Aphrodite: Book Three: Chapter One. The Arrival

BACCHIS had been a courtesan for more than twenty-five years. That is to say, she was approaching her fourth decade and the character of her beauty had changed several times.

Her mother who, for a long time, had been the director of her house and the counsellor of her life, had given her principles of conduct and economy which had enabled her gradually to acquire a considerable fortune, upon which she could draw without reckoning at the age where magnificence of entertainment must compensate for lessening splendor of the person.

Thus, in place of buying adult slaves at a high price in the market—an expense which so many others considered necessary and which was ruinous—she had contented herself for ten years with a single negress, and had prepared for the future, free of cost, a numerous household which would later become an asset.

Seven very beautiful mulattresses were born of her slave, and also three boys whom she had disposed of, because male servants make jealous lovers. She had named the seven girls after the seven planets, and had chosen for them different occupations corresponding as nearly as possible to the names they bore. Heliope was the slave of the day, Selemis the slave of the night, Arete guarded the door, Aphrodisia attended to the bed, Hermione

To Chrysis’s question, Arete replied:

"Naucrates has asked Philodemos with his mistress Faustina whom he brought from Italy. He has also asked Phrasilas and Timon, and thy friend Seso of Knidos."

At that very moment Seso entered. "Chrysis!"

"My dear!"

The two women embraced and overflowed with exclamations at the happy chance which brought them together again.

"I feared I would be late," said Seso. "Poor Archytas delayed me. . . ."

"What, still he?"

"It is always the same thing. Whenever I go to dine in the town he imagines that everybody is going to paw me. Then he must be consoled beforehand, and that takes time! Ah! my dear! If he only knew me better! I scarcely wish to deceive him. He is jealous enough, as it is!"

"And his child? Has anybody seen it yet, that thou knowest?"

"I should hope not! The third month—the little wretch! But it does not annoy me yet. When it does—it will leave quickly."

"I know how you feel," said Chrysis. "Do not let it disfigure you. Children age women. Yesterday I saw Philemation, our little friend of former times who has been living for three years at

"Ah! pretty dears, what a good idea of Naucrates’ it was to invite you both this evening."

"We congratulate ourselves that it occurs here," replied Chrysis, without appearing to understand the allusion. And, in order to say something spiteful at once, she added: "How is Doryclos?"

That was a very rich young lover who had just left Bacchis to marry a Sicilian.

". . . I have sent him away," said Bacchis, brazenly.

"You don't say!"

"Yes. They say he is going to marry out of spite. But I expect him the morrow of his wedding. He is mad about me."

While asking, "Where is Doryclos?" Chrysis had thought: "Where is thy mirror?" but Bacchis’s eyes did not look at her directly and she could read nothing in them except vague and

"A certain Demo, who is from Mendes."

"Demo! you don't mean it, my friend! She is a girl of the cheapest sort!"

"Oh, very well. I will not insist on it," said the young man.

"I just made her acquaintance at the corner of the Canopic way.

She called a slave. "Heliope, go tell thy sister that she will find a woman at the door and that she is to drive her away with a beating. Go."

She turned, looking for someone.

"Phrasilas has not come?"