A Poem and a Picture: Two Poems of Nossis

 

Name:   Nossis Date:      3rd century BCE Region:  Locris [modern Italy] Citation:      Greek Anthology  9.604, 9.605

Nossis is one of the best preserved women poets of ancient Greece. In these two poems, she captures the beauty of art in her poetry.

This is a painting of Thaumetra:

Look at how well depicted are

her joyous spirit and gentle-eyed expression.

A guard dog puppy would wag her tail at the sight

Thinking her lady was still at home.

Θαυμαρέτας μορφὰν ὁ πίναξ ἔχει: εὖ γε τὸ γαῦρον

τεῦξε τὸ θ᾽ ὡραῖον τᾶς ἀγανοβλεφάρου.

σαίνοι κέν ς᾽ ἐσιδοῖσα καὶ οἰκοφύλαξ σκυλάκαινα,

δέσποιναν μελάθρων οἰομένα ποθορῆν.

Thaumaretae formam tabula habet; bene utique elatum animum

effinxit et pulchritudinem placidis-conspicuae-oculus.

Blandiretur te conspecta etiam domus-custos catella,

dominam aedium se putans adspicere.

Translated by Hugo Grotius

Callo dedicated a painting of herself

in the temple of golden-haired Aphrodite.

How serenely she appears! Look at how gracefully she shines.

Well done! For her life is blameless.

τὸν πίνακα ξανθᾶς Καλλὼ δόμον εἰς Ἀφροδίτας

εἰκόνα γραψαμένα πάντ᾽ ἀνέθηκεν ἴσαν.

ὡς ἀγανῶς ἕστακεν ἴδ᾽ ἁ χάρις ἁλίκον ἀνθεῖ.

χαιρέτω: οὔ τινα γὰρ μέμψιν ἔχει βιοτᾶς.

Tabulatam flavae Callo in domo Veneris

dedicavit, pingi-quae-iusserat imaginem omnino similem.

Ut placide adstat! Vide, gratia eius quandum floreat.

Valeat: non ullam enim reprehensionem habet vitae.

 Translated by Hugo Grotius 

Nossis [3^rd century BCE, modern Italy] was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology. Like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.

Women Supporting Women: Nossis' Trip to the Temple, Greek Anthology IX.332.1-3

In this poem, the Greek poet Nossis advertises the accomplishments of Polyarchis, a woman who was wealthy enough to purchase a gilded statue of Aphrodite to her local temple.

 Let’s go to the Temple of Aphrodite

And see her golden statue there.

Polyarchis provided it...

Ingressae templum spectemus Veneris

signum, ut auro fabrefactum exstat.

Statuit hoc Polyarchis...

Ἐλθοῖσαι ποτὶ ναὸν ἰδώμεθα τᾶς Ἀφροδίτας

τὸ βρέτας, ὡς χρυσῷ διαδαλόεν τελέθει.

εἵσατό μιν Πολυαρχίς, ...

--Nossis, Greek Anthology 9.332.1-3; Translated into Latin by Hugo Grotius  (1872)

 

 

 Nossis was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3^rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology; like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.

  

The 9 Earthly Muses: Sappho and Her Sisters, Greek Anthology 9.26

Sappho and the Earthly Muses

Name:  Antipater of Sidon Date:    2nd – 1st century BCE Region:     Sidon [modern Lebanon] Citation:     Greek Anthology 9.26

Helicon and the Pierian mountains have nourished the following divinely-inspired women with song:

·                      Praxilla

·                     Myrus

·                     Anyte, the female Homer

·                     Sappho, the glory of pretty-haired Lesbia

·                     Erinna

·                     Famous Telesilla

·                     And you,Corinna!, who celebrates Athena’s raging spear in song,

·                     Woman-tongued Nossis

·                      Sweet-tongued Myrtis.  

All these women’s words will outlast the ages.

Great Heaven has nine Muses,

But earth has created nine of its own,

Women who will bring eternal joy to mankind.   

τάσδε θεογλώσσους Ἑλικὼν ἔθρεψε γυναῖκας ὕμνοις, καὶ Μακεδὼν Πιερίας σκόπελος, Πρήξιλλαν, Μοιρώ, Ἀνύτης στόμα, θῆλυν Ὅμηρον, Λεσβιάδων Σαπφὼ κόσμον ἐυπλοκάμων, Ἤρινναν, Τελέσιλλαν ἀγακλέα, καὶ σέ, Κόριννα, θοῦριν Ἀθηναίης ἀσπίδα μελψαμέναν, Νοσσίδα θηλύγλωσσον, ἰδὲ γλυκυαχέα Μύρτιν, πάσας ἀενάων ἐργάτιδας σελίδων. ἐννέα μὲν Μούσας μέγας Οὐρανός, ἐννέα δ᾽ αὐτὰς γαῖα τέκεν, θνατοῖς ἄφθιτον εὐφροσύναν.

Sunt enim doctae, muliebria nomina, vates quas Helicon aluit Pieriumque iugum. Praxilla et Myro facundaque gloria Lesbi [Sappho], et quae vix Anyte cedit, Homere, tibi. Est Erinna etiam Telesillaque, tuque Corinna, Quae docta clypeum Palladis arte canis: Et Myrtis placida et versu quoque femina Nossis, Omnes perpetui carminis artifices. Aetheris aequavit tellus fecunda labores, Ille novem Musas protulit, ista novem. Translated into Latin by Hugo Grotius

Antipater of Sidon [2nd – 1st century BCE, modern Lebanon] was a Greek poet who lived under Roman rule during the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. Dozens of his poems were preserved in the Greek Anthology.

An Offering and A Poem: Nossis, Greek Anthology 6.265

O sacred Juno,

who often descends from heaven

to mingle with us in sweet-smelling Laconia, accept this linen cloak

Woven by Cleocha’s daughter Theophilis,

Along with her famous daughter Nossis.

 Juno veneranda, Lacinium quae thure-fragrans

saepe coelitus deveniens aspicis,

accipe byssinam vestem, quam tibi cum filia praeclara

Nosside texuit Theophilis, gnata Cleochae.

 

Ἥρα τιμήεσσα, Λακίνιον ἃ τὸ θυῶδες

πολλάκις οὐρανόθεν νεισομένα καθορῇς,

δέξαι βύσσινον εἷμα, τό τοι μετὰ παιδὸς ἀγαυᾶς

Νοσσίδος ὕφανεν Θευφιλὶς ἁ Κλεόχας. 

--Nossis, Greek Anthology vi.265; Translated into Latin by Friedrich Duebner

 Nossis was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3^rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology; like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.

The Flowers of Venus: Nossis, Greek Anthology 5.170

Kisses Sweeter than Honey

Name:   Nossis Date:      3rd century BCE Region:  Locris [modern Italy] Citation:      Greek Anthology 5.170

Nothing is sweeter than love; even the sweetest things

Are second to it. Even honey

I have spit out of my mouth—it is not sweeter.

I, Nossis, declare, “Unless Venus has kissed someone,

They would not know what flowers she has, what type of roses.”     

ἅδιον οὐδὲν ἔρωτος, ἃ δ᾽ ὄλβια, δεύτερα πάντα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ στόματος δ᾽ ἔπτυσα καὶ τὸ μέλι. τοῦτο λέγει Νοσσίς: τίνα δ᾽ ἁ Κύπρις οὐκ ἐφίλασεν, οὐκ οἶδεν κήνα τἄνθεα ποῖα ῥόδα.

Dulce magis quid amore? cui suavissima cedunt, osque meum potius melle carere velim. Sic Nossis sentit, Venus, hoc, si quem oderit alma, nesciat, ast roseo flos huius est similis. Translated into Latin by Christian Wolff

Nossis [3^rd century BCE, modern Italy] was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology. Like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.

Sappho, You are My Rival! --Nossis, fr. 3

 Stranger, if you happen to sail to Mytilene,

Famous for its beautiful dances,

Famous for raising Sappho, the Graces’ own fine flower,

Please let them know that there is another:

This one was beloved by the Muses,

She was equal to Sappho, but blossomed in Locris,

And her name was Nossis.

Farewell.

O hospis, si tu ingressus fueris Mitylenen in pulchro loco positam,

Sapphus gratiarum florem immaturus,

Dicas, eam Musis esse amicam, & Locrensem illi

similes peperisse, eiusque nomen esse Nossidem, abi.

Ω ξειν, ει τύ γε πλεις ποτί καλλίχορον Μιτυλάνων

Ταν Σαπφούς χαρίτων άνθος έναυσόμενος

 Ειπείν ως Μούσαισι φίλα τήνατε Λόκρισσα

Τίκτεν ίσαις ότι θ'οι τούνομα Νοσσίς. ιθι

--Nossis, fr. 3, Translated into Latin by Io. Christopher Wolf (1733)

Nossis was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3^rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology; like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.