συκοφάντης: Difference between revisions

|Definition=ου, ὁ, <span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">A</span> [[common informer]], [[voluntary denouncer]] (there being no Public Prosecutor), e.g. of contraband imports, <b class="b3">καὶ σ. εἴ τις ἦν ὠνείδισας</b>; did you dare to reproach a ς.? <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ach.</span>559</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">725</span>,<span class="bibl">825</span>; of unlawful possession, <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Pl.</span>873</span>,<span class="bibl">879</span>,<span class="bibl">885</span>; of disaffection to Athens, <span class="bibl">Isoc.15.313</span> (cf. 316-18); <b class="b3">κλητήρ εἰμι νησιωτικὸς καὶ σ</b>. <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Av.</span>1423</span>; the ς. became notorious as pettifoggers, <span class="bibl">Lycurg.31</span> (cf. <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ach.</span>920</span> -<span class="bibl">4</span>), <span class="bibl">D.20.62</span>, vexatious prosecutors of innocent persons esp. if rich, <span class="bibl">Lys.25.3</span>, <span class="bibl">D.57.34</span>, and blackmailers, <span class="bibl">Antipho 5.78</span>,80, <span class="bibl">Lys.7.20</span>, <span class="bibl">And.1.105</span>, <span class="bibl">D.21.103</span>, <span class="bibl">58.27</span>, <span class="bibl">Aeschin.2.5</span>, <span class="bibl">3.256</span>, <span class="bibl">Hyp.<span class="title">Lyc.</span>2</span>, Theopomp. Hist.<span class="bibl">107</span>,<span class="bibl">267</span>, <span class="bibl">Luc.<span class="title">Tim.</span>36</span>; having thus abused their legal powers, they were treated as criminals, [οἱ τριάκοντα] τοὺς σ… ἀνῄρουν <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Ath.</span>35.3</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">HG</span>2.3.38</span>, <span class="bibl">Isoc.15.313</span>, <span class="bibl">18.3</span>; συκοφαντῶν προβολαί <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Ath.</span>43.5</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Aeschin.2.145</span>; they were numerous in democracies, <span class="bibl">Thphr.<span class="title">Char.</span>26.5</span>; <b class="b3">χρῆν . . ἐγγίγνεσθαι . . πάσῃ δημοκρατίᾳ σ</b>. <span class="bibl">Plu.<span class="title">Tim.</span>37</span>; <b class="b3">δημαγωγῶν πλῆθος καὶ σ</b>. at Syracuse, <span class="bibl">D.S.11.87</span>; rarer in oligarchies, e.g. Boeotia, <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ach.</span>904</span>; <b class="b3">βασιλεὺς ἐνδεὴς προσόδων μέγας σ</b>. a great [[extortioner]], <span class="bibl">LXX <span class="title">Pr.</span>28.16</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> in New Com., [[professional swindler]] or [[confidential agent]], <b class="b3">πράττει δ' ὁ κόλαξ ἄριστα πάντων, δεύτερα ὁ σ</b>. <span class="bibl">Men.223.17</span>, cf. <span class="title">Georg. Fr.</span>1, <span class="bibl">Philippid.29</span>: so in Lat. [[sycophanta]], Plaut.<span class="title">Poen.</span>1032, <span class="title">Trin.</span> 815, Ter.<span class="title">Andr.</span>815; [[humbug]], Favorin. ap. Gell.14.1.32. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">3</span> = Lat. [[delator]], ὁ πικρὸς σ. Ἰσίδωρος <span class="bibl">Ph.2.597</span>, cf. <span class="title">OGI</span>669.41 (Egypt, i A.D.), <span class="title">Cod.Just.</span>1.4.34.17, al. (From <b class="b3">σῦκον φαίνειν</b>, orig. used of denouncers of the attempted export of figs from Athens, acc. to <span class="bibl">Ister 35</span>, <span class="bibl">Plu. <span class="title">Sol.</span>24</span>, <span class="bibl">2.523b</span>; orig. of citizens entrusted with the collection of figs as part of the public revenues of Athens and the denouncing of tax-evaders, acc. to <span class="bibl">Philomnest.1</span>; of denouncers of figs which had been stolen from the sacred fig-trees during a famine and had become cheap, the famine having passed, Sch.<span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Pl.</span>31</span>, cf. Fest. p.393 L.; these and modern explanations are mere guesses; the word first in Ar. but implied by [[συκοπέδιλος]].)</span>