Definify.com

Definition 2024


auletris

auletris

English

Noun

auletris (plural auletrides)

  1. (historical) A courtesan or prostitute in Ancient Greece who played the flute to provide entertainment.
    • 2002, Sian Lewis, The Athenian Woman, p. 97:
      To equate auletrides with prostitutes tout court is an overgeneralisation, which in turn impacts on the reading of the imagery.
    • 2006, Melissa Hope Ditmore (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Prostitution and Sex Work, vol. 1, p. 51:
      The auletris, or flute-player, provided musical accompaniment at the Greek symposium, a drinking party enjoyed by aristocratic males.
    • 2011, Laura K. McClure, Courtesans at Table, p. 21:
      One of Theophrastus' characters speaks of instructing a servant to bring an auletris from the brothel [...] "that all of us might be entertained by her playing and be made glad".

Translations