Courtesan, Concubine, Whore: Apollodorus' Deliberate Use of Terms for Prostitutes

This article examines Apollodorus' use of the terms hetaira, pallake, and porne in the speech Against Neaira. It argues that he employs these terms with consistency and with attention to differences among them rather than haphazardly or interchangeably as was previously believed. Apollodorus' distinctions among types of prostitutes are further clarified through comparisons with his use of the terms in other speeches. Finally, there is a reexamination of the famous statement on the existence of three types of women in society. By resituating this claim in its oratorical context, I show that it is not an all-inclusive remark on women's roles but rather a statement quite specific to Apollodorus' attack on Neaira.