The History of Sex: Venice and Florence -- Machiavelli the Whoremonger (Chap. IV, Pt. 6)

During the Renaissance, the main role open to an ambitious woman was that of muse to a great man (assuming said man actually liked women).

The ultimate boys'-own age invented the chastity belt—known throughout Europe as a Venetian or Florentine Girdle—and also revived the ancient office of the courtesan.

These 'bad girls' made a very good living indeed, ranking far above common prostitutes—such as the clapped-out Tuscan hooker who horrified Machiavelli when the lights came up.

'Suddenly, I threw up all over her. And so having paid her with the exact coin that she deserved, I left.'

In contrast, famous courtesans such as 'Imperia' in Rome could afford to live in imperial splendor.

Manuela Arcuri in the Italian TV movie, Imperia

The novelist Matteo Bandello recounted an anecdote about the Spanish ambassador being so impressed by Imperia's chambers that, when he needed to spit, 'he turned to a servant and spit in his face. For this he apologized by saying to the servant, "I hope that you do not mind, but in this place your face is the most base thing."'

(Next time, Imperia told him, use the carpet.)

In another work, Bandello—who penned the source material for Romeo and Juliet—played on stereotypes about greedy Venetians by reporting that there was 'an infinite number of whores' in Venice.

'One notes there, however, a custom which has not yet been heard of elsewhere; namely that there are courtesans who will have five or six Venetian gentlemen for their lovers,' he wrote, noting that high-ticket prostitutes would organize their lovers in shifts and collect monthly retainers.

Even so, 'if some outsider arrives with a fat purse, she may accept him. But first she must tell the man to whom the night belongs that if he wishes to grind his grain he must do so during the day.'