parasites and the body politic

[Arnold Zwicky]

lots of hits for "parasites upon the body politic", "parasites on the body politic", and "parasites in the body politic", plus parasites infesting the body politic, parasites dining on the body politic, parasites attacking the body politic, parasites growing inside the body politic, parasites sucking on the body politic, etc.  mostly in political commentary.

does this formula have a known history? in particular, is there a quotation at its base?

arnold

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