New Feature: ABCs of LGBT Meets SPQR

A new tab has been added to the blog: ABCs of LGBT Meets SPQR. It is an encyclopedia-style document that lists 101 people and mythological figures that are important to the study of gender and sexuality in the Greco-Roman world. It is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather representative, of the diversity of gender and sexuality in the ancient world, and it contains hyperlinks to primary sources and the tags of each topic. 

With love and support on the eve of Pride Month,

--Kris

W/W: Together in the Tomb, CIL VI.18524

The two women who were buried together are depicted clasping hands, symbolism usually reserved for married couples. This tomb is currently located in the British Museum; you can find more information about it here.

Fonteia C L Eleusis H O Data Fonteia C L Helena

--CIL VI.18524

Fonteia Eleusis, freedwoman of Caia, and  Fonteia Helena, freedwoman of Caia, are buried here [hic ossa data]

CIL VI.18524	MAP:
Names:  Fonteia Eleusis, Fonteia Helena Date: 1st century BCE Works:  n/a	REGION 1
BIO:	Timeline:
This tombstone, dating from the 1st century BCE, was found in Rome. It currently is located in the British Museum. Used with permission under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence, British Museum, Asset #391042001

M/M: Apollo and Hyacinthos, Pseudo Palaephatus, Peri Apiston 46

***Greek Text forthcoming*** 

De Hyacintho Narratio:

Hyacinthus adulescens Amycleus erat, pulcher & honestus satis. Hunc Apollo quidem vidit, vidit & hunc Zephyrus, amboque illius formae amore capti sunt, in cuiusque gratiam et honorem certatim artes uterque suas illi exhibebant. Sagittabat namque Apollo, Zephyr vero spirabat, sed ab illo cantus & voluptas veniebat, ab hoc vero timor non nisi ac perturbatio sibi erat. Itaque in Phoebi amorem sese iuvenis inclinat. Ob idque Zephyrum prae zelotypia ad bellum armare fecit. Post haec quaedam Hyacintho exercitamenta cum Apolline erant, in quibus cum sese exerceret a Zephyro sibi maxime timendum erat, discoque praesertim, quem cum adulescentis lusui Deus praeparasset, et ab illo iam descendisset, a pueroque mox levaretur, Zephyri fraude in eum ipsum decidit, qui ita mortuus est. Terra vero tantae calamitatis memoriam ullo modo desertam omittere non debuit, quin pro adulescentulo, quod fecit, florem Hyacinthi nominis emitteret, in cuius quidem foliis eius ipsius Hyacinthi nominis pricipium inscriptum fuisse memorant.

--Pseudo-Palaephatus, Peri Apiston 46; Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)

Hyacinth was a beautiful and noble youth from Amyclae. Both Apollo and Zephyr saw him and were smitten by his beauty; both competed to win his affection. Apollo showed off his archery skills, and Zephyr sent a wind. Apollo approached Hyacinth with joy and singing; but Hyacinth felt anxious and fearful around Zephyr, so he shared his affection with Apollo. Because of this, Zephyr grew jealous and plotted his revenge.

 Later on, when Hyacinth was training with Apollo, (something he was too afraid to do with Zephyr), Zephyr maliciously struck down the discus that Apollo had thrown; it struck the youth, and he died. The earth could not erase the memory of such a tragedy, and so in honor of the youth, it created a flower with the name Hyacinth, and inscribed the first letter of his name on the petals of the flowers.

PALAEPHATUS	MAP:
Name:  Palaephatus Date:  4th century BCE Works:  On Unbelievable Tales	REGION  UNKNOWN
BIO:	Timeline:
Little is known about the life and time period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a popular text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find logical explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest in the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax, Palaephatus’ work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms.	GOLDEN AGE GREEK

Palaephatus on the "Impossible" Myth of Caeneus, Peri Apiston XI

 It is important to note that Palaephatus does not challenge Caeneus' gender, only his invulnerability.

Caenea invulnerabilem omnino fuisse aiunt. Quicumque, autem hoc ad credendum suscipit, quod homo quispiam ferro invulnerabilis existat, amens hic reputandus est. Veritas itaque; sic se habet: Caeneus genere Thessalus, vir erat bellicis in rebus strenuus ac potens, pugnandique scientia praeditus, qui cum multis in bellis olim fuisset, nullo tamen unquam tempore vulneratus fuerat. Atque adeo cum Lapithis simul quandoque pugnans, a Centauris interfici nullo modo potuit, sed ab illis solii comprehensus cum fuisset, multitudine ullorum obrutus est, sicque consumptus fuit. Eius itaque defuncti Lapithae cadaver suscipientes, nullisque confossum vulneribus corpus invenientes, dicere consueverant. Caeneus cum alias toto suae vitae tempore invulnerabilis fuerit, itidem sine ullis nunc quoque vulneribus mortuus est.

Καινέα φασίν ότι άτρωτος ήν. όστις  δ υπολαμβάνει άτρωτον από σιδήρε άνθρωπον, ευήθης εςιν. η δε αλήθεια έχει έτως. Καινεύς ήν ανής Θετταλος τω γένει, αγαθός τα πολεμικά  και επισήμων τα μάχεσθαι . γενόμενος δε εν πολλαϊς μάχαις, έδέποτε ετρώθη, έτε Λαπίθαις συμμαχών πρός των Κενταυρων απέθανεν, αλλα συλλαβόντες αυτόν μόνον κατέχωσαν και ωτως έτε λέυτησεν.  έλεγον ων οι Λαπίθαι ανελόμενοι τον νεκρόν αυτέ, και ευρόντες μη τετρωμένον το σώμα, Καινεύς τόν γε άλλον βίον άτρωτος ήν, και απέθανεν άτρωτος.

--Palaephatus, Peri Apiston X, Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)

They say that Caeneus was invulnerable. However, you’re an idiot if you think he couldn’t get wounded by iron. Here’s the truth: Caeneus was a Thessalian man who was mighty and skilled in the art of war. Although he fought in many battles, he was never wounded.  Even when he died battling the Centaurs on behalf of the Lapiths, he was crushed to death by rocks, not iron. When the Lapiths recovered his body, they found no wounds on him, and so they said that “he was invulnerable in life, as well as in death.”

PALAEPHATUS	MAP:
Name:  Palaephatus Date:  4th century BCE Works:  On Unbelievable Tales	REGION  UNKNOWN
BIO:	Timeline:
Little is known about the life and time period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a popular text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find logical explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest in the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax, Palaephatus’ work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms.	GOLDEN AGE GREEK

W/W: Double Harness, Sappho fr. 213

One of the most powerful symbols of love in Classical literature is the image of the yoke that binds a couple together (One example can be seen here ).  In one of the fragments of Sappho's poetry, a grammarian preserved the poet's use of the yokemate (συνδυγος) to describe two women: 

 ...…σε εμα κἈρχεανασ

σα Γοργω.  συνδυγος.

 

αντι του

συνζυξ. η Πλειστοδικη

τηι Γοργοι συνζυξ μετα της Γογγυλης

ονομασθησεται ...

 

mea Archaeanassaque

Gorgonis coniuga.

 

Coniuga, pro “coniunx.” Pleistodika nominatur Gorgonis coniunx, cum Gongula.

 

--Sappho fr. 213; P. Oxy. 2292; Translated into Latin by K. Masters

My [missing name] and Gorgo’s yokemate,* Archeanassa.

* Feminine form of yokemate, instead of masculine form. Pleistodike is named Gorgo’s yokemate, as well as Gongula. . . 

SAPPHO	MAP:
Name:  Σαπφώ / Sappho Date:  630 – 570 BCE Works:  <lost: only fragments remain>	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
Sappho was universally applauded by the ancient world as the “Tenth Muse.” Because she was one of the earliest Greek lyric poets, there is very little definitive information on Sappho’s life.  It is generally agreed that Sappho was a wealthy noblewoman from the island of Lesbos who had three brothers and a daughter named Kleis. She used her prominent social position to support a cohort of other women artists, and composed many poems about them, expressing her love for them, praising their beauty, and celebrating their marriages. Whereas earlier Greek poetry was epic poetry with serious themes of gods, warfare, and the state, Sappho’s lyric poetry is emotional, intimate and personal. Her poetry centers around womanhood and womanly love, providing rare insight into social mores of the time period. The modern term “lesbian” (a woman who is attracted to another woman) reveals the longevity of her impact upon western culture [NOTE: Although “lesbian” is the accepted term in modern English, authors in the ancient world used a different word for a homosexual woman, and only occasionally used the term “lesbian” euphemistically]. Unfortunately, although her poetry was universally revered by the Greeks and Romans alike, Sappho’s works only exist as fragments, adding mysterious allure to her larger-than-life status but unfortunately hindering our understanding of her life and thoughts.	Archaic Greek

 

Using Sappho's Words to Express His Love...for Books, Julian, Ep. 23

In this letter, the Roman Emperor Julian mimics Sappho's famous priamel ["Οἰ μὲν ἰππήων στρότον, οἰ δὲ πέσδων, /  οἰ δὲ νάων φαῖσ’ ἐπὶ γᾶν μέλαιναν / ἔμμεναι κάλλιστον, ἐγὼ δὲ κῆν’ ὄτ- / τω τις ἔραται, / Some say that the prettiest thing in all the world is cavalry; other say it is infantry; others say it is ships. But I say that is whatever you love." fr. 16] to proclaim his love [πόθος] of books.

Εκδικία υπάρχω Αιγύπτου

Αλλοι μεν ίππων, Αλλοι δέ ορνέων, Αλλοι  θηριων έρωσιν, εμοί δέ βιβλίων κλήσεως εκ παιδεαις δενός εντέτηκε πόθος.

 

Ecdicio Praefecto Aegyptii

Quidam equis, alii avibus, nonnulli feris delectantur: ego vero inde usque a pueritia librorum cupiditate arsi.

--Julian, Epistolae XXIII.1; Translated into Latin by Petrus Martinius Morentinus Navarrus (1583)

 

Some people love horses;

Others love birds;

Still others love animals.

But, from the time I was a child,

I have always burned for books.

 

JULIAN	MAP:
Name:  Flavius Claudius Julianus Date:  331 – 363 CE Works:  The Caesars (satire)               Letters	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
Also known as “the Apostate,” Emperor Julian ruled the Roman empire from 361 to 363 CE. During that time, he advocated for the return of Rome’s polytheistic state religion. Numerous works of his are extant, including letters, speeches, and satires; these provide unique insight into the perspectives of Roman nobility during that time period.	POST CONSTANTINOPLE

The Many Lives and the Many Genders of Pythagoras: Lucian, Gallus 19-20

 In his satire on Pythagorean philosophy, the author Lucian explores how Pythagoras' soul (now living as a rooster) has experienced a vast spectrum of existence--living as man and woman, Greek and Persian, person and animal, etc. It is important to note that despite the interviewer Mikyllos' cynical and mocking tone, he still follows proper etiquette:  using a person's appropriate pronouns, as well as being sure to not use the Rooster's dead name. 

MICYLLUS: Verum ubi Pythagoram exueras, quem post eum induisti?

GALLUS: Aspasiam Miletensem illam meretricem.

MICYLLUS: Papae! Quid ego audio? Siquidem inter alia mulier quoque fuit Pythagoras. Itane fuit aliquando tempus, quo tu Galle generosissime ova pariebas, cumque Pericle rem habebas, iam Aspasia videlicet, atque ex illo gravida facta es? Praeterea lanam tondebas, tramamque ducebas? Postremo meretricum in morem gestiebas, vultumque componebas?

GALLUS: Ista quidem omnia feci, tametsi non ego solus: verum & ante me tum Tiresias, tum Elati proles Caeneus. Proinde quicquid in me convitii dixeris, tantumdem et in illos dixeris.

MICYLLUS: Age igitur, utra tibi vita erat suavior, quum vir esses, an quum Pericles tecum haberet consuetudinem?

GALLUS: Vides cuiusmodi isthuc est quod percontaris? nempe cui ne Tiresiae quidem expedierit respondere.

MICYLLUS: Atqui si minus fateare tu, tamen isthuc Euripides fatis explicuit, quum ait se malle ter sub clipeo consistere, quam parere semel.

GALLUS: Immo praemoneo te paulo post puerperam fore: siquidem & tu mulier es olim futurus, idque; saepius, longo nimirum saeculorum orbe atque recursu.

MICYLLUS: Non tu pendebis O Galle, qui quidem omneis mortales Milesios aut Samios esse ducas? Nam aiunt te etiam tum quum Pythagoras esses, venusta forma decorum, saepius Aspasiam fuisse tyrano. Verum age, secundum Aspasiam in quem virum aut mulierem denuo renatus es?

GALLUS: In Cratetem Cynicum.

MICYLLUS: O Castor, O Pollux, quam dissimile! ex scorto philosophus?

GALLUS: Deinde rex: deinde pauper: paulo post satrapes: dehinc equus, graculus, rana, aliaque innumerabilia, perlongum enim fuerit singula recensere. Postremo gallus, atque id saepius, nam hoc vitae genere sum delectatus. Interea & aliis diversis mortalibus servivi, regibus, pauperibus, divitibus; postremo nun tecum vivo, rideoque quotidie, quum video te pauperitatis taedio complorantem, eiulantemque, ac divitum admirantem fortunas, propterea quod ignores quantum illis adsit malorum. Alioqui si curas noris quibus illi distringuntur teipsum profecto riseris, qui antea credideris, eum qui sit opulentus, statim felicissimum esse omnium.

MICYLLUS: Ergo Pythagora, aut quod maxime gaudeas appellari, ne confundam orationem, si te nunc hoc, nunc illo nomine compellem.

GALLUS: Nihil intererit, sive Euphorbum, sive Pythagoram, sive vocaris Aspasia, sive Craterem, quandoquidem ista omnium sum unus: nisi quod rectius feceris, si id quod impraesentiarum esse video. Gallum me voces, ne avem hanc parui ducere contenereque videare, praesertim quum tam multas contineat animas.

[19] πατῶν ἀπολιμπάνοις. ἀποδυσάμενος δὲ τὸν Πυθαγόραν τίνα μετημφιέσω μετ᾽ αὐτόν;

Ἀλεκτρυών

Ἀσπασίαν τὴν ἐκ Μιλήτου ἑταίραν

 

Μίκυλλος

φεῦ τοῦ λόγου, καὶ γυνὴ γὰρ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁ Πυθαγόρας ἐγένετο, καὶ ἦν ποτε χρόνος ὅτε καὶ σὺ ᾠοτόκεις, ὦ ἀλεκτρυόνων γενναιότατε, καὶ συνῆσθα Περικλεῖ Ἀσπασία οὖσα καὶ ἐκύεις ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρια ἔξαινες καὶ κρόκην κατῆγες καὶ ἐγυναικίζου ἐς τὸ ἑταιρικόν;

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

πάντα ταῦτα ἐποίουν οὐ μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ Τειρεσίας πρὸ ἐμοῦ καὶ ὁ Ἐλάτου παῖς ὁ Καινεύς, ὥστε ὁπόσα ἂν ἀποσκώψῃς εἰς ἐμὲ, καὶ εἰς ἐκείνους ἀποσκώψας ἔσῃ.

 

Μίκυλλος

τί οὖν; πότερος ἡδίων ὁ βίος σοι ἦν, ὅτε ἀνὴρ ἦσθα ἢ ὅτε σε ὁ Περικλῆς ὤπυιεν;

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

ὁρᾷς οἷον τοῦτο ἠρώτησας, οὐδὲ τῷ Τειρεσίᾳ συνενεγκοῦσαν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν;

 

Μίκυλλος

ἀλλὰ κἂν σὺ μὴ εἴπῃς, ἱκανῶς ὁ Εὐριπίδης διέκρινε τὸ τοιοῦτον, εἰπὼν ὡς τρὶς ἂν ἐθέλοι παρ᾽ ἀσπίδα στῆναι ἢ ἅπαξ τεκεῖν.

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

καὶ μὴν ἀναμνήσω σε, ὦ Μίκυλλε, οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ὠδίνουσαν ἔσῃ γὰρ γυνὴ καὶ σὺ ἐν πολλῇ τῇ περιόδῳ πολλάκις.

 

Μίκυλλος

οὐκ ἀπάγξῃ, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών, ἅπαντας οἰόμενος Μιλησίους ἢ Σαμίους εἶναι; σὲ γοῦν φασι καὶ Πυθαγόραν ὄντα τὴν ὥραν λαμπρὸν πολλάκις 20] Ἀσπασίαν γενέσθαι τῷ τυράννῳ. — τίς δὲ δὴ μετὰ τὴν Ἀσπασίαν ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνὴ αὖθις ἀνεφάνης;

Ἀλεκτρυών

ὁ κυνικὸς Κράτης.

 

Μίκυλλος

' Ὢ Διοσκόρω τῆς ἀνομοιότητος, ἐξ ἑταίρας φιλόσοφος.

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

εἶτα βασιλεύς, εἶτα πένης, καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον σατράπης, εἶτα ἵππος καὶ κολοιὸς καὶ βάτραχος καὶ ἄλλα μυρία μακρὸν ἂν γένοιτο καταριθμήσασθαι ἕκαστα: τὰ τελευταῖα δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν πολλάκις, ἥσθην γὰρ τῷ τοιούτῳ βίῳ. καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς [p. 214] ἄλλοις δουλεύσας καὶ πένησι ^ καὶ πλουσίοις, τὰ τελευταῖα καὶ σοὶ νῦν σύνειμι καταγελῶν ὁσημέραι ποτνιωμένου καὶ οἰμώζοντος ἐπὶ τῇ πενίᾳ καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους θαυμάζοντος ὑπ᾽ ἀγνοίας τῶν ἐκείνοις προσόντων κακῶν. εἰ γοῦν ᾔδεις τὰς φροντίδας ἃς ἔχουσιν, ἐγέλας ἂν ἐπὶ σαυτῷ πρῶτον οἰηθέντι ὑπερευδαίμονα εἶναι τὸν πλοῦτον.

 

Μίκυλλος

οὐκοῦν, ὦ Πυθαγόρα — καίτοι τί μάλιστα χαίρεις καλούμενος, ὡς μὴ ἐπιταράττοιμι τὸν λόγον ἄλλοτε ἄλλον καλῶν;

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

διοίσει μὲν οὐδὲν ἤν τε Εὔφορβον ἢ ^ Πυθαγόραν, ἤν τε Ἀσπασίαν καλῇς ἢ Κράτητα: πάντα γὰρ ἐγὼ ταῦτά εἰμι. πλὴν τὸ νῦν ὁρώμενον τοῦτο ἀλεκτρυόνα ὀνομάζων ἄμεινον ἂν ποιοῖς, ὡς μὴ ἀτιμάζοις εὐτελὲς εἶναι δοκοῦν τὸ ὄρνεον, καὶ ταῦτα τοσαύτας ἐν αὑτῷ ψυχὰς ἔχον.

--Lucian, Gallus 19-20 ; Translated into Latin by Erasmus of Rotterdam

M: Once you changed out of Pythagoras, what form did you take next?

Rooster: I was Aspasia, the Courtesan from Miletus.

M: Lol wut? You, Pythagoras, were a woman in your previous lives? Like, at one time, you, a noble rooster, were an egg-laying chicken? And you were Aspasia, who dated Pericles, and got pregnant by him? And you spun wool and then wove it into things? And then you put on makeup to go on dates?

Rooster: Of course I did. But I’m not the only one who did so; there’s also Tiresias before me, and Elatus’ kid* Caeneus. Don’t give me a hard time for it, if you’re cool with them.

M: So, like, which life did you like better? When you were a man, or when you were married to Pericles?

Rooster: Watch out what kind of question you’re asking me—that’s the question that got Tiresias in trouble**.

M: Well, if you don’t say it, Euripides explained it in one of his tragedies. He said that he would prefer to go into battle three times than to give birth once.

Rooster: May I remind you, o Mikyllos, that one day you will be a woman who gives birth; it’ll happen often enough as time goes on.

M: Watch your neck, bird! Do you think that everyone comes from Miletus or Samos?   So, like, they often say that Pythagoras looked good, and Aspasia was good looking in the eyes of her tyrant lover. After Aspasia, were you a man or a woman next?

Rooster: I was the Cynic philosopher Crates.

M: OMG, what a difference! From a hot courtesan to a philosopher***!

Rooster: Then I was a king, then a beggar, then a Persian Satrap, then a horse, then a bird, then a frog, then a bunch of other things, too many to remember, but most recently, a rooster. I like being a rooster the most. I’ve been all these things, and now that I live with you, I think it’s laughable that you admire the rich and worry about poverty—you have no idea what you’re talking about. If you only knew the struggle the wealthy had, you wouldn’t think you’d instantly be happy if you were rich.

M: So, Pythagoras—or what do you wish to be called? So I won’t get mixed up calling you one thing after another.

Rooster: It doesn’t matter. Whether you call me Euphorbus or Pythagoras, or Aspasia, or Crates, I am all of them.  But it might be easier if you just call me “Rooster,” but don’t think that this “paltry poultry” doesn’t contain many souls.

 

 

* Lucian uses the gender neutral term παῖς [“kid / child,” instead of “son” or “daughter”], respecting Caeneus’ gender change by deliberately not using a gendered word.

 

** According to myth, Tiresias was blinded when Zeus and Hera asked him to decide whether men or women enjoyed physical romance more

 

*** Cynic rejected society’s obsession with appearance and beauty, and dressed plainly

LUCIAN	MAP:
Name:  Lucianus Samosatensis Date:  125 – 180 CE Works: Dialogue of the Courtesans*                True History, etc.	REGION  4
BIO:	Timeline:
Lucian was a Turkish-born Roman satirist who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.	ROMAN GREECE

 

M/M: Agamemnon and Argynnus, Propertius III.7.61-64

 

sunt Agamemnonias testantia litora curas,
    quae notat Argynni poena Athamantiadae.
[hoc iuvene amisso classem non solvit Atrides,
    pro qua mactatast* Iphigenia mora.]

 *mactatast = mactata est

 

--Propertius El. III.7.61-64

 

This shore is a monument to Agamemnon’s grief;

it testifies to Argynnus’ suffering.

When this youth died, Agamemnon forbade his fleet to set sail,

and the delay* caused the death of Iphigenia.

*According to Trojan War myth:  while the Achaean forces were assembling at Aulis, Agamemnon shot a deer sacred to Artemis. In retaliation, Artemis refused to allow adequate sailing weather unless the king sacrificed his own daughter, Iphigenia.  In Propertius' version of the myth, Agamemnon's mourning caused the Achaean ships to miss the sailing season, but were able to resume their sailing with the sacrifice of Iphigenia.

PROPERTIUS	MAP:
Name:  Sextus Propertius Date:  50 – 15 BCE Works:  Elegies	REGION  1
BIO:	Timeline:
Propertius was an Italian-born Roman lyric poet whose love poetry provides insight into the mores of Augustan Rome. Like Catullus and Tibullus, Propertius used a pseudonym for the object of his attention; many of his love poems were addressed to “Cynthia.”	GOLDEN AGE ROME

In Praise of Sappho: Demetrius, De Elocutione III.166-167

Quare et Sappho de pulchritudine canens, utitur verbis pulchris, et tota suavis est, & de cupidinibus utique, & de aere, & de halcyone, & omnia [fere] verba pulchra ipsius poesi inexta sunt: nonnulla autem & ipsa facricata est.

Aliter autem irridet agrestem sponsum, & ianitorem qui versatur in nuptiis, valde humiliter & pedestribus potius verbis quam poeticis. Quapropter haec ipsius poemata recitationi magis quam cantui apta sunt: neque accommodari possunt ad chorum, vel ad lyram, nisi sit chorus qui rem aliquam simpliciter enarrat.

 

Διὸ καὶ ἡ Σαπφὼ περὶ μὲν κάλλους ᾄδουσα καλλιεπής ἐστι καὶ ἡδεῖα, καὶ περὶ ἐρώτων δὲ καὶ ἔαρος καὶ περὶ ἁλκυόνος, καὶ ἅπαν καλὸν ὄνομα ἐνύφανται αὐτῆς τῇ ποιήσει, τὰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ εἰργάσατο.

Ἄλλως δὲ σκώπτει τὸν ἄγροικον νυμφίον, καὶ τὸν θυρωρὸν τὸν ἐν τοῖς γάμοις, εὐτελέστατα καὶ ἐν πεζοῖς ὀνόμασι μᾶλλον ἢ ἐν ποιητικοῖς, ὥστε αὐτῆς μᾶλλόν ἐστι τὰ ποιήματα ταῦτα διαλέγεσθαι ἢ ᾄδειν, οὐδ̓ ἂν ἁρμόσαι πρὸς τὸν χορὸν ἢ πρὸς τὴν λύραν, εἰ μή τις εἴη χορὸς διαλεκτικός.

--Demetrius of Phaleron, Libro de Elocutione III.166-167; Translated into Latin by Robert Faulis (1743)

Sappho sings about beauty while using beautiful words. She is sweet, and as she sings about love and springtime and halcyon birds, she weaves together just about everything beautiful in her songs that she has composed by her own hand.

But in other poems, when she criticizes a boorish groom or his best man at the wedding, she uses more base words than poetic ones. These sort of poems should be recited, not sung; they aren’t really adequate for either a chorus or a lyre, unless the chorus uses a conversational style.

DEMETRIUS OF PHALERUM	MAP:
Name:  Demetrius of Phaleron Date:  350 – 280 BCE Works:  On Style [de Elocutione]	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
Demetrius of Phaleron was an Athenian philosopher, statesman, and author who lived during the 3rd century BCE. His magnum opus, On Style [de Elocutione], is a valuable resource for preserving poetic works of authors no longer extant.	HELLENISTIC

M/M: A Heart Has Found Its Home, Quintus Lutatius Catullus

 Quinti Catuli versus illi fuerunt: [14]

Aufugit mi animus; credo, ut solet, ad Theotimum

Devenit. Sic est: perfugium illud habet.

Qui, si non interdixem, ne illunc fugitivum

Mitteret ad se intro, sed magis eiceret?

Ibimus quaesitum. Verum, ne ipsi teneamur,

Formido. Quid ago? Da Venus consilium.

 

--Quintus Lutatius Catullus, preserved in Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae XIX.X.14

These were the lyrics of Quintus Catulus:

My heart has left me:

I think it’s gone to Theotimus

(that’s what it usually does).

That’s how it goes: that’s its home.

Even if I had put my foot down, forcing my heart to come home,

It’s used to staying at his place.

I’ll go out looking for it,

But I’m afraid that I’ll be caught up in Theotimus’ charms, too.

What’ll I do? Help me, Venus!

 

CATULUS	MAP:
Name:  Quintus Lutatius Catulus Date:  2nd century BCE Works:  [lost]	REGION  1
BIO:	Timeline:
Quintus Lutatius Catulus was a prominent figure in the wars against the Cimbri and the Teutones in the 2nd century BCE. Although he was a prolific author, only fragments remain of his works.	REPUBLICAN ROMAN ERA

AULUS GELLIUS	MAP:
Name:  Aulus Gellius Date:  2nd. c. CE Works:  Attic Nights	REGION  UNKNOWN
BIO:	Timeline:
Aulus Gellius lived during the 2nd century CE. His work, the Attic Nights, are a collection of anecdotes about literature, history, and grammar.  From internal evidence, we can deduce that he was in the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius’ social circle, having close friendships with Herodes Atticus and Fronto.	SILVER AGE LATIN