Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 1Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
History
Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 1
Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
Erotic literature
I knew once a courtesan of Rome, old and wily if ever there was one,
that was named Isabella de Luna,[100*] a Spanish woman, which did
take in this sort of friendship another courtesan named Pandora. This
latter was eventually married to a butler in the Cardinal d’Armaignac’s
household, but without abandoning her first calling. Now this same
Isabella did keep her, and extravagant and ill-ordered as she was in
speech, I have oft times heard her say how that she did cause her to
give her husbands more horns than all the wild fellows she had ever
had. I know not in what sense she did intend this, unless she did
follow the meaning of the Epigram of Martial just referred to.
* * * * *
’Tis said how that Sappho the Lesbian was a very high mistress in this
art, and that in after times the Lesbian dames have copied her therein,
and continued the practice to the present day. So Lucian saith: such
is the character of the Lesbian women, which will not suffer men at
all. Now such women as love this practice will not suffer men, but
devote themselves to other women and are called _tribads_, a Greek word
derived, as I have learned of the Greeks, from τρίδω, τρίδειν, that is
to say _fricare_. These tribads are called in Latin _fricatrices_, and
in French the same, that is women who do the way of _donne con donne_,
as it is still found at the present day.
Juvenal again speaks of these women, when he saith:[101*]
... frictum Grissantis adorat
talking of such a tribad, who adored and loved the embraces of one
Grissas.
The excellent and diverting Lucian hath a chapter on this subject, and
saith therein how that women do come mutually together. Moreover this
name of tribad, which doth elsewhere occur but rarely as applied to
these women, is freely employed by him throughout, and he saith that
the female sex must needs be like the notorious Philaenis, who was
used to parody the actions of manly love. At the same time he doth
add, ’tis better far for a woman to be given up to a lustful affection
for playing the male, than it is for a man to be womanish; so utterly
lacking in all courage and nobility of character doth such an one show
himself. Thus the woman, according to this, which doth counterfeit
the man, may well be reputed to be more valorous and courageous than
another, as in truth I have known some such to be, as well in body as
in spirit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account