The Characters of Theophrastvs

The Offensive Man

Offensiveness (δυσχέρεια) is distressing neglect of person.

The Offensive man (δυσχερὴς) is one who will go abovt with a scrofvlovs or leprovs affection, or with his nails overgrown, and say that these are hereditary complaints with him; his father had them, and his grandfather, and it is not easy to be smvggled into his family… He will vse rancid oil to anoint himself at the bath; and will go forth into the market-place wearing a thick tvnic, and a very light cloak, covered with stains.