He then wrote him the following poem:
“On Paeonian daughters who adorn their buttocks:
Hesiod said to his brother Perses:
– Don’t let an arse-decorated (πυγόστολος) woman deceive your mind.
There are two ways in which she may be called pygostolos.
Either because she adorns her arms and forearms (πυγών),
and so is called pygostolos for putting on bracelets,
or because she adorns her buttocks (πυγή), by her hind-quarters,
with broad girdles done up with tassels and fringes.” Incontrovertible proof, if ever such was required, that arses pre-existed Kim Kardashian.
Asking for a friend, but what were people decorating their buttocks with in Hesiod’s time.
Edit:
I found the following on https://neoskosmos.com/en/2019/11/24/dialogue/opinion/buttocks-of-greece-an-ancient-arse-country/
Usually an exotic looking glyph they thought meant “love” or “hope” but it actually said “soup”.
I love how there is an ancient word specific for “arse-decorated”.