Lucian of Samosata · c. AD 125-after 180
The Parasite
Περὶ παρασίτου ἢ ὅτι τέχνη ἡ παρασιτικήThe Parasite is a mock-demonstration, in the form of a dialogue between Tychiades and the parasite Simon, that sponging is a profession. Tychiades plays the straight man, and Simon cites Homer and the philosophers in support of his case. It is divided into 61 sections in the Greek.
Contents · 5 passages
- 1–10Simon claims sponging is an art1711 words
- 11–26The sponger's end; why sponging beats other arts1312 words
- 27–44Sponging against philosophy and rhetoric1944 words
- 45–51Homer's spongers; the sponger in war and peace1181 words
- 52–61The sponger's life and death; the patron; out-dining1329 words
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English translation by H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler (1905). Original text: A. M. Harmon (ed.), Lucian, vol. III, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1921 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus).
Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library, Greek text); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.
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