Les chansons de Bilitis

by Pierre Louÿs

"Les chansons de Bilitis" by Pierre Louÿs is a collection of erotic poetry published in 1894. Louÿs presented these sensual verses as translations from ancient Greek texts by a fictional courtesan named Bilitis, a contemporary of Sappho. The elaborate hoax fooled scholars initially, complete with fabricated archaeological documentation. The 143 prose poems trace Bilitis's life through three stages—from childhood innocence to lesbian love affairs to life as a courtesan. Though exposed as a pseudotranslation, the work gained lasting significance for its sympathetic celebration of lesbian sexuality.