Ptocheia or Ptokheia (pronounced pa-toh-KEE-uh; ) was the

ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

female spirit of

beggar Begging (also known in North America as panhandling) is the practice of imploring others to grant a favor, often a gift of money, with little or no expectation of reciprocation. A person doing such is called a beggar or panhandler. Beggars m ...

y. She was regarded as a companion (and a sister) of

Penia In Plato's ''Symposium'', Penia (Ancient Greek: , ''Penía''), or Penae (Latin: "Poverty", "Deficiency"), is the personification of poverty and need. She conceived Eros with an intoxicated Porus ("Resource", "Contrivance") in Zeus's garden whi ...

and

Amechania In Greek mythology, Amechania or Amekhania (Ancient Greek: Àμηχανίην) was the spirit of impossibility. She was regarded as a close companion (and sister) of Penia and Ptocheia. She was virtually identical to Aporia. Amechania was menti ...

. Her opposites were

Euthenia Euthenia (; , ''Eustheneia'') was the feminine personification of prosperity, abundance, and wealth. The Goddess contrasting her is Penia ("Poverty"). Their sisters were Eucleia, Eupheme, and Philophrosyne. According to the Orphic fragments, he ...

and Ploutos.

Aristophanes Aristophanes (; ; ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek Ancient Greek comedy, comic playwright from Classical Athens, Athens. He wrote in total forty plays, of which eleven survive virtually complete today. The majority of his surviving play ...

, '' Plutus'' 549 ff.

Note

Greek goddesses Personifications in Greek mythology {{Greek-deity-stub