The second model and the third shall be the famous Theano

Wife, or disciple, of Pythagoras, herself a philosophical writer of note.

and the Lesbian poetess, and Diotima

Diotima, a priestess of Mantinea, probably fictitious, for we hear of her only through Plato in the Symposium (201 p). Socrates says there that she was wise in Love, and ascribes to her the metaphysical rhapsody on Love in which the dialogue culminates.

shall be still another. Theano shall contribute her high-mindedness, Sappho the attractiveness of her way of living, and Diotima shall be copied not only in those qualities for which Socrates commended her, but in her general intelligence and power to give counsel. There you have another picture, Lycinus, which may be hung also.

LYCINUS Yes, Polystratus, for it is marvellous. But paint more of them.

POLYSTRATUS That of her goodness and loving-kindness, my friend, which will disclose the gentleness of her nature and its graciousness to all those who make demands upon her? Then let her be compared with that Theano who was wife of Antenor,

Theano, priestess of Athena in Troy (Iliad 6, 298), brought up Pedacus, her husband's illegitimate child, as if he were her own son (Jliad 5, 69).

and with Arete,

See Odyssey 7, 67 sq.

and Arete’s daughter Nausicaa, and with any other who in high station behaved with propriety in the face of her good fortune.

Next in order, let her modesty be portrayed, and her love for her consort, in such a way as to be most like the daughter of Icarius, described by Homer as modest and prudent (for that is the way he drew the picture of Penelope); or like her own homonym, the wife of Abradatas, whom we mentioned a little while ago.

See page275.

LYCINUS Once more you have created a very beautiful picture, Polystratus; and now, perhaps, your portraits are finished, for you have traversed all of her soul in praising it part by part.