THE SCENE: The adjective “sybaritic” refers to someone who loves pleasure and distains labor. This meaning is derived from the ancient stereotypes about the Sybarites, who were described as being useless to the point of pure comedy.
THE TEXT: The Sybarites are slaves to their belly and lovers of luxury. We are told that a wealthy Sybarite, on hearing some persons say that a man had suffered a rupture at the sight of some men working, begged the speaker not to be astounded at that. “For I,” he said, “at the mere hearing of it, have suffered a stitch in my side.” Of another Sybarite it is told that he remarked after a visit to Sparta that he used to wonder at the bravery of the Spartans, but that now, after witnessing what a frugal and utterly miserable life they led, he could only conclude that they were no better than the lowest of men. “For the most cowardly Sybarite,” he said, “would choose to die thrice rather than to endure a life like theirs.”
– Bibliotheca Historica, Diodorus Siculus, 1st Century BC
