HARLOT, a woman given to incontinency, or
that makes a habit or a trade of prostituting her body.
—The word is supposed to be used for the diminutive
whorelet, a "little whore." —Others derive it from
Arletta, mistress to Robert duke of Normandy, and
mother to William the Conqueror: Camden derives
it from one Arlothia, concubine to William the Con-
queror: Others from the Italian Arlosta, "a proud
whore."
Harlots were tolerated amongst Jews, Greeks, and
Romans. Fornication indeed was prohibited among
the Jews, under severe penalties; but those they ex-
plained as extending only to women of their own na-
tion. The public stews were therefore stocked with
foreign prostitutes, who seem to have been taken under
the protection of government. Hence appears the rea-
son why the word strange woman is often found to sig-
nify a harlot. Prostitutes at first wore veils or masks;
but by and by their modesty was entirely put to flight,
and they went abroad bare-faced. At Athens the pro-
stitutes were generally strangers; and such as debauch-
ed an Athenian female were liable to a penalty. To
frequent the public stews was not held disgraceful! The
wife of the Heathen sages allowed it! Solon permitted
common whores to go publicly to the young men who
had engaged them, and encouraged the youth of A-
thens to gratify their lust with these, rather than seduce Harmattan,
and debauch the wives or daughters of citizens. Cato
the censor was of the same sentiments; and Cicero chal-
lenges all persons to name a time when men were either
reproved for this practice, or not countenanced in it.
Amongst the Jews, the harlots used to ply in the high-
ways and streets of cities; at Athens they frequented
the ceramicus, sciros, and the old forum. —In some
places they were distinguished by their dress from other
women. Corinth was a remarkable nursery of harlots,
and gave birth to the noted Lais. Their accomplish-
ments were oftentimes great, in all the polite and ele-
gant parts of female education, viz. philosophy, dan-
cing, singing, rhetoric, &c. Aspasia, the mistress of
Pericles, was admired by Socrates for her learning.
The more accomplished prostitutes frequently amassed
large fortunes: a remarkable instance of which we have
in Phryne, who offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes,
when destroyed by Alexander, on condition that they
would perpetuate her memory and profession by an in-
scription. Prostitutes at Rome were obliged to fix a
bill over their doors, indicating their character and pro-
fession. It was also customary for them to change their
names, after they had signified to the pretor their in-
tention of leading such a dissolute life: this they did,
because their trade was unbecoming their birth and con-
dition; but they reassumed their family names when
they quitted their infamous mode of living. Women
whose grandfather, father, or husband, had been a Ro-
man knight, were forbidden by the laws to make a pub-
lic profession of lewdness.