THERSITES

a deformed and scurrilous Greek in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida. Thersites walks about the Greek camp providing foul-mouthed commentary on events. His cynical tongue is despised by all except Achilles, who protects him. Like the Fool in King Lear, Thersites offers the most truthful insight into events. He speaks the famous line . . . lechery, lechery; still, / wars and lechery; nothing else holds fashion.