The songs of Bilitis

About the book

"The Songs of Bilitis: Translated from the Greek" by Pierre Louÿs is a collection of erotic poetry published in 1894. Louÿs presented these lesbian love poems as ancient Greek works by Bilitis, a courtesan and contemporary of Sappho, complete with fabricated scholarly apparatus including a fictional archaeologist's discovery. The pseudotranslation initially deceived experts before being exposed as Louÿs's original creation. The poems trace three phases of life—from childhood innocence through passionate same-sex love to melancholy reflection—blending sensuality with classical style while openly celebrating lesbian sexuality.