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Hetaira

April 13, 2024

"Hetaerism" redirects here. For the concept in anthropology, see Johann Jakob Bachofen.
Not to be confused with Hetaireia.

A hetaira, /hɪˈtaɪrə/ (pl.: hetairai, /hɪˈtaɪraɪ/), also hetaera, /hɪˈtɪrə/ (pl.: hetaerae, /hɪˈtɪriː/) (Ancient Greek: ἑταίρα, 'companion'; pl.: ἑταῖραι; Latin: hetaera; pl.: hetaerae), was a type of courtesan or prostitute in ancient Greece, who served as an artist, entertainer and conversationalist in addition to providing sexual service. Custom excluded the wives and daughters of Athenian citizens from the symposium, but this prohibition did not extend to hetairai, who were often foreign born and could be highly educated. Other female entertainers made appearances in the otherwise male domain, but hetairai joined the male guests in their sexual joking, sometimes evidencing a wide knowledge of literature in their contributions.

Greek hetaira and her client, approx. 430 BC. The fact that she is on the couch with him is telling, as wives were not allowed into the symposium.

Summary edit

 
Two banqueters and a psalterion-playing hetaera sitting together on a klinē. Terracotta from Myrina, Mysia, c. 25 BC. The harp is an angular harp.

Traditionally, historians of ancient Greece have distinguished between hetairai and pornai, another class of prostitute in ancient Greece. In contrast to pornai, who provided sex for numerous clients in brothels or on the street, hetairai were thought to have had only a few men as clients at any one time, to have had long-term relationships with them, and to have provided companionship and intellectual stimulation as well as sex.[1] For instance, Charles Seltman wrote in 1953 that "hetaeras were certainly in a very different class, often highly educated women".[2]

More recently, however, historians have questioned the extent to which there was really a distinction between hetairai and pornai. The second edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary, for instance, held that hetaira was a euphemism for any kind of prostitute.[3] This position is supported by Konstantinos Kapparis, who holds that Apollodorus' famous tripartite division of the types of women in the speech Against Neaera ("We have courtesans for pleasure, concubines for the daily tending of the body, and wives in order to beget legitimate children and have a trustworthy guardian of what is at home."[4]) classes all prostitutes together, under the term hetairai.[5][6]

A third position, advanced by Rebecca Futo Kennedy, suggests that hetairai "were not prostitutes or even courtesans".[7] Instead, she argues, hetairai were "elite women ... who participated in sympotic and luxury culture",[8] just as hetairoi – the masculine form of the word – was used to refer to groups of elite men at symposia.[7]

 
This painting, on the inside of a kylix, depicts a hetaira playing kottabos, a drinking game played at symposia in which the participants flicked the dregs of their wine at a target.

Even when the term hetaira was used to refer to a specific class of prostitute, though, scholars disagree on what precisely the line of demarcation was. Kurke emphasises that hetairai veiled the fact that they were selling sex through the language of gift-exchange, while pornai explicitly commodified sex.[9] Leslie Kurke claims that both hetairai and pornai could be slaves or free, and might or might not work for a pimp.[9] Kapparis says that hetairai were high-class prostitutes, and cites Dover as pointing to the long-term nature of hetairai's relationships with individual men.[10] Miner disagrees with Kurke, claiming that hetairai were always free, not slaves.[11]

Along with sexual services, women described as hetairai rather than pornai seem to have often been educated, and have provided companionship.[12] According to Kurke, the concept of hetairism was a product of the symposium, where hetairai were permitted as sexually available companions of the male party-goers.[13] In Athenaeus' Deipnosophistai, hetairai are described as providing "flattering and skillful conversation": something which is, elsewhere in classical literature, seen as a significant part of the hetaira's role.[14] Particularly, "witty" and "refined" (αστεία) were seen as attributes which distinguished hetairai from common pornai.[15] Hetairai are likely to have been musically educated, too.[16]

Free hetairai could become very wealthy, and control their own finances. However, their careers could be short, and if they did not earn enough to support themselves, they might have been forced to resort to working in brothels, or working as pimps, in order to ensure a continued income as they got older.[17]

  •  
    A prostitute putting on her himation in front of her client. The lyre shows that she is a musician called for a banquet. Tondo of an Attic cup with red figures . Euphronius v. 490 BC , British Museum.
  •  
    Drunken banqueter with a drinking dish, flirting with a musician holding a lyre or barbiton
  •  
    Symposium, men on couches, the only woman present is a hetaira.
  •  
    Party musicians are often associated with prostitution. Bottom painting of a bowl from Attica, with red clay figures on a black background. The author is the so-called Painter of Colmar, c. 480 BC. The Louvre Museum.
  •  
    Man and hetaira in symposium
  •  
    19th century interpretation of the hetaira: Jean-Léon Gérôme's painting Phryne Before the Areopagus depicts the hetaira Phryne on trial. The sight of her nude body, according to legend, persuaded the jurors to acquit her.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Kurke, Leslie (1997). "Inventing the "Hetaira": Sex, Politics, and Discursive Conflict in Archaic Greece". Classical Antiquity. 16 (1): 107–108. doi:10.2307/25011056. JSTOR 25011056.
  2. ^ Seltman, Charles (1953). Women in Greek Society. London. p. 115ff.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link), quoted in Davidson 1998, p. 75
  3. ^ Hammond, N.G.L.; Scullard, H.H., eds. (1970). The Oxford Classical Dictionary (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 512.
  4. ^ Kapparis, Konstantinos A. (1999). Apollodoros 'Against Neaira' [D.59]. p. 161.
  5. ^ Kapparis, Konstantinos A. (1999). Apollodoros 'Against Neaira' [D.59]. p. 5.
  6. ^ Kapparis, Konstantinos A. (1999). Apollodoros 'Against Neaira' [D.59]. pp. 422–423.
  7. ^ a b Futo Kennedy, Rebecca (2014). Immigrant Women in Athens: Gender, Ethnicity, and Citizenship in the Classical City. New York: Routledge. p. 69. ISBN 9781138201033.
  8. ^ Futo Kennedy, Rebecca (2014). Immigrant Women in Athens: Gender, Ethnicity, and Citizenship in the Classical City. New York: Routledge. p. 74. ISBN 9781138201033.
  9. ^ a b Kurke, Leslie (1997). "Inventing the "Hetaira": Sex, Politics, and Discursive Conflict in Archaic Greece". Classical Antiquity. 16 (1): 108. doi:10.2307/25011056. JSTOR 25011056.
  10. ^ Kapparis, Konstantinos A. (1999). Apollodoros 'Against Neaira' [D.59]. p. 408.
  11. ^ Miner, Jess (2003). "Courtesan, Concubine, Whore: Apollodorus' Deliberate Use of Terms for Prostitutes" (PDF). The American Journal of Philology. 124 (1): 23. doi:10.1353/ajp.2003.0023. hdl:2152/31252. PMID 21966719. S2CID 28158600.
  12. ^ Kapparis, Konstantinos A. (1999). Apollodoros 'Against Neaira' [D.59]. p. 6.
  13. ^ Kurke, Leslie (1997). "Inventing the "Hetaira": Sex, Politics, and Discursive Conflict in Archaic Greece". Classical Antiquity. 16 (1): 115. doi:10.2307/25011056. JSTOR 25011056.
  14. ^ McClure, Laura (2003). "Subversive Laughter: The Sayings of Courtesans in Book 13 of Athenaeus' Deipnosophistae". The American Journal of Philology. 124 (2): 265.
  15. ^ McClure, Laura (2003). "Subversive Laughter: The Sayings of Courtesans in Book 13 of Athenaeus' Deipnosophistae". The American Journal of Philology. 124 (2): 268.
  16. ^ Hamel, Debra (2003). Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece. New Haven & London: Yale University Press. p. 12.
  17. ^ Kapparis, Konstantinos A. (1999). Apollodoros 'Against Neaira' [D.59]. p. 7.

Further reading edit

  • Davidson, J. (1998). Courtesans and Fishcakes: The consuming passions of classical Athens. London: Fontana.
  • The hetaerae of Athens - from Book 13 of Athenaeus
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hetaeras.

April 13, 2024
hetaira, hetaerism, redirects, here, concept, anthropology, johann, jakob, bachofen, confused, with, hetaireia, hetaira, hetairai, also, hetaera, hetaerae, ancient, greek, ἑταίρα, companion, ἑταῖραι, latin, hetaera, hetaerae, type, courtesan, prostitute, ancie. Hetaerism redirects here For the concept in anthropology see Johann Jakob Bachofen Not to be confused with Hetaireia A hetaira h ɪ ˈ t aɪ r e pl hetairai h ɪ ˈ t aɪ r aɪ also hetaera h ɪ ˈ t ɪ r e pl hetaerae h ɪ ˈ t ɪ r iː Ancient Greek ἑtaira companion pl ἑtaῖrai Latin hetaera pl hetaerae was a type of courtesan or prostitute in ancient Greece who served as an artist entertainer and conversationalist in addition to providing sexual service Custom excluded the wives and daughters of Athenian citizens from the symposium but this prohibition did not extend to hetairai who were often foreign born and could be highly educated Other female entertainers made appearances in the otherwise male domain but hetairai joined the male guests in their sexual joking sometimes evidencing a wide knowledge of literature in their contributions Greek hetaira and her client approx 430 BC The fact that she is on the couch with him is telling as wives were not allowed into the symposium Contents 1 Summary 2 See also 3 References 4 Further readingSummary edit nbsp Two banqueters and a psalterion playing hetaera sitting together on a kline Terracotta from Myrina Mysia c 25 BC The harp is an angular harp Traditionally historians of ancient Greece have distinguished between hetairai and pornai another class of prostitute in ancient Greece In contrast to pornai who provided sex for numerous clients in brothels or on the street hetairai were thought to have had only a few men as clients at any one time to have had long term relationships with them and to have provided companionship and intellectual stimulation as well as sex 1 For instance Charles Seltman wrote in 1953 that hetaeras were certainly in a very different class often highly educated women 2 More recently however historians have questioned the extent to which there was really a distinction between hetairai and pornai The second edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary for instance held that hetaira was a euphemism for any kind of prostitute 3 This position is supported by Konstantinos Kapparis who holds that Apollodorus famous tripartite division of the types of women in the speech Against Neaera We have courtesans for pleasure concubines for the daily tending of the body and wives in order to beget legitimate children and have a trustworthy guardian of what is at home 4 classes all prostitutes together under the term hetairai 5 6 A third position advanced by Rebecca Futo Kennedy suggests that hetairai were not prostitutes or even courtesans 7 Instead she argues hetairai were elite women who participated in sympotic and luxury culture 8 just as hetairoi the masculine form of the word was used to refer to groups of elite men at symposia 7 nbsp This painting on the inside of a kylix depicts a hetaira playing kottabos a drinking game played at symposia in which the participants flicked the dregs of their wine at a target Even when the term hetaira was used to refer to a specific class of prostitute though scholars disagree on what precisely the line of demarcation was Kurke emphasises that hetairai veiled the fact that they were selling sex through the language of gift exchange while pornai explicitly commodified sex 9 Leslie Kurke claims that both hetairai and pornai could be slaves or free and might or might not work for a pimp 9 Kapparis says that hetairai were high class prostitutes and cites Dover as pointing to the long term nature of hetairai s relationships with individual men 10 Miner disagrees with Kurke claiming that hetairai were always free not slaves 11 Along with sexual services women described as hetairai rather than pornai seem to have often been educated and have provided companionship 12 According to Kurke the concept of hetairism was a product of the symposium where hetairai were permitted as sexually available companions of the male party goers 13 In Athenaeus Deipnosophistai hetairai are described as providing flattering and skillful conversation something which is elsewhere in classical literature seen as a significant part of the hetaira s role 14 Particularly witty and refined asteia were seen as attributes which distinguished hetairai from common pornai 15 Hetairai are likely to have been musically educated too 16 Free hetairai could become very wealthy and control their own finances However their careers could be short and if they did not earn enough to support themselves they might have been forced to resort to working in brothels or working as pimps in order to ensure a continued income as they got older 17 nbsp A prostitute putting on her himation in front of her client The lyre shows that she is a musician called for a banquet Tondo of an Attic cup with red figures Euphronius v 490 BC British Museum nbsp Drunken banqueter with a drinking dish flirting with a musician holding a lyre or barbiton nbsp Symposium men on couches the only woman present is a hetaira nbsp Party musicians are often associated with prostitution Bottom painting of a bowl from Attica with red clay figures on a black background The author is the so called Painter of Colmar c 480 BC The Louvre Museum nbsp Man and hetaira in symposium nbsp 19th century interpretation of the hetaira Jean Leon Gerome s painting Phryne Before the Areopagus depicts the hetaira Phryne on trial The sight of her nude body according to legend persuaded the jurors to acquit her See also editAspasia common law wife of Pericles sometimes alleged to have been a hetaira Oiran class of courtesans in Edo period and Imperial Japan Qayna class of courtesans in pre modern Islamic world Phryne famed hetaira tried for impiety Prostitution in ancient Rome Thais hetaira of Ptolemy I Soter Hetair a Greek linguistic rootReferences edit Kurke Leslie 1997 Inventing the Hetaira Sex Politics and Discursive Conflict in Archaic Greece Classical Antiquity 16 1 107 108 doi 10 2307 25011056 JSTOR 25011056 Seltman Charles 1953 Women in Greek Society London p 115ff a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link quoted in Davidson 1998 p 75 Hammond N G L Scullard H H eds 1970 The Oxford Classical Dictionary 2 ed Oxford Oxford University Press p 512 Kapparis Konstantinos A 1999 Apollodoros Against Neaira D 59 p 161 Kapparis Konstantinos A 1999 Apollodoros Against Neaira D 59 p 5 Kapparis Konstantinos A 1999 Apollodoros Against Neaira D 59 pp 422 423 a b Futo Kennedy Rebecca 2014 Immigrant Women in Athens Gender Ethnicity and Citizenship in the Classical City New York Routledge p 69 ISBN 9781138201033 Futo Kennedy Rebecca 2014 Immigrant Women in Athens Gender Ethnicity and Citizenship in the Classical City New York Routledge p 74 ISBN 9781138201033 a b Kurke Leslie 1997 Inventing the Hetaira Sex Politics and Discursive Conflict in Archaic Greece Classical Antiquity 16 1 108 doi 10 2307 25011056 JSTOR 25011056 Kapparis Konstantinos A 1999 Apollodoros Against Neaira D 59 p 408 Miner Jess 2003 Courtesan Concubine Whore Apollodorus Deliberate Use of Terms for Prostitutes PDF The American Journal of Philology 124 1 23 doi 10 1353 ajp 2003 0023 hdl 2152 31252 PMID 21966719 S2CID 28158600 Kapparis Konstantinos A 1999 Apollodoros Against Neaira D 59 p 6 Kurke Leslie 1997 Inventing the Hetaira Sex Politics and Discursive Conflict in Archaic Greece Classical Antiquity 16 1 115 doi 10 2307 25011056 JSTOR 25011056 McClure Laura 2003 Subversive Laughter The Sayings of Courtesans in Book 13 of Athenaeus Deipnosophistae The American Journal of Philology 124 2 265 McClure Laura 2003 Subversive Laughter The Sayings of Courtesans in Book 13 of Athenaeus Deipnosophistae The American Journal of Philology 124 2 268 Hamel Debra 2003 Trying Neaira The True Story of a Courtesan s Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece New Haven amp London Yale University Press p 12 Kapparis Konstantinos A 1999 Apollodoros Against Neaira D 59 p 7 Further reading editDavidson J 1998 Courtesans and Fishcakes The consuming passions of classical Athens London Fontana An essay on women s lives in classical Athens The hetaerae of Athens from Book 13 of Athenaeus nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hetaeras Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hetaira amp oldid 1191832909, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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