De parasito sive artem esse parasiticam

Lucian of Samosata

Lucian, Vol. 3. Harmon, A. M., editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1921.

TYCHIADES It seems to me, Simon, that you have treated of everything without being in any degree inadequate

v.3.p.315

to your art. You are not deficient in preparation, as you said you were; on the contrary, you are as thoroughly trained as one could be by the greatest masters. And now I want to know whether the very name of Parasitic is not discreditable.

SIMON Note my answer and see if you think itissatisfactory, and try on your part to answer my question as you think best. Come, now, what about the noun from which it is derived? To what did the ancients apply it? To food.

TYCHIADESSIMON And what about the simple verb, does it not mean “to eat”?

TYCHIADES Yes.

SIMON Then we have admitted, have we not, that to be a parasite is nothing but to eat with someone else ?

TYCHIADES ) Why, Simon, that is the very thing which seems discreditable !