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In reference to those who are poor, yet boastful. For this man [sc. Theagenes], though poor, used to say that he was rich. (There are also two other [men called] Theagenes: one wrote about Homer,[1] and another was mocked for his effeminacy.) This man, though poor, wished to be a leading importer; he was boastful and faked his wealth. He used to be called “Smoke”,[2] because he promised a lot and fulfilled nothing. Aeschines too [was] poor, but he too gave himself airs regarding wealth and claimed to be rich. Aeschines was the son of Sellus. And they used to call such people metaphorically Selluses; and boasting [they used to call] σελλίζειν .[3]

Θεαγένους χρήματα τά τ' Αἰσχίνου: ἐπὶ τῶν πενήτων, ἀλαζονευομένων δέ. οὗτος γὰρ πένης ὢν ἔλεγεν ἑαυτὸν πλούσιον εἶναι. εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι δύο Θεαγένεις, εἷς μὲν ὁ περὶ Ὁμήρου γράψας, ἕτερος δὲ ἐπὶ μαλακίαις σκωπτόμενος. οὗτος δὲ πένης ὢν μεγαλέμπορος ἐβούλετο εἶναι, ἀλαζών, ψευδόπλουτος. ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ Καπνός, ὅτι πολλὰ ὑπισχνούμενος οὐδὲν ἐτέλει. καὶ ὁ Αἰσχίνης δὲ πένης, θρυπτόμενος καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ πλούτῳ καὶ λέγων ἑαυτὸν πλούσιον. ἦν δὲ Αἰσχίνης Σέλλου. ἔλεγον δὲ ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τοὺς τοιούτους Σέλλους: καὶ τὸ ἀλαζονεύεσθαι σελλίζειν.

From the scholia to Aristophanes, Birds 822-3 (web address 1); see also the scholia to Wasps 325 and 1267 and to Peace 928; and Michael Apostolius, Collectio paroemiarum 8.84.
Note that many modern editors of Aristophanes adopt Dindorf's emendation of the name to Theogenes.
[1] Theagenes of Rhegium (6th century BCE), identified as one of first scholars on Homeric poetry (Tatianus, Oratio ad Graecos 31.2), founder of the “new grammar” (a grammar of the written word, as opposed to the spoken one; Commentaria in Dionysii Thracis Artem Grammaticam, Scholia Vaticana 164.23-29), and forerunner of the allegorical method of interpreting the epics (Porphyrius, Quaestionum Homericarum ad Iliadem pertinentium reliquiae to Iliad 20.67).
[2] See also epsilon 361, theta 80, upsilon 79 and the scholia to Aristophanes, Birds 1126.
[3] See also sigma 210 and sigma 259. See also Photius s.v. σεσέλλισαι , Hesychius s.v. σελλίζεσθαι , and Michael Apostolius, Collectio paroemiarum 15.41 (Σεσέλλισαι κατ’ Αἰσχίνην ).

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