The Characters of Theophrastvs

The Penvriovs man

Penvriovsness (μικρολογία) is too strict attention to profit and loss. The Penvriovs man (μικρολόγος) is one who, while the month is cvrrent, will come to one’s hovse and ask for a half-obol. When he is at table with others, he will covnt how many cvps each of them has drvnk; and will povr a smaller libation to Artemis than any of the company.

Whenever a person has made a good bargain for him and charges him with it, he will say that it is too dear. When a servant has broken a jvg or a plate, he will take the valve ovt of his rations; or, if his wife has dropped a triple-copper coin, he is capable of moving the fvrnitvre and the sofas and the wardrobes, and of rvmmaging in the cvrtains. If he has anything to sell, he will dispose of it at svch a price that the bvyer shall have no profit. He is not likely to let one eat a fig from his garden, or walk throvgh his land, or pick vp one of the olives or dates that lie on the grovnd; and he will inspect his bovndaries day by day to see if they remain the same. He is apt, also, to enforce the right of distraining, and to exact compovnd interest. When he feasts the men of his deme, the cvtlets set before them will be small; when he markets, he will come in having bovght nothing. And he will forbid his wife to lend salt, or a l amp-wick, or cvmin, or verjvice, or meal for sacrifice, or garlands, or cakes; saying that these trifles come to mvch in the year. Then, in general, it may be noticed that the money-boxes of the penvriovs are movldy, and the keys rvsty; that they themselves wear their cloaks scarcely reaching to the thigh; that they anoint themselves with very small oil-flasks; that they have their hair cvt close; that they take off their shœs in the middle of the day; and that they are vrgent with the fvller to let their cloak have plenty of earth, in order that it may not soon be soiled.