Nossis

Nossis

Nossis (marble bust by Francesco Jerace)
Native name Νοσσίς
Born Epizephyrean Locris
Died Epizephyrean Locris
Resting place Unknown
Occupation Poet
Language Greek
Nationality Roman peregrina
Ethnicity Italiot Greek
Citizenship Locrian
Years active c.300 BCE
Children Melinno (presumed)

Nossis (Greek: Νοσσίς) was a Hellenistic poet from Locri in southern Italy.[1] She primarily wrote epigrams for religious dedications and epitaphs.[2] Her epigrams were inspired by Sappho, whom she claims to rival.[3] She may have also been influenced by Erinna and Anyte.[4]

Nossis is one of the best preserved Greek women poets, with twelve epigrams attributed to her preserved as part of the Greek Anthology, the majority of which are about women.[5] One of these poems (preserved as A. P. 5.170) is modelled after Sappho's fragment 16.[6] Meleager of Gadara, in his Garland, includes her among the most distinguished Greek singers. Antipater of Thessalonica ranks her among the nine poets who deserved the honor to compete with the Muses.

Nossis states in her work that her mother was named Theuphila, the daughter of Cleouchas. In another epigram, she mentions that she had a daughter named Melinna,[7] who is possibly the poet Melinno.

References

  1. Barnard, Sylvia. "Hellenistic Women Poets". The Classical Journal, 73.3 (1978). p. 204.
  2. Bowman, Laurel. "The 'Women's Tradition' in Greek Poetry". Phoenix, 58.1 (2004). p. 16.
  3. Snyder, Jane McIntosh. The Women and the Lyre. (1991. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale). See Anthologia Graeca 7:718.
  4. Bowman, Laurel. "The 'Women's Tradition' in Greek Poetry". Phoenix, 58.1 (2004). p. 20.
  5. Barnard, Sylvia. "Hellenistic Women Poets". The Classical Journal, 73.3 (1978). p. 210.
  6. Barnard, Sylvia. "Hellenistic Women Poets". The Classical Journal, 73.3 (1978). p. 211.
  7. William Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London: Murray (1849), "Melinno"

Further reading


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