Courtesans Reconsidered: Women in Aristophanes' Lysistrata

摘要: Scholarship on Aristophanes’ Lysistrata over the last three decades has almost without exception supported view that play models its portrayal of sex-striking wives hetaeras. Henderson first proposed teasing delay tactics Myrrhine in seduction scene resemble those a courtesan 1 . He subsequently hypothesizes play, with emphasis female bibulousness, sexual appetites, adornment and depilation, may have been based hetaera comedy Pherecrates 2 — 1987: 177 concludes her «skillful wheedling, teasing, coquettishness were surely more characteristic hetairai than wives» further views Cinesias as «a customer bargaining bawd for girl’s services». believes original audience would identified such due to their familiarity courtesans. However, Dover 1972: 160 observes conspicuously avoids any mention non-marital sex, while Stroup 2003: 42 remarks, “it is worth noting neither word hetaira, nor indeed other ‘formally recognized’ sex worker (porne, auletris) appears this comedy”. I gratefully acknowledge thoughtful comments two anonymous readers which lead much improved version paper. The Greek text throughout taken from Henderson’s 1987 edition play. In attempting explain origins comic characters prototype expands his young hetaeras, stating «certainly characterization closer