Note 234 — FIRST SECTION. (continued 2)
Reading edition
For this reason the Greeks called the pathic sodomite also σφιγκτὴρ or σφίγκτης. Hesychius: σφίγκται οἱ κίναιδοι καὶ ἁπαλοὶ. (σφίγκται = sodomites and effeminate men). Photius: σφίγκται Κρατῖνος τοὺς κιναιδώδεις καὶ μαλθάκους. (σφίγκται used by Cratinus = sodomitish and womanish men). Strato in Antholog. MS.:
Σφιγκτὴρ οὐκ ἔστιν παρὰ παρθένῳ, οὐδὲ φίλημα Ἁπλοῦν, οὐ φυσικὴ χρωτὸς εὐπνοΐη.
(With a virgin there is no sphincter, no frank kiss, no natural fragrance of the skin).
Hesychius sub verbo:
μεγαρικαὶ σφίγγες· Καλλίας πόρνας τινὰς οὕτως εἴρηκειν.
(Hesychius (Lexicon) on the phrase μεγαρικαὶ σφίγγες says: Callias speaks of certain harlots by this title).
Suidas sub verbo:
μεγαρικαὶ σφίγγες. αἱ πόρναι οὕτως εἴρηνται, ἴσως δὲ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ σφίγκται οἱ μαλακοὶ ὠνομάσθησαν· ἢ καὶ ἀπὸ Μαίας οὕτω λεγομένης ἐν Μεγάροις· Ἀλλ’ ἔστιν ἡμῖν Μεγαρική τις μηχανή. ἀντὶ τοῦ, πονηρά· διεβάλλοντο γὰρ ἐπὶ πονηρία οἱ Μεγαρεῖς.
(Suidas (Lexicon) on the phrase μεγαρικαὶ σφίγγες says: harlots are so called, and perhaps for the same reason debauched men are entitled σφίγκται; or else from a saying current in Megara to this effect:—But we have a certain Megarian trick,—that is a knavish one. For the Megarians were ill spoken of for their knavishness).