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Cacistus

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David Amicus

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Dec 28, 2014, 5:28:28 PM12/28/14
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I was watching an episode of L&O:SVU. A fellow with mental health problems when he did not take his medication said the "cacistis" would talk to him.

I found this word - a name - Cacistus but it did not give a definition.

Anyone know what it might mean?

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cacistus

John W Kennedy

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Dec 28, 2014, 6:10:15 PM12/28/14
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Can't seem to find anything, but it might well be meant to play on
"cacare", "to shit".

--
John W Kennedy
"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and
Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes.
The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being
corrected."
-- G. K. Chesterton

Ed Cryer

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Dec 28, 2014, 6:29:46 PM12/28/14
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John W Kennedy wrote:
> On 2014-12-28 22:28:26 +0000, David Amicus said:
>
>> I was watching an episode of L&O:SVU. A fellow with mental health
>> problems when he did not take his medication said the "cacistis" would
>> talk to him.
>>
>> I found this word - a name - Cacistus but it did not give a definition.
>>
>> Anyone know what it might mean?
>>
>> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cacistus
>
> Can't seem to find anything, but it might well be meant to play on
> "cacare", "to shit".
>

Yes, plus the association with the Greek "kakistos" meaning "most bad".

Ed

David Amicus

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Dec 29, 2014, 1:29:13 AM12/29/14
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Thanks! Clever show writers.

Ed Cryer

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Dec 29, 2014, 6:06:11 AM12/29/14
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There's a character in Plautus' comedy "Vidularia" called Cacistus; he's
a fisherman.

Ed

David Amicus

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Dec 29, 2014, 7:04:25 PM12/29/14
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What is the character like?

Ed Cryer

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Dec 30, 2014, 8:26:42 AM12/30/14
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The play only survives in fragments. From what I've seen, Cacistus is a
surly, truculent thief.
https://archive.org/details/plautuswithengli05plauuoft

Ed

David Amicus

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Dec 30, 2014, 12:00:56 PM12/30/14
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Thank-you

sueram...@gmail.com

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Apr 24, 2017, 4:36:07 AM4/24/17
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Its meant to mean the "secret police" but more than that, they r the powers that b, they can control everything nd take what they want.

Ed Cryer

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Apr 24, 2017, 8:36:57 AM4/24/17
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sueram...@gmail.com wrote:
> Its meant to mean the "secret police" but more than that, they r the powers that b, they can control everything nd take what they want.
>

Cacistus Piscator is a character in a play by Plautus; Vidularia.

Cacistus the Fisherman.
His forename is pure Greek; κάκιστος (worst)

Ed

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