Χρῆσται
chrestai
Translated by David Whitehead6 Sep 2002Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] moneylenders. [But the term] chrestai [can mean] both the lender and the borrower.1
Aristophanes calls the moneylenders chrestai;2 for whereas common usage calls chrestai those who owe the debts, Athenians say chrestai for the moneylenders and 'debtors' for those who owe the debts. But Phocylides, in accordance with common usage, calls the debtors chrestai, when he says: "avoid a man who is a bad creditor, lest he repent of giving you [money] and demand it back at an inconvenient time".3
Aristophanes calls the moneylenders chrestai;2 for whereas common usage calls chrestai those who owe the debts, Athenians say chrestai for the moneylenders and 'debtors' for those who owe the debts. But Phocylides, in accordance with common usage, calls the debtors chrestai, when he says: "avoid a man who is a bad creditor, lest he repent of giving you [money] and demand it back at an inconvenient time".3