LOFBERG the Sycophant Parasite

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The Sycophant-ParasiteAuthor(s): J. O. LofbergSource: Classical Philology, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jan., 1920), pp. 61-72Published by: The University of Chicago PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/263545 .

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THE SYCOPHANT-PARASITEBY J. 0. LOFBERG

The writer has already made a detailed study of the importantr6le of the o-v,co4Sat in Athens.' The material for this study wasdrawn almost entirely from Aristophanes and the orators, and noeffort was made to carry it beyond the period of Demosthenes. It isthe purpose of the present article to note what light later writers,especially those of the New Comedy and Plautus and Terence,2throwon the subject. The value of such an extension of the study will beevident. These writers offer us the opportunity of looking atAthenian institutions from a different angle. The subject-matterof a comedy of manners of necessity furnishes some details not else-where found. They also give us a picture of an Athens differentin many respects from the Athens of Pericles or even of the days ofDemosthenes. Before proceeding to a discussion of what they con-tribute to this study it will be well to give a brief summary of theactivities of the UvKO40iZTaL in the earlier period. Wealthy and non-litigious Athenians were rather at the mercy of these shrewd legaltricksters.3 Payment of blackmail was a safer method of answeringtheir threats of litigation than appearance in court; the popularcourts were not disposed to favor a rich man, and therein lay thestrength of the sycophant.4 Familiarity with the courts renderedthem formidable as witnesses5 and advocates (ov'yopoi) *6 Asinformers (qPvvraL) hey terrified guilty and innocent.7 Throughclub organizations, permanent8 or temporary,9 they strengthened

I Sycophancy in Athens, University of Chicago dissertation, 1917.2 The use of the Roman writers as proper sources for this information can hardlybe questioned. It has received the firm support of such a careful scholar as PhilippeLegrand, Daos, p. 3 and chap. ii. Cf. also Lallier, "Le Proces de Phormion," in theAnnuaire de l'Association des Etudes Grecques,XII (1878), 49 ff.3 See Sycophancy in Athens, pp. 32 ff., for details and references.4 Ibid., p. 15. 5 Ibid., p. 54. 6 Ibid., p. 53.7 Notably the hireling Dioclides And. i. 37.8 The best known are the club of Menicles and Mnesicles (Dem. 39 and 40) andthat of Melas (Isaeus 5). For full discussion and references see Sycophancy in Athens,pp. 59 ff.; Calhoun, Athenian Clubs in Politics and Litigation, pp. 80 et pagsim.9Of this the cabal against Andocides is a good example (And. i. 121; Sycophancyin Athens, p. 67).

[CLASSICAL PHILOLOGY XV, January, 1920] 61

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62 J. 0. LOFBERGtheir power and insured the success of their machinations. Actingalone or in groups they frequently served as the hired agents ofothers. In this capacity they were effective in bringing suits againstpersonal or political enemies; in introducing laws and decrees; inacting as witnesses or advocates; in bribing juries and ecclesiasts.'

Sycophanta impudens was apparently a stock character in theNew Comedy.2 This in itself is a fairly clear indication that the syc-ophant was still an active member of Athenian society. TheGreek original of the Persa was composed at a time when theiractivities were still excessive. At least the author feels justified inmaking a direct attack upon them through the mouth of one of hisleading characters.3 Plautus, it is true, calls them not sycophantaebut quadrupulatores. However, there can scarcely be any doubtthat Plautus was merely translating his Greek original in this pas-sage and not commenting on a situation that obtained in Rome.Leo has shown4 that the legal process mentioned in this passage isreally Athenian and that the quadrupulatores are really ovKoqW0 TaL.The Greek original of this play was probably written before the con-quests of Alexander.5 Such being the case, it is easily understoodthat the sycophants should still be the object of direct attack.

There is a similar faithfulness to the Greek original in Plautus'treatment of the advocati n the Poenulus. They are typical AthenianavvtIyopoc advocati)and ,dap-rvpesand belong to the class of hirelingsthat were regarded as sycophants.6 A glance at the episode willmake this clear. They are regular men-of-the-courts (comitiales),more regular even than the judges (praetor).7 When there is nolitigation they "cook it up"; they are in the habit of persecutingrich men.8 They show great ingenuity in introducing to the leno

1 See Sycophancyin Athens, pp. 48 f., for discussioniand references. It is obviouslyimpossible to treat the matter adequately here.2 Terence Heaut. Prol. 38; Legrand, op. cit., p. 281.3Plautus Per&a 62 ff.4 Plautinische Forschungen (2d ed.), pp. 123 ff. For suggestions as to the reasonfor using the term quadrupulator nstead of sycophanta see below, p. 69.6 Legrand, op. cit., p. 18.6 Legrand, op. cit., p. 52; Sycophancy in Athens, pp. 53 ff.7 Plautus Poenulus 584 f.8 Ibid. 517.



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THE SYCOPHANT-PARASITE 63the fake-foreigner who is to prove his undoing;' information thatthey happen to have can easily be purchased.2 They render assist-ance to Agorastocles in getting his slave out of the house of the lenoand make themselves generally useful.3 It is quite clear that theywere usually paid for their services and expected to receive pay onthis occasion.4

One of Terence's characters fears to lay claim to the estate of adeceased relative lest he be branded sycophanta.5

We are not dependent upon the Latin versions of the Greekcomedies for information about the continued prevalence of thesycophant. In Menander's Georgosa man bewails the disadvantageunder which a poor man labors (in the courts, apparently); no matterhow just his case may be, it is impossible to convince people that hiswhole purpose is not personal gain; rvKoqa'vT,s is the name given toa man with a threadbare suit, regardless of the justice of his case.6Another of Menander's characters moralizes on the unfairness of thislife; decency and honesty go unrewarded and rascality has the upperhand: "Best of all fares the KoXat and second best the 0VKoqavr-qs."7So also in a fragment of Philippides we are told that the most violentsycophant will become as gentle as a lamb if you hand him a mina ortwo.8 Theopompus in his Philippica9 reports with apparent serious-ness the founding of a City of Rascals,'0 by Philip, for sycophants,false witnesses, and advocates. Elsewhere" he states that Athenswas full of flatterers, sailors, pickpockets, false witnesses, and syco-phants. It is uncertain, perhaps, to what period of Athenian historyhe is here referring, but it is not unfair to assume that it deals withthe latter part of the fourth century B.C.'2

Democracy was the soil in which sycophancy flourished. There-fore with the deeline of democratic institutions which followed Philip1Ibid. 650 ff. 2 Ibid. 770 ff. 3 Ibid. 785. 4 Ibid. 807-10.5 Andria 815.6 Frag. 1 (reference is to Koerte, Editio Maior).7 Frag. 223. 8 Frag. 29.9 Frag. 107. It is not begging the question to assume that the majority of theinhabitants of such a city would hail from Athens. Where else in Greece did theyflourish with such success?0lovqp67rots. 11Frag. 267.

12 See Legrand, op. cit., p. 281.



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64 J. 0. LOFBERGand Alexander there came naturally limitations in the sycophants'sphere of activity. There still existed numerous opportunities forfalse accusation, professional advocacy, false witness, and blackmail,but it is doubtful if sycophants could rise to such positions of impor-tance as some had held in the older Athens.' Opportunities to selltheir services to revolutionary parties,2 to use their talents in attackson men in high political office,3 or to engage in activities of publicnature would be few. It was rather the day of the petty sycophant,the evTreX's,to borrow Crito's term.4 Between this type and thosewho hunted bigger game there is obviously no essential difference.It is in fact not unlikely that often the more prominent were alsoEVTuXe' However, the New Comedy offers more information aboutthe cheap hireling, whose chief occupation was to act as the readyagent for others, and less about those who engaged in litigation ontheir own initiative or even those who practiced blackmail. As hasbeen suggested above, Athenians who wished to avoid the incon-venience or notoriety connected with any transaction found thesycophant a convenient agent. Often the business to be performedinvolved connection with the courts. For other affairs, however, nomatter how trivial, the versatile petty sycophant was equally avail-able. Indications are not lacking in the orators of such use of thesycophants. Remarkably versatile agents are Pythodorus,5 anassistant of Pasion, Stephanus,0 who was the efficient helper ofPhormio, and Aristophon.7 The latter belonged to a group ofyoXo7Gpi'vaOGpwFrrcoLho hung around the Piraeus looking foremployment of this sort.

Real life in Athens and the life depicted in the New Comedymay not exactly correspond. There are undoubtedly exaggerations.We meet certain episodes, incidents, and characters more often thanwe should in real life. In the main, however, there is no violence

1 See the careers of Theocrines (Dem. 58) and Aristogiton (Dem. 25; 26) in Syco-phancy in Athens, pp. 78 ff.2 See the career of Agoratus (Lysias 13) in Sycophancy in Athens, pp. 72 if.3 Both Aristogiton and Theocrines boasted of doing this.4Plato Crito45 A.6 Isoc. 17. 4 et passim.6 Dem. 45, 57-58, 64.7 Dem. 32, 10-12 et passim.



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THE SYCOPHANT-PARASITE 65done to realism,1and it is safe to regard he behavior of the peoplein the comediesas a fair sampleof what reallywent on in Athens.

Apparently trickeryof a mnorer less harmlessnature played alarge part in the life of the average Athenian family. The senexcredulus, the leno, and the miles gloriosus were the natural targets ofdeception. Oftenclever and resourceful lavesinventedthe schemesand carriedthem out, as in the Andria,with no other considerableassistance. At other times, however, assistants were required.Whennecessary heywerehired. This wasespecially ruewhensome-one was desired to represent the "stranger from abroad." Thebest instanceof this is foundin the Trinummus. It may be well tonote the plot in somedetail. Megaronides nd Callicles, wo elderlyAthenians,decide to use a little harmlessdeceptionupon young Les-bonicus, he sonof their oldfriend,Charmides. Thelatter'spropertyduringhis absencefromAthens has been practicallyruinedthroughthe recklessness f his son, Lesbonicus. This Lesbonicushas a sisterwho is sought in marriageby Lysiteles. The brother,her patronusin the absenceof the father, has no objectionto the match, but hispride forces him to withhold his consent to the wedding unlessLysiteleswill accept as dowrythe only remainingpiece of land thatbelongs to Charmides. The prospective bridegroomrefuses to dothis. At this juncture Megaronidesand Callicles,who know of aburiedtreasure n the house of Charmides,hit upon a plan to bringaboutthe marriage. They propose o hire a sycophant2o pose as amessengerfrom Lesbonicus' ather. He is to bring letters to Les-bonicusand to Callicles.3 In the former's etter is to be a statementthat the messengerbringsa bag of gold from Charmides o Calliclesto be used as a marriageportionfor the daughter. Theirplan is, ofcourse,to dig up some of the treasureand give that as the dowry.As their agent they choose aliquem mendaciloquem4 . . . falsidicum,confidentem5 . . . sycophantam . . . . deforo.6 The timely arrival

I Legrand, op. cit., pp. 264 ff., especially p. 287.2 Plaut. Trin. 765 ff., 815.8 It is noteworthy that they did not intrust the money to the sycophant to giveto Lesbonicus. The character of neither was suited to such a scheme.4 Plaut. Trin. 769. 6 Ibid. 770.6 Ibid. 815. This reminds us of the implication of litigation that was involved inthe term &'yopatos. Cf. also ft yopa^s Arist. Knights 180.



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66 J. 0. LOFBERGof Charmides just as the sycophant is trying to deliver his letter toLesbonicus supplies us with one of the best dialogues in all Latincomedy.' A large part of its excellence is due to the wit and cleversparring of the sycophant, and this in turn indicates clearly the suita-bility of the, sycophant for his job. It is quite obvious that anyclever person unknown to Lesbonicus could have played the partof this messenger from foreign parts and that it was not imperativethat a professional hireling be found. But the reason for his beingused is that there were so many triflers2 loitering about the agoralooking for such employment that it was easier to pay a small3 sumto one of them than to hunt up some unknown non-professional per-son to play the part.The plot of the Pseudolus also calls for someone to masqueradeas a foreigner. The intention seems to be to hire a sycophant.4This, however, is rendered unnecessary in this instance. One of thecharacters offers the services of a newly acquired slave, who is un-known to the leno and who therefore runs slight risk of discovery.5He also fortunately possesses the same qualifications6 for the partthat the professional hireling of the Trinummus does.7

It would, of course, be absurd to assume that the comedies supplystatistical material about the number of sycophants or their activities.Both their presence and their behavior in the plays are matters ofconvention. But the readiness to call any unknown person who issuspected of playing a part sycophanta is a clear indication of theextent to which men were hired to perpetrate tricks of this sort.One of the best instances of this is found in the Pseudolus. Simia,the "slave-sycophant "8mentioned above, was so successful in passing

1Plaut. Trin. 843 ff. 2 nugator, ibid., 1138.3 He himself admits that his pay is small: subigor trium nummum (848). Cf.Crito's ebreXeis.4 Plaut. Pseud. 724. 6 Ibid. 729-30.6Ibid. 725, 729, 739-41, 1017 ff.7 Similarly in the Persa and in the Poenulus the masqueraders are slaves. In theformer this is practicable because the leno who is to be tricked is a recent arrival inAthens. In the latter a vilicus who is in town for the day is naturally employed. Inboth of these cases sycophantia is the term applied to the trick: Persa 325; Poenulus425.8 Argumentumii. 14, 8yeophantacacula. The exact reading is uncertain. He isalso called sycophantain the scene heading.



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THE SYCOPHANT-PARASITE 67himself off as Harpax,' the messenger from "the captain," that whenthe real Harpax arrived he was welcomed by the leno as an impostermade up to play the part,2 called an out-and-out sycophant,3 andtold that men of that profession would find business dull there thatday.4

Not only did sycophantacome to be the regular word for swindlerand imposter,5 but a similar change took place in the use of kindredwords. Sycophantia was often merely a synonym for trickery,6deception, and "bluff," and was interchangeable with fallacia, doli,or nugae.7 This change of meaning is not limited to the Latinwords. ovKokavreZv s used by Menander8just as sycophantari is byPlautus.' Outside of comedy we find the term used with force of"perverting facts,"'0 misrepresenting a matter,"l and even for a"logical fallacy."'2 This is not far removed from the loose use ofovKo4avreZvby litigants in the orators to imply that their opponentsare attacking on slight provocation. A dialogue in the Samia offersan excellent opportunity for the study of this use of the word:

De. av3' gir' \XevOApazv'a?KaXalu41wetlslaKTrpLOiKai 65L'KetS; Ni. 0VK0avre?s.'3

Will you take a stick to a free woman andrun her off ?You're a liar!Here aVKoqavreZs approaches the somewhat technical "That'sblackmail!" but there is no suggestion of litigation.'4

1 Plautus P8eud. 963 ff. 2 Ibid. 1184 if. Ibid. 1200.4 Ibid. 1197. A similar comic effect is obtained in Trinummus 972 when the syco-phant calls Charmides a trickster because he insists that he is Charmides.5 Plautus Amph. 506 gives a striking use of the term. There it applied to Zeusplaying a part. Cf. Plautus Menaech. 260, 283, 1087; Poen. 1032; P8eud. 1204.6 Plautus Asin. 71; Aul. 649; Bacch. 764, 806; Capt. 521; Miles 767; Pers. 325;Poen. 425, 654; P8eud. 527, 572.7 Plautus P8eud. 485, 672, 1204; Trin. 856, 972.8 Epitrepontes 1; Periceiromene 178 (references are to Koerte, Editio Maior).9 Trin. 787, 958. 10Dem. 19,98. 11Dem. 23, 61.12 Aristotle Rhetoric II. 24. 10. Aeschines (2. 99) states that the term ovKcoK,&PvT7shad come to be applied to all scoundrels.13 Menander Samia 232.14 It is quite obvious that there is a conscious punning use of legal vocabulary in

S(, KICES . . . TovKoapTesL.



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68 J. 0. LOFBERGThe most easily employed agent that a family of wealth could

find was naturally the parasite. Men of this profession admittedthat they were available for any service.' The parasite Artotrogusis sent by Pyrgopolynices to conduct the latronesthat he had collectedto Seleucus.2 The wife of Epigonus sends the family dependent(parasite) Gelasimus to the harbor for news of her husband.3 Theparasite in the Asinaria is his master's clerk.4 Curculio is a veryefficient agent for Phaedromus. He goes on a mission to borrowmoney for his rex.6 To further the latter's interests6 he steals animportant seal ring,' connives at a forgery,8 and is ready to serve aswitness in a "shady " affairY9 His master unquestionably has, in thewords of the Choregus, acquired nugatorem lepidum . . . . halo-phantam an sycophantam.'0 This identification of the parasite withthe sycophant was but natural. The only essential difference wasin the remuneration they received. This very difference renderedthe parasite a much more "comic" character than the sycophant.An edax parasitus would provoke more laughter on the stage thansycophanta impudens."1 And since they were practically alike inmethods, availability, and general character,'2and since the parasitewas an established convention in the New Comedy,'3 a playwrightcould easily motivate his presence in a comedy by letting him serveas Jack-of-all-trades. This confusion in everyday life betweensycophanta and parasitus naturally affected the semitechnical force

V id. Legrand, op. cit., pp. 94-95 with references.2 Plautus Miles 948. It matters little that this may not be at all the mission onwhich he had been sent. For the present purpose it is enough to observe that he wasthe natural one to send on a mission.3 Plautus Stichus 150. In this instance it may well be that the only reason forsending the parasite was to get him on the stage (see Prescott, "The Interpretation ofRoman Comedy," Class. Phil., XI, 136-37). The audience was apparently accus-tomed to a parasite's being sent on errands.4 Plautus Asinaria 746 ff.6 Plautus Curc. 67. 6 Ibid. 329 if. 7 Ibid. 360. 8 Ibid. 365. 9 Ibid. 62.15 Ibid. 462 f. There is remarkable similarity in all this between Curculio'smethods and activities and those of the sycophant-agents, Stephanus (Dem. 45, 57-58),Pythodorus (Isoc. 17. 4, 23, 33-34).11Terence Heaut. Prol. 38.12Cf. Leo, op. cit., p. 125, "der Sycophant und Parasit aber sind gerade in derKom5die CharakterederselbenSphdre, oft in einer Person vereinigt."13 See Legrand, op. cit., pp. 292 f., with references cited.



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THE SYCOPHANT-PARASITE 69of the former term. It was inevitable that a cheap hireling shouldbecome a flatterer.' Omnia assentari2 is no more characteristic ofa Gnatho who is known by the title of kolaxe than of a Curculiowho may be called a sycophant.4 This situation probably explainswhy Plautus (Pers. 62 ff.) used quadrupulator and quadrupulariinstead of sycophanta and sycophantari. A parasite is speaking.Sycophanta and parasitus so often had the same connotation thatthere would have been slight point in his insisting that he did notwish to be sycophanta. His intention is to make it perfectly clearthat he does not care to copy those of his profession who engage inlitigation and blackmail (cf. Leo, op. cit., p. 125). It might be addedthat the force of sycophanta suggested, as has been shown, swindlerrather than pettifogger.

Many individuals called parasites by a playwright would doubt-less be known as sycophants in real life. Phormio is really an excel-lent example of an expert sycophant of the old school, bonorumextortor, legum contortor.5 He would surely have been so called byAristophanes, and the commentary of Donatus does give him thisname on several occasions.6 Any man so expert in litigation and sucha source of concern to the wealthy would have been a welcome mem-ber of the club of sycophants headed by Menecles and Mnesicles.7Terence, however, calls him a parasite in spite of the fact that, barringa few mild passages,8 there is little to justify the term, if he is to be

1 Efforts have been made to classify parasites. Giese, De parasiti persona capitaselecta (Berlin, 1908), p. 22, distinguishes three kinds: those antiquioris generis, thehungry, dirty sort; the assentatorwho attends a miles gloriosus; those similes servisilli8callidissimis comoediaenovae. Cf. also Ribbeck, Kolax (Abhandlungender k. sachsi-schen Ges. der Wiss., IX [1884], 27). There may be varying degrees of servility dis-cernible, but there is nothing that prevents one type from merging in another. Ifit were possible to draw a hard-and-fast distinction, it would be convenient to say thatthose that Giese puts in his third class were really the sycophant-parasites whom wehave been describing.

2 Terence Eun. 253. 4 Plautus Curc. 463.3 Terence Eun. Prol. 30. 6 Terence Phormio 374.6 Donatus on Phormio 279, 319, 352. Modern commentators frequently recognize

the sycophantic characteristics in Phormio even when they continue to refer to him as aparasite: Legrand, op. cit., p. 93; Dziatzko-Hauler, p. 70, n. 1, "Halb Parasit, halbSycophant"; Fredershausen, De iure Plautino et Terentiano 70; Leo, op. cit., p. 125,"derSycophantund Parasit aber sind gerade n derKom6die CharakterederselbenSphdre,oft in einer Person vereinigt,wie vor allem Phormio zeigt."7 Dem. 39 and 40; Sycophancy in Athens, pp. 60 ff.8 Terence Phormio 335, alere nolunt hominem edacem; 337 ff.; 1052, me ad cenamvoca.



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70 J. 0. LOFBERGconsidered a typical hungry parasite. There is even a traditionthat Terence gave enthusiastic approval when his magister gregis,in acting the part of Phormio, represented him as a fawning K6Xaa,and that the author said that such was his idea of the part.' Sostrong was the demand for that type of character on the stage.2

This play furnishes a good opportunity for observing how asycophant, and that, too, one who was too prominent to be calledCTMXfls, succeeded in becoming attached as parasite to a well-to-dofamily. Phormio was apparently well known about town as a suc-cessful pettifogger,3 a dread of the wealthy and non-litigious,4 and anexpert in legal trickery.5 Phaedria and Antipho naturally turn tohim for a solution of their difficulties.6 His management, not onlyof the legal side of their affairs, but of all their schemes, of which hewas the author,7 was successful.8 He had been unknown to theelders of the family previous to his employment by the young men,9but he had little difficulty in winning the position of hanger-on. Hewas more acceptable as friend than foe. It was unwise for a familywith skeletons in its closets to have an outsider, so able and unscrupu-lous, familiar with its affairs. The immediate cause of his successwas a trick that seems to have been a favorite with parasites. Hebrought over to his side the ill-used wife of the senex by informing her

I Donatus on Phormio 315. On the occasion referred to the actor was drunk andhis delineation of the part was partly due to his condition.2 From one point of view the New Comedy ridicules the parasite in very much the

same way that the Old Comedy attacked the sycophant; the parasite in the Persaargues for the dignity of his "profession" in the following manner: "The old callingof my forefathers do I follow and cultivate with great care. For never was there anyone of my forefathers who did not fill his belly by acting the parasite; father, grand-father, great grandfather, great-great grandfather, his grandfather and great grand-father, like mice always fed on the victuals of others" (52 ff.).In Aristophanes' Birds (1432 ff., 1451 ff.) it is the sycophant who refuses to giveup his profession. He had it from his father, who got it from his, who in turn got itfrom his; to give it up would be to disgrace his ancestors.3 Phormio 327 ff., 122-23.4 Ibid. 330 ff., 623, 766 ff.5Ibid. 125 ff., 330 ff.6Ibid. 122ff., 560f.7 Ibid. 130 ff., 317, 650 if.8 Cf. the sycophants Menecles and Mnesicles and their activities in Dem. 39; 40.9 Ibid. 307, 618, 991.



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THESYCOPHANT-PARASITE 71of her husband'sdeliction.' This caused a speedy change in theattitude of the old men toward him, and the play closes with hisinstallation as amicus and parasitus.Roughly speaking, the term sycophant may be applied to anagent employedfor some particularbusiness, parasite to one whoserves one or several patronsregularly. To the latter classbelongsPhormio.3A strikingparallel o all this, that hasapparentlybeenoverlooked,is found in Xenophon's Memorabilia.4 Socrates persuades Critoto employa "{watch-dog'"o keepoffthe sycophants hat besethim.5Archedemus s the man chosen. Like Phormio, he is "'poorbutable."" Althoughhe is not calledby the name of sycophant,he isclearlyoneof their kind. Critois in constantfearthat he may turnuponhim,andforthat reasondoeshis utmost to keep his good-will.8So Chremes finds Phormio a dangerous enemy.9 Archedemusundertakesto protect Crito's friends also from legal difficulties,10just as Phormioproveshimself he efficientmanagerof the affairsofseveral membersof one family and apparentlyof severalfamilies."Phormio felt no hesitation in admitting that the title of parasiteapplied to him.12 Archedemuswas twitted about his servility cbnro Kptlrwvos wc/EcOuoYePOS KOXaKEbot a1Vr6Y"and justified his positionby maintaining hat it was less disgracefulo be friendsofthe XplaroLthan of the 7rovqpoL.

i Ibid. 985 ff.; cf. Plautus Menaech. 519; cf. Asin. 810.2Phormio 1049, 1053, me ad cenam voca.3 Terence Phormio 122, "est parasitu8 quidam Phormio, homo confidens" implieseither that he was a professional hanger-on or else the term means little else thanadventurer or hireling.4 Memorabilia ii. 9. 6Ibid. ii. 9. 1-3.6Ibid. ii. 9. 4, lxacuY eL,reZv8 KaZrpa&tat,7rbnVra5i. Cf. Terence Phormio 902,haec mea pauperta8. Proof of his ability has already been given.7 It was his reputation for shrewdness in litigation that got him his position withCrito. Cf. also his methods, ii. 9. 5-6.8 Ibid. 9. 3-5.9 Terence Phormio 980 ff., 900 if. "Terence Phormio 122 et pas8im.10Xen. Mem. ii. 9. 7-8. 12 Ibid. 335 ff., 345.13Xen. Mem. ii. 9. 8. The use of KoXaKc-eots significant. It is in a sense the fore-runner of the freer use of KAat and 7rap&avros.It is also interesting to notice that apart of Archedemus' salary was produce from Crito's farm and an occasional invita-tion to dinner (sec. 4). Cf. Ter. Phormio 1053, me ad cenam voca.



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72 J. 0. LOFBERGThe New Comedyshowsus the following hingsin regard o thisphaseof life in Athens:1. The survival of sycophants of the old school, formidableexperts in litigation, false witness, advocacy, and blackmail,e.g.,the advocati f the Poenulus,and especiallyPhormio.2. A noticeable change in the meaning of the term v0Ko4AvrTs.Its technicaland litigiousconnotation s givingway to a new mean-ing, "imposter"or "swindler."3. The consequentpractical dentity of sycophantand parasite.A cheaphirelingosesindependence ndkeepshisjobonly by flattery.The parasitesof whom Curculio s a type are not distinguishable

from sycophants.4. The greatercomicpossibilityin a parasiteas compared o asycophant. The only importantdifference etweenpetty sycophantsand parasitesis the form of remuneration or their services. Thefondness or a mealis moresuitableforcomiceffectthan the willing-nessto workevenfor"threepiecesof money" (Trinummus). Thereis thereforea tendency to put a parasiterather hana sycophant ntoa New Comedy.5. The tendencyto considera permanentagenta parasite. Thedistinctiveparasitequalitiesareentirely acking n Phormio. Exceptfor an occasionaluseof the termanda few referenceso the pleasuresof a meal and the blessedlot of the parasite,there is nothingaboutPhormioto justify the term. The fact that he is a regularand per-manent assistant helpsto confusehimwith menof that class.UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

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LOFBERG the Sycophant Parasite

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