Deipnosophistae

And the silver and gold offerings which were at Delphi were offered originally by Gyges the king of the Lydians. For before the reign of this monarch Apollo had no silver,

For anciently the temple was adorned with brazen offerings: I do not mean statues, but caldrons and tripods made of brass. The Lacedæmonians, therefore, wishing to gild the face of the Apollo that was at Amyclæ, and not finding any gold in Greece, having sent to the oracle of the god, asked the god from whom they could buy gold; and he answered them that they should go to Crœsus the Lydian, and buy it of him. And they went and bought the gold of Crœsus. But Hiero the Syracusan, wishing to offer to the god a tripod and a statue of Victory of unalloyed gold, and being in want of the gold for a long time, afterwards sent men to Greece to seek for it; who, coming after a time to Corinth, and tracing it out, found some in the possession of Architeles the Corinthian, who had been a long time buying it up by little and little, and so had no inconsiderable quantity of it; and he sold it to the emissaries of Hiero in what quantity they required. And after that, having filled his hand with it he made them a present of all that he could hold in his hand, in return for which Hiero sent a vessel full of corn, and many other gifts to him from Sicily.

And Phanias relates the same circumstances in his history of the Tyrants in Sicily, saying that the ancient offerings had been brass, both tripods, and caldrons, and daggers; and that on one of them there was the following inscription—

1. Look on me well; for I was once a part
2. Of the wide tower which defended Troy
3. When Greeks and Trojans fought for fair-hair'd Helen;
4. And Helicon, brave Antenor's son,
5. Brought me from thence, and placed me here, to be
6. An ornament to Phœbus' holy shrine.

1. I am a brazen tripod, and I lie
2. Here as an ornament of Delphi's shrine.
3. The swift Achilles gave me as a prize
4. What time he placed Patroclus on the pile,
5. And Tydeus' mighty son, brave Diomede,
6. Offer'd me here, won by his speedy coursers
7. In the swift race by Helle's spacious wave.

And Ephorus, or Demophilus, his son, in the thirtieth book of his Histories, speaking of the temple of Delphi, says, "But Onomarchus and Phayllus and Phalæcus not only carried off all the treasures of the god, but at last their wives carried off also the ornaments of Eriphyle, which Alcmæon consecrated at Delphi by the command of the god and also the necklace of Helen, which had been given by Menelaus. For the god had given each of them oracles: he had said to Alcmæon, when he asked him how he could be cured of his madness—

1. You ask a precious gift, relief from madness';
2. Give me a precious gift yourself; the chain
3. With which your mother buried, steeds and all,
4. Your sire, her husband, brave Amphiaraus.

1. Bring me the golden ornament of the neck
2. Of your false wife; which Venus once did give
3. A welcome gift to Helen; and then Paris
4. Shall glut your direst vengeance by his fall.

But the divine Plato, and Lycurgus the Lacedæmonian, not only forbad all costly ornaments to be introduced into their model states, but they would not permit even silver or gold to be brought into them, thinking that of the products of mines, iron and copper were sufficient, and banishing the other metals as injurious to those states which were in good order. But Zeno the Stoic, thinking everything unimportant except the legitimate and honest use of the precious metals,

Therefore a little of these metals lies on the surface just to serve as a sample of the rest which is beneath, since in the remotest corners of the earth also there are rivers bearing down gold-dust in their waters; and women and men destitute of bodily strength scratching among the sand, detach these particles from the sand, and then they wash them and bring them to the smelting-pot, as my countryman Posidonius says is done among the Helvetians, and among others of the Celtic tribes. And the mountains which used formerly to be called the Rhipeean mountains, and which were subsequently named the Olbian (as if happy), and which are now called the Alps, (they are mountains in Gaul,) when once the woods upon them had caught fire spontaneously, ran with liquid silver. The greater quantity of this metal, however, is found by mining operations carried on at a great depth, and attended by great hardship, according to the statement of Demetrius Phalereus, in consequence of the desire of avarice to draw Pluto himself out of the recesses of the earth; and, accordingly, he says facetiously that—

Men having often abandoned what was visible for the sake of what was uncertain, have not got what they expected, and have lost what they had, being unfortunate by an enigmatical sort of calamity.

But the Lacedæmonians being hindered by their national institutions from introducing silver or gold into Sparta, as the

But that tribe of Gauls which is called the Cordistæ, does not introduce gold into their country either, still they are not the less ready to plunder the territories of their neighbours, and to commit injustice; and that nation is a remnant of the Gauls who formed the army of Brennus when he made his expedition against the temple of Delphi. And a certain Bathanatius, acting as their leader, settled them as a colony in the districts around the Ister, from whom they call the road by which they returned the Bathanatian road, and even to this day they call his posterity the Bathanati. And these men proscribe gold, and do not introduce it into their territories, as a thing on account of which they have suffered many calamities; but they do use silver, and for the sake of that they commit the most enormous atrocities. Although the proper course would be, not to banish the whole class of the thing of which they were formerly plundered, but the impiety which could perpetrate such a sacrilege. And even if they did not introduce silver into their country, still they would commit excesses in the pursuit of copper and iron; and even if they had not these things, still they would continue to rage in war against other nations for the sake of meat and drink, and other necessaries.

When Pontianus had delivered his opinion in these

The name of parasite is now a disreputable one; but among the ancients we find the word parasite used as something sacred, and nearly equivalent to the title Messmate. Accordingly, at Cynosarges, in the temple of Hercules, there is a pillar on which is engraven a decree of Alcibiades; the clerk who drew it up being Stephanus the son of Thucydides; and in it mention is made of this name in the following terms—' Let the priest perform the monthly sacrifices with the parasites; and let the parasites select one bastard, and one of the sons of the same, according to the usual national customs; and whoever is unwilling to take the place of a parasite, let the priest report him to the tribunal.' And in the tables of the laws concerning the Deliastæ it is written—' And let two heralds, of the family of the heralds, of that branch of it which is occupied about the sacred mysteries, be chosen; and let them be parasites in the temple of Delos for a year.' And in Pallenis this inscription is engraved on the offerings there found—' The Archons and parasites made these offerings, who, in the archonship of Pythodorus, were crowned with a golden crown;[*](The text is supposed to be corrupt here.) and the parasites were, in the archonship of Lycostratus, Gargettius; in the archonship of Pericletus, Pericles Pitheus; in that of Demochares, Charinus.' And in the laws of the king, we find the following words—' That the parasites of the Acharnensians shall sacrifice to Apollo.' But Clearchus the Solensian, and he was one of the disciples of Aristotle, in the first book of his Lives, writes thus-'But now they call a parasite. a man who is ready for anything; but in former times he was a man picked out as a companion.'

1. And then they chose some parasites for Hercules.

That the king, who from time to time fills that office, and the parasites, whom they appoint from the main body of the people, and the old men, and the women who still have their first husbands, shall take care of such and such things.

And from this you perceive, my good friend Ulpian, that you may raise another question, who the women are who still have their first husbands? But (for we are still speaking about the parasites) there is also an inscription on a pillar in the Anaceum to the following effect—

Of the best bulls which are selected, one-third is to be appropriated to the games; and of the remaining two-thirds, one is to go to the priest, and the other to the parasites.

And the word parasite is now used in a disreputable sense; but formerly those people were called parasites who were selected to collect the sacred corn, and there was a regular Hall of the parasites; on which account the following expressions occur in the law of the king—

For the repairs of the temple, and of the magistrates' hall, and of the hall of parasites, and of the sacred house, they shall pay whatever sums of money the contractors appointed by the priests think necessary.

And Philochorus gives the same account in his book entitled the Tetrapolis, where he mentions the parasites who were elected for the temple of Hercules; and Diodorus of Sinope, a comic poet, in his Heir, (from which I will cite some testimonies presently,) says the same. And Aristotle, in his treatise on the Constitution of the Methoneans, says—

Parasites were two in number for each of the archons, and one for the polemarchs. And they received a fixed allowance from others, and they also took dishes of fish from the fishermen.

But the meaning which is now given to the name parasite is one which Carystius of Pergamus, in his treatise on the Didascali$e, says was first invented by Alexis, forgetting that Epicharmus, in his Hope or Plutus, has introduced one in a drinking party, where he says—

1. But here another stands at this man's feet,

1. Seeking for food which shall not cost him anything,
2. And he will drink up an entire cask,
3. As if it were a cupfull.

1. I sup with any one who likes, if he
2. Has only got the good sense to invite me;
3. And with each man who makes a marriage feast,
4. Whether I'm asked or not, there I am witty;
5. There I make others laugh, and there I praise
6. The host, who gives the feast. And if by chance
7. Any one dares to say a word against him,
8. I arm myself for contest, and o'erwhelm him.
9. Then eating much and drinking plentifully,
10. I leave the house. No link-boy doth attend me;
11. But I do pick my way with stumbling steps,
12. Both dark and desolate; and if sometimes
13. I do the watchmen meet, I swear to them
14. By all the gods that I have done no wrong;
15. But still they set on me. At last, well beaten,
16. I reach my home, and go to sleep on the ground,
17. And for a while forget my blows and bruises,
18. While the strong wine retains its sway and lulls me.

And the parasite of Epicharmus makes a second speech of the same kind. And a parasite of Diphilus speaks thus—

1. When a rich man who gives a dinner asks me,
2. I look not at the ceiling or the cornices,
3. Nor do I criticise Corinthian chasings,
4. But keep my eyes fixed on the kitchen smoke,
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5. And if it goes up strong and straight to heaven,
6. I joy and triumph, and I clap my wings;
7. But it be but thin and moving sidewise,
8. Then I perceive my feast too will be thin.

1. There stood a Trojan, not unknown to fame,
2. Eetion's son, and Podes was his name,—
3. With riches honour'd, and with courage blest,
4. By Hector loved, his comrade and his guest.[*](Iliad, xvii. 575.)

But the ancient poets called parasites flatterers; from whom also Eupolis gave this title to his play, where he represents a chorus of flatterers speaking thus—

1. But we will tell you now
2. The mode of life adopted
3. By the whole flattering band,
4. And listen ye, and learn
5. How well-bred we all are.
6. For first of all a boy,
7. Another person's slave,
8. Attends us; and we are
9. Content with very little.
10. I have two well-made garments,
11. And always have one on;
12. I hie me to the forum,
13. And when I see a man,
14. A foolish man but rich,
15. I make my way to him,
16. And if he says a word
17. I praise his wit and laugh,
18. Delighted at his jests.
19. And then we go to supper,
20. My friends and I, pursuing
21. Each different game so long
22. As we can save our money.
23. And then the parasite
24. Must show his wit and manners,
25. Or out of doors be turned.
26. And one there was, Acestor,
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27. A branded slave, if I
28. Am bound to tell the truth,
29. And he was treated so.
30. For not one single joke
31. Did he ope his lips to utter,
32. And so the slaves expell'd
33. And pilloried the knave,
34. And gave him up to Œneus.

And Araros, in his Hymenæus, uses the word parasite, where he says—

1. Why you must be a parasite, my friend;
2. And 'tis Ischomachus who does support you.

1. See how these youths do play the parasite.

1. A. There are two kinds of parasites, Nausinicos:
2. The one the common one, much jested on
3. By comic writers, we, the blackfaced men
4. N. What is the other kind?
5. A. Satraps of parasites;
6. Illustrious leaders of the band; a troop
7. Whom you may call the venerable parasites;
8. Men who act well throughout their lives;
9. Knit their brows gravely, win estates and legacies.
10. Know'st thou the kind of men, and these their manners?
11. N. Indeed I do.
12. A. Each of these men have one
13. Fix'd method of proceeding, flattery;
14. And as in life, fortune makes some men great,
15. And bids the rest content themselves with little;
16. So some of us do thrive, and some do fail.
17. Do I not make the matter plain to you
18. N. Why if I praise you, you will ask for more.

And Timocles, in his Dracontius, hits off the parasite very neatly, and describes his character thus—

1. Shall I then let a man abuse the parasites?
2. No, surely, for there is no race of men
3. More useful in such matters. And if company
4. Be one of the things which makes life pass agreeably,
5. Surely a parasite does this most constantly.
6. Are you in love? he, at the shortest notice,
7. Feels the same passion. Have you any business
8. His business is at once the same as yours;
9. And he's at hand to help you as you wish;
10. Thinking that only fair to him that feeds him.
11. 'Tis marvellous how he doth praise his friends—
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12. He loves a feast where he is ask'd for nothing.
13. What man, what hero, or what god exists,
14. Who does not scorn such habits and such principles?
15. But that I mayn't detain you all the day,
16. I think that I can give you one clear proof
17. In what respect men hold a parasite;
18. For they receive the same rewards as those
19. Who at Olympia bear the palm of victory—
20. They both are fed for nothing for their virtues;
21. And wheresoe'er there is no contribution,
22. That place we ought to call the Prytaneum.

And Antiphanes, in his Twins, says—

1. For look, the parasite, if you judge aright,
2. Shares both the life and fortune of his friends.
3. There is no parasite who'd wish his friends
4. To be unfortunate; but on the contrary
5. His constant prayer will be, that all may prosper.
6. Has any one a fortune? he don't envy him;
7. He'd rather always be at hand to share it.
8. He is a genuine friend, and eke a safe one,
9. Not quarrelsome, ill-humour'd, peevish, sulky,
10. But skill'd to keep his temper. Do you mock him?
11. He laughs himself; he's amorous or mirthful,
12. Just as his friend is i' th' humour. He's a general,
13. Or valiant soldier, only let his pay
14. Be a good dinner, and he'll ask no more.

And Aristophon, in his Physician, says—

1. I wish now to inform him
2. What is my disposition.
3. If any one gives a dinner,
4. I'm always to be found,
5. So that the young men scoffing
6. Because I come in first
7. Do call me gravy soup.
8. Then if there be occasion
9. To check a drunken guest,
10. Or turn him out by force,
11. You'd think I were Antæus;
12. Or must a door be forced?
13. I butt like any ram;
14. Or would you scale a ladder?
15. I'm Capaneus, and eager
16. To climb like him to heaven.
17. Are blows to be endured?
18. A very anvil I;
19. Or Telamon or Ajax,
20. If wounds are to be given;
21. While as a beauty-hunter
22. E'en smoke itself can't beat me.[*](It is said to have been a proverb among the Greek women, Smoke follows the fairest. )

1. For being hungry, and yet eating nothing,
2. He is a Tithymallus or Philippides;
3. For water-drinking he's a regular frog;
4. For eating thyme and cabbages, a snail;
5. For hating washing he's a pig; for living
6. Out in the open air, a perfect blackbird;
7. For standing cold and chattering all the day,
8. A second grasshopper; in hating oil
9. He's dust; for walking barefoot in the morning,
10. A crane; for passing sleepless nights, a bat.

And Antiphanes says in his Ancestors—

1. You know my ways;
2. That there's no pride in me, but I am just
3. Like this among my friends: a mass of iron
4. To bear their blows, a thunderbolt to give them;
5. Lightning to blind a man, the wind to move one;
6. A very halter, if one needs be choked;
7. An earthquake to heave doors from off their hinges;
8. A flea to leap quick in; a fly to come
9. And feast without a formal invitation;
10. Not to depart too soon, a perfect well.
11. I'm ready when I'm wanted, whether it be
12. To choke a man or kill him, or to prove
13. A case against him. All that others say,
14. Those things I am prepared at once to do.
15. And young men, mocking me on this account,
16. Do call me whirlwind—but for me, I care not
17. For such light jests. For to my friends I prove
18. A friend in deeds, and not in words alone.

1. Do you not know that in the form of curse
2. These words are found, If any one do fail
3. To point the right road to a traveller,
4. To quench a fire; or if any one spoil
5. The water of a spring or well, or hinders
6. A guest upon his way when going to supper?

1. The man who first devised the plan of feasting
2. At other folk's expense, must sure have been
3. A gentleman of very popular manners;
4. But he who ask'd a friend or any stranger
5. To dinner, and then made him bear his share,
6. May he be banish'd, and his goods all seized.

And Diodorus of Sinope, in his Orphan Heiress, has these expressions, when speaking of a parasite, and they are not devoid of elegance—

1. I wish to show and prove beyond a doubt
2. How reputable, and how usual too,
3. This practice is; a most divine contrivance.
4. Other arts needed not the gods to teach them;
5. Wise men invented them; but Jove himself
6. Did teach his friends to live as parasites,
7. And he confessedly is king o' the gods.
8. For he does often to men's houses come,
9. And cares not whether they be rich or poor;
10. And wheresoe'er he sees a well-laid couch,
11. And well-spread table near, supplied with all
12. That's good or delicate, he sits him down,
13. And asks himself to dinner, eats and drinks,
14. And then goes home again, and pays no share.
15. And I now do the same. For when I see
16. Couches prepared, and handsome tables loaded,
17. And the door open to receive the guests,
18. I enter in at once, and make no noise,
19. But trim myself, behaving quietly,
20. To give no great annoyance to my neighbour,
21. And then, when I have well enjoy'd the whole
22. That's set before me, and when I have drunk
23. Of delicate wines enough, I home return,
24. Like friendly Jupiter. And that such a line
25. Was always thought respectable and honest,
26. I now will give you a sufficient proof.
27. This city honours Hercules exceedingly,
28. And sacrifices to him in all the boroughs,
29. And at these sacred rites it ne'er admits
30. The common men, or parasites, or beggars;
31. But out of all the citizens it picks
32. Twelve men of all the noblest families,
33. All men of property and character;
34. And then some rich men, imitating Hercules,
35. Select some parasites, not choosing those
36. Who are the wittiest men, but who know best
37. How to conciliate men's hearts with flattery;
38. So that if any one should eat a radish,
39. Or stinking shad, they'd take their oaths at once
40. That he had eaten lilies, roses, violets;
41. And that if any odious smell should rise,
42. They'd ask where you did get such lovely scents.
43. So that because these men behave so basely,
44. That which was used to be accounted honourable,
45. Is now accounted base.

And Axionicus, in his Chalcidian, says—]

1. When first I wish'd to play the parasite
2. With that Philoxenus, while youth did still
3. Raise down upon my cheeks, I learnt to bear
4. Hard blows from fists, and cups and dishes too,
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5. And bones, so great that oftentimes I was
6. All over wounds; but still it paid me well,
7. For still the pleasure did exceed the pain.
8. And even in some sort I did esteem
9. The whole affair desirable for me.
10. Is a man quarrelsome, and eager too
11. To fight with me? I turn myself to him;
12. And all the blame which he does heap upon me,
13. I own to be deserved; and am not hurt.
14. Does any wicked man call himself good?
15. I praise that man, and earn his gratitude.
16. To day if I should eat some boiled fish
17. I do not mind eating the rest to-morrow.
18. Such is my nature and my principle.

1. Stand each one in your place, and listen to me,
2. Before I write my name, and take my cloak.
3. If any question should arise to day
4. About those men who live as parasites,
5. I have at all times much esteem'd their art,
6. And from my childhood have inclined to learn it.

And among the parasites these men are commemorated by name: Tithymallus, who is mentioned by Alexis in his Milesian Woman, and in his Ulysses the Weaver. And in his Olynthians he says—

1. This is your poor man, O my darling woman;
2. This is the only class, as men do say,
3. Who can put death to flight. Accordingly
4. This Tithymallus does immortal live.

1. A. I was above all things ashamed when I
2. Found that I was again to have a supper
3. For which I was to give no contribution.
4. B. A shameful thing, indeed. Still you may see
5. Our Tithymallus on his way, more red
6. Than saffron or vermilion; and he blushes,
7. As you may guess, because he nothing pays.

1. Calling, him Tithymallus, parasite.

1. A. Will any other thing appear? Be quick,
2. For Tithymallus has return'd to life,
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3. Who was quite dead, now that he well has boil'd
4. Eightpennyworth of lupin seed.
5. B. For he
6. Could not persist in starving himself, but only
7. In drinking wine at other men's expense.

1. Alas me, how I am in love! ye gods!
2. Not Tithymallus did so long to eat,
3. Nor Cormus ever to steal another's cloak,
4. Nor Nilus to eat cakes, nor Corydus
5. To exercise his teeth at other's cost.

1. A. For he will not assist his friends for nothing.
2. B. You say that Tithymallus will be rich,
3. For as I understand you, he will get
4. Sufficient pay, and a collection suitable
5. From those within whose doors he freely sups.

Corydus also was one of the most notorious parasites. And he is mentioned by Timocles, in his The Man who Rejoices at Misfortunes of others, thus—

1. To see a well-stock'd market is a treat
2. To a rich man, but torture to a poor one.
3. Accordingly once Corydus, when he
4. Had got no invitation for the day,
5. Went to buy something to take home with him.
6. And who can cease to laugh at what befel him?—
7. The man had only fourpence in his purse;
8. Gazing on tunnies, eels, crabs, rays, anchovies,
9. He bit his lips till the blood came in vain;
10. Then going round,

    How much is this?

    said he—
11. Then frighten'd at the price, he bought red herrings.

1. I fear to look at Corydus in the face,
2. Seeming so glad to dine with any one;
3. But I will not deny it; he's the same,
4. And never yet refused an invitation.

1. This Corydus who has so often practised
2. His jokes and witticisms, wishes now
3. To be Blepæus, and he's not far wrong,
4. For mighty are the riches of Blepæus.

1. Beware of Corydus the wary brassfounder;
2. Unless you make your mind up long before
3. To leave him nothing. And I warn you now
v.1.p.380
4. Never to eat your fish with such a man
5. As Corydus; for he's a powerful hand,
6. Brazen, unwearied, strong as fire itself.

1. I have a great desire to raise a laugh,
2. And to say witty things, and gain a fame
3. Second alone to that of Corydus.

Eucrates, who was called Corydus, when he was once feasting with some one whose house was in a very shabby condition, said, 'A man who sups here ought to hold up the house with his left hand like the Caryatides.