 To understand the medieval theory of conscience, it is essential to examine its etymology. Unlike most philosophical categories that are central to medieval thought, the concept of conscience did not have its origins in Plato or Aristotle (Potts 1982: 687). Rather, most scholars agree, it originated in the Greek playwrights of the fifth century BCE (Sorabji 2014: 12, 15–18). It is also possible to find its use elsewhere in Greek literature, such as in the fragments of Democritus (D’Arcy 1961: 5).