Nikarete was a madam from Corinth, who lived in the 5th and 4th century BC.
Nikarete operated a "bettering" establishment in Corinth, a city famous in antiquity for its prostitution trade. From Corinth and Greek literature comes the verbkorinthiazein, which loosely translated means "to fornicate".
Nikarete is said to be a freedwoman, who was previously owned by a man called Charisios. When she gained her freedom, she married Charisios' cook and moved to Corinth.[1] Nikarete bought young girls from the Corinthian slave market and trained them as hetaera, to let them make their own living. According to Apollodorus, it was her custom to rent out her hetaeras during their prime, then sold them off, which implied a 100-percent manumission rate.[2]
Through a kind of parental relationship Nikarete sought to increase the price her customers had to pay (free women were usually higher in demand). Nikarete's most famous hetaera Neaira, for instance, whom she bought along with six other girls was marketed as her own daughter so that she commanded higher prices.[3] It was during the lawsuit Against Neaira that Nikarete's activities further gained notoriety as the younger hetaera described her life to fight against accusations that she illegally married an Athenian man.[3]
There is a possibility that Nikarete was not a single individual or even a real person. The name Nikarete has either been attributed to artistic interpretation or to an error in referring to different individuals (Neaira or Nicarete of Megara).
In fiction
In Tom Holland's book "Persian Fire" he states: korinthiazein - 'to do a Corinthian' - means to fuck.[4]
In Aristophanes "Wealth" Chremylus says "They say that in Corinth the tarts there, when a customer come's in who's poor, they just ignore him, but a rich man gets instant admission - even by the back entrance!" [5]
References
^Kapparis, Konstantinos A. (1999). Apollodoros "Against Neaira" [D 59]: Ed. with Introduction, Translation and Commentary by Konstantinos A. Kapparis. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. p. 95. ISBN311016390X.
^Hunt, Peter (2018). Ancient Greek and Roman Slavery. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. p. 104. ISBN9781405188050.
^ abBerkowitz, Eric (2012). Sex and Punishment: Four Thousand Years of Judging Desire. Berkeley, CA: Counterpoint Press. p. 80. ISBN9781582437965.
nikarete, corinth, nikarete, madam, from, corinth, lived, century, nikarete, operated, bettering, establishment, corinth, city, famous, antiquity, prostitution, trade, from, corinth, greek, literature, comes, verb, korinthiazein, which, loosely, translated, me. Nikarete was a madam from Corinth who lived in the 5th and 4th century BC Nikarete operated a bettering establishment in Corinth a city famous in antiquity for its prostitution trade From Corinth and Greek literature comes the verb korinthiazein which loosely translated means to fornicate Nikarete is said to be a freedwoman who was previously owned by a man called Charisios When she gained her freedom she married Charisios cook and moved to Corinth 1 Nikarete bought young girls from the Corinthian slave market and trained them as hetaera to let them make their own living According to Apollodorus it was her custom to rent out her hetaeras during their prime then sold them off which implied a 100 percent manumission rate 2 Through a kind of parental relationship Nikarete sought to increase the price her customers had to pay free women were usually higher in demand Nikarete s most famous hetaera Neaira for instance whom she bought along with six other girls was marketed as her own daughter so that she commanded higher prices 3 It was during the lawsuit Against Neaira that Nikarete s activities further gained notoriety as the younger hetaera described her life to fight against accusations that she illegally married an Athenian man 3 There is a possibility that Nikarete was not a single individual or even a real person The name Nikarete has either been attributed to artistic interpretation or to an error in referring to different individuals Neaira or Nicarete of Megara In fiction EditIn Tom Holland s book Persian Fire he states korinthiazein to do a Corinthian means to fuck 4 In Aristophanes Wealth Chremylus says They say that in Corinth the tarts there when a customer come s in who s poor they just ignore him but a rich man gets instant admission even by the back entrance 5 References Edit Kapparis Konstantinos A 1999 Apollodoros Against Neaira D 59 Ed with Introduction Translation and Commentary by Konstantinos A Kapparis Berlin Walter de Gruyter p 95 ISBN 311016390X Hunt Peter 2018 Ancient Greek and Roman Slavery Hoboken NJ John Wiley amp Sons p 104 ISBN 9781405188050 a b Berkowitz Eric 2012 Sex and Punishment Four Thousand Years of Judging Desire Berkeley CA Counterpoint Press p 80 ISBN 9781582437965 Tom Holland Persian Fire Abacus 2005 paperback edition pg 333 ISBN 978 0385513111 Aristophanes Wealth page 276 Penguin Classics 1978 Translated by Alan H Sommerstein This sexuality related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nikarete of Corinth amp oldid 1029600703, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
