[100]. The women of Aristophanes (Lysistrata, v. 227) threatened their husbands with a similar rigidity of body:
“Though you may have your way, I shall be crabbed and never move.”
[101]. He had a hand of no less experience (Juvenal, VI., 422-23), that cunning shampooer who put his fingers to the lady’s clitoris.
“And made his mistress’s thigh resound beneath his hand high up.”
CHAPTER V
CUNNILINGUES
WE have now said enough about the work of Venus performed by the virile member; it remains for us to explain how a sacrifice may be offered to Venus without one. This may be done by means of the tongue or of the clitoris. We have accordingly first to treat of the cunnilingues, those who lick women’s privates and then of the tribads.
As it is the office of the fellator or fellatrix to suck the virile parts, so it is the business of cunnilingues to lick the female. The cunnilingue operates by introducing his tongue into the vulva. Martial, XI., 62 has described his monstrous act very clearly:
“Manneius, husband with his tongue, adulterer with his mouth,—more foul than the mouths of harlots of the Summoenium; whom seeing, as he stood naked, from a window, the filthy procuress closed her brothel; whose middle she had rather kiss than his head. He who of old knew all the channels of the inwards, and could declare with a sure and certain voice, whether ’twas a boy or girl in the mother’s belly (be glad, all vulvas, for your part is done), can no longer erect his fornicating tongue. For lo! as he lurks with tongue plunged in the swelling vulva and hears the babes wailing inside their mother, a shocking malady paralyses his greedy mouth,—and now he can no more be either clean or unclean.”
By the same paralysis of the tongue Zoilus was struck; Martial, XI., 86: