This entry is identical to Pausanias Atticus beta2b and Photius beta321. It is based in part on observations of the grammarian/lexicographer Apollodorus of Cyrene (RE 1.286 'Apollodorus 65'). It should be read in the context of complementary observations in beta 486, beta 487, beta 488, beta 490 and chi 296. The rascally begging around cult altars by people (apparently even the musicians and priests responsible for ritual music and prayer) who regularly cracked jokes at once witty and cheap, must have been a feature of Athenian life, at least in the time of Aristophanes. The term clearly became current for a type of joking somewhat witty and ingratiating and yet vulgarly trivial. A joke of this sort by a parasite or hanger-on of Maecenas in the days of Augustus at the end of the Roman Republic and beginning of the Empire, when the urbane wit of a Catullus was highly prized, can be classified by Aelian as βωμολοχία (beta 488 note [5]).
[1] For the second part of this compound, from the verb λοχάω 'waylay, ambush', see Web address 1.
[2] This word (beta 484) 'acts of the altar-watchers'(?) is attested only as a synonym for the Headword, given by Apollodorus of Cyrene (as cited at Athenaeus 487b) according to sch. Plat. Rep. 606c and the Etymologicum Magnum 218.7. It would be derived from 'altar' and a verb for watching attested only in the Cypriot dialect by Hesychius and possibly in Cretan (Leg. Gort. 2.17). Thus perhaps altar-ambushers were also called 'altar-watchers'.
[3] See beta 487.
[4] This word εὐτράπελος , 'well-turned', is capable of two meanings, "the socially adept wit who can turn a witty phrase" or "the tricky and self-serving jester" (Web address 2). It is clear that "altar-wit" as a concept embraces both senses; cf. beta 488 and notes [1], on the very similar adjective ἀστεῖος , and [5].
[5] The same word for wit as in note [4] above.
[6] For 'sycophants' see generally sigma 1330, sigma 1331, sigma 1332.