DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0688
660
OF THE MISCELLANY CUSTOMS OF GREECE.
being invited, as the scholiast explains that word. Such as without invi
tation, iiri <rmv xsxk^svuv sitt dsTtvov «yoj*£voi, were brought to the entertain-
ment by some of those who had been invited (1), were termed thcitti,
shades, from their following the principal guests, as shades do bodies.
The same persons were by the Romans called umbra ; thus in Ho
race (2) :
—!-1—quos Mwcenas adduxerat umbras-
Ahd in another place (3) :
-—locus est etpluribus vmbris.
They who forced themselves into other men's entertainments, were, in
Greek, called in Latin muscx, which was a general name of re-
proach for such as insinuated themselves into any company where they
were not welcome : thus the parasite is described by Antiphanes :
&vpct; /Lto^Kium, o-iKr/uu;- sitrvitS'iv -LpicpU'
In Plautus (4), an entertainment free from unwelcome guests is called
hospitium sine muscis, entertainment without flies ; and in another place
of the same author (5), an inquisitive and busy man, who pries and in-
sinuates himself into the secrets of others is termed musca. We are like-
wise informed by Horus Apollo (6), that in Egypt a fly was the hierogly-
phic ofan impudent man, because that insect, being beaten away, still re-
turns again ; on which account it is by Homer made an emblem of coup
age (7) I
Kit; ci (jLu 'iYit 9-dpa-o; hi r»'6s<7"fr/v ivintv,
'H Ti XjtipyOfiitH (A.i.\& 7Tip "XPoot %iSpa/Atm«
Ier^iWa. £xx.hlv,Astpoy ftol a.ifx.'' dvQpohris.
So burns the vengeful hornet fsoul all o'er)
Repuls'd in vain, and thirsty still of gore,
Bold son of air and heat, on angry wings
Untam'd, untir'd, he turns, attacks, and stings. p9pi.
The same persons whum (hey termed muse* at entertainments, were call-
ed Myxovio!, Myconians, from the poverty of that nation, which put them
upon frequenting other men's tables oftener than was consistent with
good manners ; whence Pericles was reflected upon by Archilochus, is
Mxxijrov WeKJVaiWa sis <r« tfufAtfo'sm Muxov/wv 5/jojv, as one who intruded in-
to other men's entertainments, after the manner of the Myconian$ (8).
But the most common appellation of such men was that of irapcttrhoi, para-
sites ; which word, as Lucian hath observed, it its primitive sense, signi-
fied only the companions of princes and men of quality ; such were Pa-
troclus to Achilles, and Memnon to Idomeneus, or those who had their
diet at the tables of the gods, of whom mention has been made in another
place (9) ; but afterwards came to be a name of reproach for tho.-e who.
by flattery and other mean arts, used to insinuate themselves to the tables
of other men ; in which sense it was first used by Epicharmus, and after-
wards by Alexis (10) ; nevertheless it was common for friends and men
(1) PlutarchusSympos. lib. vii. qusest.
C2) Lib. ii. sat. viji. 22.
(3) Lib. i. Epist. v. 28
(4) Poenul. act. iii. sc. 3. v. 76.
(5) Mercat. act. iii. sc. 3. v. 28,
(ffi Hieroglyphic)'*:
(7) Iliad, p'. v. 570.
(8) Conf. Athenaeus. lib. i. cap. 7.
(9) Lib. ii. cap. de Sacerdotibus.
(10. Conf. Athenaeus, lib. si. cap. 1. Pollux
Kb. vj. cap. 7,
OF THE MISCELLANY CUSTOMS OF GREECE.
being invited, as the scholiast explains that word. Such as without invi
tation, iiri <rmv xsxk^svuv sitt dsTtvov «yoj*£voi, were brought to the entertain-
ment by some of those who had been invited (1), were termed thcitti,
shades, from their following the principal guests, as shades do bodies.
The same persons were by the Romans called umbra ; thus in Ho
race (2) :
—!-1—quos Mwcenas adduxerat umbras-
Ahd in another place (3) :
-—locus est etpluribus vmbris.
They who forced themselves into other men's entertainments, were, in
Greek, called in Latin muscx, which was a general name of re-
proach for such as insinuated themselves into any company where they
were not welcome : thus the parasite is described by Antiphanes :
&vpct; /Lto^Kium, o-iKr/uu;- sitrvitS'iv -LpicpU'
In Plautus (4), an entertainment free from unwelcome guests is called
hospitium sine muscis, entertainment without flies ; and in another place
of the same author (5), an inquisitive and busy man, who pries and in-
sinuates himself into the secrets of others is termed musca. We are like-
wise informed by Horus Apollo (6), that in Egypt a fly was the hierogly-
phic ofan impudent man, because that insect, being beaten away, still re-
turns again ; on which account it is by Homer made an emblem of coup
age (7) I
Kit; ci (jLu 'iYit 9-dpa-o; hi r»'6s<7"fr/v ivintv,
'H Ti XjtipyOfiitH (A.i.\& 7Tip "XPoot %iSpa/Atm«
Ier^iWa. £xx.hlv,Astpoy ftol a.ifx.'' dvQpohris.
So burns the vengeful hornet fsoul all o'er)
Repuls'd in vain, and thirsty still of gore,
Bold son of air and heat, on angry wings
Untam'd, untir'd, he turns, attacks, and stings. p9pi.
The same persons whum (hey termed muse* at entertainments, were call-
ed Myxovio!, Myconians, from the poverty of that nation, which put them
upon frequenting other men's tables oftener than was consistent with
good manners ; whence Pericles was reflected upon by Archilochus, is
Mxxijrov WeKJVaiWa sis <r« tfufAtfo'sm Muxov/wv 5/jojv, as one who intruded in-
to other men's entertainments, after the manner of the Myconian$ (8).
But the most common appellation of such men was that of irapcttrhoi, para-
sites ; which word, as Lucian hath observed, it its primitive sense, signi-
fied only the companions of princes and men of quality ; such were Pa-
troclus to Achilles, and Memnon to Idomeneus, or those who had their
diet at the tables of the gods, of whom mention has been made in another
place (9) ; but afterwards came to be a name of reproach for tho.-e who.
by flattery and other mean arts, used to insinuate themselves to the tables
of other men ; in which sense it was first used by Epicharmus, and after-
wards by Alexis (10) ; nevertheless it was common for friends and men
(1) PlutarchusSympos. lib. vii. qusest.
C2) Lib. ii. sat. viji. 22.
(3) Lib. i. Epist. v. 28
(4) Poenul. act. iii. sc. 3. v. 76.
(5) Mercat. act. iii. sc. 3. v. 28,
(ffi Hieroglyphic)'*:
(7) Iliad, p'. v. 570.
(8) Conf. Athenaeus. lib. i. cap. 7.
(9) Lib. ii. cap. de Sacerdotibus.
(10. Conf. Athenaeus, lib. si. cap. 1. Pollux
Kb. vj. cap. 7,