Book 6
1
Well, Corinna, now you know that it’s by no means as terrible as you thought for a maiden to become a woman. You’ve been with a handsome lad, and you’ve earned for your first fee a mina A coin of considerable value, equivalent to 100 drachmae. , out of which presently I’ll buy you a necklace.
1
Yes, mummy darling. I’d like it to have bright red beads like the one Philaenis has.
1
So it shall. Let me give you the rest of my instructions about what to do and how to behave with the men; for we have no other means of livelihood, daughter, and you must realise what a miserable life we’ve had these two years since your father died, God rest his soul. But, while he lived, we had plenty of everything; for he was a smith with a great name in the Piraeus, and you can hear anyone swear there never will be another smith to follow Philinus. After his death, first of all I sold his tongs, his anvil and his hammer for two minae, and that kept us for seven months; since then I’ve barely provided a starvation diet, now by weaving, now by spinning thread for woof or warp. I’ve fed you and waited for my hopes to be realised.
2
Do you mean the mina?
2
No, but I worked out that when you were as old as you are now, it would be easy for you both to keep me and provide yourself with clothes, that you would be rich, and have purple dresses and maids.
2
How so? What do you mean by that, mother?
2
By associating with young men, drinking and sleeping with them for money.
2
Like Daphnis’ daughter, Lyra?
2
Yes.
2
But she’s a courtesan.
