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

# Dialogues of the Gods · Θεῶν διάλογοι

*Lucian, tr. Matthew Donald Macleod*

The Olympians gossip, quarrel and complain: Zeus, Hera, Hermes, Ganymede and Eros.

> Greek: ed. Matthew Donald Macleod, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg068, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Matthew Donald Macleod, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg068.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.

## Contents

1. [Dialogue 1](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/1.md)
2. [Dialogue 2](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/2.md)
3. [Dialogue 3](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/3.md)
4. [Dialogue 4](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/4.md)
5. [Dialogue 5](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/5.md)
6. [Dialogue 6](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/6.md)
7. [Dialogue 7](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/7.md)
8. [Dialogue 8](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/8.md)
9. [Dialogue 9](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/9.md)
10. [Dialogue 10](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/10.md)
11. [Dialogue 11](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/11.md)
12. [Dialogue 12](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/12.md)
13. [Dialogue 13](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/13.md)
14. [Dialogue 14](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/14.md)
15. [Dialogue 15](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/15.md)
16. [Dialogue 16](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/16.md)
17. [Dialogue 17](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/17.md)
18. [Dialogue 18](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/18.md)
19. [Dialogue 19](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/19.md)
20. [Dialogue 20](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/20.md)
21. [Dialogue 21](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/21.md)
22. [Dialogue 22](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/22.md)
23. [Dialogue 23](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/23.md)
24. [Dialogue 24](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/24.md)
25. [Dialogue 25](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/25.md)

## 1. Dialogue 1

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. ARES: My dear Hermes, have you heard Zeus’ threats? How proud and preposterous they are! “If I please”, says he, “I’ll let a cord down from heaven; you’ll be hanging on it, trying with all your might to pull me down, but you’ll be wasting all your efforts, for you’ll never succeed. And, if I choose to tug up, it won’t be only you, but I’ll pull up the earth and the sea into the bargain, and leave the lot dangling in mid-air.” He goes on and on like that. You’ve heard it all too. I’ll admit that he’s more than a match and too strong for any one of us, but that he’s too much for all of us put together, so that, even if we have the earth and the sea with us, our weight wouldn’t overpower him—that I’ll never believe.

> Greek: 1. ΑΡΗΣ: Ἤκουσας, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, οἷα ἠπείλησεν ἡμῖν ὁ Ζεύς, ὡς ὑπεροπτικὰ καὶ ὡς ἀπίθανα; Ἢν ἐθελήσω, φησίν, ἐγὼ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ σειρὰν καθήσω, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀποκρεμασθέντες κατασπᾶν βιάσεσθέ με, ἀλλὰ μάτην πονήσετε· οὐ γὰρ δὴ καθελκύσετε· εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ θελήσαιμι ἀνελκύσαι, οὐ μόνον ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν γῆν ἅμα καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν συνανασπάσας μετεωριῶ· καὶ τἆλλα ὅσα καὶ σὺ ἀκήκοας. ἐγὼ δὲ ὅτι μὲν καθ' ἕνα πάντων ἀμείνων καὶ ἰσχυρότερός ἐστιν οὐκ ἂν ἀρνηθείην, ὁμοῦ δὲ τῶν τοσούτων ὑπερφέρειν, ὡς μὴ καταβαρήσειν αὐτόν, ἢν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν προσλάβωμεν, οὐκ ἂν πεισθείην.

[¶1] 2. HERMES: Hush, Ares. It isn’t safe to talk like that, or we may be sorry for our silly chatter. ARES: Do you think I’d have said that to just anyone, or only to you? I knew you would hold your tongue. But I must tell you what struck me as most ridiculous as I listened to his threats. I remember, just the other day, when Poseidon and Hera and Athena rebelled, and were plotting to catch him and clap him in irons, he was crazy with terror though there were only three of them. And in irons he would have been, thunder and lightning and all, if Thetis had not been sorry for him, and called in to his help Briareos with his hundred hands. When I thought of that, I had to laugh at his fine talk.

> Greek: 2. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Εὐφήμει. ὦ Ἄρες· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς λέγειν τὰ τοιαῦτα, μὴ καί τι κακὸν ἀπολαύσωμεν τῆς φλυαρίας. ΑΠΗΣ: Οἴει γάρ με πρὸς πάντας ἂν ταῦτα εἰπεῖν, οὐχὶ δὲ πρὸς μόνον σέ, ὃν ἐχεμυθήσειν ἠπιστάμην; ὃ γοῦν μάλιστα γελοῖον ἔδοξέ μοι ἀκούοντι μεταξὺ τῆς ἀπειλῆς, οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην σιωπῆσαι πρὸς σέ· μέμνημαι γὰρ οὐ πρὸ πολλοῦ, ὁπότε ὁ Ποσειδῶν καὶ ἡ Ἥρα καὶ ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ ἐπαναστάντες ἐπεβούλευον ξυνδῆσαι λαβόντες αὐτόν, ὡς παντοῖος ἦν δεδιώς, καὶ ταῦτα τρεῖς ὄντας, καὶ εἰ μή γε ἡ Θέτις κατελεήσασα ἐκάλεσεν αὐτῷ σύμμαχον Βριάρεων ἑκατόγχειρα ὄντα, κἂν ἐδέδετο αὐτῷ κεραυνῷ καὶ βροντῇ. ταῦτα λογιζομένῳ ἐπῄει μοι γελᾶν ἐπὶ τῇ καλλιρρημοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ.

[¶2] HERMES: Quiet, I tell you. It’s dangerous for you to talk like that, and for me to listen.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Σιώπα, φημί· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς οὔτε σοὶ λέγειν οὔτ' ἐμοὶ ἀκούειν τὰ τοιαῦτα.

## 2. Dialogue 2

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/2/#p-N

[¶0] 1. PAN: Good day to you, Hermes, Daddy mine.

> Greek: 1. ΠΑΝ: Χαῖρε, ὦ πάτερ Ἑρμῆ.

[¶1] HERMES: And a bad day to you. But how am I your daddy?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Μὴ καὶ σύ γε. ἀλλὰ πῶς ἐγὼ σὸς πατήρ;

[¶2] PAN: Aren’t you Hermes of Cyllene?

> Greek: ΠΑΝ: Οὐχ ὁ Κυλλήνιος Ἑρμῆς ὢν τυγχάνεις;

[¶3] HERMES: Yes. How, then, are you my son?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Καὶ μάλα. πῶς οὖν υἱὸς ἐμὸς εἶ;

[¶4] PAN: I’m your bastard boy, your love-child.

> Greek: ΠΑΝ: Μοιχίδιός εἰμι, ἐξ ἔρωτός σοι γενόμενος.

[¶5] HERMES: Oh quite so, when some billy-goat, I suppose, led a nanny astray! How could you be mine, you with your horns and ugly snout and shaggy beard and a goat’s cloven hooves and a tail over your behind?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Νὴ Δία, τράγου ἴσως τινὸς μοιχεύσαντος αἶγα· ἐμοὶ γὰρ πῶς, κέρατα ἔχων καὶ ῥῖνα τοιαύτην καὶ πώγωνα λάσιον καὶ σκέλη διχαλὰ καὶ τραγικὰ καὶ οὐρὰν ὑπὲρ τὰς πυγάς;

[¶6] PAN: When you jeer at me, daddy, you’re mocking your own son, or rather yourself for producing such creatures as your children. It’s not my fault.

> Greek: ΠΑΝ: Ὅσα ἂν ἀποσκώψῃς με, τὸν σεαυτοῦ υἱόν, ὦ πάτερ, ἐπονείδιστον ἀποφαίνεις, μᾶλλον δὲ σεαυτόν, ὃς τοιαῦτα γεννᾷς καὶ παιδοποιεῖς, ἐγὼ δὲ ἀναίτιος.

[¶7] HERMES: Who do you say your mother was? Perhaps I led a nanny astray without knowing it.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τίνα καὶ φῄς σου μητέρα; ἤ που ἔλαθον αἶγα μοιχεύσας ἔγωγε;

[¶8] PAN: No, not a nanny. But try to remember if you ever forced your attentions on a freeborn girl in Arcadia. Why are you biting your nails and thinking so hard? Why so puzzled? I’m speaking of Icarius’ girl, Penelope.

> Greek: ΠΑΝ: Οὐκ αἶγα ἐμοίχευσας, ἀλλ’ ἀνάμνησον σεαυτόν, εἴ ποτε ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ παῖδα ἐλευθέραν ἐβιάσω. τί δακὼν τὸν δάκτυλον ζητεῖς καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ ἀπορεῖς; τὴν Ἰκαρίου λέγω Πηνελόπην.

[¶9] HERMES: Then what possessed her to produce in you a child not like me but like a goat?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Εἶτα τί παθοῦσα ἐκείνη ἀντ' ἐμοῦ τράγῳ σε ὅμοιον ἔτεκεν;

[¶10] 2. PAN: I’ll tell you what she said herself. When she was packing me off to Arcadia, she said, “My boy, I, Penelope, a true blue Spartan, am your mother, but your father, let me tell you, is a god, Hermes, son of Maia and Zeus. Don’t worry because you have horns and a goat’s shanks, for when your father came courting me, he made himself into a goat so that no one would notice him. That’s why you’ve turned out like the goat.”

> Greek: 2. ΠΑΝ: Αὐτῆς ἐκείνης λόγον σοι ἐρῶ· ὅτε γάρ με ἐξέπεμπεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀρκαδίαν, Ὦ παῖ, μήτηρ μέν σοι, ἔφη, ἐγώ εἰμι, Πηνελόπη ἡ Σπαρτιᾶτις, τὸν πατέρα δὲ γίνωσκε θεὸν ἔχων Ἑρμῆν Μαίας καὶ Διός. εἰ δὲ κερασφόρος καὶ τραγοσκελὴς εἶ, μὴ λυπείτω σε· ὁπότε γάρ μοι συνῄει ὁ πατὴρ ὁ σός, τράγῳ ἑαυτὸν ἀπείκασεν, ὡς λάθοι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὅμοιος ἀπέβης τῷ τράγῳ.

[¶11] HERMES: Ah, yes. I do remember doing something like that. Am I, then, to be called your father? I, who am so proud of my good looks! I, who’ve still got a smooth chin! Am I to be laughed at by all for having such a bonny boy?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Νὴ Δία, μέμνημαι ποιήσας τοιοῦτόν τι. ἐγὼ οὖν ὁ ἐπὶ κάλλει μέγα φρονῶν, ἔτι ἀγένειος αὐτὸς ὢν σὸς πατὴρ κεκλήσομαι καὶ γέλωτα ὀφλήσω παρὰ πᾶσιν ἐπὶ τῇ εὐπαιδίᾳ;

[¶12] 3. PAN: But I won’t disgrace you, father. I’m a musician and play the pipe loud and true. Dionysus is lost without me, and has made me his companion and fellow-reveller; I’m his dance-leader, and if you could see how many flocks I have around Tegea and on Parthenium, you’d be delighted. I’m lord and master of all Arcadia. Besides that, the other day, I fought so magnificently on the side of the Athenians at Marathon that a prize of valour was chosen for me—the cave under the Acropolis. Anyhow, go to Athens and you’ll soon find out what a great name Pan has there.

> Greek: 3. ΠΑΝ: Καὶ μὴν οὐ καταισχυνῶ σε, ὦ πάτερ· μουσικός τε γάρ εἰμι καὶ συρίζω πάνυ καπυρόν, καὶ ὁ Διόνυσος οὐδὲν ἐμοῦ ἄνευ ποιεῖν δύναται, ἀλλὰ ἑταῖρον καὶ θιασώτην πεποίηταί με, καὶ ἡγοῦμαι αὐτῷ τοῦ χοροῦ· καὶ τὰ ποίμνια δὲ εἰ θεάσαιό μου, ὁπόσα περὶ Τεγέαν καὶ ἀνὰ τὸ Παρθένιον ἔχω, πάνυ ἡσθήσῃ· ἄρχω δὲ καὶ τῆς Ἀρκαδίας ἁπάσης· πρῴην δὲ καὶ Ἀθηναίοις συμμαχήσας οὕτως ἠρίστευσα Μαραθῶνι, ὥστε καὶ ἀριστεῖον ᾑρέθη μοι τὸ ὑπὸ τῇ ἀκροπόλει σπήλαιον. ἢν γοῦν εἰς Ἀθήνας ἔλθῃς, εἴσῃ ὅσον ἐκεῖ τοῦ Πανὸς ὄνομα.

[¶13] 4. HERMES: Tell me, are you married yet, Pan? Pan’s the name they give you, isn’t it?

> Greek: 4. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Εἰπὲ δέ μοι, γεγάμηκας, ὦ Πάν, ἤδη; τοῦτο γάρ, οἶμαι, καλοῦσίν σε.

[¶14] PAN: Of course not, daddy. I’m romantically inclined, and wouldn’t like to have to confine my attentions to just one.

> Greek: ΠΑΝ: Οὐδαμῶς, ὦ πάτερ· ἐρωτικὸς γάρ εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀγαπήσαιμι συνὼν μιᾷ.

[¶15] HERMES: No doubt, then, you try your luck with the nanny-goats?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ταῖς οὖν αἰξὶ δηλαδὴ ἐπιχειρεῖς.

[¶16] PAN: A fine jest coming from you! My lady-friends are Echo and Pitys and all the Maenads of Dionysus, and I’m in great demand with them.

> Greek: ΠΑΝ: Σὺ μὲν σκώπτεις, ἐγὼ δὲ τῇ τε Ἠχοῖ καὶ τῇ Πίτυϊ σύνειμι καὶ ἁπάσαις ταῖς τοῦ Διονύσου Μαινάσι καὶ πάνυ σπουδάζομαι πρὸς αὐτῶν.

[¶17] HERMES: Please do me a favour, son. I’ve never asked one from you before.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οἶσθα οὖν, ὦ τέκνον, ὅ τι χαρίσῃ τὸ πρῶτον αἰτοῦντί μοι;

[¶18] PAN: Tell me what you want, daddy, and let me see to it.

> Greek: ΠΑΝ: Πρόσταττε, ὦ πάτερ· ἡμεῖς μὲν ἴδωμεν ταῦτα.

[¶19] HERMES: You may come here and pay your respects to me, but please don’t call me daddy when anyone can hear.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Καὶ πρόσιθί μοι καὶ φιλοφρονοῦ· πατέρα δὲ ὅρα μὴ καλέσῃς με ἄλλου ἀκούοντος.

## 3. Dialogue 3

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/3/#p-N

[¶0] 1. APOLLO: What can we make of it? Won’t we have to admit that Eros and Hermaphroditus and Priapus, though sons of the same mother, are utterly different in appearance and habits? Eros is really handsome, and an archer invested with great power, and lord of all. Hermaphroditus is an effeminate pansy, half one thing and half the other in appearance, for you can’t tell whether he’s boy or girl; whereas Priapus is quite indecently masculine. DIONYSUS: There’s no need to be surprised, Apollo. It’s not Aphrodite’s fault, but the fathers were different. Why, even when the father’s the same, the one mother often has both boys and girls in her family. Take for example your sister and yourself.

> Greek: 1. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Τί ἂν λέγοιμεν; ὁμομητρίους, ὦ Διόνυσε, ἀδελφοὺς ὄντας Ἔρωτα καὶ Ἑρμαφρόδιτον καὶ Πρίαπον, ἀνομοιοτάτους εἶναι τὰς μορφὰς καὶ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα; ὁ μὲν γὰρ πάγκαλος καὶ τοξότης καὶ δύναμιν οὐ μικρὰν περιβεβλημένος ἁπάντων ἄρχων, ὁ δὲ θῆλυς καὶ ἡμίανδρος καὶ ἀμφίβολος τὴν ὄψιν· οὐκ ἂν διακρίναις εἴτ' ἔφηβός ἐστιν εἴτε καὶ παρθένος· ὁ δὲ καὶ πέρα τοῦ εὐπρεποῦς ἀνδρικὸς ὁ Πρίαπος. ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ: Μηδὲν θαυμάσῃς, ὦ Ἄπολλον· οὐ γὰρ Ἀφροδίτη αἰτία τούτου, ἀλλὰ οἱ πατέρες διάφοροι γεγενημένοι, ὅπου γε καὶ ὁμοπάτριοι πολλάκις ἐκ μιᾶς γαστρός, ὁ μὲν ἄρσην, ἡ δὲ θήλεια, ὥσπερ ὑμεῖς, γίνονται.

[¶1] APOLLO: Quite so, but we are alike and have the same interests. We’re both archers. DIONYSUS: The same as far as the bow goes, Apollo, but no farther, for Artemis kills visitors in Scythia, while you are a prophet and healer of the sick.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ναί· ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς ὅμοιοί ἐσμεν καὶ ταὐτὰ ἐπιτηδεύομεν· τοξόται γὰρ ἄμφω. ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ: Μέχρι μὲν τόξου τὰ αὐτά, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἐκεῖνα δὲ οὐχ ὅμοια, ὅτι ἡ μὲν Ἄρτεμις ξενοκτονεῖ ἐν Σκύθαις, σὺ δέ μαντεύῃ καὶ ἰᾷ τοὺς κάμνοντας.

[¶2] APOLLO: What? Do you think my sister likes her Scythians? Why, the moment a Greek reaches Taurica, she’s all ready and waiting to sail off with him, in disgust at their human sacrifices.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οἴει γὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν χαίρειν τοῖς Σκύθαις, ἥ γε καὶ παρεσκεύασται, ἤν τις Ἕλλην ἀφίκηταί ποτε εἰς τὴν Ταυρικήν, συνεκπλεῦσαι μετ' αὐτοῦ μυσαττομένη τὰς σφαγάς;

[¶3] 2. DIONYSUS: And the best thing she could do. But now as for Priapus—I’ll tell you something really funny. The other day—it was in Lampsacus—I was passing the city, when he invited me home with him, and put me up for the night. Now we’d gone to sleep in his dining-room, after and were pretty well soaked, when about midnight up gets our bold lad—but I’m ashamed to tell you.
APOLLO: And made an attempt on you, Dionysus? DIONYSUS: Something like that.

> Greek: 2. ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ: Εὖ γε ἐκείνη ποιοῦσα. ὁ μέντοι Πρίαπος, γελοῖον γάρ τί σοι διηγήσομαι, πρῴην ἐν Λαμψάκῳ γενόμενος, ἐγὼ μὲν παρῄειν τὴν πόλιν, ὁ δὲ ὑποδεξάμενός με καὶ ξενίσας παρ' αὑτῷ, ἐπειδὴ ἀνεπαυσάμεθα ἐν τῷ συμποσίῳ ἱκανῶς ὑποβεβρεγμένοι, κατ' αὐτάς που μέσας νύκτας ἐπαναστὰς ὁ γενναῖος—αἰδοῦμαι δὲ λέγειν.
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἐπείρα σε, Διόνυσε; ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ: Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι.

[¶4] APOLLO: How did you deal with the situation? DIONYSUS: What could I do but laugh?

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Σὺ δὲ τί πρὸς ταῦτα; ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ: Τί γὰρ ἄλλο ἢ ἐγέλασα;

[¶5] APOLLO: The best thing too, no bad temper or violence. He’d some excuse for making an attempt on you. You’re so good-looking. DIONYSUS: As far as that goes, he might make an attempt on you too, Apollo. You’re so handsome and have such a fine head of hair, that he might assault you, even when he was sober.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Εὖ γε, τὸ μὴ χαλεπῶς μηδὲ ἀγρίως· συγγνωστὸς γάρ, εἰ καλόν σε οὕτως ὄντα ἐπείρα. ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ: Τούτου μὲν ἕνεκα καὶ ἐπὶ σὲ ἄν, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἀγάγοι τὴν πεῖραν· καλὸς γὰρ σὺ καὶ κομήτης, ὡς καὶ νήφοντα ἄν σοι τὸν Πρίαπον ἐπιχειρῆσαι.

[¶6] APOLLO: Oh no, he won’t. I have arrows as well as long hair.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπιχειρήσει γε, ὦ Διόνυσε· ἔχω γὰρ μετὰ τῆς κόμης καὶ τόξα.

## 4. Dialogue 4

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/4/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/4/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERMES: Is there a god in heaven, mother, more miserable than I am? MAIA: Hermes, dear, you mustn’t talk like that.

> Greek: 1. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἔστι γάρ τις, ὦ μῆτερ, ἐν οὐρανῷ θεὸς ἀθλιώτερος ἐμοῦ; ΜΑΙΑ: Μὴ λέγε, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τοιοῦτον μηδέν.

[¶1] HERMES: Why shouldn’t I, when I’m so busy—and the only one that does a hand’s turn, too—quite distracted with so many different jobs? I must be up at crack of dawn, and sweep the dining-room, seeing to the cushions on the couch and tidying everything up, and then be at Zeus’ beck and call, a courier to carry his messages high and low, and the moment I’m back, I’ve to lay out the ambrosia, without even time for a wash; and before his latest acquisition, thi nectar as well. But worst of all, it’s just the same at night. I’m the only one that loses hiss wine waiter, arrived, I used to pour out the sleep, and must be busy then too—for Pluto, this time, acting as guide of souls and usher of the dead, and then be on duty with Justice Rhadamanthys. My day’s work isn’t enough for me, it seems, on the go in the wrestling schools, announcing in parliament, and training speakers, but I’ve to help out with the dead as well, for they all want their share of me.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τί μὴ λέγω, ὃς τοσαῦτα πράγματα ἔχω μόνος κάμνων καὶ πρὸς τοσαύτας ὑπηρεσίας διασπώμενος; ἕωθεν μὲν γὰρ ἐξαναστάντα σαίρειν τὸ συμπόσιον δεῖ καὶ διαστρώσαντα τὴν κλισίαν εὐθετίσαντά τε ἕκαστα παρεστάναι τῷ Διὶ καὶ διαφέρειν τὰς ἀγγελίας τὰς παρ' αὐτοῦ ἄνω καὶ κάτω ἡμεροδρομοῦντα, καὶ ἐπανελθόντα ἔτι κεκονιμένον παρατιθέναι τὴν ἀμβροσίαν· πρὶν δὲ τὸν νεώνητον τοῦτον οἰνοχόον ἥκειν, καὶ τὸ νέκταρ ἐγὼ ἐνέχεον. τὸ δὲ πάντων δεινότατον, ὅτι μηδὲ νυκτὸς καθεύδω μόνος τῶν ἄλλων, ἀλλὰ δεῖ με καὶ τότε τῷ Πλούτωνι ψυχαγωγεῖν καὶ νεκροπομπὸν εἶναι καὶ παρεστάναι τῷ δικαστηρίῳ· οὐ γὰρ ἱκανά μοι τὰ τῆς ἡμέρας ἔργα, ἐν παλαίστραις εἶναι καὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις κηρύττειν καὶ ῥήτορας ἐκδιδάσκειν, ἀλλ’ ἔτι καὶ νεκρικὰ συνδιαπράττειν μεμερισμένον.

[¶2] 2. HERMES: Yet Leda’s children can take turns at being in heaven and Hades on alternate days, but I must carry out all those jobs every day in both places. Yes, and the sons of Alcmena and Semele, whose mothers were only women, and came to a bad end, can gorge themselves without a care in the world, while I, the son of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, must wait on them hand and foot. Now I’m just back from Cadmus’ daughter at Sidon, where he sent me to see how things were with her, and, without giving me time to get my breath back, he’s sent me off again to Argos to have a look at Danae, and “Then”, says he, “you’d better go on from there to Boeotia, and take a peep at Antiope on your way”. But I’m quite fagged out already. If only it were possible, I’d gladly have asked to be sold in the market, like slaves on earth who find their lot too bad. MAIA: Enough of that, my lad. You must do everything your father wants. You’re still a youngster. Off with you now to Argos, as you were told, and then to Boeotia, or you may get a whipping for dawdling. Lovers have sharp tempers.

> Greek: 2. ΕΡΜΗΣ: καίτοι τὰ μὲν τῆς Λήδας τέκνα παρ' ἡμέραν ἑκάτερος ἐν οὐρανῷ ἢ ἐν ᾅδου εἰσίν, ἐμοὶ δὲ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν κἀκεῖνα καὶ ταῦτα ποιεῖν ἀναγκαῖον, καὶ οἱ μὲν Ἀλκμήνης καὶ Σεμέλης ἐκ γυναικῶν δυστήνων γενόμενοι εὐωχοῦνται ἀφρόντιδες, ὁ δὲ Μαίας τῆς Ἀτλαντίδος διακονοῦμαι αὐτοῖς. καὶ νῦν ἄρτι ἥκοντά με ἀπὸ Σιδῶνος παρὰ τῆς Κάδμου θυγατρός, ἐφ' ἣν πέπομφέ με ὀψόμενον ὅ τι πράττει ἡ παῖς, μηδὲ ἀναπνεύσαντα πέπομφεν αὖθις εἰς τὸ Ἄργος ἐπισκεψόμενον τὴν Δανάην, εἶτ' ἐκεῖθεν εἰς Βοιωτίαν, φησίν, ἐλθὼν ἐν παρόδῳ τὴν Ἀντιόπην ἰδέ. καὶ ὅλως ἀπηγόρευκα ἤδη. εἰ γοῦν δυνατὸν ἦν, ἡδέως ἂν ἠξίωσα πεπρᾶσθαι, ὥσπερ οἱ ἐν γῇ κακῶς δουλεύοντες. ΜΑΙΑ: Ἔα ταῦτα, ὦ τέκνον· χρὴ γὰρ πάντα ὑπηρετεῖν τῷ πατρὶ νεανίαν ὄντα. καὶ νῦν ὥσπερ ἐπέμφθης σόβει εἰς Ἄργος, εἶτα εἰς τὴν Βοιωτίαν, μὴ καὶ πληγὰς βραδύνων λάβῃς· ὀξύχολοι γὰρ οἱ ἐρῶντες.

## 5. Dialogue 5

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/5/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/5/#p-N

[¶0] 1. PROMETHEUS: Free me, Zeus. I’ve suffered terribly already. ZEUS: I’m to free you, am I? You ought to have had heavier chains, and all of Caucasus on your head, and a whole sixteen vultures to tear at your liver, and dig your eyes out too, for making such creatures as humans to plague us, and stealing fire and producing women. For need I mention how you tricked me in serving out the meat, by serving me with hones wrapped in fat, and keeping the better portion for yourself? PROMETHEUS: Well, haven’t I already been punished enough for that, nailed all this time to Caucasus, with that accursed eagle feeding on my liver?

> Greek: 1. ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Λῦσόν με, ὦ Ζεῦ· δεινὰ γὰρ ἤδη πέπονθα. ΖΕΥΣ: Λύσω σε, φῄς, ὃν ἐχρῆν βαρυτέρας πέδας ἔχοντα καὶ τὸν Καύκασον ὅλον ὑπέρ κεφαλῆς ἐπικείμενον ὑπὸ ἑκκαίδεκα γυπῶν μὴ μόνον κείρεσθαι τὸ ἧπαρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐξορύττεσθαι, ἀνθ' ὧν τοιαῦθ' ἡμῖν ζῷα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἔπλασας καὶ τὸ πῦρ ἔκλεψας καὶ γυναῖκας ἐδημιούργησας; ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐμὲ ἐξηπάτησας ἐν τῇ νομῇ τῶν κρεῶν ὀστᾶ πιμελῇ κεκαλυμμένα παραθεὶς καὶ τὴν ἀμείνω τῶν μοιρῶν σεαυτῷ φυλάττων, τί χρὴ λέγειν; ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Οὔκουν ἱκανὴν ἤδη τὴν δίκην ἐκτέτικα τοσοῦτον χρόνον τῷ Καυκάσῳ προσηλωμένος τὸν κάκιστα ὀρνέων ἀπολούμενον ἀετὸν τρέφων τῷ ἥπατι; ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐδὲ πολλοστημόριον τοῦτο ὧν σε δεῖ παθεῖν. ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἀμισθί με λύσεις, ἀλλά σοι μηνύσω τι, ὦ Ζεῦ, πάνυ ἀναγκαῖον.

[¶1] 2. ZEUS: That’s not the tiniest fraction of what you deserve. PROMETHEUS: But you shall have your reward for my freedom. I’ll give you some very vital information, Zeus.

> Greek: 2. ΖΕΥΣ: Κατασοφίζῃ με, ὦ Προμηθεῦ. ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Καὶ τί πλέον ἕξω; οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοήσεις αὖθις ἔνθα ὁ Καύκασός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἀπορήσεις δεσμῶν, ἤν τι τεχνάζων ἁλίσκωμαι.

[¶2] ZEUS: You’re trying to trick me, Prometheus. PROMETHEUS: What good will that do me? You’ll still know where Caucasus is, and still have plenty of chains left, if I’m caught up to any tricks.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Εἰπὲ πρότερον ὅντινα μισθὸν ἀποτίσεις ἀναγκαῖον ἡμῖν ὄντα. ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Ἢν εἴπω ἐφ' ὅ τι βαδίζεις νῦν, ἀξιόπιστος ἔσομαί σοι καὶ περὶ τῶν ὑπολοίπων μαντευόμενος;

[¶3] ZEUS: Tell me first what is this vital reward I’ll have from you? PROMETHEUS: Suppose I tell you what you’re after in your present expedition, will you trust the rest of my prophecies?

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Πῶς γὰρ οὔ; ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Παρὰ τὴν Θέτιν, συνεσόμενος αὐτῇ.

[¶4] ZEUS: Yes, indeed. PROMETHEUS: You’re off to Thetis, to make love to her.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Τουτὶ μὲν ἔγνως· τί δ’ οὖν τὸ ἐπὶ τούτῳ; δοκεῖς γὰρ ἀληθές τι ἐρεῖν. ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Μηδέν, ὦ Ζεῦ, κοινωνήσῃς τῇ Νηρεΐδι· ἢν γὰρ αὕτη κυοφορήσῃ ἐκ σοῦ, τὸ τεχθὲν ἴσα ἐργάσεταί σε οἷα καὶ σὺ ἔδρασας — ΖΕΥΣ: Τοῦτο φῄς, ἐκπεσεῖσθαί με τῆς ἀρχῆς; ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΥΣ: Μὴ γένοιτο, ὦ Ζεῦ. πλὴν τοιοῦτό γε ἡ μῖξις αὐτῆς ἀπειλεῖ.

[¶5] ZEUS: So far you’re right, but what’s to follow? For I think what you say will prove true. PROMETHEUS: Have nothing to do with that daughter of Nereus, for if she brings you a child, it will treat you just as you treated— ZEUS: Do you mean that I’ll be cast out of my kingdom? PROMETHEUS: I hope not, Zeus, but something of the sort threatens if you tamper with her.
ZEUS: Goodbye, then, to Thetis; and you, Prometheus, must be released by Hephaestus for this.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Χαιρέτω τοιγαροῦν ἡ Θέτις· σὲ δὲ ὁ Ἥφαιστος ἐπὶ τούτοις λυσάτω.

## 6. Dialogue 6

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/6/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/6/#p-N

[¶0] 1. EROS: Even if I have done something wrong, Zeus, please forgive me, for I’m only a child, and still without sense.

> Greek: 1. ΕΡΩΣ: Ἀλλ' εἰ καί τι ἥμαρτον, ὦ Ζεῦ, σύγγνωθί μοι· παιδίον γάρ εἰμι καὶ ἔτι ἄφρων.

[¶1] ZEUS: You a child, you Eros, who are far older than Iapetus! Just because you have no heard or grey hairs, do you really think you should be considered a babe in arms, you old villain?

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Σὺ παιδίον ὁ Ἔρως, ὃς ἀρχαιότερος εἶ πολὺ Ἰαπετοῦ; ἢ διότι μὴ πώγωνα μηδὲ πολιὰς ἔφυσας, διὰ ταῦτα καὶ βρέφος ἀξιοῖς νομίζεσθαι γέρων καὶ πανοῦργος ὤν;

[¶2] EROS: What great harm have I, old villain as you call me, done you, that you even think of putting me in chains?

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Τί δαί σε μέγα ἠδίκησα ὁ γέρων ὡς φῂς ἐγώ, διότι με καὶ πεδῆσαι διανοῇ;

[¶3] ZEUS: Curse you, do you think it no great harm when you make such a fool of me that you’ve turned me into everything under the sun—satyr, bull, shower of gold, swan, eagle? Yet you’ve never made one woman fall for me in my true colours, and, as far as I know, I’ve not got you to thank for any of my conquests, but I’ve to practise black magic to win the ladies, hiding my true self. They’ve plenty of affection for the bull or the swan, but if they see me as I really am, they’re frightened to death.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Σκόπει, ὦ κατάρατε, εἰ μικρά, ὃς ἐμοὶ μὲν οὕτως ἐντρυφᾷς, ὥστε οὐδέν ἐστιν ὃ μὴ πεποίηκάς με, σάτυρον, ταῦρον, χρυσόν, κύκνον, ἀετόν· ἐμοῦ δὲ ὅλως οὐδεμίαν ἥντινα ἐρασθῆναι πεποίηκας, οὐδὲ συνῆκα ἡδὺς γυναικὶ διὰ σὲ γεγενημένος, ἀλλά με δεῖ μαγγανεύειν ἐπ' αὐτὰς καὶ κρύπτειν ἐμαυτόν· αἱ δὲ τὸν μὲν ταῦρον ἢ κύκνον φιλοῦσιν, ἐμὲ δὲ ἢν ἴδωσι, τεθνᾶσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους.

[¶4] 2. EROS: That’s only natural. The sight of your face is too much for mortal women like them.

> Greek: 2. ΕΡΩΣ: Εἰκότως· οὐ γὰρ φέρουσιν, ὦ Ζεῦ, θνηταὶ οὖσαι τὴν σὴν πρόσοψιν.

[¶5] ZEUS: How, then, is Apollo so popular with Branchus and Hyacinthus?

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Πῶς οὖν τὸν Ἀπόλλω ὁ Βράγχος καὶ ὁ Ὑάκινθος φιλοῦσιν;

[¶6] EROS: And yet even he had Daphne run from him, for all his flowing locks and beardless face. But if you want them to fall for you, you mustn’t go shaking that shield of yours or carrying your thunderbolt around with you, but make yourself as attractive as you can and tender to behold. Let your hair grow down in curls, do them up with a ribbon like Bacchus, wear a purple robe and golden slippers, and come dancing in to the music of pipes and timbrels, and you’ll find you have more of them running after you than all his Bacchantes put together.

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Ἀλλὰ ἡ Δάφνη κἀκεῖνον ἔφευγε καίτοι κομήτην καὶ ἀγένειον ὄντα. εἰ δ’ ἐθέλεις ἐπέραστος εἶναι, μὴ ἐπίσειε τὴν αἰγίδα μηδὲ τὸν κεραυνὸν φέρε, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἥδιστον ποίει σεαυτὸν, ἁπαλὸν ὀφθῆναι, καθειμένος βοστρύχους, τῇ μίτρᾳ τούτους ἀνειλημμένος, πορφυρίδα ἔχε, ὑποδέου χρυσίδας, ὑπ' αὐλῷ καὶ τυμπάνοις εὔρυθμα βαῖνε, καὶ ὄψει ὅτι πλείους ἀκολουθήσουσί σοι τῶν Διονύσου Μαινάδων.

[¶7] ZEUS: Be off with you. I’d rather they didn’t fall for me, if I’ve to be like that.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἄπαγε· οὐκ ἂν δεξαίμην ἐπέραστος εἶναι τοιοῦτος γενόμενος.

[¶8] EROS: Then give up all ideas of romance, Zeus. That’s a simple enough way out.

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Οὐκοῦν, ὦ Ζεῦ, μηδὲ ἐρᾶν θέλε· ῥᾴδιον γὰρ τοῦτό γε.

[¶9] ZEUS: Oh, no! I want my women, but I want success with them without so much trouble. Promise me just that, and I’ll let you go.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ἐρᾶν μέν, ἀπραγμονέστερον δὲ αὐτῶν ἐπιτυγχάνειν· ἐπὶ τούτοις αὐτοῖς ἀφίημί σε.

## 7. Dialogue 7

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/7/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/7/#p-N

[¶0] 1. ZEUS: Hermes, do you know Inachus’ daughter, the one that’s so pretty?

> Greek: 1. ΖΕΥΣ: Τὴν τοῦ Ἰνάχου παῖδα τὴν καλὴν οἶσθα, ὦ Ἑρμῆ;

[¶1] HERMES: Yes. You mean Io, don’t you?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ναί· τὴν Ἰὼ λέγεις;

[¶2] ZEUS: She’s not a girl, but a heifer now.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐκέτι παῖς ἐκείνη ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ δάμαλις.

[¶3] HERMES: Wonders will never cease! How this change?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τεράστιον τοῦτο· τῷ τρόπῳ δ’ ἐνηλλάγη;

[¶4] ZEUS: Hera did it out of jealousy. But that’s not all. She’s played another nasty unheard-of trick on the poor girl. She’s put a herdsman called Argus with ever so many eyes in charge of her. He keeps an eye on her as she grazes, and he never goes to sleep.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ζηλοτυπήσασα ἡ Ἥρα μετέβαλεν αὐτήν. ἀλλὰ καὶ καινὸν ἄλλο τι δεινὸν ἐπιμεμηχάνηται τῇ κακοδαίμονι· βουκόλον τινὰ πολυόμματον Ἄργον τοὔνομα ἐπέστησεν, ὃς νέμει τὴν δάμαλιν ἄϋπνος ὤν.

[¶5] HERMES: Well, what are we to do about it?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τί οὖν ἡμᾶς χρὴ ποιεῖν;

[¶6] ZEUS: You must fly down to Nemea—Argus is on his beat thereabouts—and kill him. Then take Io over the sea to Egypt, and make her into Isis. Hereafter let her be goddess of the folk there, raising the waters of the Nile, sending them their winds, and preserving seafarers from harm.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Καταπτάμενος ἐς τὴν Νεμέαν—ἐκεῖ δέ που ὁ Ἄργος βουκολεῖ—ἐκεῖνον ἀπόκτεινον, τὴν δὲ Ἰὼ διὰ τοῦ πελάγους ἐς τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἀγαγὼν Ἶσιν ποίησον· καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἔστω θεὸς τῶν ἐκεῖ καὶ τὸν Νεῖλον ἀναγέτω καὶ τοὺς ἀνέμους ἐπιπεμπέτω καὶ σῳζέτω τοὺς πλέοντας.

## 8. Dialogue 8

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/8/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/8/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERA: Since you’ve brought this lad up here, Zeus, this Phrygian you carried off from Ida, you’ve been neglecting me.

> Greek: 1. ΗΡΑ: Ἐξ οὗ τὸ μειράκιον τοῦτο. ὦ Ζεῦ, τὸ Φρύγιον ἀπὸ τῆς Ἴδης ἁρπάσας δεῦρο ἀνήγαγες, ἔλαττόν μοι τὸν νοῦν προσέχεις.

[¶1] ZEUS: What, Hera? Jealous already? Of him too, though he’s so simple and harmless? I thought you were only down on my various lady friends.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Καὶ τοῦτο γάρ, ὦ Ἥρα, ζηλοτυπεῖς ἤδη ἀφελὲς οὕτω καὶ ἀλυπότατον; ἐγὼ δὲ ᾤμην ταῖς γυναιξὶ μόναις χαλεπήν σε εἶναι, ὁπόσαι ἂν ὁμιλήσωσί μοι.

[¶2] 2. HERA: It’s bad enough and quite out of place for you, the master of all gods, to desert me, your lawful wife, and go down to earth, turning into gold or satyr or bull, to commit adultery. But your women do stay on the earth, but as for this boy from Ida, you grabbed hold of him and flew him up here, my fine king of the birds, and you’ve brought him into our family over my head, “as wine-waiter”, you say. Were you so badly in need of wine-waiters? Have Hebe and Hephaestus, then, gone on strike? And you can’t take the cup from him, without kissing him first before all our eyes, and you find his kiss sweeter than the nectar, and so you keep on and on asking for a drink, even when you’re not thirsty. Sometimes, too, you just take a sip, and give him the cup, and when he has drunk, you take it back and drain it, from the side he’s drunk from and touched with his lips, so that you can be drinking and kissing at the same time. And the other day, you, the king and father of all, laid aside your aegis and thunderbolt, and sat down playing dice with him, you with that great beard on your face! I see it all. Don’t think you’re hoodwinking me.

> Greek: 2. ΗΡΑ: Οὐδ’ ἐκεῖνα μὲν εὖ ποιεῖς οὐδὲ πρέποντα σεαυτῷ ὃς ἁπάντων θεῶν δεσπότης ὢν ἀπολιπὼν ἐμὲ τὴν νόμῳ γαμετὴν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κάτει μοιχεύσων, χρυσίον ἢ σάτυρος ἢ ταῦρος γενόμενος. πλὴν ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖναι μέν σοι κἂν ἐν γῇ μένουσι, τὸ δὲ τουτὶ Ἰδαῖον παιδίον ἁρπάσας ἀνέπτης, ὦ γενναιότατε ἀετῶν, καὶ συνοικεῖ ἡμῖν ἐπὶ κεφαλήν μοι ἐπαχθέν, οἰνοχοοῦν δὴ τῷ λόγῳ. οὕτως ἠπόρεις οἰνοχόων, καὶ ἀπηγορεύκασιν ἄρα ἥ τε Ἥβη καὶ ὁ Ἥφαιστος διακονούμενοι; σὺ δὲ καὶ τὴν κύλικα οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως λάβοις παρ' αὐτοῦ ἢ φιλήσας πρότερον αὐτὸν ἁπάντων ὁρώντων, καὶ τὸ φίλημά σοι ἥδιον τοῦ νέκταρος, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ διψῶν πολλάκις αἰτεῖς πιεῖν· ὁτὲ δὲ καὶ ἀπογευσάμενος μόνον ἔδωκας ἐκείνῳ, καὶ πιόντος ἀπολαβὼν τὴν κύλικα ὅσον ὑπόλοιπον ἐν αὐτῇ πίνεις, ὅθεν καὶ ὁ παῖς ἔπιε καὶ ἔνθα προσήρμοσε τὰ χείλη, ἵνα καὶ πίνῃς ἅμα καὶ φιλῇς· πρῴην δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἁπάντων πατὴρ ἀποθέμενος τὴν αἰγίδα καὶ τὸν κεραυνὸν ἐκάθησο ἀστραγαλίζων μετ' αὐτοῦ ὁ πώγωνα τηλικοῦτον καθειμένος. ἅπαντα οὖν ὁρῶ ταῦτα, ὥστε μὴ οἴου λανθάνειν.

[¶3] 3. ZEUS: And what’s so terrible, my dear, in kissing a pretty boy like that while I’m drinking, and enjoying both the kiss and the nectar? Why, if I let him kiss you just once, you’ll never again blame me for preferring his kiss to the nectar.

> Greek: 3. ΖΕΥΣ: Καὶ τί δεινόν, ὦ Ἥρα, μειράκιον οὕτω καλὸν μεταξὺ πίνοντα καταφιλεῖν καὶ ἥδεσθαι ἀμφοῖν καὶ τῷ φιλήματι καὶ τῷ νέκταρι; ἢν γοῦν ἐπιτρέψω αὐτῷ κἂν ἅπαξ φιλῆσαί σε, οὐκέτι μέμψῃ μοι προτιμότερον τοῦ νέκταρος οἰομένῳ τὸ φίλημα εἶναι.

[¶4] HERA: Admirers of boys may talk like that, but I hope I’ll never be so mad as to give my lips to that Phrygian softie. Oh, the effeminate creature!

> Greek: ΗΡΑ: Παιδεραστῶν οὗτοι λόγοι. ἐγὼ δὲ μὴ οὕτω μανείην ὡς τὰ χείλη προσενεγκεῖν τῷ μαλθακῷ τούτῳ Φρυγὶ οὕτως ἐκτεθηλυμένῳ.

[¶5] ZEUS: Please don’t abuse my little darling, noble Hera. This effeminate foreigner, this softie, is more delightful and desirable to me than—I won’t say it, for fear that I make you still angrier.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Μή μοι λοιδοροῦ, ὦ γενναιοτάτη, τοῖς παιδικοῖς· οὑτοσὶ γὰρ ὁ θηλυδρίας, ὁ βάρβαρος, ὁ μαλθακός, ἡδίων ἐμοὶ καὶ ποθεινότερος—οὐ βούλομαι δὲ εἰπεῖν, μή σε παροξύνω ἐπὶ πλέον.

[¶6] 4. HERA: Well, you can go ahead and marry him, for all I care. But I hope you remember how you’re showering tipsy abuse on me because of this wine-boy.

> Greek: 4. ΗΡΑ: Εἴθε καὶ γαμήσειας αὐτὸν ἐμοῦ γε οὕνεκα· μέμνησο γοῦν οἷά μοι διὰ τὸν οἰνοχόον τοῦτον ἐμπαροινεῖς.

[¶7] ZEUS: What nonsense! I suppose we ought to have our wine from your son, Hephaestus, hobbling about, straight from the forge, still filthy from the sparks, having just put down his tongs. I suppose I should take the cup from those dirty fingers of his, and between each mouthful of wine give him a kiss? Why, even you, his own mother, wouldn’t want to kiss his face, all black with soot. That would be nicer, wouldn’t it? Hephaestus was a much more suitable wine-waiter for the table of the gods, I suppose, and Ganymede should be packed off home to Ida? He’s too clean, and has rosy fingers, he’s not clumsy when he offers the drink, and what annoys you most of all, his kiss is sweeter than the nectar.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τὸν Ἥφαιστον ἕδει τὸν σὸν υἱὸν οἰνοχοεῖν ἡμῖν χωλεύοντα, ἐκ τῆς καμίνου ἥκοντα, ἔτι τῶν σπινθήρων ἀνάπλεων, ἄρτι τὴν πυράγραν ἀποτεθειμένον, καὶ ἀπ' ἐκείνων αὐτοῦ τῶν δακτύλων λαμβάνειν ἡμᾶς τὴν κύλικα καὶ ἐπισπασαμένους γε φιλῆσαι μεταξύ, ὃν οὐδ’ ἂν ἡ μήτηρ σὺ ἡδέως φιλήσειας ὑπὸ τῆς ἀσβόλου κατῃθαλωμένον τὸ πρόσωπον. ἡδίω ταῦτα· οὐ γάρ; καὶ παρὰ πολὺ ὁ οἰνοχόος ἐκεῖνος ἔπρεπε τῷ συμποσίῳ τῶν θεῶν, ὁ Γανυήδης δὲ καταπεμπτέος αὖθις ἐς τὴν Ἴδην· καθάριος γὰρ καὶ ῥοδοδάκτυλος καὶ ἐπισταμένως ὀρέγει τὸ ἔκπωμα, καὶ ὅ σε λυπεῖ μάλιστα, καὶ φιλεῖ ἥδιον τοῦ νέκταρος.

[¶8] 5. HERA: Oh, so now you complain that Hephaestus is lame, and his fingers aren’t good enough for your cup, and he is all sooty, and that the sight of him turns your stomach? You’ve been like that ever since Ida produced this long-haired darling. In the old days, you didn’t notice these things. The sparks and the forge didn’t stop you from taking your wine from him.

> Greek: 5. ΗΡΑ: Νῦν καὶ χωλός, ὦ Ζεῦ, ὁ Ἥφαιστος καὶ οἱ δάκτυλοι αὐτοῦ ἀνάξιοι τῆς σῆς κύλικος καὶ ἀσβόλου μεστός ἐστι, καὶ ναυτιᾷς ὁρῶν αὐτόν, ἐξ ὅτου τὸν καλὸν κομήτην τοῦτον ἡ Ἴδη ἀνέθρεψε· πάλαι δὲ οὐχ ἑώρας ταῦτα, οὐδ’ οἱ σπινθῆρες οὐδὲ ἡ κάμινος ἀπέτρεπόν σε μὴ οὐχὶ πίνειν παρ' αὐτοῦ.

[¶9] ZEUS: You’re only making yourself miserable, my dear, and me fonder of him, by being jealous. If you don’t like taking your drink from a lovely boy, you can have your own son serve you, and I’ll have you, Ganymede, all to myself, waiting on me, and giving me two kisses with each cup, one when you hold it out to me full, and a second when I give you it back. Hullo, not crying, are you? Don’t be afraid. Anyone that chooses to hurt you will regret it.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Λυπεῖς, ὦ Ἥρα, σεαυτήν, οὐδὲν ἄλλο, κἀμοὶ ἐπιτείνεις τὸν ἔρωτα ζηλοτυποῦσα· εἰ δὲ ἄχθῃ παρὰ παιδὸς ὡραίου δεχομένη τὸ ἔκπωμα, σοὶ μὲν ὁ υἱὸς οἰνοχοείτω, σὺ δέ, ὦ Γανύμηδες, ἐμοὶ μόνῳ ἀναδίδου τὴν κύλικα καὶ ἐφ' ἑκάστῃ δὶς φίλει με καὶ ὅτε πλήρη ὀρέγοις κᾆτα αὖθις ὁπότε παρ' ἐμοῦ ἀπολαμβάνοις. τί τοῦτο; δακρύεις; μὴ δέδιθι· οἰμώξεται γάρ, ἤν τίς σε λυπεῖν θέλῃ.

## 9. Dialogue 9

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/9/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/9/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERA: This Ixion, Zeus, what sort of a fellow do you think he is?

> Greek: 1. ΗΡΑ: Τὸν Ἰξίονα τοῦτον, ὦ Ζεῦ, ποῖόν τινα τὸν τρόπον ἡγῇ;

[¶1] ZEUS: Why, an honest man, my dear, and grand company. He wouldn’t be our guest, if he were unworthy of our table.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἄνθρωπον εἶναι χρηστόν, ὦ Ἥρα, καὶ συμποτικόν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν συνῆν ἡμῖν ἀνάξιος τοῦ συμποσίου ὤν.

[¶2] HERA: But he isn’t worthy, for his behaviour’s outrageous. So don’t invite him again.

> Greek: ΗΡΑ: Ἀλλὰ ἀνάξιός ἐστιν, ὑβριστής γε ὤν· ὥστε μηκέτι συνέστω.

[¶3] ZEUS: How’s it been outrageous? I think I should be in the know too.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Τί δαὶ ὕβρισε; χρὴ γάρ, οἶμαι, κἀμὲ εἰδέναι.

[¶4] HERA: Of course you should. But I’m ashamed to mention it. Such a thing to dare!

> Greek: ΗΡΑ: Τί γὰρ ἄλλο; —καίτοι αἰσχύνομαι εἰπεῖν αὐτό· τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν ὃ ἐτόλμησεν.

[¶5] ZEUS: But if he’s tried to do anything shameful, that’s all the more reason for telling me about it. He’s not been making attempts on anyone, has he? I think I can guess the sort of shameful thing you wouldn’t like to mention.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Καὶ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο καὶ μᾶλλον εἴποις ἄν, ὅσῳ καὶ αἰσχροῖς ἐπεχείρησε. μῶν δ’ οὖν ἐπείρα τινά; συνίημι γὰρ ὁποῖόν τι τὸ αἰσχρόν, ὅπερ ἂν σὺ ὀκνήσειας εἰπεῖν.

[¶6] 2. HERA: It’s me he’s been after. Me of all people! And for a long time too! At first I didn’t know what it all meant, when he kept gazing hard at me. He would sigh and whimper, and whenever I gave the cup to Ganymede after drinking, he would ask for a drink from the same cup, and when he got it, would stop in the middle of his drink and kiss the cup, bringing it up to his eyes, and staring at me again. Presently I realised these were signs of love, and for a long time I was ashamed to mention the matter to you, thinking the man would get over his madness. But now that he’s actually dared to broach the subject with me, I’ve left him still weeping and grovelling on the ground, and, stopping up my ears so that I wouldn’t even hear his outrageous pleas, I’ve come to tell you. I leave his punishment in your own hands.

> Greek: 2. ΗΡΑ: Αὐτὴν ἐμέ, οὐκ ἄλλην τινά, ὦ Ζεῦ, πολὺν ἤδη χρόνον. καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἠγνόουν τὸ πρᾶγμα, διότι ἀτενὲς ἀφεώρα εἰς ἐμέ· ὁ δὲ καὶ ἔστενε καὶ ὑπεδάκρυε, καὶ εἴ ποτε πιοῦσα παραδοίην τῷ Γανυμήδει τὸ ἔκπωμα, ὁ δὲ ᾔτει ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκείνῳ πιεῖν καὶ λαβὼν ἐφίλει μεταξὺ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς προσῆγε καὶ αὖθις ἀφεώρα ἐς ἐμέ· ταῦτα δὲ ἤδη συνίην ἐρωτικὰ ὄντα. καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ μὲν ᾐδούμην λέγειν πρὸς σὲ καὶ ᾤμην παύσεσθαι τῆς μανίας τὸν ἄνθρωπον· ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ λόγους ἐτόλμησέ μοι προσενεγκεῖν, ἐγὼ μὲν ἀφεῖσα αὐτὸν ἔτι δακρύοντα καὶ προκυλινδούμενον, ἐπιφραξαμένη τὰ ὦτα, ὡς μηδὲ ἀκούσαιμι αὐτοῦ ὑβριστικὰ ἱκετεύοντος, ἀπῆλθον σοὶ φράσουσα· σὺ δὲ αὐτὸς ὅρα, ὅπως μέτει τὸν ἄνδρα.

[¶7] 3. ZEUS: The enterprising old devil! Supplanting me! Aspiring to Hera’s affections! So drunk with the nectar! Well, it’s our own fault; we’ve been far too good to men, inviting them up to drink with us. So you can’t blame them, when they’ve had the same to drink as us, and seen the beauty of heaven’s ladies, the like of which they never saw on earth, if they fall in love and want such beauties for themselves. After all, Love’s a pretty violent thing, and gets the mastery not only of men, but sometimes even of us gods.

> Greek: 3. ΖΕΥΣ: Εὖ γε ὁ κατάρατος· ἐπ' ἐμὲ αὐτὸν καὶ μέχρι τῶν Ἥρας γάμων; τοσοῦτον ἐμεθύσθη τοῦ νέκταρος; ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς τούτων αἴτιοι καὶ πέρα τοῦ μετρίου φιλάνθρωποι, οἵ γε καὶ συμπότας αὐτοὺς ἐποιησάμεθα. συγγνωστοὶ οὖν, εἰ πιόντες ὅμοια ἡμῖν καὶ ἰδόντες οὐράνια κάλλη καὶ οἷα οὔ ποτε εἶδον ἐπὶ γῆς, ἐπεθύμησαν ἀπολαῦσαι αὐτῶν ἔρωτι ἁλόντες· ὁ δ’ ἔρως βίαιόν τί ἐστι καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπων μόνον ἄρχει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐνίοτε.

[¶8] HERA: Love’s your master, good and proper. He drags you along, pulling you by the nose, as they say, and you follow wherever he leads you, and don’t mind changing into anything he bids you. Why, you’re nothing but love’s chattel and plaything. I can see already that you sympathise with Ixion, because you yourself once made free with his wife, and she brought you Peirithous.

> Greek: ΗΡΑ: Σοῦ μὲν καὶ πάνυ οὗτός γε δεσπότης ἐστὶ καὶ ἄγει σε καὶ φέρει τῆς ῥινός, φασίν, ἕλκων, καὶ σὺ ἕπῃ αὐτῷ ἔνθα ἂν ἡγῆταί σοι, καὶ ἀλλάττῃ ῥᾳδίως ἐς ὅ τι ἂν κελεύσῃ, καὶ ὅλως κτῆμα καὶ παιδιὰ τοῦ ἔρωτος σύ γε· καὶ νῦν τῷ Ἰξίονι οἶδα καθότι συγγνώμην ἀπονέμεις ἅτε καὶ αὐτὸς μοιχεύσας ποτὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἥ σοι τὸν Πειρίθουν ἔτεκεν.

[¶9] 4. ZEUS: What? Do you still remember every time I went down to earth to have some fun? Do you know what I think we should do with Ixion? We shouldn’t punish him or forbid him our table. That would be ill-bred. No, since he’s in love, and reduced to tears and suffers intolerable torment— HERA: Quick, out with it; for I’m afraid you too will make some outrageous suggestion.

> Greek: 4. ΖΕΥΣ: Ἔτι γὰρ σὺ μέμνησαι ἐκείνων, εἴ τι ἐγὼ ἔπαιξα εἰς γῆν κατελθών; ἀτὰρ οἶσθα ὅ μοι δοκεῖ περὶ τοῦ Ἰξίονος; κολάζειν μὲν μηδαμῶς αὐτὸν μηδὲ ἀπωθεῖν τοῦ συμποσίου· σκαιὸν γάρ· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐρᾷ καὶ ὡς φῂς δακρύει καὶ ἀφόρητα πάσχει— ΗΡΑ: Τί, ὦ Ζεῦ; δέδια γάρ, μή τι ὑβριστικὸν καὶ σὺ εἴπῃς.

[¶10] ZEUS: Nothing of the sort. No, let’s make a model of you out of cloud, and every night after dinner, when he can’t get to sleep for love, as is only natural, we can bring it and put it beside him. Thus he could be out of his misery, and imagine he’s got what he longs for.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλ’ εἴδωλον ἐκ νεφέλης πλασάμενοι αὐτῇ σοι ὅμοιον, ἐπειδὰν λυθῇ τὸ συμπόσιον κἀκεῖνος ἀγρυπνῇ, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἔρωτος, παρακατακλίνωμεν αὐτῷ φέροντες· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν παύσαιτο ἀνιώμενος οἰηθεὶς τετυχηκέναι τῆς ἐπιθυμίας.

[¶11] HERA: Never! Curse him for lusting after what’s above him.

> Greek: ΗΡΑ: Ἄπαγε, μὴ ὥρασιν ἵκοιτο τῶν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν ἐπιθυμῶν.

[¶12] ZEUS: Still you must put up with it, my dear. What harm will the model do you, if Ixion makes love to a cloud?

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ὅμως ὑπόμεινον, ὦ Ἥρα. ἢ τί γὰρ ἂν καὶ πάθοις δεινὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ πλάσματος, εἰ νεφέλῃ ὁ Ἰξίων συνέσται;

[¶13] 5. HERA: But I’ll be mistaken for the cloud and so be put to shame, because we can’t be told apart.

> Greek: 5. ΗΡΑ: Ἀλλὰ ἡ νεφέλη ἐγὼ εἶναι δόξω, καὶ τὸ αἰσχρὸν ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἥξει διὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα.

[¶14] ZEUS: What nonsense! The cloud could never become Hera or you a cloud. Ixion will be deceived, that’s all.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐδὲν τοῦτο φῄς· οὔτε γὰρ ἡ νεφέλη ποτὲ Ἥρα γένοιτ' ἂν οὔτε σὺ νεφέλη· ὁ δ’ Ἰξίων μόνον ἐξαπατηθήσεται.

[¶15] HERA: But humans are all so ill-bred. Perhaps he’ll start boasting down on earth, telling his story to everyone and claiming that he’s been keeping company with Hera, and sharing Zeus’ bed; perhaps he may even say I’m in love with him, and they’ll believe him, not knowing he was with a cloud.

> Greek: ΗΡΑ: Ἀλλὰ οἱ πάντες ἄνθρωποι ἀπειρόκαλοί εἰσιν· αὐχήσει κατελθὼν ἴσως καὶ διηγήσεται ἅπασι λέγων συγγεγενῆσθαι τῇ Ἥρᾳ καὶ σύλλεκτρος εἶναι τῷ Διί, καί που τάχα ἐρᾶν με φήσειεν αὐτοῦ, οἱ δὲ πιστεύσουσιν οὐκ εἰδότες ὡς νεφέλῃ συνῆν.

[¶16] ZEUS: Very well, if he says anything bike that, he’ll be thrown down to Hades and tied to a wheel—he won’t like that a bit—and carried round and round with the wheel for ever, and suffer torment without end, not as a punishment for his love—for that’s no crime—but for boasting.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐκοῦν, ἤν τι τοιοῦτον εἴπῃ, ἐς τὸν ᾅδην ἐμπεσὼν τροχῷ ἄθλιος προσδεθεὶς συμπεριενεχθήσεται μετ' αὐτοῦ ἀεὶ καὶ πόνον ἄπαυστον ἕξει δίκην διδοὺς οὐ τοῦ ἔρωτος—οὐ γὰρ δεινὸν τοῦτό γε—ἀλλὰ τῆς μεγαλαυχίας.

## 10. Dialogue 10

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/10/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/10/#p-N

[¶0] 1. ZEUS: Come now, Ganymede. We’ve got there, so you can give me a kiss right away, and you’ll know I’ve no crooked beak now, or sharp claws or wings, as you thought when you took me for a bird.

> Greek: 1. ΖΕΥΣ: Ἄγε, ὦ Γανύμηδες;—ἥκομεν γὰρ ἔνθα ἐχρῆν—φίλησόν με ἤδη, ὅπως εἰδῇς οὐκέτι ῥάμφος ἀγκύλον ἔχοντα οὐδ’ ὄνυχας ὀξεῖς οὐδὲ πτερά, οἷος ἐφαινόμην σοι πτηνὸς εἶναι δοκῶν.

[¶1] GANYMEDE: Mister man, weren’t you an eagle just now? Didn’t you swoop down, and carry me away from the middle of my flock? How, then, have your feathers moulted? You look quite different now.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Ἄνθρωπε, οὐκ ἀετὸς ἄρτι ἦσθα καὶ καταπτάμενος ἥρπασάς με ἀπὸ μέσου τοῦ ποιμνίου; πῶς οὖν τὰ μὲν πτερά σοι ἐκεῖνα ἐξερρύηκε, σὺ δὲ ἄλλος ἤδη ἀναπέφηνας;

[¶2] ZEUS: It’s no man you see here, my lad, nor eagle either. No, I’m the king of all the gods, but I’ve changed my shape for the moment.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἀλλ' οὔτε ἄνθρωπον ὁρᾷς, ὦ μειράκιον, οὔτε ἀετὸν, ὁ δὲ πάντων βασιλεὺς τῶν θεῶν οὗτός εἰμι πρὸς τὸν καιρὸν ἀλλάξας ἐμαυτόν.

[¶3] GANYMEDE: What’s that? Are you Pan himself? How is it, then, you’ve no pipe or horns or shaggy legs?

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Τί φῄς; σὺ γὰρ εἶ ὁ Πὰν ἐκεῖνος; εἶτα πῶς σύριγγα οὐκ ἔχεις οὐδὲ κέρατα οὐδὲ λάσιος εἶ τὰ σκέλη;

[¶4] ZEUS: Is he your only god?

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Μόνον γὰρ ἐκεῖνον ἡγῇ θεόν;

[¶5] GANYMEDE: Yes, and we sacrifice one of our best billies to him, taking it to the cave where he has his statue. But you’re just a kidnapper, if you ask me.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Ναί· καὶ θύομέν γε αὐτῷ ἔνορχιν τράγον ἐπὶ τὸ σπήλαιον ἄγοντες, ἔνθα ἕστηκε· σὺ δὲ ἀνδραποδιστής τις εἶναί μοι δοκεῖς.

[¶6] 2. ZEUS: Tell me, have you never heard the name of Zeus? Never seen his altar on Gargaron —the one who sends rain, thunder and lightning?

> Greek: 2. ΖΕΥΣ: Εἰπέ μοι, Διὸς δὲ οὐκ ἤκουσας ὄνομα οὐδὲ βωμὸν εἶδες ἐν τῷ Γαργάρῳ τοῦ ὕοντος καὶ βροντῶντος καὶ ἀστραπὰς ποιοῦντος;

[¶7] GANYMEDE: Oh, sir, do you mean you’re the one that poured down that tremendous hailstorm on us the other day, the one they say lives up top and makes all the noise, the one my father sacrificed the ram to? What harm have I done you, mister king of the gods, that you’ve carried me off up here? Perhaps the wolves will fall on my sheep now that they’re unprotected, and tear them to pieces.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Σύ, ὦ βέλτιστε, φῄς εἶναι, ὃς πρῴην κατέχεας ἡμῖν τὴν πολλὴν χάλαζαν, ὁ οἰκεῖν ὑπεράνω λεγόμενος, ὁ ποιῶν τὸν ψόφον, ᾧ τὸν κριὸν ὁ πατὴρ ἔθυσεν; εἶτα τί ἀδικήσαντά με ἀνήρπασας, ὦ βασιλεῦ τῶν θεῶν; τὰ δὲ πρόβατα ἴσως οἱ λύκοι διαρπάσονται ἤδη ἐρήμοις ἐπιπεσόντες.

[¶8] ZEUS: What? Still worrying about your sheep? You’re an immortal now and will be living up here with us.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἔτι γὰρ μέλει σοι τῶν προβάτων ἀθανάτῳ γεγενημένῳ καὶ ἐνταῦθα συνεσομένῳ μεθ' ἡμῶν;

[¶9] GANYMEDE: What’s that? Won’t you be taking me back to Ida today?

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Τί λέγεις; οὐ γὰρ κατάξεις με ἤδη ἐς τὴν Ἴδην τήμερον;

[¶10] ZEUS: Of course not. That would mean I’d changed from god to eagle all for nothing.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐδαμῶς· ἐπεὶ μάτην ἀετὸς ἂν εἴην ἀντὶ θεοῦ γεγενημένος.

[¶11] GANYMEDE: Then my daddy will be looking everywhere for me and getting cross if he doesn’t find me, and I’ll get a thrashing by and by for leaving my flock.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Οὐκοῦν ἐπιζητήσει με ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ἀγανακτήσει μὴ εὑρίσκων, καὶ πληγὰς ὕστερον λήψομαι καταλιπὼν τὸ ποίμνιον.

[¶12] ZEUS: How so? Where will he see you?

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ποῦ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὄψεταί σε;

[¶13] GANYMEDE: Please don’t go on with it, for I miss him already. If only you take me back, I promise you you’ll get another ram from him, sacrificed as my ransom. We have the three-year-old one, the big one that leads the way to the pasture.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Μηδαμῶς· ποθῶ γὰρ ἤδη αὐτόν. εἰ δὲ ἀπάξεις με, ὑπισχνοῦμαί σοι καὶ ἄλλον παρ' αὐτοῦ κριὸν τυθήσεσθαι λύτρα ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν τριετῆ, τὸν μέγαν, ὃς ἡγεῖται πρὸς τὴν νομήν.

[¶14] 3. ZEUS: How simple the child is, how innocent he is! Still just a child, that’s what he is. Look here, Ganymede, you can say good-bye to all those things and forget all about them—about your flock and about Ida. You’re one of heaven’s company now, and can do a lot of good to your father and country from here. Instead of your cheese and milk, you’ll have ambrosia to eat and nectar to drink, only you’ll have to serve the nectar to the rest of us too with your own fair hand. And most important of all, you won’t be human any more, but immortal, and I’ll make your own star—the prettiest one shining in the sky—and you’ll enjoy perfect happiness.

> Greek: 3. ΖΕΥΣ: Ὡς ἀφελὴς ὁ παῖς ἐστι καὶ ἁπλοϊκὸς καὶ αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο παῖς ἔτι.—ἀλλ’, ὦ Γανύμηδες, ἐκεῖνα μὲν πάντα χαίρειν ἔα καὶ ἐπιλάθου αὐτῶν, τοῦ ποιμνίου καὶ τῆς Ἴδης. σὺ δὲ—ἤδη γὰρ ἐπουράνοις εἶ—πολλὰ εὖ ποιήσεις ἐντεῦθεν καὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ πατρίδα, καὶ ἀντὶ μὲν τυροῦ καὶ γάλακτος ἀμβροσίαν ἔδῃ καὶ νέκταρ πίῃ· τοῦτο μέντοι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἡμῖν αὐτὸς παρέξεις ἐγχέων· τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, οὐκέτι ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ’ ἀθάνατος γενήσῃ, καὶ ἀστέρα σου φαίνεσθαι ποιήσω κάλλιστον, καὶ ὅλως εὐδαίμων ἔσῃ.

[¶15] GANYMEDE: But what if I want to play? Who will play with me? There were a lot of us who were of my age on Ida.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Ἤν δὲ παίζειν ἐπιθυμήσω, τίς συμπαίξεταί μοι; ἐν γὰρ τῇ Ἴδῃ πολλοὶ ἡλικιῶται ἦμεν.

[¶16] ZEUS: You have someone to play with here too—there’s Eros over there—and lots and lots of knucklebones as well. Only you must cheer up and be a bit more pleased with life, and stop longing for things below.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἔχεις κἀνταῦθα τὸν συμπαιξόμενόν σοι τουτονὶ τὸν Ἔρωτα καὶ ἀστραγάλους μάλα πολλούς. θάρρει μόνον καὶ φαιδρὸς ἴσθι καὶ μηδὲν ἐπιπόθει τῶν κάτω.

[¶17] 4. GANYMEDE: But how could I possibly be any use to you? Will I have to look after a flock here too?

> Greek: 4. ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Τί δαὶ ὑμῖν χρήσιμος ἂν γενοίμην; ἢ ποιμαίνειν δεήσει κἀνταῦθα;

[¶18] ZEUS: No, you’ll pour wine, and be in charge of the nectar, looking after us at table.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὔκ, ἀλλ’ οἰνοχοήσεις καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ νέκταρος τετάξῃ καὶ ἐπιμελήσῃ τοῦ συμποσίου.

[¶19] GANYMEDE: That’s quite simple. I know how to pour milk, and hand round the milk bowl.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Τοῦτο μὲν οὐ χαλεπόν· οἶδα γὰρ ὡς χρὴ ἐγχέαι τὸ γάλα καὶ ἀναδοῦναι τὸ κισσύβιον.

[¶20] ZEUS: There he goes again. Keeps harping on his milk! Think’s he’ll be waiting on men! This is heaven, let me tell you, and, as I said just now, our drink is nectar.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἰδού, πάλιν οὗτος γάλακτος μνημονεύει καὶ ἀνθρώποις διακονήσεσθαι οἴεται· ταυτὶ δ’ ὁ οὐρανός ἐστι, καὶ πίνομεν, ὥσπερ ἔφην, τὸ νέκταρ.

[¶21] GANYMEDE: Is that nicer than milk, Zeus?

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Ἥδιον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τοῦ γάλακτος;

[¶22] ZEUS: You’ll know very soon, and once you’ve tasted it, you won’t miss your milk any more.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Εἴσῃ μετ' ὀλίγον καὶ γευσάμενος οὐκέτι ποθήσεις τὸ γάλα.

[¶23] GANYMEDE: Where shall I sleep at night? With Eros, my playmate?

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Κοιμήσομαι δὲ ποῦ τῆς νυκτός; ἢ μετὰ τοῦ ἡλικιώτου Ἔρωτος;

[¶24] ZEUS: No, that’s why I carried you off up here; I wanted us to sleep together.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὔκ, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτό σε ἀνήρπασα, ὡς ἅμα καθεύδοιμεν.

[¶25] GANYMEDE: Can’t you sleep alone? Will you prefer sleeping with me?

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Μόνος γὰρ οὐκ ἂν δύναιο, ἀλλὰ ἥδιόν σοι καθεύδειν μετ' ἐμοῦ;

[¶26] ZEUS: Yes, when it’s with a beautiful boy like you.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ναί, μετά γε τοιούτου οἷος εἶ σύ, Γανύμηδες, οὕτω καλός.

[¶27] 5. GANYMEDE: But how will you sleep better because of my beauty?

> Greek: 5. ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Τί γάρ σε πρὸς τὸν ὕπνον ὀνήσει τὸ κάλλος;

[¶28] ZEUS: It’s sweet and soothing, and brings softer sleep.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἔχει τι θέλγητρον ἡδὺ καὶ μαλακώτερον ἐπάγει αὐτόν.

[¶29] GANYMEDE: But Daddy would get annoyed with me when I slept with him, and kept telling us first thing in the morning how he couldn’t sleep for me tossing and turning, kicking out and talking in my sleep; so he usually sent me to sleep with mummy. So, if that’s why you brought me up here, as you say it is, the sooner you put me back down on earth again, the better, or you’ll have a terrible time with sleepless nights. For I’ll be an awful nuisance to you, tossing and turning all night long.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Καὶ μὴν ὅ γε πατὴρ ἤχθετό μοι συγκαθεύδοντι καὶ διηγεῖτο ἕωθεν, ὡς ἀφεῖλον αὐτοῦ τὸν ὕπνον στρεφόμενος καὶ λακτίζων καί τι φθεγγόμενος μεταξὺ ὁπότε καθεύδοιμι· ὥστε παρὰ τὴν μητέρα ἔπεμπέ με κοιμησόμενον ὡς τὰ πολλά. ὥρα δή σοι, εἰ διὰ τοῦτο, ὡς φῄς, ἀνήρπασάς με, καταθεῖναι αὖθις εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἢ πράγματα ἕξεις ἀγρυπνῶν· ἐνοχλήσω γάρ σε συνεχῶς στρεφόμενος.

[¶30] ZEUS: That’s just what I’ll like best—staying awake with you, kissing and hugging you again and again.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Τοῦτ' αὐτό μοι τὸ ἥδιστον ποιήσεις, εἰ ἀγρυπνήσαιμι μετὰ σοῦ φιλῶν πολλάκις καὶ περιπτύσσων.

[¶31] GANYMEDE: You can find out by yourself. I’ll go to sleep and leave the kissing to you.

> Greek: ΓΑΝΥΜΗΔΗΣ: Αὐτὸς ἂν εἰδείης· ἐγὼ δὲ κοιμήσομαι σοῦ καταφιλοῦντος.

[¶32] ZEUS: We’ll find out how to manage, when the time comes. Take him off now, Hermes, and let him have a draught of immortality, and when you’ve shown him how to offer the cup, bring him back to serve our wine.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Εἰσόμεθα τότε ὃ πρακτέον. νῦν δὲ ἄπαγε αὐτόν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ πιόντα τῆς ἀθανασίας ἄγε οἰνοχοήσοντα ἡμῖν διδάξας πρότερον ὡς χρὴ ὀρέγειν τὸν σκύφον.

## 11. Dialogue 11

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/11/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/11/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HEPHAESTUS: Have you seen how bonny Maia’s newborn baby is, Apollo, and what a nice smile it has for everyone? You can see already it’ll be a real treasure.

> Greek: 1. ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Ἑώρακας, ὦ Ἄπολλον, τὸ τῆς Μαίας βρέφος τὸ ἄρτι τεχθέν, ὡς καλόν τέ ἐστι καὶ προσγελᾷ πᾶσι καὶ δηλοῖ ἤδη μέγα τι ἀγαθὸν ἀποβησόμενον;

[¶1] APOLLO: That baby a real treasure, Hephaestus? Why, it’s already older than Iapetus when it comes to mischief.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἐκεῖνο τὸ βρέφος, ὦ Ἥφαιστε, ἦ μέγα ἀγαθόν, ὃ τοῦ Ἰαπετοῦ πρεσβύτερόν ἐστιν ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ πανουργίᾳ;

[¶2] HEPHAESTUS: What harm could it do? It was born only the other day.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Καὶ τί ἂν ἀδικῆσαι δύναιτο ἀρτίτοκον ὄν;

[¶3] APOLLO: Ask Poseidon—it stole his trident—or Ares—it filched his sword out of his scabbard—not to mention myself—it disarmed me of my bow and arrows.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἐρώτα τὸν Ποσειδῶνα, οὗ τὴν τρίαιναν ἔκλεψεν, ἢ τὸν Ἄρη· καὶ τούτου γὰρ ἐξείλκυσε λαθὸν ἐκ τοῦ κολεοῦ τὸ ξίφος, ἵνα μὴ ἐμαυτὸν λέγω, ὃν ἀφώπλισε τοῦ τόξου καὶ τῶν βελῶν.

[¶4] 2. HEPHAESTUS: What? That newborn infant, which can hardly stand up, and is still in its baby-clothes?

> Greek: 2. ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Τὸ νεογνὸν ταῦτα, ὃ μόλις ἕστηκε, τὸ ἐν τοῖς σπαργάνοις;

[¶5] APOLLO: You’ll see for yourself, my dear fellow, if he gets near you.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Εἴσῃ, ὦ Ἥφαιστε, ἤν σοι προσέλθῃ μόνον.

[¶6] HEPHAESTUS: But he’s already been near me.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Καὶ μὴν προσῆλθεν ἤδη.

[¶7] APOLLO: And what happened? Still got all your tools? None gone?

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Τί οὖν; πάντα ἔχεις τὰ ἐργαλεῖα καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπόλωλεν αὐτῶν;

[¶8] HEPHAESTUS: All present and correct, Apollo.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Πάντα, ὦ Ἄπολλον.

[¶9] APOLLO: All the same, have a really good look.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ὅμως ἐπίσκεψαι ἀκριβῶς.

[¶10] HEPHAESTUS: Good heavens, I can’t see my tongs.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Μὰ Δία, τὴν πυράγραν οὐχ ὁρῶ.

[¶11] APOLLO: No, you’ll see them in his baby-clothes.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἀλλ' ὄψει που ἐν τοῖς σπαργάνοις αὐτὴν τοῦ βρέφους.

[¶12] HEPHAESTUS: Can he have been practising stealing in his mother’s womb, that he’s so light-fingered?

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Οὕτως ὀξύχειρ ἐστὶ καθάπερ ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ ἐκμελετήσας τὴν κλεπτικήν;

[¶13] 3. APOLLO: Well, haven’t you heard him speaking? He already has a glib and fluent tongue. And he wants to be our message boy. And yesterday he challenged Eros to wrestle with him, and in no time at all took his feet from under him somehow and had him on the ground. When they were still congratulating him and Aphrodite gave him a hug for winning, he stole her girdle, and, before Zeus had stopped laughing, his sceptre into the bargain; and if his thunderbolt hadn’t been too heavy and scorching hot, he’d have had that too and nobody any the wiser.

> Greek: 3. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οὐ γὰρ ἤκουσας αὐτοῦ καὶ λαλοῦντος ἤδη στωμύλα καὶ ἐπίτροχα· ὁ δὲ καὶ διακονεῖσθαι ἡμῖν ἐθέλει. χθὲς δὲ προκαλεσάμενος τὸν Ἔρωτα κατεπάλαισεν εὐθὺς οὐκ οἶδ᾽. ὅπως ὑφελὼν τὼ πόδε· εἶτα μεταξὺ ἐπαινούμενος τῆς Ἀφροδίτης μὲν τὸν κεστὸν ἔκλεψε προσπτυξαμένης αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ, τοῦ Διὸς δὲ γελῶντος ἔτι τὸ σκῆπτρον· εἰ δὲ μὴ βαρύτερος ὁ κεραυνὸς ἦν καὶ πολὺ τὸ πῦρ εἶχε, κἀκεῖνον ἂν ὑφείλετο.

[¶14] HEPHAESTUS: The child’s too sharp for words, by your account.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Ὑπέρδριμύν τινα τὸν παῖδα φῄς.

[¶15] APOLLO: Yes, and he’s already shown he’s musical.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οὐ μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἤδη καὶ μουσικόν.

[¶16] HEPHAESTUS: How can you tell that?

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Τῷ τοῦτο τεκμαίρεσθαι ἔχεις;

[¶17] 4. APOLLO: He picked up a dead tortoise somewhere, and made himself a musical instrument out of it; he’s fitted arms to it, with a yoke across, then driven in pegs, fitted a bridge, and stretched seven strings across; he plays a dainty melody with it, Hephaestus, well in tune, so that even I am green with envy for all my years of practice on the harp. Even at night, Maia was telling me, he wouldn’t stay in heaven, but would go all the way down to Hades out of curiosity—to steal something from there, I’ve no doubt. He has wings on his feet, and has had someone make him a rod with marvellous powers, and with it leads down the souls of the dead.

> Greek: 4. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Χελώνην που νεκρὰν εὑρὼν ὄργανον ἀπ' αὐτῆς συνεπήξατο· πήχεις γὰρ ἐναρμόσας καὶ ζυγώσας, ἔπειτα κολλάβους ἐμπήξας καὶ μαγάδιον ὑποθεὶς καὶ ἐντεινάμενος ἑπτὰ χορδὰς μελῳδεῖ πάνυ γλαφυρόν, ὦ Ἥφαιστε, καὶ ἐναρμόνιον, ὡς κἀμὲ αὐτῷ φθονεῖν πάλαι κιθαρίζειν ἀσκοῦντα. ἔλεγε δὲ ἡ Μαῖα, ὡς μηδὲ μένοι τὰς νύκτας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ περιεργίας ἄχρι τοῦ ᾄδου κατίοι, κλέψων τι κἀκεῖθεν δηλαδή. ὑπόπτερος δ’ ἐστὶ καὶ ῥάβδον τινὰ πεποίηται θαυμασίαν τὴν δύναμιν, ᾗ ψυχαγωγεῖ καὶ κατάγει τοὺς νεκρούς.

[¶18] HEPHAESTUS: I gave him that for a toy.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Ἐγὼ ἐκείνην ἔδωκα αὐτῷ παίγνιον εἶναι.

[¶19] APOLLO: Well, he’s paid you back for that good and proper—the tongs, you know.
HEPHAESTUS: Thanks for reminding me. I’ll go and get them back, if they’re to be found, as you say, in his baby-clothes.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Τοιγαροῦν ἀπέδωκέ σοι τὸν μισθόν, τὴν πυάγραν— ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Εὖ γε ὑπέμνησας· ὥστε βαδιοῦμαι ἀποληψόμενος αὐτήν, εἴ που ὡς φῂς εὑρεθείη ἐν τοῖς σπαργάνοις.

## 12. Dialogue 12

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/12/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/12/#p-N

[¶0] 1. POSEIDON: May I have a word with Zeus, Hermes?
HERMES: Impossible, Poseidon. POSEIDON: Just tell him I’m here.

> Greek: 1. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Ἔστιν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, νῦν ἐντυχεῖν τῷ Διί;
ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐδαμῶς, ὦ Πόσειδον. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Ὅμως προσάγγειλον αὐτῷ.

[¶1] HERMES: Don’t bother us, I tell you. It’s not convenient. You can’t see him just now. POSEIDON: He’s not with Hera, is he?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Μὴ ἐνόχλει, φημί· ἄκαιρον γάρ ἐστιν, ὥστε οὐκ ἂν ἴδοις αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ παρόντι. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Μῶν τῇ Ἥρᾳ σύνεστιν;

[¶2] HERMES: No, it’s something quite different. POSEIDON: I know what you mean. He’s got Ganymede in there.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὔκ, ἀλλ’ ἑτεροῖόν τί ἐστιν. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Συνίημι· ὁ Γανυμήδης ἔνδον.

[¶3] HERMES: No, it’s not that either. He’s poorly. POSEIDON: How come, Hermes? That’s surprising.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐδὲ τοῦτο· ἀλλὰ μαλακῶς ἔχει αὐτός. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Πόθεν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ; δεινὸν γὰρ τοῦτο φῄς.

[¶4] HERMES: I’m ashamed to tell you; it’s so awful. POSEIDON: There’s nothing wrong with telling Uncle Poseidon.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Αἰσχύνομαι εἰπεῖν, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Ἀλλὰ οὐ χρὴ πρὸς ἐμὲ θεῖόν γε ὄντα.

[¶5] HERMES: He’s just had a baby, uncle. POSEIDON: Nonsense. How could he? Who’s the father? Was he a man-woman, then, without us knowing? His belly didn’t show he was pregnant.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τέτοκεν ἀρτίως, ὦ Πόσειδον. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Ἄπαγε, τέτοκεν ἐκεῖνος; ἐκ τίνος; οὐκοῦν ἐλελήθει ἡμᾶς ἀνδρόγυνος ὤν; ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ ἐπεσήμανεν ἡ γαστὴρ αὐτῷ ὄγκον τινά.

[¶6] HERMES: True enough; the child wasn’t there. POSEIDON: Oh, I’ve got it. He produced it out of his head again, just as he did Athena. He’s got a prolific head.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Εὖ λέγεις· οὐ γὰρ ἐκείνη εἶχε τὸ ἔμβρυον. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Οἶδα· ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔτεκεν αὖθις ὥσπερ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν· τοκάδα γὰρ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἔχει.

[¶7] HERMES: No, it was from his thigh that Semele’s child came. POSEIDON: Bravo! He’s a fine one for you. Gets pregnant from head to toe. Breeds all over his body. But who is Semele?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ μηρῷ ἐκύει τὸ τῆς Σεμέλης βρέφος. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Εὖ γε ὁ γενναῖος, ὡς ὅλος ἡμῖν κυοφορεῖ καὶ πανταχόθι τοῦ σώματος. ἀλλὰ τίς ἡ Σεμέλη ἐστί;

[¶8] 2. HERMES: She’s from Thebes—one of Cadmus’ daughters. He got her into trouble. POSEIDON: And then had the baby himself, instead of her?

> Greek: 2. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Θηβαία, τῶν Κάδμου θυγατέρων μία. ταύτῃ συνελθὼν ἐγκύμονα ἐποίησεν. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Εἶτα ἔτεκεν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, ἀντ' ἐκείνης;

[¶9] HERMES: Exactly, even if you do think it odd. The fact is that Hera—you know how jealous she is—talked Semele into persuading Zeus to visit her complete with thunder and lightning. He agreed, and came with his thunderbolt too; the roof caught fire, and Semele was burnt up, and he told me to cut open her womb, and bring him the half-formed seven-month child. When I did so, he cut a slit in his own thigh, and slipped it in to finish its growth there; now, two months later, he’s brought it into the world, and he’s ill from the birth-pains. POSEIDON: Then, where’s the baby now?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Καὶ μάλα, εἰ καὶ παράδοξον εἶναί σοι δοκεῖ· τὴν μὲν γὰρ Σεμέλην ὑπελθοῦσαι ἡ Ἥρα—οἶσθα ὡς ζηλότυπός ἐστι—πείθει αἰτῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ Διὸς μετὰ βροντῶν καὶ ἀστραπῶν ἥκειν παρ' αὐτήν· ὡς δὲ ἐπείσθη καὶ ἧκεν ἔχων καὶ τὸν κεραυνόν, ἀνεφλέγη ὁ ὄροφος, καὶ ἡ Σεμέλη μὲν διαφθείρεται ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός, ἐμὲ δὲ κελεύει ἀνατεμόντα τὴν γαστέρα τῆς γυναικὸς ἀνακομίσαι ἀτελὲς ἔτι αὐτῷ τὸ ἔμβρυον ἑπτάμηνον· καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐποίησα, διελὼν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ μηρὸν ἐντίθησιν, ὡς ἀποτελεσθείη ἐνταῦθα, καὶ νῦν τρίτῳ ἤδη μηνὶ ἐξέτεκεν αὐτὸ καὶ μαλακῶς ἀπὸ τῶν ὠδίνων ἔχει. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Νῦν οὖν ποῦ τὸ βρέφος ἐστίν;

[¶10] HERMES: I took him to Nysa, and gave him to the Nymphs to bring up. His name is Dionysus. POSEIDON: Is my brother, then, both father and mother of Dionysus?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἐς τὴν Νῦσαν ἀποκομίσας παρέδωκα ταῖς Νύμφαις ἀνατρέφειν Διόνυσον αὐτὸν ἐπονομασθέντα. ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ: Οὐκοῦν ἀμφότερα τοῦ Διονύσου τούτου καὶ μήτηρ καὶ πατὴρ ὁ ἀδελφός ἐστιν;

[¶11] HERMES: So it seems. But I’ll be off now to bring him water for his wound, and give him the other attentions usual after a confinement.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἔοικεν. ἄπειμι δ’ οὖν ὕδωρ αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ τραῦμα οἴσων καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ποιήσων ἃ νομίζεται ὥσπερ λεχοῖ.

## 13. Dialogue 13

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/13/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/13/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HEPHAESTUS: What do you want me to do, Zeus? Here I am, as you ordered, all ready with my axe at its sharpest, even if I must chop through stones with a single blow.

> Greek: 1. ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Τί με, ὦ Ζεῦ, δεῖ ποιεῖν; ἥκω γάρ, ὡς ἐκέλευσας, ἔχων τὸν πέλεκυν ὀξύτατον, εἰ καὶ λίθους δέοι μιᾷ πληγῇ διατεμεῖν.

[¶1] ZEUS: That’s grand, Hephaestus. Now, down with it on my head and cut it in two.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Εὖ γε, ὦ Ἥφαιστε· ἀλλὰ δίελέ μου τὴν κεφαλὴν εἰς δύο κατενεγκών.

[¶2] HEPHAESTUS: Are you trying to see if I’m mad? Tell me what you really want me to do.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Πειρᾷ μου, εἰ μέμηνα; πρόσταττε δ’ οὖν τἀληθὲς ὅπερ θέλεις σοι γενέσθαι.

[¶3] ZEUS: You heard. I want my skull split. If you don’t obey, I’ll be angry—and you know what that’s like already. Hit away with all your might. Come on, hurry up. The birth-pangs shooting through my brain are killing me.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Τοῦτο αὐτό, διαιρεθῆναί μοι τὸ κρανίον· εἰ δὲ ἀπειθήσεις, οὐ νῦν πρῶτον ὀργιζομένου πειράσῃ μου. ἀλλὰ χρὴ καθικνεῖσθαι παντὶ τῷ θυμῷ μηδὲ μέλλειν· ἀπόλλυμαι γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν ὠδίνων, αἵ μοι τὸν ἐγκέφαλον ἀναστρέφουσιν.

[¶4] HEPHAESTUS: Take care, Zeus, or I may hurt you. My axe is sharp. You’ll find her a midwife that draws blood and quite different from Ilithyia.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Ὅρα, ὦ Ζεῦ, μὴ κακόν τι ποιήσωμεν· ὀξὺς γὰρ ὁ πέλεκύς ἐστι καὶ οὐκ ἀναιμωτὶ οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν Εἰλήθυιαν μαιώσεταί σε.

[¶5] ZEUS: Hit away, Hephaestus. Don’t be afraid; I know what’s good for me.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Κατένεγκε μόνον, ὦ Ἥφαιστε, θαρρῶν· οἶδα γὰρ ἐγὼ τὸ σύμφερον.

[¶6] HEPHAESTUS: All right, here goes. How can I help it, when it’s your orders? Hullo, what’s this? A girl in armour? That was no small trouble you had in your head. No wonder you were short-tempered, breeding a big girl like that in your brain—and her with armour into the bargain. It wasn’t a head you had but a barracks, though we didn’t know it. She’s leaping up and down in a war-dance, shaking her shield and poising her spear, full of the spirit of battle; and, most wonderful of all, see how good-looking and grown-up she’s become in this short time; she’s got grey eyes, but they go very well with her helmet. So, Zeus, pay me for my services as midwife, by betrothing her to me this minute.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Κατοίσω· τί γὰρ χρὴ ποιεῖν σοῦ κελεύοντος; τί τοῦτο; κόρη ἔνοπλος; μέγα, ὦ Ζεῦ, κακὸν εἶχες ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ· εἰκότως γοῦν ὀξύθυμος ἦσθα τηλικαύτην ὑπὸ τὴν μήνιγγα παρθένον ζωογονῶν καὶ ταῦτα ἔνοπλον· ἦ που στρατόπεδον, οὐ κεφαλὴν ἐλελήθεις ἔχων. ἡ δὲ πηδᾷ καὶ πυρριχίζει καὶ τὴν ἀσπίδα τινάσσει καὶ τὸ δόρυ πάλλει καὶ ἐνθουσιᾷ καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, καλὴ πάνυ καὶ ἀκμαία γεγένηται δὴ ἐν βραχεῖ· γλαυκῶπις μέν, ἀλλὰ κοσμεῖ τοῦτο ἡ κόρυς. ὥστε, ὦ Ζεῦ, μαίωτρά μοι ἀπόδος ἐγγυήσας ἤδη αὐτήν.

[¶7] ZEUS: That’s impossible. She’ll want to remain single for ever, though for my part I’ve no objection to your request.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Ἀδύνατα αἰτεῖς, ὦ Ἥφαιστε· παρθένος γὰρ ἀεὶ ἐθελήσει μένειν. ἐγὼ δ’ οὖν τό γε ἐπ' ἐμοὶ οὐδὲν ἀντιλέγω.

[¶8] HEPHAESTUS: That’s all I wanted to hear. Leave the rest to me. I’ll be off with her right away.

> Greek: ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ: Τοῦτ' ἐβουλόμην· ἐμοὶ μελήσει τὰ λοιπά, καὶ ἤδη συναρπάσω αὐτήν.

[¶9] ZEUS: Do so, if you can manage it, but I know that what you want is impossible.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Εἴ σοι ῥᾴδιον, οὕτω ποίει· πλὴν οἶδα ὅτι ἀδυνάτων ἐρᾷς.

## 14. Dialogue 14

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/14/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/14/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERMES: Zeus says you’re not to go out driving today, Mr. Sun-god, or tomorrow or the next day. You’ve to stay at home, and all that time’s to be one long night; so the Hours can unyoke your horses, and you can put out your fire and have a nice long rest. HELIOS: A strange message you’ve brought, Hermes. Why, I’ve never heard the like of it! He doesn’t think I’ve been going off my course and breaking bounds, does he? He’s not annoyed with me, that he’s decided to make the night three times as long as the day?

> Greek: 1. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ὠ Ἥλιε, μὴ ἐλάσῃς τήμερον, ὁ Ζεύς φησι, μηδὲ αὔριον μηδὲ εἰς τρίτην ἡμέραν, ἀλλὰ ἔνδον μένε, καὶ τὸ μεταξὺ μία τις ἔστω νὺξ μακρά· ὥστε λυέτωσαν μὲν αἱ Ὧραι αὖθις τοὺς ἵππους, σὺ δὲ σβέσον τὸ πῦρ καὶ ἀνάπαυε διὰ μακροῦ σεαυτόν.
ΗΛΙΟΣ: Καινὰ ταῦτα, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ ἀλλόκοτα ἥκεις παραγγέλλων. ἀλλὰ μὴ παραβαίνειν τι ἔδοξα ἐν τῷ δρόμῳ καὶ ἔξω ἐλάσαι τῶν ὅρων, κᾆτά μοι ἄχθεται καὶ τὴν νύκτα τριπλασίαν τῆς ἡμέρας ποιῆσαι διέγνωκεν;

[¶1] HERMES: Not a bit of it. This won’t go on for ever; but for this once, it’s his personal wish that he should get a longer night at this time. HELIOS: Where is he? Where were you sent from with this message?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον, οὐδὲ ἐς ἀεὶ τοῦτο ἔσται· δεῖται δέ τι νῦν αὐτὸς ἐπιμηκεστέραν γενέσθαι οἱ τὴν νύκτα.
ΗΛΙΟΣ: Ποῦ δὲ καὶ ἔστιν ἢ πόθεν ἐξεπέμφθης ταῦτα διαγγελῶν μοι;

[¶2] HERMES: From Boeotia, Mr. Sun, from Amphitryon’s wife. He’s been keeping company with her. He’s in love with her. HELIOS: Isn’t one night enough, then?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἐκ Βοιωτίας, ὦ Ἥλιε, παρὰ τῆς Ἀμφιτρύωνος, ᾗ σύνεστιν ἐρῶν αὐτῆς.
ΗΛΙΟΣ: Εἶτα οὐχ ἱκανὴ νὺξ μία;

[¶3] HERMES: Not at all. From this romance must come one who is mighty and fit for many labours; so they can’t do justice to him in a single night.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐδαμῶς· τεχθῆναι γάρ τινα δεῖ ἐκ τῆς ὁμιλίας ταύτης μέγαν καὶ πολύμοχθον· τοῦτον οὖν ἐν μιᾷ νυκτὶ ἀποτελεσθῆναι ἀδύνατον.

[¶4] 2. HELIOS: Well, I hope he makes a success of the job, though I must say, Hermes, this sort of thing didn’t happen in Cronos’ day. (It’s all right, we’re alone.) He would never sleep away from Rhea, or leave heaven for a bed in Thebes, but day was day, and night night, varying only within their proper limits with the seasons of the year, with none of these strange upheavals. No, Cronos would never have had anything to do with a mortal woman. Now, however, for some poor miserable woman, everything must be turned topsy-turvy, my horses become stiff for want of exercise, the road grows difficult, left untrodden for three days on end, and men must spend a miserable time in the dark. That’s what they’ll get from Zeus’ love-affairs. Why, they’ll have to sit waiting in darkness for hours, till he finishes his job on the labouring fellow you’ve been telling me about. HERMES: Quiet, Mr. Sun, or your words may get you into trouble. I’ll be off now to the Moon and to Sleep, and pass on Zeus’ instructions to them too, telling her to take her time, and Sleep not to leave men, so that they may not know the night’s been so long.

> Greek: 2. ΗΛΙΟΣ: Ἀλλὰ τελεσιουργείτω μὲν ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ. ταῦτα δ’ οὖν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, οὐκ ἐγίνετο ἐπὶ τοῦ Κρόνου—αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν—οὐδὲ ἀπόκοιτός ποτε ἐκεῖνος παρὰ τῆς Ῥέας ἦν οὐδὲ ἀπολιπὼν ἂν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐν Θήβαις ἐκοιμᾶτο, ἀλλὰ ἡμέρα μὲν ἦν ἡ ἡμέρα, νὺξ δὲ κατὰ μέτρον τὸ αὐτῆς ἀνάλογον ταῖς ὥραις, ξένον δὲ ἢ παρηλλαγμένον οὐδέν, οὐδ’ ἂν ἐκοινώνησέ ποτε ἐκεῖνος θνητῇ γυναικί· νῦν δὲ δυστήνου γυναίου ἕνεκα χρὴ ἀνεστράφθαι τὰ πάντα καὶ ἀκαμπεστέρους μὲν γενέσθαι τοὺς ἵππους ὑπὸ τῆς ἀργίας, δύσπορον δὲ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀτριβῆ μένουσαν τριῶν ἑξῆς ἡμερῶν, τοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους ἀθλίους ἐν σκοτεινῷ διαβιοῦν. τοιαῦτα ἀπολαύσονται τῶν Διὸς ἐρώτων καὶ καθεδοῦνται περιμένοντες, ἔστ' ἂν ἐκεῖνος ἀποτελέσῃ τὸν ἀθλητήν, ὃν λέγεις, ὑπὸ μακρῷ τῷ ζόφῳ. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Σιώπα, ὦ Ἥλιε, μή τι κακὸν ἀπολαύσῃς τῶν λόγων. ἐγὼ δὲ παρὰ τὴν Σελήνην ἀπελθὼν καὶ τὸν Ὕπνον ἀπαγγελῶ κἀκείνοις ἅπερ ὁ Ζεὺς ἐπέστειλε, τὴν μὲν σχολῇ προβαίνειν, τὸν δὲ Ὕπνον μὴ ἀνεῖναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὡς ἀγνοήσωσι μακρὰν οὕτω τὴν νύκτα γεγενημένην.

## 15. Dialogue 15

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/15/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/15/#p-N

[¶0] 1. ZEUS: Stop quarrelling, you two; you’re just like a couple of men. It’s quite improper and out of place at the table of the gods. HERACLES: But, Zeus, do you really mean this medicine man to have a place above me? ASCLEPIUS: He does, by Zeus, for I’m your better. HERACLES: How, you crackbrain? Because Zeus blasted you with his thunderbolt for your impious doings, and you’ve now received immortality because he relented and pitied you? ASCLEPIUS: You must have forgotten, Heracles, how you too were scorched to death on Oeta, that you taunt me with getting burned. HERACLES: That doesn’t mean our lives were the same. I’m the son of Zeus, and performed all those labours cleaning up the world, by overcoming monsters, and punishing men of violence; but you’re just a herb-chopper and quack, useful perhaps among suffering humanity for administering potions, but without one manly deed to show.

> Greek: 1. ΖΕΥΣ: Παύσασθε, ὦ Ἀσκληπιὲ καὶ Ἡράκλεις, ἐρίζοντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὥσπερ ἄνθρωποι· ἀπρεπῆ γὰρ ταῦτα καὶ ἀλλότρια τοῦ συμποσίου τῶν θεῶν. ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ: Ἀλλὰ θέλεις, ὦ Ζεῦ, τουτονὶ τὸν φαρμακέα προκατακλίνεσθαί μου; ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΣ: Νὴ Δία· καὶ γάρ ἀμείνων εἰμί. ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ: Κατὰ τί, ὦ ἐμβρόντητε; ἢ ὅτι σε ὁ Ζεὺς ἐκεραύνωσεν ἃ μὴ θέμις ποιοῦντα, νῦν δὲ κατ' ἔλεον αὖθις ἀθανασίας μετείληφας; ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΣ: Ἐπιλέλησαι γὰρ καὶ σύ, ὦ Ἡράκλεις, ἐν τῇ Οἴτῃ καταφλεγείς, ὅτι μοι ὀνειδίζεις τὸ πῦρ; ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ: Οὔκουν ἴσα καὶ ὅμοια βεβίωται ἡμῖν, ὃς Διὸς μὲν υἱός εἰμι, τοσαῦτα δὲ πεπόνηκα ἐκκαθαίρων τὸν βίον, θηρία καταγωνιζόμενος καὶ ἀνθρώπους ὑβριστὰς τιμωρούμενος· σὺ δὲ ῥιζοτόμος εἶ καὶ ἀγύρτης, ἐν ἀθλίοις δὲ ἴσως ἀνθρώποις χρήσιμος ἐπιθέσει τῶν φαρμάκων, ἀνδρῶδες δὲ οὐδὲν ἐπιδεδειγμένος.

[¶1] 2. ASCLEPIUS: Have you nothing to say of how I healed your burns, when you came up half-scorched the other day? Between the tunic and the fire after it, your body was in a fine mess. Besides, if nothing else, I was never a slave like you, carding wool in Lydia, wearing purple, and being beaten with Omphale’s golden sandal. What’s more, I never killed my wife and children in a fit of spleen. HERACLES: If you don’t stop insulting me, you’ll pretty soon find out that your immortality won’t help you much. I’ll pick you up and throw you head first out of heaven, so that you’ll crack your skull, and not even Apollo the Healer will be able to do anything for you. ZEUS: Stop it, I say; don’t disturb our dinner-party, or I’ll send you both from the table. But it’s only reasonable, Heracles, that Asclepius should have a place above you, as he died before you.

> Greek: 2. ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΣ: Οὐ λέγεις, ὅτι σου τὰ ἐγκαύματα ἰασάμην, ὅτε πρῴην ἀνῆλθες ἡμίφλεκτος ὑπ' ἀμφοῖν διεφθορὼς τὸ σῶμα, καὶ τοῦ χιτῶνος καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο τοῦ πυρός; ἐγὼ δὲ εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο, οὔτε ἐδούλευσα ὥσπερ σὺ οὔτε ἔξαινον ἔρια ἐν Λυδίᾳ πορφυρίδα ἐνδεδυκὼς καὶ παιόμενος ὑπὸ τῆς Ὀμφάλης χρυσῷ σανδάλῳ, ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ μελαγχολήσας ἀπέκτεινα τὰ τέκνα καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα. ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ: Εἰ μὴ παύσῃ λοιδορούμενός μοι, αὐτίκα μάλα εἴσῃ ὅτι οὐ πολύ σε ὀνήσει ἡ ἀθανασία, ἐπεὶ ἀράμενός σε ῥίψω ἐπὶ κεφαλὺν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὥστε μηδὲ τὸν Παιῶνα ἰάσασθαί σε τὸ κρανίον συντριβέντα. ΖΕΥΣ: Παύσασθε, φημί, καὶ μὴ ἐπιταράττετε ἡμῖν τὴν εὐωχίαν, ἢ ἀμφοτέρους ὑμᾶς ἀποπέμψομαι τοῦ συμποσίου. καίτοι εὔγνωμον, ὦ Ἡράκλεις, προκατακλίνεσθαί σου τὸν Ἀσκληπιὸν ἅτε καὶ πρότερον ἀποθανόντα.

## 16. Dialogue 16

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/16/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/16/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERMES: Why so down in the mouth, Apollo?

> Greek: 1. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τί κατηφὴς εἶ, ὦ Ἄπολλον;

[¶1] APOLLO: It’s my bad luck in love, Hermes.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ὅτι, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, δυστυχῶ ἐν τοῖς ἐρωτικοῖς.

[¶2] HERMES: Ah, yes, that could well make a chap sad. But what’s your bad luck? Still sore about Daphne?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἄξιον μὲν λύπης τὸ τοιοῦτο· σὺ δὲ τί δυστυχεῖς; ἢ τὸ κατὰ τὴν Δάφνην σε λυπεῖ ἔτι;

[¶3] APOLLO: Oh, no; I’m in mourning for my Laconian darling, Oebalus’ son.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλὰ ἐρώμενον πενθῶ τὸν Λάκωνα τὸν Οἰβάλου.

[¶4] HERMES: Is Hyacinthus dead then?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τέθνηκε γάρ, εἰπέ μοι, ὁ Ὑάκινθος;

[¶5] APOLLO: He certainly is.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Καὶ μάλα.

[¶6] HERMES: Who did it, Apollo? Who was so insensible to charm as to kill that lovely boy?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Πρὸς τίνος, ὦ Ἄπολλον; ἢ τίς οὕτως ἀνέραστος ἦν ὡς ἀποκτεῖναι τὸ καλὸν ἐκεῖνο μειράκιον;

[¶7] APOLLO: I did it with my own hand.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Αὐτοῦ ἐμοῦ τὸ ἔργον.

[¶8] HERMES: What! Were you mad, Apollo?

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐκοῦν ἐμάνης, ὦ Ἄπολλον;

[¶9] APOLLO: No, it was an unlucky accident.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οὔκ, ἀλλὰ δυστύχημά τι ἀκούσιον ἐγένετο.

[¶10] HERMES: How? I’d like to hear how it happened.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Πῶς; ἐθέλω γὰρ ἀκοῦσαι τὸν τρόπον.

[¶11] 2. APOLLO: He was learning to throw the quoit, and I was throwing it with him, when Zephyrus did it—curse that wind above them all—Zephyrus, too, had been in love with him for a long time, but the boy wouldn’t look at him, and he couldn’t stand his contempt. Well, I threw my quoit as usual, and Zephyrus blew down from Taygetus, and dashed it down on the boy’s head. Blood poured out where it hit him, and he died on the spot, poor lad. I shot back at Zephyrus with my arrows and chased him hard, all the way back to the mountain. The boy I’ve had buried in Amyclae, where he was struck down by the discus, and I’ve made the earth send up from his blood the sweetest and fairest flower of them all, one which bears lettering of mourning for the dead one. Do you think it’s unreasonable of me to have a broken heart?

> Greek: 2. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Δισκεύειν ἐμάνθανε κἀγὼ συνεδίσκευον αὐτῷ, ὁ δὲ κάκιστα ἀνέμων ἀπολούμενος ὁ Ζέφυρος ἤρα μὲν ἐκ πολλοῦ καὶ αὐτός, ἀμελούμενος δὲ καὶ μὴ φέρων τὴν ὑπεροψίαν ταῦτα εἰργάσατο· ἐγὼ μὲν ἀνέρριψα, ὥσπερ εἰώθειμεν, τὸν δίσκον εἰς τὸ ἄνω, ὁ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ταϋγέτου καταπνεύσας ἐπὶ κεφαλὺν τῷ παιδὶ ἐνέσεισε φέρων αὐτόν, ὥστε ἀπὸ τῆς πληγῆς αἷμα ῥυῆναι πολὺ καὶ τὸν παῖδα εὐθὺς ἀποθανεῖν. ἀλλὰ ἐγὼ τὸν μὲν Ζέφυρον αὐτίκα ἠμυνάμην κατατοξεύσας, φεύγοντι ἐπισπόμενος ἄχρι τοῦ ὄρους, τῷ παιδὶ δὲ καὶ τὸν τάφον μὲν ἐχωσάμην ἐν Ἀμύκλαις, ὅπου ὁ δίσκος αὐτὸν κατέβαλε, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος ἄνθος ἀναδοῦναι τὴν γῆν ἐποίησα ἥδιστον, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ εὐανθέστατον ἀνθῶν ἁπάντων, ἔτι καὶ γράμματα ἔχον ἐπαιάζοντα τῷ νεκρῷ. ἆρά σοι ἀλόγως λελυπῆσθαι δοκῶ;

[¶12] HERMES: Yes I do, my good chap. You knew you’d chosen a mortal to love; so you mustn’t be vexed at his death.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ναί, ὦ Ἄπολλον· ᾔδεις γὰρ θνητὸν πεποιημένος τὸν ἐρώμενον· ὥστε μὴ ἄχθου ἀποθανόντος.

## 17. Dialogue 17

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/17/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/17/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERMES: To think, Apollo, that a poor cripple and mere artisan like him has married the two fairest of the fair, Aphrodite and Charis!

> Greek: 1. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τὸ δὲ καὶ χωλὸν αὐτὸν ὄντα καὶ τέχνην ἔχοντα βάναυσον, ὦ Ἄπολλον, τὰς καλλίστας γεγαμηκέναι, τὴν Ἀφροδίτην καὶ τὴν Χάριν.

[¶1] APOLLO: That’s just good luck, my dear fellow; but what does surprise me is that they can stand living with him, especially when they see him bathed in sweat, bending over his furnace, with soot all over his face. And yet they embrace a creature like that and kiss him and sleep with him.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Εὐποτμία τις, ὦ Ἑρμῆ· πλὴν ἐκεῖνό γε θαυμάζω, τὸ ἀνέχεσθαι συνούσας αὐτῷ, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ὁρῶσιν ἱδρῶτι ῥεόμενον, εἰς τὴν κάμινον ἐπικεκυφότα, πολλὴν αἰθάλην ἐπὶ τοῦ προσώπου ἔχοντα· καὶ ὅμως τοιοῦτον ὄντα περιβάλλουσί τε αὐτὸν καὶ φιλοῦσι καὶ ξυγκαθεύδουσι.

[¶2] HERMES: That annoys me too, and makes me jealous of Hephaestus. You can show off your fine hair, Apollo, and play on your harp, and be proud of your beauty, and I of my fine physique and my lyre, but when it comes to bedtime, we’ve got to sleep alone.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἀγανακτῶ καὶ τῷ Ἡφαίστῳ φθονῶ· σὺ δὲ κόμα, ὦ Ἄπολλον, καὶ κιθάριζε καὶ μέγα ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει φρόνει, κἀγὼ ἐπὶ τῇ εὐεξίᾳ, καὶ τῇ λύρᾳ· εἶτα, ἐπειδὰν κοιμᾶσθαι δέῃ, μόνοι καθευδήσομεν.

[¶3] 2. APOLLO: I’m Generally unlucky in love; at least I lost my two special sweethearts, Daphne and Hyacinthus. Daphne so loathes and shuns me that she’s chosen to turn into a tree rather than share my company, and Hyacinthus was killed by that quoit. All that’s left of them for me is wreaths.

> Greek: 2. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ ἄλλως ἀναφρόδιτός εἰμι εἰς τὰ ἐρωτικὰ καὶ δύο γοῦν, οὓς μάλιστα ὑπερηγάπησα, τὴν Δάφνην καὶ τὸν Ὑάκινθον· ἡ μὲν ἀποδιδράσκει με καὶ μισεῖ, ὥστε εἵλετο ξύλον γενέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ ἐμοὶ ξυνεῖναι, ὁ δὲ ἀπώλετο ὑπὸ τοῦ δίσκου, καὶ νῦν ἀντ' ἐκείνων στεφάνους ἔχω.

[¶4] HERMES: And I once with Aphrodite—but I mustn’t boast.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἐγὼ δὲ ἤδη ποτὲ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην—ἀλλὰ οὐ χρὴ αὐχεῖν.

[¶5] APOLLO: I know. They say she presented you with Hermaphroditus. But tell me, if you can, why Aphrodite and Charis are not jealous of each other.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οἶδα, καὶ τὸν Ἑρμαφρόδιτον ἐκ σοῦ λέγεται τετοκέναι. πλὴν ἐκεῖνό μοι εἰπέ, εἴ τι οἶσθα, πῶς οὐ ζηλοτυπεῖ ἡ Ἀφροδίτη τὴν Χάριν ἢ ἡ Χάρις αὐτήν.

[¶6] 3. HERMES: Because, my dear fellow, Charis keeps company with him in Lemnos, and Aphrodite in heaven. Besides, Aphrodite is most wrapped up in Ares, and in love with him, and so doesn’t trouble much about this blacksmith fellow.

> Greek: 3. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ὅτι, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἐκείνη μὲν αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ Λήμνῳ σύνεστιν, ἡ δὲ Ἀφροδίτη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· ἄλλως τε περὶ τὸν Ἄρη ἔχει τὰ πολλὰ κἀκείνου ἐρᾷ, ὥστε ὀλίγον αὐτῇ τοῦ χαλκέως τούτου μέλει.

[¶7] APOLLO: Do you think Hephaestus knows of this?

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Καὶ ταῦτα οἴει τὸν Ἥφαιστον εἰδέναι;

[¶8] HERMES: Of course he does, but what can he do when he sees Ares is such a fine strapping young fellow, and a man of war? So he keeps quiet. But he’s threatening to invent some sort of trap for them, and to catch them in a net on the bed.
APOLLO: That’s news to me; but I know I’d like to be destined to fall into that trap myself.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οἶδεν· ἀλλὰ τί ἂν δρᾶσαι δύναιτο γενναῖον ὁρῶν νεανίαν καὶ στρατιώτην αὐτόν; ὥστε τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἄγει· πλὴν ἀπειλεῖ γε δεσμά τινα ἐπιμηχανήσεσθαι αὐτοῖς καὶ συλλήψεσθαι σαγηνεύσας ἐπὶ τῆς εὐνῆς. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΟΣ: Οὐκ οἶδα· εὐξαίμην δ’ ἂν αὐτὸς ὁ ξυλληφθησόμενος εἶναι.

## 18. Dialogue 18

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/18/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/18/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERA: My dear Leto, the children you’ve given to Zeus are beautiful too. LETO: My dear Hera, we can’t all have children like Hephaestus.

> Greek: 1. ΗΡΑ: Καλὰ μέν, ὦ Λητοῖ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἔτεκες τῷ Διί. ΛΗΤΩ: Οὐ πᾶσαι γάρ, ὦ Ἥρα, τοιούτους τίκτειν δυνάμεθα, οἷος ὁ Ἥφαιστός ἐστιν.

[¶1] HERA: Cripple though he is, he’s certainly useful; he’s an excellent craftsman, and has done a fine job of work on our heaven; what’s more, he’s married Aphrodite, and she thinks the world of him, but as for your children—the girl’s far too much of a tomboy and roamer of the mountains, and now, to cap it all, she’s gone off to Scythia, and everyone knows about her diet there, how she murders visitors and eats them, just like the Scythian cannibals themselves; while Apollo pretends to know everything, be it archery, harping, medicine or prophecy, and has set up prophecy factories in Delphi, Claros, Colophon and Didyma, deceiving his customers by giving crooked replies, hedging between two possible answers, so that there’s no risk of a slip-up. He gets rich in this way, for there are plenty of fools as willing victims of his quackery. However, the more intelligent people see through most of his mystery-mongering. The prophet himself didn’t know he was going to kill his darling with that quoit, and didn’t foretell that Daphne would run away from him, for all his beauty and fine hair. So I can’t see why you thought you had better children than Niobe.

> Greek: ΗΡΑ: Ἀλλ' οὖν οὗτος, εἰ καὶ χωλός, ἀλλ’ ὅμως χρήσιμός γέ ἐστι τεχνίτης ὢν ἄριστος καὶ κατακεκόσμηκεν ἡμῖν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην γεγάμηκε καὶ σπουδάζεται πρὸς αὐτῆς, οἱ δὲ σοὶ παῖδες ἡ μὲν αὐτῶν ἀρρενικὴ πέρα τοῦ μετρίου καὶ ὄρειος, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ἐς τὴν Σκυθίαν ἀπελθοῦσα πάντες ἴσασιν οἷα ἐσθίει ξενοκτονοῦσα καὶ μιμουμένη τοὺς Σκύθας αὐτοὺς ἀνθρωποφάγους ὄντας· ὁ δὲ Ἀπόλλων προσποιεῖται μὲν πάντα εἰδέναι καὶ τοξεύειν καὶ κιθαρίζειν καὶ ἰατρὸς εἶναι καὶ μαντεύεσθαι καὶ καταστησάμενος ἐργαστήρια τῆς μαντικῆς τὸ μὲν ἐν Δελφοῖς, τὸ δὲ ἐν Κλάρῳ καὶ ἐν Κολοφῶνι καὶ ἐν Διδύμοις ἐξαπατᾷ τοὺς χρωμένους αὐτῷ λοξὰ καὶ ἐπαμφοτερίζοντα πρὸς ἑκάτερον τῆς ἐρωτήσεως ἀποκρινόμενος, πρὸς τὸ ἀκίνδυνον εἶναι τὸ σφάλμα. καὶ πλουτεῖ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ τοιούτου· πολλοὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀνόητοι καὶ παρέχοντες αὑτοὺς καταγοητεύεσθαι· πλὴν οὐκ ἀγνοεῖταί γε ὑπὸ τῶν ξυνετωτέρων τὰ πολλὰ τερατευόμενος· αὐτὸς γοῦν ὁ μάντις ἠγνόει μὲν ὅτι φονεύσει τὸν ἐρώμενον τῷ δίσκῳ, οὐ προεμαντεύετο δὲ ὡς φεύξεται αὐτὸν ἡ Δάφνη, καὶ ταῦτα οὕτω καλὸν καὶ κομήτην ὄντα· ὥστε οὐχ ὁρῶ καθότι καλλιτεκνοτέρα τῆς Νιόβης ἔδοξας.

[¶2] 2. LETO: Anyway, I know how it vexes you to see my children among the gods, murderer and false prophet though you call them—particularly when they praise my daughter for her beauty, and all admire my son for his harp-playing at dinner. HERA: You make me laugh, Leto. Who could admire one that Marsyas would have beaten at music and skinned alive with his own hands, if the Muses had chosen to judge fairly? But as it was, he was tricked and wrongly lost the vote, poor fellow, and had to die. And your pretty maid is so pretty that, when she found out that Actaeon had seen her, she was afraid the young fellow would tell everyone how hideous she was, and set her hounds on him. I won’t bother pointing out she could never have been a midwife, if she were a virgin herself. LETO: Living with Zeus and sharing his throne has swollen your head, Hera, and so you don’t mind how you insult others. But it won’t be long before I see you in tears again—the next time he leaves you and goes down to earth as a bull or swan.

> Greek: 2. ΛΗΤΩ: Ταῦτα μέντοι τὰ τέκνα, ἡ ξενοκτόνος καὶ ὁ ψευδόμαντις, οἶδα, ὅπως λυπεῖ σε ὁρώμενα ἐν τοῖς θεοῖς, καὶ μάλιστα ὁπόταν ἡ μὲν ἐπαινῆται ἐς τὸ κάλλος, ὁ δὲ κιθαρίζῃ ἐν τῷ συμποσίῳ θαυμαζόμενος ὑφ' ἁπάντων. ΗΡΑ: Ἐγέλασα, ὦ Λητοῖ· ἐκεῖνος θαυμαστός, ὃν ὁ Μαρσύας, εἰ τὰ δίκαια αἱ Μοῦσαι δικάσαι ἤθελον, ἀπέδειρεν ἂν αὐτὸς κρατήσας τῇ μουσικῇ· νῦν δὲ κατασοφισθεὶς ἅθλιος ἀπόλωλεν ἀδίκως ἁλούς· ἡ δὲ καλή σου παρθένος οὕτω καλή ἐστιν, ὥστε ἐπεὶ ἔμαθεν ὀφθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀκταίωνος, φοβηθεῖσα μὴ ὁ νεανίσκος ἐξαγορεύσῃ τὸ αἶσχος αὐτῆς, ἐπαφῆκεν αὐτῷ τοὺς κύνας· ἐῶ γὰρ λέγειν ὅτι οὐδὲ τὰς τεκούσας ἐμαιοῦτο παρθένος γε αὐτὴ οὖσα. ΛΗΤΩ: Μέγα, ὦ Ἥρα, φρονεῖς, ὅτι ξύνει τῷ Διὶ καὶ συμβασιλεύεις αὐτῷ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὑβρίζεις ἀδεῶς· πλὴν ἀλλ’ ὄψομαί σε μετ' ὀλίγον αὖθις δακρύουσαν, ὁπόταν σε καταλιπὼν ἐς τὴν γῆς κατίῃ ταῦρος ἢ κύκνος γενόμενος.

## 19. Dialogue 19

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/19/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/19/#p-N

[¶0] 1. APHRODITE: What’s this I hear you’re up to, Mistress Moon? They say that every time you get over Caria, you stop your team and gaze at Endymion sleeping out of doors in hunter’s fashion, and sometimes even leave your course and go down to him. SELENE: Ask your own son, Aphrodite; it’s his fault.

> Greek: 1. ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Τί ταῦτα, ὦ Σελήνη, φασὶ ποιεῖν σε; ὁπόταν κατὰ τὴν Καρίαν γένῃ, ἱστάναι μέν σε τὸ ζεῦγος ἀφορῶσαν ἐς τὸν Ἐνδυμίωνα καθεύδοντα ὑπαίθριον ἅτε κυνηγέτην ὄντα, ἐνίοτε δὲ καὶ καταβαίνειν παρ' αὐτὸν ἐκ μέσης τῆς ὁδοῦ; ΣΕΛΗΝΗ: Ἐρώτα, ὦ Ἀφροδίτη, τὸν σὸν υἱόν, ὅς μοι τούτων αἴτιος.

[¶1] APHRODITE: You needn’t tell me. He’s got a cheek right enough. See what he’s done to me, his own mother. First he brought me down to Ida after Anchises the Trojan, and then to Mount Libanus after that Assyrian lad; and then he made Persephone fall in love with the boy and robbed me of half my sweetheart. So I’ve threatened him time and again, if he doesn’t stop it, I’ll smash his archery set and strip off his wings. Last time I even took my sandal to his behind. But somehow or other, though he’s scared for the moment and begs for mercy, it’s not long before he’s forgotten all about it.

> Greek: ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Ἔα· ἐκεῖνος ὑβριστής ἐστιν· ἐμὲ γοῦν αὐτὴν τὴν μητέρα οἷα δέδρακεν, ἄρτι μὲν ἐς τὴν Ἴδην κατάγων Ἀγχίσου ἕνεκα τοῦ Ἰλιέως, ἄρτι δὲ ἐς τὸν Λίβανον ἐπὶ τὸ Ἀσσύριον ἐκεῖνο μειράκιον, ὃ καὶ τῇ Φερσεφάττῃ ἐπέραστον ποιήσας ἐξ ἡμισείας ἀφείλετό με τὸν ἐρώμενον· ὥστε πολλάκις ἠπείλησα, εἰ μὴ παύσεται τοιαῦτα ποιῶν, κλάσειν μὲν αὐτοῦ τὰ τόξα καὶ τὴν φαρέτραν, περιαιρήσειν δὲ καὶ τὰ πτερά· ἤδη δὲ καὶ πληγὰς αὐτῷ ἐνέτεινα ἐς τὰς πυγὰς τῷ σανδάλῳ· ὁ δὲ οὐκ οἶδ’ ὅπως τὸ παραυτίκα δεδιὼς καὶ ἱκετεύων μετ' ὀλίγον ἐπιλέλησται ἁπάντων.

[¶2] 2. APHRODITE: But tell me, is Endymion good-looking? If so, your plight is sorry indeed. SELENE: I think he’s very good-looking, Aphrodite, especially when he sleeps with his cloak under him on the rock, with his javelins just slipping out of his left hand as he holds them, and his right hand bent upwards round his head and framing his face makes a charming picture, while he’s relaxed in sleep and breathing in the sweetest way imaginable. Then I creep down quietly on tip-toe, so as not to waken him and give him a fright, and then—but you can guess; there’s no need to tell you what happens next. You must remember I’m dying of love.

> Greek: 2. ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: ἀτὰρ εἰπέ μοι, καλὸς ὁ Ἐνδυμίων ἐστίν; ἀπαραμύθητον γὰρ οὕτως τὸ δεινόν. ΣΕΛΗΝΗ: Ἐμοὶ μὲν καὶ πάνυ καλός, ὦ Ἀφροδίτη, δοκεῖ, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ὑποβαλλόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας τὴν χλαμύδα καθεύδῃ τῇ λαιᾷ μὲν ἔχων τὰ ἀκόντια ἤδη ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς ὑπορρέοντα, ἡ δεξιὰ δὲ περὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐς τὸ ἄνω ἐπικεκλασμένη ἐπιπρέπῃ τῷ προσώπῳ περικειμένη, ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου λελυμένος ἀναπνέῃ τὸ ἀμβρόσιον ἐκεῖνο ἆσθμα. τότε τοίνυν ἐγὼ ἀψοφητὶ κατιοῦσα ἐπ' ἄκρων τῶν δακτύλων βεβηκυῖα ὡς ἂν μὴ ἀνεγρόμενος ἐκταραχθείη—οἶσθα· τί οὖν ἄν σοι λέγοιμι τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα; πλὴν ἀπόλλυμαί γε ὑπὸ τοῦ ἔρωτος.

## 20. Dialogue 20

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

[¶0] 1. APHRODITE: Eros, my boy, you must watch what you’re about. I don’t mean on earth, when you persuade men to work against themselves or each other, but in heaven too, when you make Zeus turn into shape after shape, changing him into whatever you choose for the time, and bring Lady Moon down from the sky, and sometimes keep the Sun-god lingering at Clymene’s side forgetful of his driving. You may go scot-free for the liberties you take with me, your mother but you’ve had the audacity even to turn the thoughts of Rhea to love of boys and have her pining for that Phrygian lad —at her time of life, too, and she the mother of so many gods! Now you’ve driven her mad, and she’s taken her team of lions and her Corybants, who are just as mad as herself, and is wandering up and down Ida; she keeps shrieking for Attis, while the Corybants slash their arms with swords, or let down their hair and rush madly over the mountains, or blow on the horn, thunder on the drums, or bang cymbals; it’s just chaotic frenzy all over Ida. So I fear everything; yes, your mother’s afraid of such goings on, for you’re just one big nuisance, and I’m scared that one day Rhea, in a fit of madness, or, more likely, when still in her right mind, will tell her Corybants to catch you and tear you to pieces or throw you to her lions. That’s what I fear, when I see you running such risks.

> Greek: 1. ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Ὦ τέκνον Ἔρως, ὅρα οἷα ποιεῖς· οὐ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ λέγω, ὁπόσα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀναπείθεις καθ' αὑτῶν ἢ κατ' ἀλλήλων ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ὃς τὸν μὲν Δία πολύμορφον ἐπιδεικνύεις ἀλλάττων ἐς ὅ τι ἄν σοι ἐπὶ τοῦ καιροῦ δοκῇ, τὴν Σελήνην δὲ καθαιρεῖς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τὸν Ἥλιον δὲ παρὰ τῇ Κλυμένῃ βραδύνειν ἐνίοτε ἀναγκάζεις ἐπιλελησμένον τῆς ἱππασίας· ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐς ἐμὲ τὴν μητέρα ὑβρίζεις, θαρρῶν ποιεῖς. ἀλλὰ σύ, ὦ τολμηρότατε, καὶ τὴν Ῥέαν αὐτὴν γραῦν ἤδη καὶ μητέρα τοσούτων θεῶν οὖσαν ἀνέπεισας παιδεραστεῖν καὶ τὸ Φρύγιον μειράκιον ποθεῖν, καὶ νῦν ἐκείνη μέμηνεν ὑπὸ σοῦ καὶ ζευξαμένη τοὺς λέοντας, παραλαβοῦσα καὶ τοὺς Κορύβαντας ἅτε μανικοὺς καὶ αὐτοὺς ὄντας, ἄνω καὶ κάτω τὴν Ἴδην περιπολοῦσιν, ἡ μὲν ὀλολύζουσα ἐπὶ τῷ Ἄττῃ, οἱ Κορύβαντες δὲ ὁ μὲν αὐτῶν τέμνεται ξίφει τὸν πῆχυν, ὁ δὲ ἀνεὶς τὴν κόμην ἵεται μεμηνὼς διὰ τῶν ὀρῶν, ὁ δὲ αὐλεῖ τῷ κέρατι, ὁ δὲ ἐπιβομβεῖ τῷ τυμπάνῳ ἢ ἐπικτυπεῖ τῷ κυμβάλῳ, καὶ ὅλως θόρυβος καὶ μανία τὰ ἐν τῇ Ἴδῃ ἅπαντά ἐστι. δέδια τοίνυν ἅπαντα, δέδια τὸ τοιοῦτο ἡ τὸ μέγα σε κακὸν ἐγὼ τεκοῦσα, μὴ ἀπομανεῖσά ποτε ἡ Ῥέα ἢ καὶ μᾶλλον ἔτι ἐν αὑτῇ οὖσα κελεύσῃ τοὺς Κορύβαντας συλλαβόντας σε διασπάσασθαι ἢ τοῖς λέουσι παραβαλεῖν· ταῦτα δέδια κινδυνεύοντά σε ὁρῶσα.

[¶1] 2. EROS: Don’t worry, mother; I’m quite used to the lions already; I often get up on their backs, grab hold of their manes and have a ride on them, and they make a fuss of me, letting me put my hand in their mouths, and licking it all over, and then let me take it out again. But what time will Rhea have to devote to me? She’s thinking of Attis the whole time. Anyway, what harm do I do by showing what beauty is like? It’s up to you to keep your hands off things of beauty; so you shouldn’t blame me for this. Or would you rather stop loving Ares and have him stop loving you?

> Greek: 2. ΕΡΩΣ: Θάρρει, μῆτερ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῖς λέουσιν αὐτοῖς ἤδη ξυνήθης εἰμί, καὶ πολλάκις ἐπαναβὰς ἐπὶ τὰ νῶτα καὶ τῆς κόμης λαβόμενος ἡνιοχῶ αὐτούς, οἱ δὲ σαίνουσί με καὶ χεῖρα δεχόμενοι ἐς τὸ στόμα περιλιχμησάμενοι ἀποδιδόασί μοι. αὐτὴ μὲν γὰρ ἡ Ῥέα πότε ἂν ἐκείνη σχολὴν ἀγάγοι ἐπ' ἐμὲ ὅλη οὖσα ἐν τῷ Ἄττῃ; καίτοι τί ἐγὼ ἀδικῶ δεικνὺς τὰ καλὰ οἷά ἐστιν; ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ ἐφίεσθε τῶν καλῶν· μὴ τοίνυν ἐμὲ αἰτιᾶσθε τούτων. ἢ θέλεις σύ, ὦ μῆτερ, αὐτὴ μηκέτι ἐρᾶν μήτε σὲ τοῦ Ἄρεως μήτε ἐκεῖνον σοῦ;

[¶2] APHRODITE: How smart you are. Got us all under your thumb, haven’t you? But you’ll remember what I’ve been saying one day.

> Greek: ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Ὡς δεινὸς εἶ καὶ κρατεῖς ἁπάντων· ἀλλὰ μεμνήσῃ μού ποτε τῶν λόγων.

## 21. Dialogue 21

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/21/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/21/#p-N

[¶0] 1. APOLLO: What’s the joke, Hermes?

> Greek: 1. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Τί γελᾷς, ὦ Ἑρμῆ;

[¶1] HERMES: It’s the funniest thing I ever saw, Apollo.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ὅτι γελοιότατα, ὦ Ἄπολλον, εἶδον.

[¶2] APOLLO: Well tell me, so that I too can hear and share the joke.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Εἰπὲ οὖν, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς ἀκούσας ἔχω ξυγγελᾶν.

[¶3] HERMES: Aphrodite has been surprised with Ares, and Hephaestus has caught them and tied them up.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἡ Ἀφροδίτη ξυνοῦσα τῷ Ἄρει κατείληπται καὶ ὁ Ἥφαιστος ἔδησεν αὐτοὺς ξυλλαβών.

[¶4] APOLLO: How? It sounds as if you have a good story to tell.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Πῶς; ἡδὺ γάρ τι ἐρεῖν ἔοικας.

[¶5] HERMES: He’d known about all this for a long time, and had been out to catch them. He put invisible cords round the bed, and went off to work at his furnace. Then Ares crept in, unnoticed, as he thought, but the Sun-god saw him and told Hephaestus. And when they’d got on the bed, and were in the act, and in his trap, the cords folded themselves round about them, and Hephaestus put in an appearance. Aphrodite, being in the nude, was most embarrassed that she couldn’t hide her nakedness, while Ares tried at first to escape, hoping to break the cords, but later on, realising he was prisoner and couldn’t escape, kept begging for mercy.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ἐκ πολλοῦ, οἶμαι, ταῦτα εἰδὼς ἐθήρευεν αὐτούς, καὶ περὶ τὴν εὐνὴν ἀφανῆ δεσμὰ περιθεὶς εἰργάζετο ἀπελθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν κάμινον· εἶτα ὁ μὲν Ἄρης ἐσέρχεται λαθών, ὡς ᾤετο, καθορᾷ δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Ἥλιος καὶ λέγει πρὸς τὸν Ἥφαιστον. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐπέβησαν τοῦ λέχους καὶ ἐν ἔργῳ ἦσαν καὶ ἐντὸς ἐγεγένηντο τῶν ἀρκύων, περιπλέκεται μὲν αὐτοῖς τὰ δεσμά, ἐφίσταται δὲ ὁ Ἥφαιστος. ἐκείνη μὲν οὖν—καὶ γὰρ ἔτυχε γυμνὴ οὖσα—οὐκ εἶχεν ὅπως ἐγκαλύψαιτο αἰδουμένη, ὁ δὲ Ἄρης τὰ μὲν πρῶτα διαφυγεῖν ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ ἤλπιζε ῥήξειν τὰ δεσμά, ἔπειτα δὲ, συνεὶς ἐν ἀφύκτῳ ἐχόμενον ἑαυτὸν, ἱκέτευεν.

[¶6] 2. APOLLO: And what’s happened? Has Hephaestus let him go?

> Greek: 2. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Τί οὖν; ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἥφαιστος;

[¶7] HERMES: Not yet, but he’s got all the gods together, and is showing them the guilty pair. They’re lying there bound together naked, hiding their faces and blushing, and I must say I found it a most delightful spectacle. Why, they’re almost in the act.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐδέπω, ἀλλὰ ξυγκαλέσας τοὺς θεοὺς ἐπιδείκνυται τὴν μοιχείαν αὐτοῖς· οἱ δὲ γυμνοὶ ἀμφότεροι κάτω νενευκότες ξυνδεδεμένοι ἐρυθριῶσι, καὶ τὸ θέαμα ἥδιστον ἐμοὶ ἔδοξε μονονουχὶ αὐτὸ γινόμενον τὸ ἔργον.

[¶8] APOLLO: Isn’t that blacksmith ashamed himself to put on show this insult to his marriage?

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ὁ δὲ χαλκεὺς ἐκεῖνος οὐκ αἰδεῖται καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιδεικνύμενος τὴν αἰσχύνην τοῦ γάμου;

[¶9] HERMES: Not a bit of it. He’s standing over them, chortling. But I personally, if truth must be told, envied Ares for having made a conquest of the fairest of the goddesses, and even for being a fellow-prisoner with her.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Μὰ Δί', ὅς γε καὶ ἐπιγελᾷ ἐφεστὼς αὐτοῖς. ἐγὼ μέντοι, εἰ χρὴ τἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ἐφθόνουν τῷ Ἄρει μὴ μόνον μοιχεύσαντι τὴν καλλίστην θεόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεδεμένῳ μετ' αὐτῆς.

[¶10] APOLLO: Do you mean you wouldn’t have minded being tied up in such circumstances?

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οὐκοῦν καὶ δεδέσθαι ἂν ὑπέμεινας ἐπὶ τούτῳ;

[¶11] HERMES: Would you, my dear fellow? Just come and have a look. If you don’t make the same wish when you’ve seen them, you’ll earn my praise.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Σὺ δ’ οὐκ ἄν, ὦ Ἄπολλον; ἰδὲ μόνον ἐπελθών· ἐπαινέσομαι γάρ σε, ἢν μὴ τὰ ὅμοια καὶ αὐτὸς εὔξῃ ἰδών.

## 22. Dialogue 22

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/22/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/22/#p-N

[¶0] 1. HERA: I’d be ashamed of such a son, if he were mine, Zeus. He’s so effeminate, and such a degenerate sot, putting ribbons in his hair, spending most of his time with mad women, himself a bigger softie than any of them, and dancing to drums, pipes and cymbals. Indeed he’s like anyone but you his father, Zeus.

> Greek: 1. ΗΡΑ: Ἐγὼ μὲν ᾐσχυνόμην ἄν, ὦ Ζεῦ, εἴ μοι τοιοῦτος υἱὸς ἦν, θῆλυς οὕτω καὶ διεφθαρμένος ὑπὸ τῆς μέθης, μίτρᾳ μὲν ἀναδεδεμένος τὴν κόμην, τὰ πολλὰ δὲ μαινομέναις γυναιξὶ συνών, ἁβρότερος αὐτῶν ἐκείνων, ὑπὸ τυμπάνοις καὶ αὐλῷ καὶ κυμβάλοις χορεύων, καὶ ὅλως παντὶ μᾶλλον ἐοικὼς ἢ σοὶ τῷ πατρί.

[¶1] ZEUS: Yet, Hera, this wearer of females’ ribbons, this “bigger softie than the women”, has subdued Lydia and the inhabitants of Tmolus, and forced the Thracians into subjection; he’s been on an expedition against Indians with this army of women, capturing their elephants and seizing their country, and when their king dared to stand up to him for a little, he took him prisoner and carried him off; and while he was doing all this, he was dancing and cavorting the whole time, and used nothing but wands of ivy, drunk and possessed though you say he was. And if any one dares to scoff at his rites and insult him, punishes him by tying him up with vine-twigs *, or makes the mans mother tear him to pieces as though he were a fawn. Can’t you see in this manly courage, worthy of his father? If these activities are accompanied by fun and soft living, why grudge him these things, especially if you imagine what he would be like if sober, when he can do this when tipsy?

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Καὶ μὴν οὗτός γε ὁ θηλυμίτρης, ὁ ἁβρότερος τῶν γυναικῶν οὐ μόνον, ὦ Ἥρα, τὴν Λυδίαν ἐχειρώσατο καὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὸν Τμῶλον ἔλαβε καὶ Θρᾷκας ὑπηγάγετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπ' Ἰνδοὺς ἐλάσας τῷ γυναικείῳ τούτῳ στρατιωτικῷ τούς τε ἐλέφαντας εἷλε καὶ τῆς χώρας ἐκράτησε καὶ τὸν βασιλέα πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀντιστῆναι τολμήσαντα αἰχμάλωτον ἀπήγαγε, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ἔπραξεν ὀρχούμενος ἅμα καὶ χορεύων θύρσοις χρώμενος κιττίνοις, μεθύων, ὡς φῄς, καὶ ἐνθεάζων. εἰ δέ τις ἐπεχείρησε λοιδορήσασθαι αὐτῷ ὑβρίσας ἐς τὴν τελετήν, καὶ τοῦτον ἐτιμωρήσατο ἢ καταδήσας τοῖς κλήμασιν ἢ διασπασθῆναι ποιήσας ὑπὸ τῆς μητρὸς ὥσπερ νεβρόν. ὁρᾷς ὡς ἀνδρεῖα ταῦτα καὶ οὐκ ἀνάξια τοῦ πατρός; εἰ δὲ παιδιὰ καὶ τρυφὴ πρόσεστιν αὐτοῖς, οὐδεὶς φθόνος, καὶ μάλιστα εἰ λογίσαιτό τις, οἷος ἂν οὗτος νήφων ἦν, ὅπου ταῦτα μεθύων ποιεῖ.

[¶2] 2. HERA: It sounds as if you’ll be all for his invention, too—I mean the vine and its juice—though you see how drunks behave, staggering about and turning to violence, quite maddened by their drink. Take Icarius, the first one to whom he gave the vine—he was killed by his boon companions with mattocks.

> Greek: 2. ΗΡΑ: Σύ μοι δοκεῖς ἐπαινέσεσθαι καὶ τὸ εὕρεμα αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἄμπελον καὶ τὸν οἶνον, καὶ ταῦτα ὁρῶν οἷα οἱ μεθυσθέντες ποιοῦσι σφαλλόμενοι καὶ πρὸς ὕβριν τρεπόμενοι καὶ ὅλως μεμηνότες ὑπὸ τοῦ ποτοῦ· τὸν γοῦν Ἰκάριον, ᾧ πρώτῳ ἔδωκεν τὸ κλῆμα, οἱ ξυμπόται αὐτοὶ διέφθειραν παίοντες ταῖς δικέλλαις.

[¶3] ZEUS: That doesn’t get you anywhere. You can’t blame wine or Dionysus for such things, but drinking to excess, and swilling down neat wine beyond what’s decent. But the man who drinks in moderation will become more cheerful and better company, and never treat any of his cronies as Icarius was treated. I see what’s wrong with you, Hera; you’re still jealous and haven’t forgotten Semele, judging by the way you find fault with all that’s best in Dionysus.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐδὲν τοῦτο φῄς· οὐ γάρ οἶνος ταῦτα οὐδὲ ὁ Διόνυσος ποιεῖ, τὸ δὲ ἄμετρον τῆς πόσεως καὶ τὸ πέρα τοῦ καλῶς ἔχοντος ἐμφορεῖσθαι τοῦ ἀκράτου. ὃς δ’ ἂν ἔμμετρα πίνῃ, ἱλαρώτερος μὲν καὶ ἡδίων γένοιτ' ἄν· οἷον δὲ ὁ Ἰκάριος ἔπαθεν, οὐδὲν ἂν ἐργάσαιτο οὐδένα τῶν ξυμποτῶν. ἀλλὰ σὺ ἔτι ζηλοτυπεῖν ἔοικας, ὦ Ἥρα, καὶ τῆς Σεμέλης μνημονεύειν, ἥ γε διαβάλλεις τοῦ Διονύσου τὰ κάλλιστα.

## 23. Dialogue 23

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/23/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/23/#p-N

[¶0] 1. APHRODITE: Why is it, Eros, that though you’ve triumphed over all the other gods, Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, Rhea and myself, your mother, you make an exception of Athena and keep clear of her, and for her your torch has no fire, your quiver no arrows, and you no bow or sense of aim?

> Greek: 1. ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Τί δήποτε, ὦ Ἔρως, τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους θεοὺς κατηγωνίσω ἅπαντας, τὸν Δία, τὸν Ποσειδῶ, τὸν Ἀπόλλω, τὴν Ῥέαν, ἐμὲ τὴν μητέρα, μόνης δὲ ἀπέχῃ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς καὶ ἐπ' ἐκείνης ἄπυρος μέν σοι ἡ δᾴς, κενὴ δὲ οἰστῶν ἡ φαρέτρα, σὺ δὲ ἄτοξος εἶ καὶ ἄστοχος;

[¶1] EROS: I’m afraid of her, mother. She scares me with her flashing eyes, and she’s terribly like a man. Why, when I string my bow and go after her, I get terrified at the first shake of her crest, and start trembling and dropping my arrows from my hands.

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Δέδια, ὦ μῆτερ, αὐτήν· φοβερὰ γάρ ἐστι καὶ χαροπὴ καὶ δεινῶς ἀνδρική· ὁπόταν γοῦν ἐντεινάμενος τὸ τόξον ἴω ἐπ' αὐτήν, ἐπισείουσα τὸν λόφον ἐκπλήττει με καὶ ὑπότρομος γίνομαι καὶ ἀπορρεῖ μου τὰ τοξεύματα ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν.

[¶2] APHRODITE: Well, didn’t you find Ares more frightening? Yet you disarmed him and conquered him.

> Greek: ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Ὁ Ἄρης γὰρ οὐ φοβερώτερος ἦν; καὶ ὅμως ἀφώπλισας αὐτὸν καὶ νενίκηκας.

[¶3] EROS: No. He’s glad to welcome and encourage me, but Athena always glowers at me. Once I just flew past with my torch near her, and says she, “If you come near me, as sure as I’m Zeus’ daughter, I’ll run my spear through you, or catch you by the foot and throw you into Tartarus, or I’ll tear you to bits with my own hands and then”—she hurled many threats like that at me. Besides she stares at me so grimly and, oh, she’s got on her breast that terrible face with the snaky hair—that’s what scares me most of all. It gives me the creeps and makes me run the moment I see it.

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνος ἑκὼν προσίεταί με καὶ προσκαλεῖται, ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ δὲ ὑφορᾶται ἀεί, καί ποτε ἐγὼ μὲν ἄλλως παρέπτην πλησίον ἔχων τὴν λαμπάδα, ἡ δέ, Εἴ μοι πρόσει, φησί, νὴ τὸν πατέρα, τῷ δορατίῳ σε διαπείρασα ἢ τοῦ ποδὸς λαβομένη καὶ ἐς τὸν Τάρταρον ἐμβαλοῦσα ἢ αὐτὴ διασπασαμένη—πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ἠπείλησε· καὶ ὁρᾷ δὲ δριμὺ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους ἔχει πρόσωπόν τι φοβερὸν ἐχίδναις κατάκομον, ὅπερ ἐγὼ μάλιστα δέδια· μορμολύττεται γάρ με καὶ φεύγω, ὅταν ἴδω αὐτό.

[¶4] 2. APHRODITE: Do you mean to tell me you’re afraid of Athena and her Gorgon, though you don’t fear the thunderbolt of Zeus? But why do you leave the Muses unwounded? Why are they safe from your arrows? Do they too have tossing plumes and Gorgons on display?

> Greek: 2. ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν Ἀθηνᾶν δέδιας, ὡς φῄς, καὶ τὴν Γοργόνα, καὶ ταῦτα μὴ φοβηθεὶς τὸν κεραυνὸν τοῦ Διός. αἱ δὲ Μοῦσαι διὰ τί σοι ἄτρωτοι καὶ ἔξω βελῶν εἰσιν; κἀκεῖναι λόφους ἐπισείουσιν καὶ Γοργόνας προφαίνουσιν;

[¶5] EROS: I have respect for them, mother; they’re so solemn, always with something to think about or busy with their music; I often stand beside them, bewitched by their melodies.

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Αἰδοῦμαι αὐτάς, ὦ μῆτερ· σεμναὶ γάρ εἰσιν καὶ ἀεί τι φροντίζουσιν καὶ περὶ ᾠδὴν ἔχουσι καὶ ἐγὼ παρίσταμαι πολλάκις αὐταῖς κηλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ μέλους.

[¶6] APHRODITE: Never mind them, then, seeing that they’re so solemn; but why don’t you wound Artemis?

> Greek: ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Ἔα καὶ ταύτας, ὅτι σεμναί· τὴν δὲ Ἄρτεμιν τίνος ἕνεκα οὐ τιτρώσκεις;

[¶7] EROS: It’s quite impossible to catch her; she’s always running away over the mountains. Besides, she’s now got a love of her own.

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Τὸ μὲν ὅλον οὐδὲ καταλαβεῖν αὐτὴν οἷόν τε φεύγουσαν ἀεὶ διὰ τῶν ὀρῶν· εἶτα καὶ ἴδιόν τινα ἔρωτα ἤδη ἐρᾷ.

[¶8] APHRODITE: And its object, my child?

> Greek: ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Τίνος, ὦ τέκνον;

[¶9] EROS: Hunting deer and fawn, chasing them and catching them, or shooting them down; that’s all she cares about. But that brother of hers, though he’s an archer too and a long shot— APHRODITE: I know, my boy, you’ve hit him often enough with your arrows.

> Greek: ΕΡΩΣ: Θήρας καὶ ἐλάφων καὶ νεβρῶν, αἱρεῖν τε διώκουσα καὶ κατατοξεύειν, καὶ ὅλως πρὸς τῷ τοιούτῳ ἐστίν· ἐπεὶ τόν γε ἀδελφὸν αὐτῆς, καίτοι τοξότην καὶ αὐτὸν ὄντα καὶ ἑκηβόλον— ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ: Οἶδα, ὦ τέκνον, πολλὰ ἐκεῖνον ἐτόξευσας.

## 24. Dialogue 24

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/24/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/24/#p-N

[¶0] 1. ZEUS: See what you’ve done, you confounded Titan! You’ve destroyed everything on the earth by trusting a foolish boy with your car. Some places he’s scorched by driving close to the earth, and elsewhere he’s frozen everything to death by taking the heat right away, bringing chaos and confusion on the whole wide world. Why, if I hadn’t realised what was afoot, and brought him down with my thunderbolt, there’d have been nothing left of mankind. A pretty poor driver of the chariot you sent us out—for all his good looks! SUN: It’s all my fault, Zeus, but don’t be angry with me for giving in to my boy. He kept nagging at me to let him. How could I have expected such trouble to follow?

> Greek: 1. ΖΕΥΣ: Οἷα πεποίηκας, ὦ Τιτάνων κάκιστε; ἀπολώλεκας τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ ἅπαντα, μειρακίῳ ἀνοήτῳ πιστεύσας τὸ ἅρμα, ὃς τὰ μὲν κατέφλεξε πρόσγειος ἐνεχθείς, τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ κρύους διαφθαρῆναι ἐποίησε πολὺ αὐτῶν ἀποσπάσας τὸ πῦρ, καὶ ὅλως οὐδὲν ὅ τι οὐ ξυνετάραξε καὶ ξυνέχεε, καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐγὼ ξυνεὶς τὸ γιγνόμενον κατέβαλον αὐτὸν τῷ κεραυνῷ, οὐδὲ λείψανον ἀνθρώπων ἐπέμεινεν ἄν· τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν τὸν καλὸν ἡνίοχον καὶ διφρηλάτην ἐκπέπομφας.
ΗΛΙΟΣ: Ἥμαρτον, ὦ Ζεῦ, ἀλλὰ μὴ χαλέπαινε, εἰ ἐπείσθην υἱῷ πολλὰ ἱκετεύοντι· πόθεν γὰρ ἂν καὶ ἤλπισα τηλικοῦτο γενήσεσθαι κακόν;

[¶1] ZEUS: Didn’t you know what a delicate operation it was, how getting the least bit off course spoils everything? Didn’t you know how the horses are full of mettle and need a tight rein? Let it go slack, and they take the bit in their teeth right away, as of course they did with him, running away with him, now to the left, and after a moment to the right, and sometimes right back on their tracks, and up and down, doing just what they liked, and he didn’t know how to deal with them.

> Greek: ΖΕΥΣ: Οὐκ ᾔδεις, ὅσης ἐδεῖτο ἀκριβείας τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ ὡς, εἰ βραχύ τις ἐκβαίη τῆς ὁδοῦ, οἴχεται πάντα; ἠγνόεις δὲ καὶ τῶν ἵππων τὸν θυμόν, ὡς δεῖ ξυνέχειν ἀνάγκῃ τὸν χαλινόν; εἰ γὰρ ἐνδοίη τις, ἀφηνιάζουσιν εὐθύς, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τοῦτον ἐξήνεγκαν, ἄρτι μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ λαιά, μετ' ὀλίγον δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ δεξιά, καὶ ἐς τὸ ἐναντίον τοῦ δρόμου ἐνίοτε, καὶ ἄνω καὶ κάτω, ὅλως ἔνθα ἐβούλοντο αὐτοί· ὁ δὲ οὐκ εἶχεν ὅ τι χρήσαιτο αὐτοῖς.

[¶2] 2. SUN: I knew all that. That’s why I held out for a long time and wouldn’t trust him to drive. But when he started weeping and begging and imploring, and his mother Clymene joined in, I planted him in the car and told him how to stand, how long he was to climb giving the horses their head, how long to descend again, and how to be in control of the reins and keep his mettlesome team in check. Yes, and I warned him how dangerous it was not to drive straight, but the poor boy, mounted on so great a fire and looking down on yawning space, lost his nerve, and can you wonder? Then the horses, sensing it wasn’t me in the chariot, didn’t care two hoots for the lad and left their course with these terrible results. He dropped the reins—I suppose he was afraid of falling out, and clung to the rail. But he’s already had his punishment, Zeus, and my grief is punishment enough for me.

> Greek: 2. ΗΛΙΟΣ: Πάντα μὲν ἠπιστάμην ταῦτα καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀντεῖχον ἐπὶ πολὺ καὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευον αὐτῷ τὴν ἔλασιν· ἐπεὶ δὲ κατελιπάρησε δακρύων καὶ ἡ μήτηρ Κλυμένη μετ' αὐτοῦ, ἀναβιβασάμενος ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα ὑπεθέμην, ὅπως μὲν χρὴ βεβηκέναι αὐτόν, ἐφ' ὁπόσον δὲ ἐς τὸ ἄνω ἀφέντα ὑπερενεχθῆναι, εἶτα ἐς τὸ κάταντες αὖθις ἐπινεύειν καὶ ὡς ἐγκρατῆ εἶναι τῶν ἡνιῶν καὶ μὴ ἐφιέναι τῷ θυμῷ τῶν ἵππων· εἶπον δὲ καὶ ἡλίκος ὁ κίνδυνος, εἰ μὴ ὀρθὴν ἐλαύνοι· ὁ δὲ—παῖς γὰρ ἦν—ἐπιβὰς τοσούτου πυρὸς καὶ ἐπικύψας ἐς βάθος ἀχανὲς ἐξεπλάγη, ὡς τὸ εἰκός· οἱ δὲ ἵπποι ὡς ᾔσθοντο οὐκ ὄντα ἐμὲ τὸν ἐπιβεβηκότα, καταφρονήσαντες τοῦ μειρακίου ἐξετράποντο τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τὰ δεινὰ ταῦτα ἐποίησαν· ὁ δὲ τὰς ἡνίας ἀφείς, οἶμαι δεδιὼς μὴ ἐκπέσῃ αὐτός, εἴχετο τῆς ἄντυγος. ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνός τε ἤδη ἔχει τὴν δίκην κἀμοί, ὦ Ζεῦ, ἱκανὸν τὸ πένθος.

[¶3] 3. ZEUS: Punishment enough, you say, for such effrontery? All right, I forgive you this time, but if ever again you commit such an offence, or send out another like him in your place, you’ll soon find out my thunderbolt’s a lot hotter than your fire. The boy, then, can be buried by his sisters beside the Eridanus, where he fell after the spill. They can weep tears of amber over him and become poplars in their sorrow, and you’d better patch up your car—the pole’s broken and one of the wheels is in smithereens—bring up your horses and get on with your round. And I hope you won’t forget all this in a hurry.

> Greek: 3. ΖΕΥΣ: Ἱκανὸν λέγεις τοιαῦτα τολμήσας; νῦν μὲν οὖν συγγνώμην ἀπονέμω σοι, ἐς δὲ τὸ λοιπόν, ἤν τι ὅμοιον παρανομήσῃς ἤ τινα τοιοῦτον σεαυτοῦ διάδοχον ἐκπέμψῃς, αὐτίκα εἴσῃ, ὁπόσον τοῦ σοῦ πυρὸς ὁ κεραυνὸς πυρωδέστερος. ὥστε ἐκεῖνον μὲν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ θαπτέτωσαν ἐπὶ τῷ Ἠριδανῷ, ἵναπερ ἔπεσεν ἐκδιφρευθείς, ἤλεκτρον ἐπ' αὐτῷ δακρύουσαι καὶ αἴγειροι γενέσθωσαν ἐπὶ τῷ πάθει, σὺ δὲ ξυμπηξάμενος τὸ ἅρμα—κατέαγε δὲ καὶ ὁ ῥυμὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἅτερος τῶν τροχῶν συντέτριπται—ἔλαυνε ἐπαγαγὼν τοὺς ἵππους. ἀλλὰ μέμνησο τούτων ἁπάντων.

## 25. Dialogue 25

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/25/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-dialogues-of-the-gods/25/#p-N

[¶0] 1. APOLLO: Can you tell me, Hermes, which of these two is Castor and which is Pollux? I can’t tell them apart.

> Greek: 1. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἔχεις μοι εἰπεῖν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, πότερος ὁ Κάστωρ ἐστὶ τούτων ἢ πότερος ὁ Πολυδεύκης; ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν διακρίναιμι αὐτούς.

[¶1] HERMES: The one with us yesterday was Castor, this one is Pollux.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ὁ μὲν χθὲς ἡμῖν ξυγγενόμενος ἐκεῖνος Κάστωρ ἦν, οὗτος δὲ Πολυδεύκης.

[¶2] APOLLO: How can you tell? They look identical.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Πῶς διαγινώσκεις; ὅμοιοι γάρ.

[¶3] HERMES: This one, Apollo, has on his face the marks of the injuries he’s got from his opponents when boxing, and especially from Bebryx, the son of Amycus, when he sailed on that expedition with Jason. The other has no marks like that; his face is free from blemish.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ὅτι οὗτος μέν, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἔχει ἐπὶ τοῦ προσώπου τὰ ἴχνη τῶν τραυμάτων ἃ ἔλαβε παρὰ τῶν ἀνταγωνιστῶν πυκτεύων, καὶ μάλιστα ὁπόσα ὑπὸ τοῦ Βέβρυκος Ἀμύκου ἐτρώθη τῷ Ἰάσονι συμπλέων, ἅτερος δὲ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐμφαίνει, ἀλλὰ καθαρός ἐστι καὶ ἀπαθὴς τὸ πρόσωπον.

[¶4] APOLLO: Thanks for telling me the difference, for all the rest’s the same, the half egg-shell on the head, and the star above it, the javelin in the hand, and a white horse each; so I’ve often called Pollux Castor and Castor Pollux. And there’s something else you can tell me. Why don’t we see them together? Why do they take turns of being dead and being a god?

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ὤνησας διδάξας τὰ γνωρίσματα, ἐπεὶ τά γε ἄλλα πάντα ἴσα, τοῦ ᾠοῦ τὸ ἡμίτομον καὶ ἀστὴρ ὑπεράνω καὶ ἀκόντιον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ καὶ ἵππος ἑκατέρῳ λευκός, ὥστε πολλάκις ἐγὼ τὸν μὲν προσεῖπον Κάστορα Πολυδεύκην ὄντα, τὸν δὲ τῷ τοῦ Πολυδεύκους ὀνόματι. ἀτὰρ εἰπέ μοι καὶ τόδε, τί δήποτε οὐκ ἄμφω ξύνεισιν ἡμῖν, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ἡμισείας ἄρτι μὲν νεκρός, ἄρτι δὲ θεός ἐστιν ἅτερος αὐτῶν;

[¶5] 2. HERMES: That’s because of their brotherly love. When one of the sons of Leda had to die, and one to be immortal, they shared out the immortality in this way themselves.

> Greek: 2. ΕΡΜΗΣ: Ὑπὸ φιλαδελφίας τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν· ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔδει ἕνα μὲν τεθνάναι τῶν Λήδας υἱέων, ἕνα δὲ ἀθάνατον εἶναι, ἐνείμαντο οὕτως αὐτοὶ τὴν ἀθανασίαν.

[¶6] APOLLO: Not a very clever way of sharing it, was it, Hermes? This way they won’t even see each other, and that’s what they wanted most of all, I take it. How can they, when one’s with the gods and one with the dead? Another thing; I play the prophet, Asclepius goes in for doctoring, you teach wrestling and are an excellent trainer, Artemis is a mid-wife, and everyone else among us has some special craft, which helps gods or men. But what will we get them to do? We can’t have big strapping fellows like them sitting in idleness all day stuffing themselves.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Οὐ ξυνετήν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὴν νομήν, οἵ γε οὐδὲ ὄψονται οὕτως ἀλλήλους, ὅπερ ἐπόθουν, οἶμαι, μάλιστα· πῶς γάρ, ὁ μὲν παρὰ θεοῖς, ὁ δὲ παρὰ τοῖς φθιτοῖς ὤν; πλὴν ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἐγὼ μαντεύομαι, ὁ δὲ Ἀσκληπιὸς ἰᾶται, σὺ δὲ παλαίειν διδάσκεις παιδοτρίβης ἄριστος ὤν, ἡ δὲ Ἄρτεμις μαιεύεται καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕκαστος ἔχει τινὰ τέχνην ἢ θεοῖς ἢ ἀνθρώποις χρησίμην, οὗτοι δὲ τί ποιήσουσιν ἡμῖν; ἢ ἀργοὶ εὐωχήσονται τηλικοῦτοι ὄντες;

[¶7] HERMES: You needn’t worry. They’ve been put on to serving Poseidon; they must ride over the sea, and anywhere they see sailors in a storm, they must perch on the vessel and keep the crew safe.

> Greek: ΕΡΜΗΣ: Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ προστέτακται αὐτοῖν ὑπηρετεῖν τῷ Ποσειδῶνι καὶ καθιππεύειν δεῖ τὸ πέλαγος καὶ ἐάν που ναύτας χειμαζομένους ἴδωσιν, ἐπικαθίσαντας ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον σῴζειν τοὺς ἐμπλέοντας.

[¶8] APOLLO: A useful vocation that, Hermes, and one of salvation.

> Greek: ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ: Ἀγαθήν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ σωτήριον λέγεις τὴν τέχνην.