὲ ἦν γναφέως θυγάτηρ. ἄγραφοι δ’ εἰσὶν αὐτῷ Μεγίστη, Ἀγαλλίς, Θαυμάριον, Θεόκλεια αὕτη δ’ ἐπεκαλεῖτο Κορώνη, Ληναιτόκυστος, Ἄστρα, Γνάθαινα καὶ ταύτης θυγατριδῆ Γναθαίνιον, καὶ Σιγὴ καὶ Συνωρὶς ἡ Λύχνος ἐπικαλουμένη, καὶ Εὔκλεια καὶ Γρυμέα καὶ Θρυαλλίς, ἔτι Χίμαιρα καὶ Λαμπάς, τῆς δὲ Γναθαίνης ἤρα δεινῶς, ὡς καὶ πρότερον εἴρηται, Δίφιλος ὁ κωμῳδιοποιός, ὡς καὶ Λυγκεὺς ὁ Σάμιος ἐν τοῖς Ἀπομνημονεύμασιν ἱστορεῖ. ἐν ἀγῶνι οὖν ποτε αὐτὸν ἀσχημονήσαντα σφόδρα ἀρθῆναι ἐκ τοῦ θεάτρου συνέβη καὶ οὐδὲν ἧττον λθειν πρὸς τὴν Γνάθαιναν. κελεύοντος οὖν τοῦ Διφίλου ὑπονίψαι τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ τὴν Γνάθαιναν, ἡ δὲ τί γάρ, εἶπεν, οὐκ ἠρμένος ἥκεις; σφόδρα δ’ ἦν εὔθικτος πρὸς τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ἡ Γνάθαινα. καὶ ἄλλαι δὲ ἑταῖραι μέγα ἐφρόνουν ἐφ’ αὑταῖς, παιδείας ἀντεχόμεναι καὶ τοῖς μαθήμασι χρόνον ἀπομερίζουσαι· διόπερ καὶ εὔθικτοι πρὸς τὰς ἀπαντήσεις ἦσαν. κατηγοροῦντος γοῦν ποτε Στίλπωνος Γλυκέρας παρὰ πότον ὡς διαφθειρούσης τοὺς νέους, ὥς φησι Σάτυρος ἐν τοῖς Βίοις, ὑποτυχοῦσα ἡ Γλυκέρα τὴν αὐτήν, ἔφη, ἔχομεν αἰτίαν, ὦ Στίλπων. σέ τε γὰρ λέγουσιν διαφθείρειν τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντάς σοι ἀνωφελῆ καὶ ἐριστικά σοφίσματα διδάσκοντα, ἐμέ τε ὡσαύτως ἐρωτικά μηθὲν οὖν διαφέρειν ἐπιτριβομένοις καὶ κακῶς πάσχουσιν ἢ μετὰ φιλοσόφου ζῆν ἢ ἑταίρας κατὰ γὰρ τὸν Ἀγάθωνα· γυνὴ τοι σώματος δι’ ἀργίαν ψυχῆς φρόνησιν ἐντὸς οὐκ ἀργὸν φορεῖ.
And Lynceus has recorded many repartees of Gnathæna. There was a parasite who used to live upon an old woman, and kept himself in very good condition; and Gnathæna, seeing him, said, “My young friend, you appear to be in very good case.” “What then do you think,” said he, “that I should be if I slept by myself?” “Why, I think you would starve,” said she. Once, when Pausanius, who was nicknamed Laccus, was dancing, he fell into a cask. “The cellar,” says Gnathæna, “has fallen into the cask.” On one occasion, some one put a very little wine into a wine-cooler, and said that it was sixteen years old. “It is very Little of its age,” said she, “to be as old as that.” Once at a dinking party, some young men were fighting about her, and seating one another, and she said to the one who was worsted, “Be of good cheer, my boy; for it is not a contest to be decided by crowns, but by guineas.” There was a man who once gave her daughter a mina, and never brought her anything more, though he came to see her very often. “Do you think, my boy,” said she, “that now you have once paid your mina, you are to come here for ever, as if you were going to Hippomachus the trainer?” On one occasion, when Phryne said to her, with some bitterness, “What would become of you if you had the stone?” “I would give it to you,” said she, “to sharpen your wit upon.” For it was said that Gnathæna was liable to the stone, while the other certainly wanted it as Gnathæna hinted. On one occasion, some men were drinking in her house, and were eating some lentils dressed with onions (βολβοφάκη); as the maidservant was clearing the table, and putting some of the lentils in her bosom (κόλπον), Gnathæna said, “She is thinking of making some κολποφάκη.” Once, when Andronicus the tragedian had been acting his part in the representation of the Epigoni with great applause, and was coming to a drinking party at her house, and sent a boy forward to bid her make preparation to receive him, she said—“O cursed boy, what word is this you've spoken?”And once, when a chattering fellow was relating that he was just come from the Hellespont, “Why, then,” said she, “did you not go to the first city in that country?” and when he asked what city, “To Sigeum,” said she. Once, when a man came to see her, and saw some eggs on a dish, and said, “Are these raw, Gnathæna, or boiled?” “They are made of brass, my boy,” said she. On one occasion, when Chærephon came to sup with her without an invitation, Gnathæna pledged him in a cup of wine. “Take it,” said she, “you proud fellow.” And he said, “I proud?” “Who can be more so,” said she, “when you come without even being invited?” And Nico, who was nicknamed the Goat (as Lynceus tells us), once when she met a parasite, who was very thin in consequence of a long sickness, said to him, “How lean you are.” “No wonder,” says he; “for what do you think is all that I have had to eat these three days?” “Why, a leather bottle,” says she, “or perhaps your shoes.”
Γναθαίνης δὲ πολλὰς ἀποκρίσεις ἀνέγραψεν ὁ Λυγκεύς. παρασίτου γάρ τινος ὑπὸ γραὸς τρεφομένου καὶ τὸ σῶμα εὖ ἔχοντος, χαριέντως γ᾽, ὁ ἔφη, ὦ νεανίσκε, τὸ σωμάτιον διάκεισαι. τί οὖν οἴει, εἰ μὴ ἐδευτεροκοίτουν; τῷ λιμῷ ἄν, ἔφη, ἀπέθανες. Παυσανίου δὲ τοῦ Λάκκου ὀρχουμένου καὶ εἰς κάδον τινὰ ἐμπεσόντος, ὁ λάκκος, ἔφη, εἰς τὸν κάδον ἐμπέπτωκεν. ἐπιδόντος δέ τινος οἶνον ἐν ψυκτηριδίῳ μικρὸν καὶ εἰπόντος ὅτι ἑκκαιδεκαέτης, μικρός γε, ἔφη, ὡς τοσούτων ἐτῶν. νεανίσκων δέ τινων παρὰ πότον ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς τυπτόντων ἑαυτοὺς ἔφη πρὸς τὸν ἡττώμενον θάρρει, παιδίον οὐ γὰρ στεφανίτης ὁ ἀγών ἐστιν, ἀλλ’ ἀργυρίτης. ὡς δ’ ὁ τὴν μνᾶν τῇ θυγατρὶ δοὺς αὐτῆς οὐδὲν ἔτι ἔφερεν, ἀλλ’ ἐφοίτα μόνον, παιδίον, ἔφη, ὥσπερ πρὸς Ἱππόμαχον τὸν παιδοτρίβην μνᾶν δοὺς οἴει αἰεὶ φοιτήσειν; Φρύνης δὲ πικρότερον εἰπούσης αὐτῇ εἰ δὲ λίθον, ἔφη, εἶχες, ἀποψήσασθαι ἄν σοι ἔδωκα. ἐτύγχανεν δὲ ἡ μὲν αἰτίον ἔχουσα λιθιᾶν, ἡ δὲ κοιλίαν προπετεστέραν ἔχειν. τῶν δὲ πινόντων παρ’ αὐτῇ συμβαλλομένων εἰς βολβοφακῆν καὶ τῆς παιδίσκης ἐν τῷ καθαίρειν εἰς τὸν κόλπον ἐμβαλλομένης τῶν φακῶν, ἡ Γνάθαινα ἔφη κολποφακῆν διανοεῖται ποιεῖν. Ἀνδρονίκου δὲ τοῦ τραγῳδοῦ ἀπ’ ἀγῶνός τινος, ἐν ᾧ τοὺς Ἐπιγόνους εὐημερήκει, πίνειν μέλλοντος παρ’ αὐτῇ καὶ τοῦ παιδὸς κελεύοντος τὴν Γνάθαιναν προαναλῶσαι ὀλόμενε παίδων, ἔφη, ποῖον εἴρηκας λόγον. πρὸς δὲ ἀδολέσχην τινὰ διηγούμενον ὅτι παραγέγονεν ἀφ’ Ἑλλησπόντου πῶς οὖν, φησίν, εἰς τὴν πρώτην πόλιν οὐχ ἧκες τῶν ἐκεῖ; τοῦ δ’ εἰπόντος εἰς ποίαν; εἰς Σίγειον εἶπεν. εἰσελθόντος δέ τινος ὡς αὐτὴν καὶ ἰδόντος ἐπί τινος ἀγγείου ᾠὰ εἰπόντος τε ὠμὰ ταῦτα, Γνάθαινα, ἢ ἑφθά; ἔγχαλκα, ἔφη παιδίον. Χαιρεφῶντος δ’ ἀκλήτου ἐπὶ δεῖπνον ἐλθόντος, προπιοῦσα ποτήριον αὐτῷ ἡ Γνάθαινα λαβέ, ἔφησεν, ὑπερήφανε. καὶ ὃς ἐγὼ ὑπερήφανος; τίς δὲ μᾶλλον, εἶπεν ἡ Γνάθαινα, ὃς οὐδὲ καλούμενος ἔρχῃ; Νικὼ δὲ ἡ Αἲξ ἐπικαλουμένη, φησὶν ὁ Λυγκεύς, παρασίτου τινὸς ἀπαντήσαντος λεπτοῦ ἐξ ἀρρωστίας, ὡς ἰσχνός ἔφη. τί γὰρ οἴει με ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις καταβεβρωκέναι; ἤτοι τὴν λήκυθον, ἔφη, ἢ τὰ ὑποδήματα.
There was a courtesan named Metanira; and when Democles the parasite, who was nicknamed Lagynion fell down in a lot of whitewash, she said, “Yes, for you have devoted yourself to a place where there are pebbles.” And when he sprung upon a couch which was near him, “Take care,” said she, “lest you get upset.” These sayings are recorded by Hegesander. And Aristodemus, in the second book of his Laughable Records, says that Gnathæna was hired by two men, a soldier and a branded slave; and so when the soldier, in his rude manner, called her a cistern, “How can I be so?” said she; “is it because two rivers, Lycus and Eleutherus, fall into me?” On one occasion, when some poor lovers of the daughter of Gnathæna came to feast at her house, and threatened to throw it down, saying that they had brought spades and mattocks on purpose; “But,” said Gnathæna, “if you had those implements, you should have pawned them, and brought some money with you.” And Gnathæna was always very neat and witty in all she said; and she even compiled a code of laws for banquets, according to which lovers were to be admitted to her and to her daughters, in imitation of the philosophers, who had drawn up similar documents. And Callimachus has recorded this code of hers in the third Catalogue of Laws which he has given; and he has quoted the first words of it as follows:—“This law has been compiled, being fair and equitable; and it is written in three hundred and twenty-three verses.”
Μετάνειρα δὲ ἡ ἑταίρα, Δημοκλέους τοῦ παρασίτου Λαγυνίωνος ἐπίκλην καταπεσόντος ἔν τινι κονιάματι, καὶ γὰρ σύ, φησί, σαυτὸν ἔδωκας οὗ ψῆφοι εἰσίν. διαπηδῶντος δ’ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν πλησίον κλίνην πρόσεχε, φησί, μὴ ἀνατραπῇς. τοῦτο ἱστορεῖ Ἡγήσανδρος. Ἀριστόδημος δ’ ἐν δευτέρῳ Γελοίων Ἀπομνημονευμάτων Γνάθαιναν, φησί, δύο ἐμισθώσαντο, στρατιώτης καὶ μαστιγίας· ἀναγωγότερον οὖν τοῦ στρατιώτου λάκκον αὐτὴν εἰπόντος ᾽ πῶς; ἔφησεν· ἢ ὅτι δύο ποταμοὶ ἐμβάλλετέ μοι, Λύκος καὶ Ἐλεύθερος; ᾽ ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν θυγατέρα τῆς Γναθαίνης πτωχῶν ἐραστῶν κωμαζόντων καὶ ἀπειλούντων κατασκάψειν τὴν οἰκίαν· ἐνηνοχέναι γὰρ δικέλλας καὶ ἄμας, ᾽ εἰ ταῦτ’ εἴχεθ’ ὑμεῖς εἶπεν ἡ Γνάθαινα, ἐνέχυρα θέντες τὸ μίσθωμα ἂν ἀπεστείλατε.᾽ ἐμμελὴς δ’ ἦν πάνυ ἡ Γνάθαινα καὶ οὐκ ἀνάστειος ἀποφθέγξασθαι· ἥτις καὶ νόμον συσσιτικὸν συνέγραψεν, καθ’ ὃν δεῖ τοὺς ἐραστὰς ὡς αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα εἰσιέναι, κατὰ ζῆλον τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα συνταξαμένων φιλοσόφων. ἀνέγραψε δ’ αὐτὸν Καλλίμαχος ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ πίνακι τῶν Νόμων καὶ ἀρχὴν αὐτοῦ τήνδε παρέθετο· ὅδε ὁ νόμος ἴσος ἐγράφη καὶ ὅμοιος, στίχων τριακοσίων εἴκοσι τριῶν.