No More Learning

(B) No doubt I do; for how should I myself
Live if misfortune happened unto you?

And Axionicus the comic poet, in his Etruscan, mentions Gryllion the parasite in these words -
They cannot now make the excuse of wine,
As Gryllion was always used to do.

And Aristodemus, in the second book of his Memoranda of Laughable Things, gives the following list of parasites:- Sostratus the parasite of Antiochus the king, Evagoras the Hunchback, parasite of Demetrius Poliorcetes, and Phormion parasite of Seleucus. [245] And Lynceus the Samian, in his Apophthegms, says- "Silanus the Athenian, when Gryllion the parasite of Menander the satrap was passing by in a superb robe, and accompanied by a great number of attendants, being asked who he was, said, 'He is a jaw worthy of Menander. ' But Chaerephon the parasite, coming once to a wedding feast without being invited, and sitting down the last of all, when the gynaeconomi had counted those who were invited, and desired him to depart as having made the number of guests to exceed the legitimate number of thirty, said, 'Count us over again, and begin with me. ' "

[46. ] G And that it was a custom for the officers called gynaeconomi to superintend the banquets, and to examine into the number of those who had been invited, and see whether it was in accordance with the law, we may learn from Timocles in his Litigious Man, where he says-
Open the doors at once, that we may be
More in the light when the gynaeconomus
Enters and begins to count the guests,
As he is bound to do by this new law,
A marvellous statute. It were better far
That he should ask who are without a dinner.

And Menander says in his Head-dress -
Knowing that by some new law lately passed,
The cooks who minister at marriage feasts
Have given in their names and are enrolled
In the books of the gynaeconomi,
So that they may the number learn of those
Who are invited, lest a man should feast
More than the legal number.

And Philochorus, in the seventh book of his history of the Affairs of Attica [ Fr_65 ], says- The gynaeconomi used, in conjunction with the judges of the Areopagus, to examine the parties in private houses, and at marriage feasts, and at all other festivals and sacrifices.

[47. ] G # And Lynceus records the following sayings of Corydus:- "Once when a courtesan whose name was Gnome ['resolution'] was supping with Corydus, the wine ran short, on which he desired every one to contribute two obols; and said that Gnome should contribute whatever the people thought fit. And once when Polyctor the harp-player was eating lentil porridge, and had got a stone between his teeth, 'O you unhappy man! ' said Corydus, 'even a lentil strikes you. ' "

And perhaps he is the same person whom Machon mentions; for he says-
It seems that once a wretched harp-player,
Being about to build himself a house,
Begged of a friend to lend him a few stones;
And many more will I repay, he said,
When I've displayed my art to all the people.

And once, when somebody said to Corydus that he sometimes kissed the neck, and the breasts, and even the navel (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ) of his wife, "That is very wrong," said he; "for even Heracles went from Omphale to Hebe. " And when Phyromachus dipped a piece of bread into some lentil porridge, and upset the dish, he said that it was right that he should be fined, because he did not know how to eat properly, though he professed to. And once, at Ptolemy's table, when a rich meat dish was carried round to the guests, but was finished before it came to him- "O Ptolemy," said he, "am I drunk, or am I right in thinking that these dishes are carried round? " And when Chaerephon the parasite said that he was unable to stand much wine, he rejoined, "No, nor stand what [water] is put into the wine either. " And once, when at some entertainment Chaerephon rose up from supper quite naked- "O Chaerephon," said he, "you are just like a bottle, so that we can see how nearly full you are. " And when Demosthenes received that goblet from Harpalus - [246] "This man," said he, "who calls other men hard drinkers, has himself swallowed a large cup. " And, as he was in the habit of bringing dirty loaves to supper, once, when somebody else brought some which were blacker still, he said, "that he had not brought loaves, but the shades of loaves. "

[48. ] G And Philoxenus the parasite, who was surnamed Pternocopis, once was dining with Python, and olives (? ? ? ? ? ) were put on the table, and after a little while a dish of fish was brought; and he, striking the dish, said- He drove them with a lash [? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ' ? ? ? ? ? ]. And once, at supper, when the man who had invited him had set loaves of black bread before him, he said, "Do not give me too many, lest you should darken the room. " And Pausimachus said of a certain parasite who was maintained by an old woman, "That the man who lived with the old woman fared in exactly the contrary manner to the old woman herself; for that he was always large. " And he is the man of whom Machon writes in this manner:
They say that Moschion the water drinker
Once, when he was with friends in the Lyceium,
Seeing a parasite who was used to live
Upon a rich old woman, said to him,
"My friend, your fate is truly marvellous:
For your old dame does give you a big belly. "

And the same man, hearing of a parasite who was maintained by an old woman, and who lived in habits of daily intimacy with her, said -
Nothing is strange henceforth, she beings forth nothing,
But the man daily doth become big-bellied.

# And Ptolemaeus, the son of Agesarchus, a native of Megalopolis, in the second book of his history of Philopator, says that men to dine with the king were collected from every city, and that they were called jesters.

[49. ] G And Poseidonius of Apameia, in the twenty-third book of his histories, says [ Fr_17 ], "The Celts, even when they make war, take about with them companions to dine with them, whom they call parasites. And these men celebrate their praises before large companies assembled together, and also to private individuals who are willing to listen to them; they have also a description of people called Bards, who make them music; and these are poets, who recite their praises with songs. " And in his thirty-fourth book, the same writer speaks of a man whose name was Apollonius, as having been the parasite of Antiochus surnamed Grypus, king of Syria. # And Aristodemus relates that Bithys, the parasite of king Lysimachus, once, when Lysimachus threw a wooden figure of a scorpion on his cloak, leaped up in a great fright; but presently, when he perceived the truth, he said, "I, too, will frighten you, O king! - give me a talent. " For Lysimachus was very stingy. And Agatharchides of Cnidus, in the twenty-second book of his history of Europe, says that Anthemocritus the pancratiast was the parasite of Aristomachus, the tyrant of the Argives.

[50. ] G And Timocles has spoken in general terms of parasites in his Boxer, when he calls them episitioi, in these words -
You will find here some of the parasites
Who eat at other men's tables till they burst,
That you might say they give themselves to athletes
To act as punching bags.

And Pherecrates, in his Old Women, says -
(A) Bet you, my friend Smicythion, will not
Get your food quicker.
(B) Who, I pray, is this?
(A) I bring this greedy stranger everywhere
As if he were my hired slave or soldier.

For these men are properly called episitioi who do any service for their keep. [247] Plato says, in the fourth book of his treatise on the Republic [ 420'a ], "And the episitioi do these things, who do not, as others do, receive any wages in addition to their food. " And Aristophanes says, in his Storks -
For if you prosecute one wicked man,
Twelve episitioi will come against you,
And so defeat you by their evidence.

And Eubulus says, in his Daedalus -
He wishes to remain an episitios
Among them, and will never ask for wages.

[51. ] G And Diphilus, in his Synoris (and Synoris is the name of a courtesan) mentioning Euripides (and Euripides is the name given to a particular throw on the dice), and punning on the name of the poet, says this at the same time about parasites :-
(A) You have escaped well from such a throw.
(B) You are right witty.
(A) Well, lay down your drachma.
(B) That has been done: how shall I throw Euripides?
(A) Euripides will never save a woman.
See you not how he hates them in his tragedies?
But he has always fancied parasites,
And thus he speaks, you'll easily find the place:
"For every rich man who does not feed
At least three men who give no contribution,
Exile deserves and everlasting ruin. "
(B) Where is that passage?
(A) What is that to you?
'Tis not the play, but the intent that signifies.

And in the amended edition of the same play, speaking of a parasite in a passion, he says -
Is then the parasite angry? is he furious?
Not he: he only smears with gall the table.
And weans himself like any child from milk.

And immediately afterwards he adds-
(A) Then you may eat, O parasite.
(B) Just see
How he disparages that useful skill.
(A) Well, know you not that all men rank a parasite
Below a harp-player!

And in the play, which is entitled The Parasite, he says -
A surly man should never be a parasite.

[52. ] G And Menander, in his Passion, speaking of a friend who had refused an invitation to a marriage feast, says -
This to be a real friend: not one
Who asks, What time is dinner? as the rest do.
And, Why should we not all at once sit down?
And fishes for another invitation
To-morrow and next day, and then again
Asks if there's not a funeral feast to follow.

And Alexis in his Orestes, Nicostratus in his Plutus, Menander in his Drunkenness, and in his Lawgiver, speak in the same way; and Philonides, in his Buskins, says -
I being abstinent cannot endure
Such things as these.

But there are many other kindred nouns to the noun ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? : there is ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , which has already been mentioned; and ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , and ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , and ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ; and besides these, there is ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? and ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? : and Anaxandrides uses the word ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? in his Huntsmen -
A son who feeds at home (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ) is a great comfort.

And a man is called ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? who serves the city, not for hire, but gratis. Antiphanes, in his Scythian, says-
The ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? quickly doth become
A regular attendant at the assembly.
And Menander says, in his Ring -
We found a bridegroom willing to keep house (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? )
At his own charge, for no dowry seeking.

And in his Harp-player he says -
You do not get your hearers there for nothing (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ).

Crates uses the word ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? in his Deeds of Daring, saying -
He feeds his messmate (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ) while he shivers thus
In Megabyzus' house, and he will have
Food for his wages.

[248] And he also uses the word in a peculiar sense in his Women dining together, where he says -
It is a well-bred custom not to assemble
A crowd of women, or to feast a multitude;
But to make a domestic (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ) wedding feast.

And the word ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? is used by Alexis, in his Woman sitting up all Night, or the Weavers -
You will be but a walking bread-devourer (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? )

And Menander calls a man who is useless, and who lives to no purpose, ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , in his Thrasyleon, saying -
A lazy over-procrastinating fellow,
A ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , miserable, useless,
Owning himself a burden on the earth.

And in his Venal People he says -
Wretch, you were standing at the door the while,
Having laid down your burden; while, for us,
We took the wretched ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? in.

And Crobylus used the word ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (bringing one's own provisions), in The Man hanged -
A parasite ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , feeding himself,
You do contribute much to aid your master.

And Eubulus has the word ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (eating badly, having no appetite), in his Ganymedes -
Sleep nourishes him since he's no appetite (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ).

And the word ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (a sparing eater) occurs in Phrynichus in his The solitary Man -
What does that sparing eater (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ) Heracles there?

And Pherecrates, or Strattis, in his Good Men -
How sparingly you eat, who in one day
Swallow the food of an entire trireme.

? Following pages (248-262)

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Athenaeus: The Deipnosophists
BOOK 6, Pages 248-262

Translated by C. D. Yonge (1854). A few words and spellings have been changed.

See key to translations for an explanation of the format. The page numbers in the Greek text are shown in red. The chapter numbers in the translation are shown in green.

<< Previous pages (234-248)

[53. ] G [248] When Plutarchus had said all this about parasites, Democritus, taking up the discourse, said, And I myself, 'like wood well-glued to wood,' as the Theban poet has it, will say a word about flatterers.
For of all men the flatterer fares best,
as the excellent Menander says. And there is no great difference between calling a man a flatterer and a parasite. Accordingly, Lynceus the Samian, in his Commentaries, gives the name of parasite to Cleisophus, the man who is universally described as the flatterer of Philippus, the king of the Macedonians (but he was an Athenian by birth, as Satyrus the Peripatetic affirms, in his Life of Philippus). And Lynceus says - "Cleisophus, the parasite of Philippus, when Philippus rebuked him for being continually asking for something, replied, 'I am very forgetful. ' Afterwards, when Philippus had given him a wounded horse, he sold him; and when, after a time, the king asked him what had become of him, he answered, 'He was sold by that wound of his. ' And when Philippus laughed at him, and took it good-humouredly, he said, 'Is it not then worth my while to keep you? '" And Hegesander the Delphian, in his Commentaries, makes this mention of Cleisophus:- "When Philippus the king said that writings had been brought to him from Cotys, king of Thrace, Cleisophus, who was present, said, 'It is well, by the gods. ' And when Philippus said, 'But what do you know of the subjects mentioned in these writings? ' he said, 'By the great Zeus, you have reproved me with admirable judgement. '"

[54. ] G But Satyrus, in his Life of Philippus, says, "When Philippus lost his eye, Cleisophus came forth with him, with bandages on the same eye as the king; and again, when his leg was hurt, he came out limping, along with the king. And if ever Philippus ate any harsh or sour food, [249] he would contract his features, as if he, too, had the same taste in his mouth. But in the country of the Arabs they used to do these things, not out of flattery, but in obedience to some law; so that whenever the king had anything the matter with any one of his limbs, the courtiers pretended to be suffering the same inconvenience: for they think it ridiculous to be willing to be buried with him when be dies, but not to pay him the compliment of appearing to be subject to the same sufferings as he is while alive, if he sustains any injury. " # But Nicolaus of Damascus,- and he was one of the Peripatetic school,- in his very voluminous history (for it consisted of a hundred and forty-four books), in the hundred and eleventh book says, that Adiatomus the king of the Sotiani (and that is a Celtic tribe) had six hundred picked men about him, who were called by the Gauls, in their national language, Siloduri - which word means in Greek, Bound under a vow. "And the king has them as companions, to live with him and to die with him; as that is the vow which they all take. In return for which, they also share his power, and wear the same dress, and cut the same food; and they die when he dies, as a matter of absolute necessity, if the king dies of any disease; or if he dies in war, or in any other manner. And no one can even say that any of them has shown any fear of death, or has in the least sought to evade it when the king is dead. "

[55. ] G But Theopompus says, in the forty-fourth book of his Histories, that Philippus appointed Thrasydaeus the Thessalian tyrant over all those of his nation, though a man who had but little intellect, but who was an egregious flatterer. But Arcadion the Achaean was not a flatterer, who is mentioned by the same Theopompus, and also by Duris in the fifth book of his History of Macedonian Affairs. Now this Arcadion hated Philippus, and on account of this hatred voluntarily banished himself from his country. And he was a man of the most admirable natural abilities, and numbers of clever sayings of his are related. It happened then once, when Philippus was sojourning at Delphi, that Arcadion also was there; and the Macedonian beheld him and called him to him, and said, How much further, O Arcadion, do you mean to go by way of banishment? And he replied -
Until I meet with men who know not Philippus. [ Hom:Od_11'122 ]

But Phylarchus, in the twenty-first book of his History [ Fr_37 ], says that Philippus laughed at this, and invited Arcadion to supper, and that in that way he got rid of his enmity.