A Statue of Hermaphroditus, Greek Anthology 2.102-3, 5

Although intersex people were not treated well throughout Roman history [cf. Pliny NH vii.iii.34], Greco-Roman authors were fascinated by the concept of a person who could transcend the rigid gender roles imposed by society. The following is a description of a statue of Hermaphroditus:

And here’s a statue of Hermaphroditus, who is neither entirely male or female;

Rather they are a mixture.  At first glance, you’d think,

“This is Hermes’ & Venus’ kid.”…

Hermaphroditus’ body mixes the beauty of every body.

Hermaphroditus adest, nec vir nec femina totus,

Mixta sed effigies: consectu corporis ipsum

Mercurio dices & pulchra Cypride natum....

Mixta gerens gemino de sexu signa decoris.

ἵστατο δ᾽ Ἑρμαφρόδιτος ἐπήρατος, οὔθ᾽ ὅλος ἀνήρ,

οὐδὲ γυνή: μικτὸν γὰρ ἔην βρέτας ἦ τάχα κοῦρον

Κύπριδος εὐκόλποιο καὶ Ἑρμάωνος ἐνίψεις:...

ξυνῆς ἀγλαΐης κεκερασμένα σήματα φαίνων.

--Greek Anthology 2.102-3, 5 [V.21 in previous edition]; Translated into Latin by Hugo Grotius

The Greek Anthology is a modern collection of Greek lyric poetry compiled from various sources over the course of Greco-Roman literature. The current collection was created from two major sources, one from the 10^th century CE and one from the 14^th century CE. The anthology contains authors spanning the entirety of Greek literature, from archaic poets to Byzantine Christian poets. 

The Courage of Leaena: Pliny, Nat. Hist. 34.19.12

Name: Pliny the Elder Date: 23 – 79 CE Region:  Como [modern Italy]; Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Natural History, 34.19.12

Many people praise Tisicrates' statue of Leaena. She was a courtesan and entertainer specializing in singing and the lyre who was close with Harmodius and Aristogeiton; she kept secret their plot to kill the tyrant, not betraying their plans even when tortured to the point of  death.  Because of her courage, the Athenians wanted to honor her. Not willing to celebrating her profession, they made a statue of an animal with her same name, i.e., a lioness. To further honor her courage, they made the artist make the statue lacking a tongue.*

* According to tradition, Leaena bit off her own tongue to thwart her interrogators.

Tisicratis Leaena laudatur. [Paelex] haec lyrae cantu familiare Harmodio et Aristogitoni, consilia eorum de tyrannicidio, usque ad mortem excrutiata a tyraniis, non prodidit. Quamobrem Athenienses et honorem habere ei volentes, nec tamen [paelicem] celebrasse, animal nominis eius fecere: atque ut intelligeretur causa honoris, in opere linguam addi ab artifice vetuereunt. 

Pliny the Elder [Gaius Plinius Secundus; 23 – 79 CE, modern Italy] was an Italian-born Roman statesman and author who lived during the reigns of the early Roman emperors. He spent most of his life in service of his country; he ultimately gave his life in arranging the evacuation of the regions devastated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. His work, the Natural History, is a 37-volume collection of art, history, and science of the ancient world.