ANST - "parasite" ... a new designation

[Decker, Terry D.]

> doing abit of reading in some new keltoi resources i snagged (i love 
> amazon.com) and ran into a term i had never heard used before ....
> "parasite" 
> in it's origional form and usage.
> 
	<snipped>
> so, in the coming war, make sure you pack your bards and designated
> parasites 
> .... (g).  guess every culture has had it's "toadies".
> 
> 'wolf
> 
In Greek, a parasitos is a person who eats at someone elses table.  The word
is derived from para (near) + sitos (grain, food).  It may be that Athenaus
was using the term to describe what he thought the Celtic clan and retainer
system represented.  Equally, a bard could not be considered a parasite.
His ransom was as that of the lord he served and he was required by his
position to provide counsel even when it contradicted the lord's ideas.  In
essence, he was an extension of the lord rather than a servitor or
sycophant.    

In Rome, the parasitus was a person who lived by entertaining the rich.

In these enlightened times, we call them professional dinner guests.

Bear
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