---
title: "Dialogues of the Dead · Νεκρικοὶ διάλογοι"
author: "Lucian"
translator: "Matthew Donald Macleod"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 20 of 30
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-dead/20/
cite: "Lucian, tr. Matthew Donald Macleod, Dialogues of the Dead · Νεκρικοὶ διάλογοι, section 20. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-dead/20/"
---

# Dialogues of the Dead · Νεκρικοὶ διάλογοι

*Lucian, tr. Matthew Donald Macleod*

Diogenes, Menippus, Alexander, Achilles and the rest in Hades, where beauty, wealth and power count for nothing.

> Greek: ed. Matthew Donald Macleod, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg066, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Matthew Donald Macleod, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg066.perseus-eng3). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (books, chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 20. Dialogue 20

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-dead/20/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-dead/20/#p-N

[¶0] 1. CHARON: Let me tell you how you stand; your boat is small, as you can see, and unsound, and leaks almost all over; if it lists one way or the other, it will capsize and sink. Yet you come in such numbers all at once, each of you laden with luggage. If, then, you take all this on board, I’m afraid you’ll be sorry for it later on, particularly those of you that can’t swim. DEAD MEN: Well, what shall we do to have a good passage?

> Greek: 1. ΧΑΡΩΝ: Ἀκούσατε ὡς ἔχει ὑμῖν τὰ πράγματα. μικρὸν μὲν ὑμῖν, ὡς ὁρᾶτε, τὸ σκαφίδιον καὶ ὑπόσαθρόν ἐστιν καὶ διαρρεῖ τὰ πολλά, καὶ ἢν τραπῇ ἐπὶ θάτερα, οἰχήσεται περιτραπέν, ὑμεῖς δὲ τοσοῦτοι ἅμα ἥκετε πολλὰ ἐπιφερόμενοι ἕκαστος. ἢν οὖν μετὰ τούτων ἐμβῆτε, δέδια μὴ ὕστερον μετανοήσητε, καὶ μάλιστα ὁπόσοι νεῖν οὐκ ἐπίστασθε.
ΕΡΜΗΣ: Πῶς οὖν ποιήσαντες εὐπλοήσομεν;

[¶1] CHARON: I’ll tell you. Strip yourselves before you come on board, and leave all this useless stuff on the shore; for, even then, the ferry will hardly hold you. It will be up to you, Hermes, to let none of them aboard after this, unless he has stripped himself and thrown away his trappings, as I said he must. Go and stand by the gangway, and sort them out for admission. Make them strip, before you let them on board.

> Greek: ΧΑΡΩΝ: Ἐγὼ ὑμῖν φράσω· γυμνοὺς ἐπιβαίνειν χρὴ τὰ περιττὰ ταῦτα πάντα ἐπὶ τῆς ἠϊόνος καταλιπόντας· μόλις γὰρ ἂν καὶ οὕτως δέξαιτο ὑμᾶς τὸ πορθμεῖον. σοὶ δέ, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, μελήσει τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου μηδένα παραδέχεσθαι αὐτῶν, ὃς ἂν μὴ ψιλὸς ᾖ καὶ τὰ ἔπιπλα, ὥσπερ ἔφην, ἀποβαλών. παρὰ δὲ τὴν ἀποβάθραν ἑστὼς διαγίνωσκε αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀναλάμβανε γυμνοὺς ἐπιβαίνειν ἀναγκάζων.

[¶2] 2. HERMES: Well spoken. Let’s do as you say. Who’s this first one?

> Greek: 2. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Εὖ λέγεις, καὶ οὕτω ποιήσωμεν.—Οὑτοσὶ τίς ὁ πρῶτός ἐστιν;

[¶3] MENIPPUS: I’m Menippus. But see, here’s my bag for you, Hermes, and my stick; into the water with them. My cloak I didn’t even bring—and a good job too!

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Μένιππος ἔγωγε. ἀλλ’ ἰδοὺ ἡ πήρα μοι, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ τὸ βάκτρον εἰς τὴν λίμνην ἀπερρίφθων, τὸν τρίβωνα δὲ οὐδὲ ἐκόμισα εὖ ποιῶν.

[¶4] HERMES: Come on board, Menippus, best of men, and take the seat of honour up beside the steersman, so that you can keep an eye on the others.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἔμβαινε, ὦ Μένιππε ἀνδρῶν ἄριστε, καὶ τὴν προεδρίαν ἔχε παρὰ τὸν κυβερνήτην ἐφ' ὑψηλοῦ, ὡς ἐπισκοπῇς ἅπαντας.

[¶5] 3. HERMES: And who’s this handsome fellow? CHARMOLEOS: Charmoleos, the darling of Megara, whose kiss was worth two talents.

> Greek: 3. ΕΡΜΗΣ: ὁ καλὸς δ’ οὗτος τίς ἐστιν; ΧΑΡΜΟΛΕΩΣ: Χαρμόλεως ὁ Μεγαρικὸς ἐπέραστος, οὗ τὸ φίλημα διτάλαντον ἦν.

[¶6] HERMES: Then off with your beauty and your lips, kisses and all, your luxuriant hair, your rosy cheeks and all your skin; that’s fine, now you’re travelling light, and may come on board.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἀπόδυθι τοιγαροῦν τὸ κάλλος καὶ τὰ χείλη αὐτοῖς φιλήμασι καὶ τὴν κόμην τὴν βαθεῖαν καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τῶν παρειῶν ἐρύθημα καὶ τὸ δέρμα ὅλον. ἔχει καλῶς, εὔζωνος εἶ, ἐπίβαινε ἤδη.

[¶7] 4. HERMES: And who are you over here, with the purple robe and diadem, you who are so solemn? LAMPICHUS: Lampichus, tyrant of Gela.

> Greek: 4. ΕΡΜΗΣ: ὁ δὲ τὴν πορφυρίδα οὑτοσὶ καὶ τὸ διάδημα ὁ βλοσυρὸς τίς ὢν τυγχάνεις; ΛΑΜΠΙΧΟΣ: Λάμπιχος Γελῴων τύραννος.

[¶8] HERMES: Well why, Lampichus, do you bring all that with you? LAMPICHUS: Well, what should I do? Ought a tyrant to come naked, Hermes?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τί οὖν, ὦ Λάμπιχε, τοσαῦτα ἔχων πάρει; ΛΑΜΠΙΧΟΣ: Τί οὖν; ἐχρῆν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, γυμνὸν ἥκειν τύραννον ἄνδρα;

[¶9] HERMES: A tyrant shouldn’t, but a dead man most certainly should. So off with it all. LAMPICHUS: There you are; there goes my wealth.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τύραννον μὲν οὐδαμῶς, νεκρὸν δὲ μάλα· ὥστε ἀπόθουταῦτα. ΛΑΜΠΙΧΟΣ: Ἰδού σοι ὁ πλοῦτος ἀπέρριπται.

[¶10] HERMES: Away too with your vanity, Lampichus, and your pride; they will weigh down the ferry, if they come in along with you. LAMPICHUS: Then at least allow me to keep my diadem and my mantle.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Καὶ τὸν τῦφον ἀπόρριψον, ὦ Λάμπιχε, καὶ τὴν ὑπεροψίαν· βαρήσει γὰρ τὸ πορθμεῖον συνεμπεσόντα. ΛΑΜΠΙΧΟΣ: Οὐκοῦν ἀλλὰ τὸ διάδημα ἔασόν με ἔχειν καὶ τὴν ἐφεστρίδα.

[¶11] HERMES: Certainly not; away with these too. LAMPICHUS: Very well. What else? I’ve thrown away everything, as you can see.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦτα ἄφες. ΛΑΜΠΙΧΟΣ: Εἶεν. τί ἔτι; πᾶν γὰρ ἀφῆκα, ὡς ὁρᾷς.

[¶12] HERMES: There remain your cruelty, folly, insolence, and temper; away with these too. LAMPICHUS: There you are; I’m stripped.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Καὶ τὴν ὠμότητα καὶ τὴν ἄνοιαν καὶ τὴν ὕβριν καὶ τὴν ὀργήν, καὶ ταῦτα ἄφες. ΛΑΜΠΙΧΟΣ: Ἰδού σοι ψιλός εἰμι.

[¶13] 5. HERMES: Now you may get in. You, the fat and fleshy one, who are you? DAMASIAS: Damasias, the athlete.

> Greek: 5. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἔμβαινε ἤδη. σὺ δὲ ὁ παχύς, ὁ πολύσαρκος τίς ὢν τυγχάνεις; ΔΑΜΑΣΙΑΣ: Δαμασίας ὁ ἀθλητής.

[¶14] HERMES: Yes, you look like him. I know you, having often seen you in the ring. DAMASIAS: Yes, Hermes; but let me in; I’m stripped to the skin.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ναί, ἔοικας· οἶδα γάρ σε πολλάκις ἐν ταῖς παλαίστραις ἰδών. ΔΑΜΑΣΙΑΣ: Ναί, ὦ Ἑρμῆ· ἀλλὰ παράδεξαί με γυμνὸν ὄντα.

[¶15] HERMES: No, you’re not, my good fellow, not while you have all that flesh on you. Well, take it off, for you’ll sink the boat, if you only put one foot aboard. Off too with those wreaths and proclamations of your prowess. DAMASIAS: There you are; I’m really stripped now, as you see, and no heavier than the other dead.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐ γυμνόν, ὦ βέλτιστε, τοσαύτας σάρκας περιβεβλημένον· ὥστε ἀπόδυθι αὐτάς, ἐπεὶ καταδύσεις τὸ σκάφος τὸν ἕτερον πόδα ὑπερθεὶς μόνον· ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους τούτους ἀπόρριψον καὶ τὰ κηρύγματα. ΔΑΜΑΣΙΑΣ: Ἰδού σοι γυμνός, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἀληθῶς εἰμι καὶ ἰσοστάσιος τοῖς ἄλλοις νεκροῖς.

[¶16] 6. HERMES: It’s better that you should be light like that; get in then. You too, Craton, off with your wealth and your effeminacy too, and your luxury, and don’t bring your funeral trappings or your ancestors’ reputations, but leave behind family, fame, all public proclamations in your honour, and the inscriptions on your statues, and say nothing of the mighty tomb they raised over your body. Even the mention of such things weighs down the boat. CRATON: I don’t like it, but away they go. What choice have I?

> Greek: 6. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὕτως ἄμεινον ἀβαρῆ εἶναι· ὥστε ἔμβαινε. καὶ σὺ τὸν πλοῦτον ἀποθέμενος, ὦ Κράτων, καὶ τὴν μαλακίαν δὲ προσέτι καὶ τὴν τρυφὴν μηδὲ τὰ ἐντάφια κόμιζε μηδὲ τὰ τῶν προγόνων ἀξιώματα, κατάλιπε δὲ καὶ γένος καὶ δόξαν καὶ εἴ ποτέ σε ἡ πόλις ἀνεκήρυξεν καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀνδριάντων ἐπιγραφάς, μηδέ ὅτι μέγαν τάφον ἐπί σοι ἔχωσαν λέγε· βαρύνει γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα μνημονευόμενα. ΚΡΑΤΩΝ: Οὐχ ἑκὼν μέν, ἀπορρίψω δέ· τί γὰρ ἂν καὶ πάθοιμι;

[¶17] 7. HERMES: Good gracious! You there—what do you want with all that armour? Why do you carry that trophy? GENERAL: Because I was victorious, won the prize for valour, and was honoured by my city.

> Greek: 7. ΕΡΜΗΣ: βαβαί. σὺ δὲ ὁ ἔνοπλος τί βούλει; ἢ τί τὸ τρόπαιον τοῦτο φέρεις; ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΟΣ: Ὅτι ἐνίκησα, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ ἠρίστευσα καὶ ἡ πόλις ἐτίμησέν με.

[¶18] HERMES: Leave your trophy on earth above; there’s peace in Hades and weapons won’t be needed.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἄφες ὑπὲρ γῆς τὸ τρόπαιον· ἐν ᾅδου γὰρ εἰρήνη καὶ οὐδὲν ὅπλων δεήσει.

[¶19] 8. HERMES: But here’s an august personage, to judge by his appearance, and a proud man. Who can he be, with his haughty eyebrows, thoughtful mien, and bushy beard?

> Greek: 8. ΕΡΜΗΣ: ὁ σεμνὸς δὲ οὗτος ἀπό γε τοῦ σχήματος καὶ βρενθυόμενος, ὁ τὰς ὀφρῦς ἐπηρκώς, ὁ ἐπὶ τῶν φροντίδων τίς ἐστιν, ὁ τὸν βαθὺν πώγωνα καθειμένος;

[¶20] MENIPPUS: A Philosopher, Hermes, or rather an impostor, full of talk of marvels. Strip him too, and you’ll see many amusing things covered up under his cloak.

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Φιλόσοφός τις, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, μᾶλλον δὲ γόης καὶ τερατείας μεστός· ὥστε ἀπόδυσον καὶ τοῦτον· ὄψει γὰρ πολλὰ καὶ γελοῖα ὑπὸ τῷ ἱματίῳ σκεπόμενα.

[¶21] HERMES: You there, off first with your clothes, and then with all this here. Ye gods, what hypocrisy he carries, what ignorance, contentiousness, vanity, unanswerable puzzles, thorny argumentations, and complicated conceptions—yes, and plenty of wasted effort, and no little nonsense, and idle talk, and splitting of hairs, and, good heavens, here’s gold too, and soft living, shamelessness, temper, luxury, and effeminacy! I can see them, however much you try to hide them. Away with your falsehood too, and your pride, and notions of your superiority over the rest of men. If you came on board with all these, not even a battleship would be big enough for you. PHILOSOPHER: Then I take them off, since these are your orders.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Κατάθου σὺ τὸ σχῆμα πρῶτον, εἶτα καὶ ταυτὶ πάντα. ὦ Ζεῦ, ὅσην μὲν τὴν ἀλαζονείαν κομίζει, ὅσην δὲ ἀμαθίαν καὶ ἔριν καὶ κενοδοξίαν καὶ ἐρωτήσεις ἀπόρους καὶ λόγους ἀκανθώδεις καὶ ἐννοίας πολυπλόκους, ἀλλὰ καὶ ματαιοπονίαν μάλα πολλὴν καὶ λῆρον οὐκ ὀλίγον καὶ ὕθλους καὶ μικρολογίαν, νὴ Δία καὶ χρυσίον γε τουτὶ καὶ ἡδυπάθειαν δὲ καὶ ἀναισχυντίαν καὶ ὀργὴν καὶ τρυφὴν καὶ μαλακίαν· οὐ λέληθεν γάρ με, εἰ καὶ μάλα περικρύπτεις αὐτά. καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος δὲ ἀπόθου καὶ τὸν τῦφον καὶ τὸ οἴεσθαι ἀμείνων εἶναι τῶν ἄλλων· ὡς εἴ γε ταῦτα πάντα ἔχων ἐμβαίης, ποία πεντηκόντορος δέξαιτο ἄν σε; ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΟΣ: Ἀποτίθεμαι τοίνυν αὐτά, ἐπείπερ οὕτω κελεύεις.

[¶22] 9. MENIPPUS: But he ought to take off that beard as well, Hermes; it’s heavy and shaggy, as you can see. He has at least five pounds of hair there.

> Greek: 9. ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Αλλὰ καὶ τὸν πώγωνα τοῦτον ἀποθέσθω, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, βαρύν τε ὄντα καὶ λάσιον, ὡς ὁρᾷς· πέντε μναῖ τριχῶν εἰσι τοὐλάχιστον.

[¶23] HERMES: Well spoken. Off with that too. PHILOSOPHER: Who will be my barber?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Εὖ λέγεις· ἀπόθου καὶ τοῦτον. ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΟΣ: Καὶ τίς ὁ ἀποκείρων ἔσται;

[¶24] HERMES: Menippus here will take a shipwright’s axe and cut it off; he can use the gangway as his block.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Μένιππος οὑτοσὶ λαβὼν πέλεκυν τῶν ναυπηγικῶν ἀποκόψει αὐτὸν ἐπικόπῳ τῇ ἀποβάθρᾳ χρησάμενος.

[¶25] MENIPPUS: No, Hermes, pass me up a saw. That’ll be better fun.

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Οὔκ, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, ἀλλὰ πρίονά μοι ἀνάδος· γελοιότερον γὰρ τοῦτο.

[¶26] HERMES: The axe will do well enough. That’s fine. You look more human, now that you’ve lost that goat’s beard of yours.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ὁ πέλεκυς ἱκανός. εὖ γε. ἀνθρωπινώτερος νῦν ἀναπέφηνας ἀποθέμενος σαυτοῦ τὴν κινάβραν.

[¶27] MENIPPUS: Shall I take a little off his eyebrows as well?

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Βούλει μικρὸν ἀφέλωμαι καὶ τῶν ὀφρύων;

[¶28] HERMES: By all means; he has them rising high over his forehead, as he strains after something or other. What’s this? Crying, you scum? Afraid to face death? Get in with you.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Μάλιστα· ὑπὲρ τὸ μέτωπον γὰρ καὶ ταύτας ἐπῆρκεν, οὐκ οἶδα ἐφ' ὅτῳ ἀνατείνων ἑαυτόν. τί τοῦτο; καὶ δακρύεις, ὦ κάθαρμα, καὶ πρὸς θάνατον ἀποδειλιᾷς; ἔμβηθι δ’ οὖν.

[¶29] MENIPPUS: He still has the heaviest thing of all under his arm.

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Ἓν ἔτι τὸ βαρύτατον ὑπὸ μάλης ἔχει.

[¶30] HERMES: What, Menippus?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τί, ὦ Μένιππε;

[¶31] MENIPPUS: Flattery, Hermes, which was often most useful to him in life. PHILOSOPHER: What about you then, Menippus? Off with your independence, plain speaking, cheerfulness, noble bearing, and laughter. You’re the only one that laughs.

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Κολακείαν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, πολλὰ ἐν τῷ βίῳ χρησιμεύσασαν αὐτῷ. ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΟΣ: Οὐκοῦν καὶ σύ, ὦ Μένιππε, ἀπόθου τὴν ἐλευθερίαν καὶ παρρησίαν καὶ τὸ ἄλυπον καὶ τὸ γενναῖον καὶ τὸν γέλωτα· μόνος γοῦν τῶν ἄλλων γελᾷς.

[¶32] HERMES: Do nothing of the sort, but keep them, Menippus; they’re light and easy to carry, and useful for the voyage.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Μηδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔχε ταῦτα, κοῦφα γὰρ καὶ πάνυ εὔφορα ὄντα καὶ πρὸς τὸν κατάπλουν χρήσιμα.

[¶33] 10. HERMES: But you, Rhetorician, throw away your endless loquacity, your antitheses, balanced clauses, periods, foreign phrases, and everything else that makes your speeches so heavy. RHETORICIAN: Look, away they go.

> Greek: 10. ΕΡΜΗΣ: καὶ ὁ ῥήτωρ δὲ σὺ ἀπόθου τῶν ῥημάτων τὴν τοσαύτην ἀπεραντολογίαν καὶ ἀντιθέσεις καὶ παρισώσεις καὶ περιόδους καὶ βαρβαρισμοὺς καὶ τὰ ἄλλα βάρη τῶν λόγων. ΡΗΤΩΡ: Ἢν ἰδού, ἀποτίθεμαι.

[¶34] HERMES: Good. Loose the hawsers, then, let’s pull in the gangway, raise anchor and spread the sail, and you, Charon, take the rudder and see to the steering, and good luck to us.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Εὖ ἔχει· ὥστε λύε τὰ ἀπόγεια, τὴν ἀποβάθραν ἀνελώμεθα, τὸ ἀγκύριον ἀνεσπάσθω, πέτασον τὸ ἱστίον, εὔθυνε, ὦ πορθμεῦ, τὸ πηδάλιον· εὖ πάθωμεν.

[¶35] 11. HERMES: Why are you groaning like that, you fools, and you, in particular, the Philosopher just despoiled of the beard? PHILOSOPHER: Because, Hermes, I thought my soul was immortal.

> Greek: 11. ΕΡΜΗΣ: τί οἰμώζετε, ὦ μάταιοι, καὶ μάλιστα ὁ φιλόσοφος σὺ ὁ ἀρτίως τὸν πώγωνα δεδῃωμένος; ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΟΣ: Ὅτι, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, ἀθάνατον ᾤμην τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπάρχειν.

[¶36] MENIPPUS: He’s lying; something else seems to be grieving him.

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Ψεύδεται· ἄλλα γὰρ ἔοικε λυπεῖν αὐτόν.

[¶37] HERMES: What?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τὰ ποῖα;

[¶38] MENIPPUS: That he’ll have no more expensive dinners, or go out at night, unknown to all, with his cloak wrapped over his head, and go the round of the brothels, and never again take money next morning for cheating the young men with his show of wisdom. That’s what grieves him. PHILOSOPHER: Aren’t you sorry to die yourself, Menippus?

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Ὅτι μηκέτι δειπνήσει πολυτελῆ δεῖπνα μηδὲ νύκτωρ ἐξιὼν ἅπαντας λανθάνων τῷ ἱματίῳ τὴν κεφαλὴν κατειλήσας περίεισιν ἐν κύκλῳ τὰ χαμαιτυπεῖα, καὶ ἕωθεν ἐξαπατῶν τοὺς νέους ἐπὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ ἀργύριον λήψεται· ταῦτα λυπεῖ αὐτόν. ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΟΣ: Σὺ γάρ, ὦ Μένιππε, οὐκ ἄχθῃ ἀποθανών;

[¶39] MENIPPUS: How so, when I was eager for death and needed no invitation?

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Πῶς, ὃς ἔσπευσα ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον καλέσαντος μηδενός;

[¶40] 12. MENIPPUS: But, as I speak, don’t I hear the noise of what seems to be shouting on earth?

> Greek: 12. ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: ἀλλὰ μεταξὺ λόγων οὐ κραυγή τις ἀκούεται ὥσπερ τινῶν ἀπὸ γῆς βοώντων;

[¶41] HERMES: Yes, Menippus, and coming from several quarters. In one place they’ve all flocked to the assembly, glad and laughing over the death of Lampichus, while the women have got hold of his wife, and his tiny children too are being pelted by the other children with showers of stones. Then there are others, in Sicyon, applauding Diophantus, the Rhetorician, for his funeral speech over Craton here; and, upon my word, there’s the mother of Damasias wailing with the other women, and leading the dirge over him. But nobody weeps for you, Menippus; you’re the only one lying in peace.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ναί, ὦ Μένιππε, οὐκ ἀφ' ἑνός γε χώρου, ἀλλ’ οἱ μὲν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν συνελθόντες ἄσμενοι γελῶσι πάντες ἐπὶ τῷ Λαμπίχου θανάτῳ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ συνέχεται πρὸς τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τὰ παιδία νεογνὰ ὄντα ὁμοίως κἀκεῖνα ὑπὸ τῶν παίδων βάλλεται ἀφθόνοις τοῖς λίθοις· ἄλλοι δὲ Διόφαντον τὸν ῥήτορα ἐπαινοῦσιν ἐν Σικυῶνι ἐπιταφίους λόγους διεξιόντα ἐπὶ Κράτωνι τούτῳ. καὶ νὴ Δία γε ἡ Δαμασίου μήτηρ κωκύουσα ἐξάρχει τοῦ θρήνου σὺν γυναιξὶν ἐπὶ τῷ Δαμασίᾳ· σὲ δὲ οὐδείς, ὧ Μένιππε, δακρύει, καθ' ἡσυχίαν δὲ κεῖσαι μόνος.

[¶42] 13. MENIPPUS: Not so; soon you’ll hear the dogs howling most piteous laments over me, and the ravens flapping their wings in mourning, when they gather and perform my burial.

> Greek: 13. ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλ’ ἀκούσῃ τῶν κυνῶν μετ' ὀλίγον ὠρυομένων οἴκτιστον ἐπ' ἐμοὶ καὶ τῶν κοράκων τυπτομένων τοῖς πτεροῖς, ὁπόταν συνελθόντες θάπτωσί με.

[¶43] HERMES: You’re a man of spirit, Menippus. But, now that we’ve reached port, off to the court with you along that straight path, while the ferryman and I go for another lot.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Γεννάδας εἶ, ὦ Μένιππε. ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ καταπεπλεύκαμεν ἡμεῖς, ὑμεῖς μὲν ἄπιτε πρὸς τὸ δικαστήριον εὐθεῖαν ἐκείνην προϊόντες, ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ὁ πορθμεὺς ἄλλους μετελευσόμεθα.

[¶44] MENIPPUS: A good voyage to you, Hermes; but let’s be on our way too. Why do you keep on lingering? We shall have to be judged, and they say the sentences are heavy, wheels and stones and vultures; and the life of each of us will be revealed.

> Greek: ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ: Εὐπλοεῖτε, ὦ Ἑρμῆ· προΐωμεν δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς. τί οὖν ἔτι καὶ μέλλετε; δικασθῆναι δεήσει, καὶ τὰς καταδίκας φασὶν εἶναι βαρείας, τροχοὺς καὶ λίθους καὶ γῦπας· δειχθήσεται δὲ ὁ ἑκάστου βίος.