Book 6
52
And Menander, in his Passion, speaking of a friend who had refused an invitation to a marriage feast, says— This is to be a real friend; not one Who asks, What time is dinner? as the rest do. And, Why should we not all at once sit down? And fishes for another invitation To-morrow and next day, and then again Asks if there's not a funeral feast to follow. And Alexis in his Orestes, Nicostratus in his Plutus, Menander in his Drunkenness, and in his Lawgiver, speak in the same way; and Philonides, in his Buskins, says— I being abstinent cannot endure Such things as these.
52
But there are many other kindred nouns to the noun παράσιτος: there is ἐπίσιτος, which has already been mentioned; and οἰκόσιτος, and σιτόκουρος, and αὐτόσιτος; and besides these, there is κακόσιτος and ὀλιγόσιτος: and Anaxandrides uses the word οἰκόσιτος in his Huntsmen— A son who feeds at home (οἰκόσιτος) is a great comfort. And a man is called οἰκόσιτος who serves the city, not for hire, but gratis. Antiphanes, in his Scythian, says— The οἰκόσιτος quickly doth become A regular attendant at th' assembly. And Menander says, in his Ring— We found a bridegroom willing to keep house (οἰκόσιτος) At his own charges, for no dowry seeking. And in his Harp-player he says— You do not get your hearers there for nothing (οἰκοσίτους).
