Praxilla's Adonis and the Female Voice: An Erotic "Reverse Priamel" in Sappho's Shadow and Nossis's Light

Abstract:The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that the Adonis-fragment of Praxilla can be understood as an inverse priamel with allusions to Sappho and later echoes in Nossis. More specifically, a fragment composed by Praxilla is attached to a famous Sapphic poem, through the use of the priamel and the question of "what is the most beautiful." The theme of both fragments is similar: love is a superior value. Praxilla's poetry emphasizes the importance of both spiritual and carnal erotic feelings. Furthermore, Nossis's connection to Praxilla's poem underscores the sensuality of its choices of diction. This exploration of the female poetic voice articulates the aesthetic views of women artists and their expression of feelings of sexual oppression in the context of ancient patriarchy in three different periods of antiquity.