Native name Νοσσίς Occupation Poet Nationality Roman peregrina Died Locri, Italy Place of birth Locri | Resting place Unknown Language Greek Ethnicity Italiot Greek Child Melinno (presumed) | |
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Ispitnyc nossis performs live paint poetry
Nossis (Greek: Νοσσίς) was a Hellenistic poet from Locri in southern Italy. 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.
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 (preserved as A. P. 5.170) is modelled 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.