Lais
- I Lais, who flourished during the Peloponnesian war: dicitur et multis Lais amata viris, Ov. Am. 1, 5, 12; Cic. Fam. 9, 26, 2 (acc. Laida); Prop. 2, 6, 1 (gen. Laidos).—
- II Lais, a contemporary of Demosthenes, Gell. 1, 8, 3 sqq.; Plin. 28, 7, 23, § 81.—Acc. plur.: Laidas et Glyceras, lascivae nomina famae, Aus. Epigr. 18, 1.
(Λαίς), a name borne by more than one Grecian Hetaera. Two were celebrated; but, as the ancient writers in their accounts and anecdotes respecting them seldom indicate which they refer to, and where they do draw the distinction, frequently speak of the one, while what they say of her is manifestly applicable only to the other, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to decide how to apportion the numerous notices respecting them which have come down to us. Jacobs, who has bestowed some attention on this subject, distinguishes the two following :--
1. The elder Lais, a native probably of Corinth. Athenaeus (xiii. p. 588) says that she was born at Hyccara, in Sicily, but he has probably confounded her with her younger namesake, the daughter of Timandra (Athen. 12. 535, c. xiii. p. 574e.); for Timandra, as we know from Plutarch (Plut. Alc. 39), was a native of Hyccara. The elder Lais lived in the time of the Peloponnesian war, and was celebrated as the most beautiful woman of her age. Her figure was especially admired. (Athen. 13.587d. 588, e.) She was notorious also for her avarice and caprice. (Athen. 13.570, ch. 588. ch. 585, d.) Amongst her numerous lovers she numbered the philosopher Aristippus. (Ath. 12.544, 13.588), two of whose works were entitled Πρὸς Λαΐδα, and Πρὸς Λαΐδα περὶ του κατόπτρου. (D. L. 2.84). She fell in love with and offered her hand to Eubotas, of Cyrene [Eubotas], who, after his victory at Olympia, fulfilled his promise of taking her with him to Cyrene, in word only--he took with him her portrait. (Aelian, Ael. VH 10.2 ; Clemens Alex. Strom. iii. p. 447c.) In her old age she became addicted to drinking. Of her death various stories were told. (Athen. 13.570b. d. 587, e.; Phot. cod. cxc. p. 146, 23, ed. Bekker.) She died at Corinth, where a monument (a lioness tearing a ram) was erected to her, in the cypress grove called the Κράνειον. (Paus. 2.2.4; Athen. 13.589c.) Numerous anecdotes of her were current, but they are not worth relating here. (Athen. 13.582; Auson. Epig. 17.) Lais presenting her looking-glass to Aphrodite was a frequent subject of epigrams. (Brunck. Anal. i. p. 170, 7, ii. p. 494, 5; Anthol. Pal. 6.1, 19.) Her fame was still fresh at Corinth in the time of Pausanias (2.2.5), and οὐ Κόρινθος οὔτε Λαίς became a proverb. (Athen. 4.137d.)
2. The younger Lais was the daughter of Timandra (see above), who is sportively called Damasandra in Athenaeus (xiii. p. 574e.). Lais was probably born at Hyccara in Sicily. According to some accounts she was brought to Corinth when seven years old, having been taken prisoner in the Athenian expedition to Sicily, and bought by a Corinthian. (Plut. l.c. ; Paus. 2.2.5; Schol. ad Aristoph. Plut. 179; Athen. 13.589.) This story however, which involves numerous difficulties, is rejected by Jacobs, who attributes it to a confusion between this Lais and the elder one of the same name. The story of Apelles having induced her to enter upon the life of a courtezan must have reference to the younger Lais. (Athen. 13.588.) She was a contemporary and rival of Phryne. (Athen. 13.588e.) She became enamoured of a Thessalian named Hippolochus, or Hippostratus, and accompanied him to Thessaly. Here, it is said, some Thessalian women, jealous of her beauty, enticed her into a temple of Aphrodite, and there stoned her to death. (Paus. 2.2 § 5; Plut. vol. ii. p. 767e.; Athen. 13.589b.) According to the scholiast on Aristophanes (Aristoph. Pl. 179), a pestilence ensued, which did not abate till a temple was dedicated to Aphrodite Anosia. She was buried on the banks of the Peneus. The inscription on her monument is preserved by Athenaeus (xiii. p. 589). [C.P.M]
(Λαΐς). The name of two celebrated Grecian hetaerae, or courtesans. (1) The elder, a native probably of Corinth, lived in the time of the Peloponnesian War, and was celebrated as the most beautiful woman of that age. She was notorious also for her avarice and caprice. One of her lovers was the Cyrenaic philosopher Aristippus, two of whose works were inscribed with her name. In her old age she took to drink. At her death she was buried in Corinth, and over her was placed a monument representing a lioness tearing a ram. So much was her reputation a part of that of her city that there arose the proverb οὐ Κόρινθος οὔτε Λαΐς. A number of anecdotes regarding her are preserved in Athenaeus.
(2) The younger daughter of Timandra, probably born at Hyccara in Sicily. According to some accounts she was brought to Corinth when seven years old, having been taken prisoner in the Athenian expedition to Sicily, and bought by a Corinthian. This story, however, involves numerous difficulties, and seems to have arisen from a confusion between this Laïs and the other woman of the same name. She was a contemporary and rival of Phryné (q.v.). She became enamoured of a Thessalian named Hippolochus, or Hippostratus, and accompanied him to Thessaly, where, it is said, some Thessalian women, jealous of her beauty, enticed her into a temple of Aphrodité, and there stoned her to death (Pausan. ii. 2, 5).
- her history: Paus. 2.2.5
- her grave at Corinth: Paus. 2.2.4
- alleged tomb in Thessaly: Paus. 2.2.5