In the Conscious Lovers, Sir R. Steele changes Crito into Isabella, the aunt of Indiana, whose real birth is discovered by Sealand’s making her a visit, to inquire into the nature of her connexion with young Bevil: the discovery is made by Sealand himself, who recognizes one of the ornaments worn by his daughter. He gives Indiana willingly to her preserver Bevil, jun., and Lucinda, who was intended to be the wife of Bevil, was, upon his marriage with her sister Indiana, given to Myrtle, the lover whom she herself had always favoured.
[NOTE 202.]
Simo.—A sycophant.
The word sycophant was an epithet of peculiar opprobrium at Athens, and of very singular derivation. In a season of great scarcity, a law was passed at Athens, prohibiting the exportation of figs; and afterwards, through neglect, remained unrepealed. Hence, those malicious men who informed against those who transgressed it, were called συκοφάνται, and this appellation was afterwards always applied to false witnesses, and busy and malicious informers.
Crito.—Chrysis’ father, who received him, was my relation, and, at his house, I’ve heard that shipwrecked stranger say, that he was an Athenian: he died in Andros.
——Tum is mihi cognatus fuit,
Qui eum recepit: ibi ego audivi ex illo sese esse Atticum:
Is ibi mortuus est.
The word recepit, in this sentence, alludes to the Roman customs respecting foreigners. Crito had just before used the term applicat, he applied for assistance. When an exile or foreigner arrived at Rome, he was said applicare, to apply to some person to become his patron; as every stranger at Rome was compelled to obtain the protection of one of the citizens, who succeeded to his effects at his death: jure applicationis. When a Roman citizen agreed to accept of a foreigner as his client, he was said recipere, to receive him.