Alexander the Great and Campaspe in the studio of Apelles, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Campaspe, the mistress of Alexander the Great, was painted by Apelles, who had the reputation in Antiquity for being the greatest of painters.^[1] The episode occasioned an apocryphal exchange that was reported in Pliny's Natural History (35.79-97): seeing the beauty of the nude portrait, Alexander saw that the artist appreciated Campaspe (and loved her) more than he. And so Alexander kept the portrait but presented Campaspe to Apelles. "So Alexander gave him Campaspe as a present, the most generous gift of any patron and one which would remain a model for patronage and painters on through the Renaissance" (Lane Fox, Alexander the Great). The Death of Hyacinth Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (also known as Gianbattista or Giambattista Tiepolo) (March 5, 1696 - March 27, 1770) was a Venetian painter. ... Alexander the Great (Greek: ),[1] Megas Alexandros; July 356 BC–June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336–323 BC), was one of, if not the most successful military commanders in history, conquering most of the world known before his death; he is regarded as... Another Apelles was the founder of a Gnostic sect in the 2nd century; Apelles (theologian). ... It has been suggested that Greco-Roman be merged into this article or section. ... Naturalis Historia Pliny the Elders Natural History is an encyclopedia written by Pliny the Elder. ...

Apelles also used Campaspe as a model for his most celebrated painting of Aphrodite 'rising out of the sea', the iconic Venus Anadyomene, "wringing her hair, and the falling drops of water formed a transparent silver veil around her form" (Peck, 1898). Venus Anadyomene, by Titian, ca. ...

No Campaspe appears in what we have of the five major sources for the life of Alexander. Alexander's modern biographer Robin Lane Fox traces her legend back to the Roman authors Pliny (Natural History), Lucian of Samosata and Aelian's Varia Historia. They would have it that Campaspe was a prominent citizen of Larisa in Thessaly; Aelian surmised that she initiated the young Alexander in love. Robin Lane Fox (born 1946) is an English academic and historian, currently a Fellow of New College, Oxford, and University Reader in Ancient History. ... Lucian of Samosata (c. ... The name Aelian may refer to one of two people: Aelianus Tacticus, a Greek military writer of the 2nd century, who lived in Rome Claudius Aelianus, a Roman teacher and historian of the 3rd century, who wrote in Greek This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... Alternative meanings: Larissa in mythology was a daughter of Pelasgus; Larrissa is a moon of Neptune; 1162 Larissa is an asteroid; Larissa is also a first name. ...

Campaspe became a generic poetical pseudonym for a man's mistress; The English University wit and poet John Lyly (1553–1606), who produced a play, often referred to as Campaspe in 1583, also wrote: John Lyly (Lilly or Lylie) (c. ...

Cupid and my Campaspe play'd

At cards for kisses—Cupid paid:"

Notes

1. ^ Her name is sometimes reported in Hellenized form as Pancaste

References

• Pothos.org: Alexander's lovers
• Harry Thurston Peck, Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, 1898 "Campaspe"
• John Lyly: "Cupid and my Campaspe..."
• John Lyly: A Moste Excellent Comedie of Alexander, Campaspe, and Diogenes 1583