Note 4 — Second Part.

πρὸς θεῶν, εἶπέ μοι, τὶ πάσχεις, ἐπειδὰν κἀκεῖνα λέγωσιν οἱ πολλοὶ, λεσβιάζειν σε καὶ φοινικίζειν; (for translation see text above); as to φοινικίζειν, this will be discussed later on. The word λεσβιάζειν occurs in Aristophanes, Frogs 1335; and he also uses λεσβιεῖν in the same sense, Wasps, 1386., μέλλουσαν ἤδη λεσβιεῖν τοὺς ξυμπότας; (a girl standing ready to λεσβιεῖν—love in the Lesbian mode,—the revellers). On this passage the Scholiast remarks: ἵνα μὴ τὸ παλαιὸν τοῦτο καὶ θρυλλούμενον δι’ ἡμετέρων στομάτων εἴπω σόφισμα, ὅ φασι παῖδας Λεσβίων εὑρεῖν. (this ancient trick, a matter of common gossip to any in our mouths, which they say the children of the Lesbians invented).—Suidas s. v. Λεσβίαι· μολύναι τὸ στόμα. Λέσβιοι γὰρ διεβάλλοντο ἐπὶ αἰσχρότητι. (under the word Λεσβίαι—Lesbian women, to defile the mouth. For the Lesbians were reproached for foulness). Hesychius: λεσβιάζειν· πρὸς ἄνδρα στόμα στύειν. Λεσβιάδας γὰρ τὰς λαικαστρίας ἔλεγον. (to play the Lesbian; to use the mouth to a man for an obscene purpose. For they used to call wanton courtesans Lesbians). Eustathius, Comment. ad Homeri Iliad, p. 741., εἰσὶ βλασφημίαι καὶ ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν καὶ πόλεων καὶ δήμων πολλαί, ῥηματικῶς πεποιημέναι· ἐθνῶν μὲν, οἵον κιλικίζειν καὶ αἰγυπτιάζειν, τὸ πονηρεύεσθαι, καὶ κρητίζειν, τὸ ψεύδεσθαι· ἐκ πόλεων δὲ, οἷον λεσβιάζειν, τὸ αἰσχροποιεῖν· εἶτα παραγαγόντες Φερεκράτους χρῆσιν ἐν Ἰάμβῳ τὸ δώσει δέ σοι γυναῖκας ἑπτὰ Λεσβίας· ἐπάγουσιν ἀμοιβαῖον τί· καλον γε δῶρον ἕπτ’ ἔχειν λαικαστρίας· ὡς τοιούτων οὐσῶν τῶν Λεσβίων γυναικῶν· ἐκ δήμων δὲ βλασφημία, τὸ αἰξωνεύεσθαι, ἤγουν κακολεγεῖν. Αἰξωνεῖς γὰρ δημόταται Ἀττικοί, σκωπτόμενοι ὡς κακολόγοι, καθὰ καὶ οἱ Σφήττιοι ἐπὶ ἀγριότητι. (And there are many reproaches applying to nations, and cities, and demes, implied in the use of certain words; for instance in the case of nations, to play the Cilician, and to play the Egyptian, i. e. to be a rogue, and to play the Cretan, i.e. to be a liar; again, in the case of cities, to act the Lesbian, i. e. to act filthily; further we may bring forward a passage of Pherecrates in Iambic verse, viz. the line, “And he shall give thee seven Lesbian women,” to which the answering verse is, “Verily! a noble gift, to get seven harlots,” implying that such was the character of the Lesbian women. Lastly an example of such a reproach applying to demes, to play the Æxonian, in other words to be foul-mouthed. For the Æxonians were Attic demes-men, ridiculed as being evil-speakers in the same way as the Sphettians were on the ground of rusticity). The word σόφισμα (trick) in the passage of the Scholiast to Aristophanes explains the word “dogma” in Martial, bk. IX. 48., Dic mihi, percidi, Pannice, dogma quod est? (Tell me, Pannicus, what is the trick of the paederast?). Theopompus in “Ulysses” says: δι’ἡμετέρων στομάτων εἴπω σόφισμ’ὅ φασι παῖδας Λεσβίων εὑρεῖν. (a certain trick common in our mouths which they say children of the Lesbians invented). Strattis in “Pytisus”: τῷ στόματι δράσω ταῦθ’ἅπερ τοῦ αἰσχροῦ τάττεται [ταῦθ’ ἅπερ οἱ Λέσβιοι]. (with my mouth I will do those things that are reckoned as obscene,—those things that the Lesbians do).]