σῡκοφάντ-ης, ου, ὁ,
common informer, voluntary denouncer (there being no Public Prosecutor), e.g. of contraband imports, καὶ σ. εἴ τις ἦν ὠνείδισας; did you dare to reproach a ς.? [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 559, compare 725, 825 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; of unlawful possession, [[ [prev. author] “Pl.” 873, 879, 885 ] Refs]; of disaffection to Athens, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Isocrates Orator 15.313 (compare 316-18)] Refs 5th c.BC+]; κλητήρ εἰμι νησιωτικὸς καὶ σ. [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Aves” 1423 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; the ς. became notorious as pettifoggers, [[ 4th c.BC: Lycurgus Orator 31 (compare 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 920 - 4), 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 20.62 ] Refs 5th c.BC+], vexatious prosecutors of innocent persons especially if rich, [[ 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 25.3, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 57.34, and blackmailers, 5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 5.78,80, 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 7.20, 5th-6th c.BC: Andocides Orator 1.105, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.103, 58.27, 4th c.BC: Aeschines Orator 2.5, 3.256, 4th c.BC: Hyperides Orator “pro Lycophrone” 2, Theopomp. Hist. 107, 267, 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Tim.” 36; having thus abused their legal powers, they were treated as criminals, [οἱ τριάκοντα] τοὺς σ... ἀνῄρουν 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Ἀθηναίων Πολιτεία” 35.3, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 2.3.38, 5th-6th c.BC: Isocrates Orator 15.313, 18.3; συκοφαντῶν προβολαί 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Ἀθηναίων Πολιτεία” 43.5, compare 4th c.BC: Aeschines Orator 2.145 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; they were numerous in democracies, [[ 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Characteres” 26.5 ] Refs 4th c.BC+]; χρῆν.. ἐγγίγνεσθαι.. πάσῃ δημοκρατίᾳ σ. [[ 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Timoleon” 37 ] Refs 1st c.AD+]; δημαγωγῶν πλῆθος καὶ σ. at Syracuse, [[ 1st c.BC: Diodorus Siculus Historicus 11.87 ] Refs 1st c.BC+]; rarer in oligarchies, e.g. Boeotia, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 904 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; βασιλεὺς ἐνδεὴς προσόδων μέγας σ. a great extortioner, [[ LXX.Pro.28.16. ] LXX]