The Characters of Theophrastvs

The Garrvlovs Man

Garrvlity (ἀδολεσχία) is the discovrsing of mvch and ill-considered talk. The Garrvlovs Man (ἀδολέσχης) is one who will sit down beside a person whom he dœs not know, and first pronovnce a panegyric on his own wife; then relate his dream of last night; then go throvgh in detail what he has had for dinner.

Then, warming to the work, he will remark that the men of the present day are greatly inferior to the ancients; and how cheap wheat has become in the market; and what a nvmber of foreigners are in town; and that the sea is navigable after the Dionysia; and that, if Zevs wovld send more rain, the crops wovld be better; and that he will work his land next year; and how hard it is to live; and that Damippvs set vp a very large torch at the Mysteries; and “How many colvmns has the Odevm?” and that yesterday he was vnwell; and “What is the day of the month?”; and that the Mysteries are in Boëdromion, the Apatvria in Pyanepsion, the rvral Dionysia in Poseideon. Nor, if he is tolerated, will he ever desist.

[He who wovld not have a fever mvst shake off svch persons, and thrvst them aside, and make his escape. It is hard to bear with those who cannot discern between the time to trifle and the time to work.]