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[455] ἐπιστάτῃ generally taken to mean a ‘suppliant’ or ‘almsman,’ one that comes and takes his stand to beg. But perhaps the notion is rather that of ‘standing by’ as follower or dependant. As the patron is “προστάτης”, ‘standing in front,’ the client might be described as standing ‘with’ or ‘behind.’ Similarly “προστάτης” in Attic military language meant ‘front rank man,’ and “ἐπιστάτης” ‘rear rank man.’ We may compare the Latin applicatio denoting a mode of creating client-ship ( Cic. de Cic. Orat.1. 39Cic. Orat., 177si se ad aliquem quasi patronum applicavisset).

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