Nossis of Locri



Nossis of Locri was a Hellenistic Greek poet from Epizephyrian Locris in southern Italy. She seems to have been active in the early third century BC, as she wrote an epitaph for the Hellenistic dramatist Rhinthon. She primarily wrote epigrams for religious dedications and epitaphs. Her epigrams were inspired by Sappho, whom she claims to rival. She may have also been influenced by Erinna and Anyte. Antipater of Thessalonica included her in his canon of nine female poets.

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. One of these poems is modeled after Sappho's fragment 16. 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, who is possibly the poet Melinno. <





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