Quote:
Originally Posted by Ansley
I thought that a courtesan would be involved with only one man at a time. If that isn't the case what makes her so different from an escort?
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In my studies of the courtesans of old that wasn't the case. It seems common to have had one main patron that cared for their needs while still dabbling with others.
From old texts I think they were more the kind of woman you could take out proudly display on your arm at the gent only parties, while other women were regulated to their houses. They weren't the women you found in brothels or other places, with backgrounds of poverty or servitude/slavery. They were also generally educated in language and sciences beyond what women of their generation had access to. As a legal class they were amongst the few women allowed to own property or run a business, such as a salon. Often they came from wealthy backgrounds and refused to marry, or reached times of trouble and wanted to maintain their luxury lifestyles.
In Ovid's Amours he describes his mistress turned courtesan having a husband who was totally oblivious. So some did it just for adventure.
I don't think it means much in a modern context. I would say attitude is more the key, as it leads to all the other things. Treating it like an art form and career, not just a way to make an easy/quick buck (though one could argue it is neither easy nor quick).
All these lines are superficial in an era where hierarchy means almost nothing. It's come to a place of individual philosophy. Humans have the incredible need to classify and sub classify. People seem to need a name tag to know who and where they are.
