A Poem and a Picture: Two Poems of Nossis

 

Name:   Nossis Date:      3rd century BCE Region:  Locris [modern Italy] Citation:      Greek Anthology  9.604, 9.605

Nossis is one of the best preserved women poets of ancient Greece. In these two poems, she captures the beauty of art in her poetry.

This is a painting of Thaumetra:

Look at how well depicted are

her joyous spirit and gentle-eyed expression.

A guard dog puppy would wag her tail at the sight

Thinking her lady was still at home.

Θαυμαρέτας μορφὰν ὁ πίναξ ἔχει: εὖ γε τὸ γαῦρον

τεῦξε τὸ θ᾽ ὡραῖον τᾶς ἀγανοβλεφάρου.

σαίνοι κέν ς᾽ ἐσιδοῖσα καὶ οἰκοφύλαξ σκυλάκαινα,

δέσποιναν μελάθρων οἰομένα ποθορῆν.

Thaumaretae formam tabula habet; bene utique elatum animum

effinxit et pulchritudinem placidis-conspicuae-oculus.

Blandiretur te conspecta etiam domus-custos catella,

dominam aedium se putans adspicere.

Translated by Hugo Grotius

Callo dedicated a painting of herself

in the temple of golden-haired Aphrodite.

How serenely she appears! Look at how gracefully she shines.

Well done! For her life is blameless.

τὸν πίνακα ξανθᾶς Καλλὼ δόμον εἰς Ἀφροδίτας

εἰκόνα γραψαμένα πάντ᾽ ἀνέθηκεν ἴσαν.

ὡς ἀγανῶς ἕστακεν ἴδ᾽ ἁ χάρις ἁλίκον ἀνθεῖ.

χαιρέτω: οὔ τινα γὰρ μέμψιν ἔχει βιοτᾶς.

Tabulatam flavae Callo in domo Veneris

dedicavit, pingi-quae-iusserat imaginem omnino similem.

Ut placide adstat! Vide, gratia eius quandum floreat.

Valeat: non ullam enim reprehensionem habet vitae.

 Translated by Hugo Grotius 

Nossis [3^rd century BCE, modern Italy] was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology. Like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.