The oldest profession
Posted by Antiquary on May 28, 2006
In Reply to: The oldest profession posted by Paul B Zumaran on May 28, 2006
: I'd like to know the origin of the slightly chauvinist saying "prostitution is the oldest profession in the world". I understand this is a hard one to trace back for it appears in exactly this phrasing in many different languages and therefore it may not have originated in English.
Kipling used the phrase, or a close variant on it, in his "In Black and White" : 'Lalun is a member of the most ancient profession in the world'. It would certainly be interesting if anything earlier could be found, in whatever language.
- The oldest profession ESC 28/May/06
- What is the oldest profession? Lewis 30/May/06