This is the third posting (and last, for a while) of my series of fig related word origins, definitions, unpleasantness, vulgarity and some fun facts from antiquity. The information, although far from exhaustive, comes from old and current books, and from online sources. Sources listed below the main text [ ].
Ingevald
A significant fig related word is sycophant.
- Sycophant - A servile self seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people.[6]
- Latin- Sycophanta – informer, slanderer [6]
- Greek – sukophantes – informer, Litterally the person showing a fig, apparently referring to the fig sign used in making an accusation, from sukon (fig) +phainein (to show) [6]
- Sycophant – a person who uses flattery to win favor from individuals wielding influence; toady [6]
- Sycophant synonyms – lackey, apple polisher, bootlicker, groveler, etc [6]
There are several significant resources for definitions of sycophant, a fig's phallic significance and other interesting references in older literature. One of the best collections of this information is in Ira Condit’s The Fig on pages 1 through 8. (a link is provided below [7]). There is too much dense information in Condit’s book to include here. I highly recommend reading through it for the interesting stories, not to mention its value as a fig cultural guide.
“The Athenians were especially chided for their fondness for figs, and nicknamed “sycophants” (fig-eaters), a name afterwards applied with a different meaning to those spies who informed the authorities about the unlawful exportation of figs from Attika.” Page 18 [11]
“The Athenians were so choice of their figs, that they did not allow them to be exported; and the informers against those who broke this law, being called sukophantai, from two Greek words, signifying the discoverers of figs, gave rise to our modern word sycophant.” [8]
“The fig has been reckoned among the most
valuable fruits since the earliest times; thus, it is mentioned with corn, wine, and oil as one
of the leading riches of the promised land. The
Athenians, too, seem to have largely subsisted
upon figs, especially before the culture of cereals
became general; and a fig-tree was the device of
the city. It appears that special officers were appointed'
to denounce illicit export or engrossing of
figs, the ' sycophants, ' whose title came to acquire
such different meaning. But it must be noted
that the word ' sycophant ' in this its literal sense
is not found in any ancient author. See Solms-
Laubach, Domestikation des Gewöhnlichen Feigenbaums (Göttingen, 1882).” [9]
Resources:
[6] The Free Dictionary by Farlex
[7] The Fig by Ira Condit 1947 The section on sycophant starts on page 4.
[8] Plantae Utiliores; or Illustrations of Useful Plants employed in The Arts and Medicine by M.A. Burnett Vol I. 1842
[9] Chambers’s Encyclopaedia, A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge. Vol. IV. William and Robert Chambers 1889
[11] The Fig; Its History, Culture and Curing by Gustav Eisen. Pages 15- 21 contain some very good stories and information on the history of figs. The books is also an excellent cultivation resource. There are two links http://figs4fun.com/Links/FigLink270.pdf (some edges of the pages are cut off in this link). Click here for the Google Book’s link.