Lais of Hyccara
Encyclopedia
Lais of Hyccara was a courtesan
of Ancient Greece
. She was probably born in Hyccara, Sicily
(in the place of modern Carini
) and died in Thessalia. Another hetaera
(courtesan) with the same name was Lais of Corinth
. Since ancient authors in their (usually indirect) accounts often confuse them or do not indicate which they refer to, the two are inextricably linked.
There are a number of anecdotes about her. For example, it was said Demosthenes
was willing to pay 1,000 Greek drachma
s for a night with her, but she raised her price to 10,000 drachmas after viewing him, while she gave herself to Diogenes
for nothing.
She was the daughter of Timandra (Damasandra acc. to Athenaeus
). She was a contemporary and a rival of Phryne
. She fell in love with a Thessalian named Hippostratus or Hippolochus, who brought her to Thessaly
. It is said that Thessalian women out of jealousy lured her into the temple of Aphrodite
and stoned her to death. She was buried on the banks of Peneus
.
Courtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
of Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
. She was probably born in Hyccara, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(in the place of modern Carini
Carini
Carini is a town and comune in the Province of Palermo, Sicily, 13 miles by rail WNW of Palermo. It has a population of 25,752....
) and died in Thessalia. Another hetaera
Hetaera
In ancient Greece, hetaerae were courtesans, that is to say, highly educated, sophisticated companions...
(courtesan) with the same name was Lais of Corinth
Lais of Corinth
Lais of Corinth was a famous hetaera or courtesan of ancient Greece who was probably born in Corinth. Another hetaera with the same name was Lais of Hyccara. Since ancient authors in their -usually indirect- accounts often confuse them or do not indicate which they refer to, the two are...
. Since ancient authors in their (usually indirect) accounts often confuse them or do not indicate which they refer to, the two are inextricably linked.
There are a number of anecdotes about her. For example, it was said Demosthenes
Demosthenes
Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by...
was willing to pay 1,000 Greek drachma
Greek drachma
Drachma, pl. drachmas or drachmae was the currency used in Greece during several periods in its history:...
s for a night with her, but she raised her price to 10,000 drachmas after viewing him, while she gave herself to Diogenes
Diogenes of Sinope
Diogenes the Cynic was a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynic philosophy. Also known as Diogenes of Sinope , he was born in Sinope , an Ionian colony on the Black Sea , in 412 or 404 BCE and died at Corinth in 323 BCE.Diogenes of Sinope was a controversial figure...
for nothing.
She was the daughter of Timandra (Damasandra acc. to Athenaeus
Athenaeus
Athenaeus , of Naucratis in Egypt, Greek rhetorician and grammarian, flourished about the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd century AD...
). She was a contemporary and a rival of Phryne
Phryne
Phryne was a famous hetaera of Ancient Greece .- Early life :Her real name was Mnesarete , but owing to her yellowish complexion she was called Phryne "Toad", a name given to other courtesans. She was born at Thespiae in Boeotia, but seems to have lived at Athens...
. She fell in love with a Thessalian named Hippostratus or Hippolochus, who brought her to Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
. It is said that Thessalian women out of jealousy lured her into the temple of Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
and stoned her to death. She was buried on the banks of Peneus
Peneus
In Greek mythology, Peneus was a Thessalian river god, one of the three thousand Rivers , a child of Oceanus and Tethys. The nymph Creusa bore him one son, Hypseus, who was King of the Lapiths, and three daughters, Menippe , Daphne, and Stilbe. He also had a son Atrax with Bura, and Andreus with...
.
External links
- Athenaeus, Deipnosophists, Book 13 English translation at attalus.org