Praecia's The Tricks of the Trade
Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Humanities
First Advisor
Moore, John
Keywords
Prostitution, Courtesans, Hetairai
Area of Concentration
Classics
Abstract
I set out to do a thesis that would demonstrate both my research ability and my creativity, and I believe I have succeeded. After doing extensive research on prostitution in the Greco-Roman era, I chose to create a thesis based on the lives of the hetairai, also known as courtesans, in the style of a creative writing piece. Specifying a particular aspect of ancient prostitution, although it limited the amount of information available to me, allowed me to go into greater detail and depth about my topic. Instead of being composed in the manner of a typical research paper, my thesis is a fictional handbook that guides young women of more ancient times in the art of becoming, a successful hetaira. I took on the role of translator and editor, and constructed a fictional work based on information contained in the Greco-Roman sources available to us today. The alleged translation is written in the manner of the translations included in the Loeb Classical Library Series, which I myself used at length in my personal research. I hope that this work will lead aspiring young courtesans everywhere towards greatness.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Morgan E., "Praecia's The Tricks of the Trade" (2004). Theses & ETDs. 3456.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/3456
Rights
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