οὖσαν καὶ κατὰ γῆς, καὶ τιμήσω σε ἄχρι ἂν ζῶ·
οἶδα δὲ σοι ὅτι καὶ κατὰ γῆς, εἴπερ χρηστοῖς γέρας ἐστίν,
πρώτει σοι τιμαί, τίτθη, παρὰ Φερσεφόνει
Πλούτονί τε κεῖνται.[[289]]
This inscription bears witness to the virtues of the nurse and the fond relations which must have existed between her and her master, for having loved her during life, he yearns for her when she is no more, and promises to honor her as long as he lives, thus uniting with those great honors which must necessarily be paid her in Hades, if there be there any honor paid the good.
The “Stele” of Malicha of Cytherea, the Spartan nurse of the children of Diogeitus, is engraved with an inscription bearing witness to her goodness:
Ἐνθάδε γῆ κατέχει τίτθην παίδων
Διογείτου ἐκ Πελοποννήσου τήνδε δικαιοτάτην
Μαλίχα Κυθηρία.[[290]]
The epithet χρηστή so often seen on the monuments finds place on those of nurses. Thus the combination τίτθη χρηστή,[[291]] to which is sometimes added the name of the nurse, occurs: Παίδευσις τίτθη χρηστή,[[292]] Πυῤῥίχη τροφὸς χρηστή.[[293]] Sometimes the name of the nurse and the word τίτθη are found, as Δημητρίᾳ τίτθῃ,[[294]] Χοιρίνη τίτθη,[[295]] Φιλύρα τίτθη,[[296]] and there are instances where the simple word τίτθη or τείτθη occurs.[[297]] Then too, the name of the nurse’s country is sometimes mentioned in the inscription: Φάνιον Κορινθία τίτθη[[298]] and also that of her nursling: Ῥωξάνη Ζωπύρου Ἁλειέως τίτθη.[[299]] Βιότη Λύσωνος Ἁμαξαντέως τροφός.[[300]] In these inscriptions τροφός is less frequently used for “nurse” than τίτθη.