Laís

Greek courtesan of Sicily, carried to Corinth after the Athenian expedition to Sicily

Fishburn and Hughes: "A celebrated Greek courtesan. (TL 244) : in her youth Laïs was paid with gold coins but in old age she had to content herself with less. Her plight is described by Athenaeus (12.81): 'Like the eagles she once snapped lambs in flight; now, old, she perches in hunger upon the temple, waiting to snatch meat from the altars. When she was young she was wild and proud of the golden coins she received. Now old and shapeless.. .she is so tame she will take money out of your hands.' The name became a general term for courtesans." (110)