Phryne (English spelling)

Japanese: フリュネ（英語表記）Phrynē

A famous courtesan (hetairai) of the 4th century BC in Athens. Dates of birth and death unknown. Born in Thespiae in Boeotia. She was known as the most beautiful woman of her time and made a fortune. She donated funds to restore the walls of Thebes, and had the inscription engraved on them read, "Alexander the Great destroyed them, but the courtesan Phryne rebuilt them." She was also known as a model for the painter Apelles and the sculptor Praxiteles, and both the former's Aphrodite Rising from the Sea and the latter's Aphrodite of Cnidus are said to be based on her.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

前4世紀アテナイの著名な遊女(ヘタイライ)の一人。生没年不詳。ボイオティア地方のテスピアイの生れ。当代一の美女と評判をとって財を成し，テーバイの城壁復旧の資金を寄付して〈アレクサンドロス大王これを破壊するも遊女フリュネこれを再建す〉との銘を刻ませたという。彼女はまた画家アペレス，彫刻家プラクシテレスのモデルとしても知られ，前者の《海から上がるアフロディテ》，後者の《クニドスのアフロディテ》は，ともに彼女を模したものとされる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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