text_combined: sycophants fig showers nt much etymology several readers claimed _ sicophant _ derived greek words fig sikos phaino first part surely correct second seems problematic since relevant participle forms _ phaino _ would present _ phainont _ aorist _ phanont _ without greek grammar dictionary hand would suggest rather look athematic greek verb _ phe mi _ doric _ pha mi peak participle _ phant _ maybe sicophant figtalker rather figshower semantic connection course would words sweet ear certainly sicophants sweettalking figshowing think etymology proposed proposed rejected leo connolly foreign languages literatures university memphis connolly msuvax memphis edu formerly memphis state university