Veronica Franco - Courtesan of Venice

"So sweet and delicious do I become,
when I am in bed with a man
who, I sense, loves and enjoys me,
that the pleasure I bring excels all delight,
so the knot of love, however tight
it seemed before, is tied tighter still."
— Veronica Franco (Poems and Selected Letters)



It is always inspiring to read about other courtesans. One of the most famous courtesans was Veronica Franco, who was born in Venice in 1546 and learned the art of being a courtesan from her mother, Paola Fracassa. Venice has always been a city of great culture and refinement, and Veronica Franco fit right in; in addition to being a courtesan, she was also a poet and musician and was also knowledgeable in Greek. These attributes served as her entrée into the ranks of the Venice nobility.

To be a courtesan of refinement and elegance will serve a woman well in her quest to engage in fulfilling relationships with men, since this enhances the passion generated by the deeply sexual and erotic nature of male-female intimacy.

The Art Of Being A Courtesan

Courtesan: the word conjures up images both exotic and erotic. And this is definitely the case. While "sacred prostitution" is a myth (in ancient times, there were no places of worship devoted to prostitution, despite claims made by some in the New Age movement), it is entirely possible for a woman to connect - or perhaps reconnect - with the erotic aspect of womanhood vis-a-vis her relationships with men. It is a way to bring joy and beauty into the male-female relationship. It is entirely appropriate to begin this blog on a Friday, since this is the day devoted to Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty.