--- title: "The Sham Sophist, or The Solecist · Ψευδοσοφιστής ἢ Σολοικιστής" author: "Lucian" translator: "Henry Watson Fowler" languages: [grc, en] shelf: "Classical Greek" section: 1 of 1 url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-sham-sophist/1/ cite: "Lucian, tr. Henry Watson Fowler, The Sham Sophist, or The Solecist · Ψευδοσοφιστής ἢ Σολοικιστής, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-sham-sophist/1/" --- # The Sham Sophist, or The Solecist · Ψευδοσοφιστής ἢ Σολοικιστής *Lucian, tr. Henry Watson Fowler* Lucian catches a pedant in his own grammatical mistakes. > Greek: ed. Karl Jacobitz, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg070, CC BY-SA 4.0). > English: Henry Watson Fowler, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg070.perseus-eng4). Notes are not included. > Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence. ## 1. Sections 1–12 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-sham-sophist/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-sham-sophist/1/#p-N [¶0] 1. Lycinus: Are you the man whose scent is so keen for a blunder, and who is himself blunder-proof? > Greek: 1. Λυκῖνος: Ἆρά γε ὁ γνῶναι τὸν σολοικίζοντα δεινὸς οὗτος καὶ φυλάξασθαι μὴ σολοικίσαι δυνατός; [¶1] Purist: I think I may say so. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἐμοὶ μὲν δοκεῖ. [¶2] Lycinus: I suppose one must be blunder-proof, to detect the man who is not so? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὁ δέ γε μὴ φυλάξασθαι οὐδὲ γνῶναι τὸν οὕτως ἔχοντα; [¶3] Purist: Assuredly. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἀληθῆ λὲγεις. [¶4] Lycinus: Do I understand that you are proof? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Σὺ δὲ αὐτὸς φὴς οὐ σολοικίζειν, ἢ πῶς λέγωμεν περὶ σοῦ; [¶5] Purist: How could I call myself educated, if I made blunders at my age? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἀπαίδευτος γὰρ ἂν εἴην, εἰ σολοικίζοιμι τηλικοῦτος ὤν. [¶6] Lycinus: Well, shall you be able to detect a culprit, and convict him if he denies it? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἕτερον φωρᾶσαι δυνήσῃ τοῦτο δρῶντα καὶ ἐλέγξαι τὸν ἀρνούμενον; [¶7] Purist: Of course I shall. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Παντάπασί γε. [¶8] Lycinus: Catch me out, then; I will make one just now. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἴθι νῦν ἐμοῦ λαβοῦ σολοικίζοντος, ἄρτι δὲ σολοικιῶ. [¶9] Purist: Say on. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐκοῦν εἰπέ. [¶10] Lycinus: Why, the deed is done, and you have missed it. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἀλλ’ ἔγωγε ἤδη τὸ δεινὸν εἴργασμαι, σὺ δὲ οὐκ ἐπέγνως. [¶11] Purist: You are joking, of course? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Παίζεις ἔχων; [¶12] Lycinus: No, upon my honour. The blunder is made, and you none the wiser. Well, try again; but you are not infallible on these sort of things. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Μὰ τοὺς θεούς· ἐπεὶ σολοικίσας ἔλαθόν σε ὡς οὐκ ἐπιστάμενού. αὖθις δὲ σκόπει· οὐ γάρ σέ φημι δύνασθαι κατανοῆσαι, ἐπεὶ ἃ μέν οἶσθ̓, ἃ δ’ οὐκ οἶσθα. [¶13] Purist: Well? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Εἰπὲ μόνον. [¶14] Lycinus: Again, the blunder made, and you unconscious. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν σεσολοίκισταί μοι, σὺ δ’ οὐκ ἔγνως. [¶15] Purist: How can that be, before you have opened your lips? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Πῶς γάρ, σοῦ μηδὲν λέγοντος; [¶16] Lycinus: Oh yes, I opened them, and to a blunder; but you never see them. I quite doubt you seeing this one even. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἐγὼ μὲν λέγω καὶ σολοικίζω, σὺ δ’ οὐχ ἕπῃ τοῦτο δρῶντι· ἐπεὶ ὄφελον καὶ νῦν ἀκολουθῆσαι δυνήσῃ. [¶17] 2. Purist: Well, there is something very queer about it if I do not know a solecism when I hear it. > Greek: 2. Σολοικιστής: Θαυμαστὰ λέγεις, εἰ μὴ δυνήσομαι καταμαθεῖν σολοικισμόν. [¶18] Lycinus: One begins to doubt, when a man has missed three. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Καὶ πῶς ἂν δύναιο τὸν ἕνα μαθεῖν τοὺς τρεῖς ἀγνοήσας; [¶19] Purist: Three? What do you mean? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Τίνας τρεῖς; [¶20] Lycinus: A complete triolet of them. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὅλους ἀρτιγενείους. [¶21] Purist: You are certainly joking. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἐγὼ μέν σε παίζειν δοκῶ. [¶22] Lycinus: And you are as certainly a poor detective. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἐγὼ δέ σε ἀγνοεῖν τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα ἐν τοῖς λόγοις. [¶23] Purist: If you were to say something, one might have a chance. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Καὶ πῶς ἄν τις μάθοι μηδενὸς εἰρημένου; [¶24] Lycinus: Four chances you have had, and no result. It would have been a fine feather in your hat to have got them all. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Λέλεκται καὶ σεσολοίκισται τετραπλῇ, σὺ δ᾽ οὐκ ἔγνως. μέγα οὖν ἆθλον κατέπραξας ἄν, εἴπερ ἔγνως. [¶25] Purist: Nothing fine about it; it is no more than I undertook. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐ μέγα μέν, ἀναγκαῖον δὲ τῷ ὁμολογήσαντι. [¶26] Lycinus: Why, there you are again! > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ νῦν ἔγνως. [¶27] Purist: Again? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Πότε νῦν; [¶28] Lycinus: ‘Feather in your hat’?! > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὅτε τὸ ἆθλον ἔφην σε καταπρᾶξαι. [¶29] Purist: I don’t know what you mean. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐκ οἶδα ὅ τι λέγεις. [¶30] Lycinus: Precisely; you do not know. And now suppose you go first; you do not like following, that is what it is; you understand, if you chose. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὀρθῶς ἔφης· οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα. καὶ προϊθί γε ἐς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν· οὐ γὰρ ἐθέλεις ἕπεσθαι, συνήσων ἄν, εἴπερ ἐθελήσειας. [¶31] 3. Purist: Oh, I am willing enough; only you have not made any solecisms in the usual sense. > Greek: 3. Σολοικιστής: Ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ βούλομαι· σὺ δ’ οὐδὲν εἶπας ὧν ἄνθρωποι σολοικίζοντες λέγουσι. [¶32] Lycinus: How about that last? Now watch me well, as you did not get me that time. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Τὸ γὰρ νῦν ῥηθὲν μικρόν τί σοι φαίνεται κακὸν εἶναι; ὅμως δὲ ἀκολούθησον αὖθις, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔμαθες ἐκδραμόντα. [¶33] Purist: I cannot say I did. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Μὰ τοὺς θεοὺς οὐκ ἔγωγε. [¶34] Lycinus: Now for a rabbit, then; there, that’s him! Has he got by? There he is, that’s him, I tell you. Hims enough to fill a warren, if you don’t wake up. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἀλλὰ μὴν μεθῆκα θεῖν λαγὼ ταχέως. ἆρα παρῇξεν; ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν ἔξεστιν ἰδεῖν τὸν λαγώ· εἰ δὲ μή, πολλοὶ γενόμενοι λαγῲ λήσουσί σε ἐν σολοικισμῷ πεσόντες. [¶35] Purist: Oh, I am wide awake. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐ λήσουσι. [¶36] Lycinus: Well, they are gone. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Καὶ μὴν ἔλαθόν γε. [¶37] Purist: Never! > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Θαυμαστὰ λέγεις. [¶38] Lycinus: The fact is, your too much learning renders you unconscious to solecisms; whatever case I take, it is always the same. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Σὺ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἄγαν παιδείας διέφθορας, ὥστε μηδ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο σολοικίζοντας κατανοῆσαι· οὐ γὰρ πρός2εστιν αὐτῷ τὸ τίνα. [¶39] 4. Purist: What you mean by that I am sure I don’t know; but I have often caught people out in blunders. > Greek: 4. Σολοικιστής: Ταῦτα μὲν οὐκ οἶδα πῶς λέγεις· ἐγὼ δὲ πολλοὺς ἤδη σολοικίζοντας κατενόησα. [¶40] Lycinus: Well, you will catch me about the time that you are a sucking child again. By the way, a babe laying in his cradle would hardly jar on your notions of grammar, if you have not yet got me. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Κἀμὲ τοίνυν εἴσῃ τότε, ὅταν τι τῶν παιδίων γένῃ τῶν τὰς τίτθας θηλαζόντων. ἢ εἰ οὐ νῦν ἔγνως σολοικίζοντά με, οὐδὲ αὐξάνοντα παιδία σολοικισμὸν ποιήσει τῷ μηδὲν εἰδότι. [¶41] Purist: Well, I am convinced. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἀληθῆ λέγεις. [¶42] Lycinus: Now, if we cannot detect blunders like these, we are not likely to know much about our own; you see, you have just missed another. Very well now, never again call yourself competent either to detect blunders or to avoid them. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Καὶ μὴν εἰ ταῦτα ἀγνοήσομεν, οὐδὲν γνωσόμεθα τῶν ἑαυτῶν, ἐπεὶ καὶ τόδε σολοικισθὲν ἀπέφυγέ σε. μὴ τοίνυν ἔτι λέγειν, ὡς ἱκανὸς εἶ κατιδεῖν τὸν σολοικίζοντα, καὶ αὐτὸς μὴ σολοικίζειν. [¶43] 5. Lycinus: This is my blunt way, you see. Socrates of Mopsus, with whom I was acquainted in Egypt, used to put his corrections more delicately, so as not to humiliate the offender. Here are some specimens: What time do you set out on your travels?—What time? Oh, I see, you thought I started to-day. The patrimonial income supplies me well enough.—Patrimonial? But your father is not dead? So-and-so is a tribes-man of mine.—Oh, you are a savage, are you? The fellow is a boozy.—Oh, Boozy was his mother’s name, was it? Worser luck I never knew.—Well, you need not make it worserer. I always said he had a good ’eart.—Yes, quite an artist. So glad to see you, old cock!—Come, allow me humanity. Contemptuous fellow! I would not go near him.—If he were contemptible, it would not matter, I suppose. He is the most unique of friends.—Good; one likes degrees in uniqueness. How aggravating!—Indeed? what does it aggravate? So I ascended up.—Ingenious man, doubling your speed like that. I had to do it; I was in an engagement.—Like Xenophon’s hoplites. I got round him.—Comprehensive person. They went to law, but were compounded.—You don’t say they didn’t get apart again? > Greek: 5. Λυκῖνος: κἀγὼ μὲν οὕτως. Σωκράτης δὲ ὁ ἀπὸ Μόψου, ᾧ συνεγενόμην ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, τὰ τοιαῦτα ἔλεγεν ἀνεπαχθῶς καὶ οὐκ ἤλεγχε τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα. πρὸς μέντοι γε τὸν ἐρωτήσαντα πηνίκα ἔξεισι; Τίς γὰρ ἄν, ἔφη, ἀποκριθείη σοι περὶ τῆς τήμερον ὡς ἐξιών; ἑτέρου δὲ φήσαντος, Ἱκανὰ ἔχω τὰ πατρῷα, Πῶς φής; εἶπε· τέθνηκε γὰρ ὁ πατήρ σοι; ἄλλου δὲ αὖθις λέγοντος, Πατριώτης ἔστι μοι· Ἐλάνθανες ἄρα ἡμᾶς, ἔφη, βάρβαρος ὤν. ἄλλου δὲ εἰπόντος, Ὁ δεῖνά ἐστι μεθύσης, Μητρός, εἶπεν, ἢ πῶς λέγεις; ἑτέρου δὲ ἐκλελογχότας, Διπλασιάζεις, ἔφη, τοὺς ἐξειληχότας. εἰπόντος δέ τινος, Λῆμμα πάρεστιν αὐτῷ, διὰ τῶν δύο μ, Οὐκοῦν, ἔφη, λήψεται, εἰ λῆμμα αὐτῷ πάρεστιν. ἑτέρου δὲ εἰπόντος, Πρόσεισιν ὁ μεῖραξ οὑμὸς φίλος, Ἔπειτα, ἔφη, λοιδορεῖς φίλον ὄντα; πρὸς δὲ τὸν εἰπόντα, Δεδίττομαι τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ φεύγω, Σύ, ἔφη, καὶ ὅταν τινὰ εὐλαβηθῇς, διώξῃ. ἄλλου δὲ εἰπόντος, Τῶν φίλων ὁ κορυφαιότατος, Χάριέν γε, ἔφη, τὸ τῆς κορυφῆς ποιεῖν τι ἐπάνω. καὶ ἐξορμῶ δέ τινος εἰπόντος, Καὶ τίς ἐστιν, εἶπεν, ὃν ἐξορμᾷς; ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς δέ τινος εἰπόντος, Ἐκ τῆς ἐπιπολῆς εἶπεν, ὡς ἐκ τῆς πιθάκνης. λέγοντος δέ τινος Συνετάξατό μοι, Καὶ λόχον δέ, ἔφη, Ξενοφῶν εἶπε συνετάξατο. ἄλλου δὲ εἰπόντος, Περιέστην αὐτὸν ὥστε λαθεῖν, Θαυμαστόν, ἔφη, εἰ εἷς ὤν περιέστης τὸν ἕνα. ἑτέρου δὲ λέγοντος, Συνεκρίνετο αὐτῷ, Καὶ διεκρίνετο πάντως, εἶπεν. [¶44] 6. Lycinus: He would apply the same delicate treatment to people unsound in their Attic. ‘That’s the truth of it,’ said some one, ‘between you and I.' ‘Ah no, you will have to admit that you and me are wrong there.’ Another person giving a circumstantial account of a local legend said: ‘So when she mingled with Heracles—’ ‘Without Heracles’s mingling with her?’ He asked a man who told him that he must have a close crop, what his particular felony had been. ‘There I quarrel,’ said his opponent in an argument. ‘It takes two to make a quarrel.’ When some one described his sick servant as undergomg torture, he asked, ‘What for? what do they suppose they are going to get out of him?’ Some one was said to be going ahead in his studies. ‘Let me see,’ he said; ‘it is Plato, I think, who calls that making progress.’ 'Will we have a fine day?'' ‘If God shall.’ > Greek: 6. Λυκῖνος: εἰώθει δὲ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς σολοικίζοντας Ἀττικῶς παίζειν ἀνεπαχθῶς· πρὸς γοῦν τὸν εἰπόντα, Νῶϊ τοῦτο δοκεῖ, Σύ, ἔφη, καὶ νῶϊν ἐρεῖς ὡς ἁμαρτάνομεν. ἑτέρου δὲ σπουδῇ διηγουμένου τι τῶν ἐπιχωρίων καὶ εἰπόντος, Ἡ δὲ τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ μιχθεῖσα, Οὐκ ἄρα, ἔφη, ὁ Ἡρακλῆς ἐμίχθη αὐτῇ; καρῆναι δέ τινος εἰπόντος ὡς δέοιτο, Τί γάρ, ἔφη, σοὶ δεινὸν εἴργασται καὶ ἄξιον ἀτιμίας; καὶ ζυγομαχεῖν δέ τινος εἰπόντος, Πρὸς τὸν ἐχθρόν, εἶπε, ζυγομαχεῖς; ἑτέρου δὲ εἰπόντος βασανίζεσθαι τὸν παῖδα αὐτῷ νοσοῦντα, Ἐπὶ τῷ, ἔφη, ἢ τί βουλομένου τοῦ βασανίζοντος; προκόπτει δέ τινος εἰπόντος ἐν τοῖς μαθήμασιν, Ὁ δὲ Πλάτων, ἔφη, τοῦτο ἐπιδιδόναι καλεῖ. ἐρομένου δέ τινος εἰ μελετήσει ὁ δεῖνα, Πῶς οὖν, ἔφη, ἐμὲ ἐρωτῶν εἰ μελετήσομαι, λέγεις ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα; [¶45] 7. Lycinus: ‘Archaist, curse not thy friend!’ he retorted, to a man who called him curst instead of crusty. A man once used the phrase, ‘I was trying to save his face.’ ‘But is he in any danger of losing it?’ asked Socrates. 'Chided,’ said one man, ‘chode,’ another. He disclaimed all acquaintance with either form. A person who volunteered ‘but and if’ was commended for his generosity. Some one tried him with ‘y-pleased’; ‘no, no,’ said he; 'that is too much of a good thing.’ ‘I expect him momently,’ some one announced. ‘A good phrase,’ he said; ‘so is “minutely”; we have excellent authority for “daily.” ’ 'Look you!’ said a man, meaning ‘look.’ ‘Yes, what am I to look you at?’ He took up a man who said, ‘Yes, I can grapple with that,’ meaning that he understood, with ‘Oh, you are going to throw me, are you? how?’ ‘How shrill those fives are!’ said some one. ‘Oh, come now,’ said Socrates; ‘seditions and strives, but not drums and fives.’ ‘That man is heavily weighed,” one man observed. ‘You are quite right; there is no such word as weighted.’ ‘He has thrived on it,’ some one assured him. ‘The people among whom he has thrived cannot be very particular.’ People were very fond of calling it at-one-ment. ‘Yes, all right,’ he would say; ‘I know what it means.’ Mention being made of a black-hen, he supposed that would be the female of the grey-cock. Some one said he had been eating sparrowgrass. ‘You'll be trying groundsel next,’ was his comment. > Greek: 7. Λυκῖνος: ἀττικίζοντος δέ τινος καὶ τεθνήξει εἰπόντος ἐπὶ τοῦ τρίτου, Βέλτιον, ἔφη, καὶ ἐνταῦθα μὴ ἀττικίζειν καταρώμενον. καὶ πρὸς τὸν εἰπόντα δὲ στοχάζομαι αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ φείδομαι αὐτοῦ, Μή τι, ἔφη, διήμαρτες βαλών; ἀφιστᾶν δέ τινος εἰπόντος καὶ ἑτέρου ἀφιστάνειν, Ἄμφω μέν, ἔφη, οὐκ οἶδα. πρὸς δὲ τὸν λέγοντα πλὴτ εἰ μή, Ταῦτα, ἔφη, διπλᾶ χαρίζῃ. καὶ χρᾶσθαι δέ τινος εἰπόντος, Ψευδαττικόν, κόν, ἔφη, τὸ ῥῆμα. τῷ δὲ λέγοντι ἔκτοτε, Καλόν, ἔφη, τὸ εἰπεῖν ἐκπέρυσι, ὁ γὰρ Πλάτων ἐς τότε λέγει. τῷ δὲ ἰδού ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰδέ χρωμένου τινός, Ἕτερα ἀνθ’ ἑτέρων, ἔφη, σημαίνεις. ἀντιλαμβάνομαι δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ συνίημι λέγοντός τινος, θαυμάζειν ἔφη πῶς ἀντιποιούμενος τοῦ λέγοντος φὴς μὴ ἀντιποιεῖσθαι. βράδιον δέ τινος εἰπόντος, Οὐκ ἔστιν, ἔφη, ὅμοιον τῷ τάχιον. βαρεῖν δέ τινος εἰπόντος, Οὐκ ἔστιν, ἔφη, τὸ βαρύνειν, ὡς νενόμικας. λέλογχα δὲ τὸ τὸ εἴληχα λέγοντος, Ὀλίγον, ἔφη, καὶ παρ’ οἷς ἁμαρτάνεται. ἵπτασθαι δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ πέτεσθαι πολλῶν λεγόντων, Ὅτι μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς πτήσεως τὸ ὄνομα, σαφῶς ἴσμεν. περιστερὸν δέ τινος εἰπόντος ὡς δὴ Ἀττικόν, Καὶ τὸν φάττον ἐροῦμεν, ἔφη. φακὸν δέ τινος εἰπόντος ἐδηδοκέναι, Καὶ πῶς ἄν, ἔφη, φακόν τις φάγοι; ταῦτα μὲν τὰ Σωκράτεια. [¶46] 8. Lycinus: But enough of Socrates. Shall we have another match on the old lines? I will give you nothing but first-rate ones. Have your eyes open. You will surely be able to do it now, after hearing such a list of them. > Greek: 8. Λυκῖνος: Ἐπανίωμεν δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, ἐπὶ τὴν ἅμιλλαν τῶν προτέρων λόγων. κἀγὼ μὲν καλῶ τοὺς βελτίστους εἶναι ὅλους, σὺ δὲ γνώρισον· οἶμαι γάρ σε κἂν νῦν δυνήσεσθαι τοσούτων γε ἐπακούσαντα τῶν ἑξῆς λεγομένων. [¶47] Purist: I am by no means so sure of that. Proceed, however. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἴσως μὲν οὐδὲ νῦν δυνήσομαί σου λέγοντος· ὅμως εἰπέ. [¶48] Lycinus: Not sure? well, but here you have the door broad open. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Καὶ πῶς φὴς οὐ δυνήσεσθαι; ἡ γὰρ θύρα σχεδὸν ἀνέῳγέ σοι τῆς γνωρίσεως αὐτῶν. [¶49] Purist: Say on. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Εἰπὲ τοίνυν. [¶50] Lycinus: I have said. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἀλλὰ εἶπον. [¶51] Purist: Nothing that I observed. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐδέν γε, ὥστε ἐμὲ μαθεῖν. [¶52] Lycinus: What, not observed ‘broad open’? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Οὐ γὰρ ἔμαθες τὸ ἀνέῳγεν; [¶53] Purist: No. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐκ ἔμαθον. [¶54] Lycinus: Well, what is to happen, if you cannot follow now? Every man can crow on his own hay-cock, and I thought this was yours. Did you get that hay-cock? You don’t seem to attend; look at the mutual help Socrates and I have just given you. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Τί οὖν πεισόμεθα, εἰ μηδὲ νῦν ἀκολουθήσεις τοῖς λεγομένοις; καίτοι πρός γε τὰ κατ’ ἀρχὰς ῥηθέντα ὑπὸ σοῦ ἐγὼ μὲν ᾤμην ἱππεῖς ἐς πεδίον καλεῖν. σὺ δὲ τοὺς ἱππεῖς κατενόησας; ἀλλὰ ἔοικας οὐ φροντίζειν τῶν λόγων, μάλιστα οὓς νῦν κατὰ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς διήλθομεν. [¶55] Purist: I am attending; but you are so sly with them. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἐγὼ μὲν φροντίζω, σὺ δὲ ἀδήλως αὐτοὺς διεξέρχῃ. [¶56] 9. Lycinus: Monstrous sly, is it not, to say ‘mutual’ instead of ‘joint'? Well, that is settled up; but for your general ignorance, I defy any God short of Apollo to cure it. He gives council to all who ask it; but on you that council is thrown away. > Greek: 9. Λυκῖνος: Πάνυ γοῦν ἄδηλόν ἐστι τὸ κατὰ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐφ’ ἡμῶν λεγόμενον. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν δῆλον· σὲ δὲ οὐδεὶς ἂν θεῶν ἀγνοοῦντα παύσειε πλήν γε ὁ Ἀπόλλων. μαντεύεται γοῦν ἐκεῖνος πᾶσι τοῖς ἐρωτῶσι, σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ τὸν μαντευόμενον κατενόησας. [¶57] Purist: Yes, I declare, so it was! > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Μὰ τοὺς θεούς, οὐ γὰρ ἔμαθον. [¶58] Lycinus: Perhaps one at a time are too few? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Εἰ ἄρα καθ’ εἷς λανθάνει σε περιιών; [¶59] Purist: I think that must be it. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἐοίκασί γε. [¶60] Lycinus: How did ‘one are’ get past you? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὁ δὲ καθ’ εἷς πῶς παρῆλθεν; [¶61] Purist: Ah, I didn’t see it, again. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἔμαθον. [¶62] Lycinus: By the way, do you know of any one who is on the look in for a wife? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Οἶσθα δέ τινα μνηστευόμενον αὑτῷ γάμον; [¶63] Purist: What are you talking about? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Τί οὖν τοῦτο; [¶64] Lycinus: Show me the man who is on the look in, and I will show you a solecist. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὅτι σολοικίζειν ἀνάγκη τὸν μνηστευόμενον αὑτῷ. [¶65] Purist: But what have I to do with solecists on the look in for wives? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Τί οὖν πρὸς τοὐμὸν πρᾶγμα, εἰ σολοικίζει τις μνηστευόμενος; [¶66] Lycinus: Ah, if you knew that, you would be the man you pretend to be. So much for that. Now, if a man came to you and said that he had left his wife’s home, would you stand that? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὅτι ἀγνοεῖ ὁ φάσκων εἰδέναι. καὶ τὸ μὲν οὕτως ἔχει. εἰ δέ τις λέγοι σοι παρελθὼν ὡς ἀπολίποι τὴν γυναῖκα, ἆρ’ ἂν ἐπιτρέποις αὐτῷ; [¶67] Purist: Of course I should, if he had provocation. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Τί γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἐπιτρέποιμι, εἰ φαίνοιτο ἀδικούμενος; [¶68] Lycinus: And if you caught him committing a solecism, would 5 you stand it? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Εἰ δὲ σολοικίζων φαίνοιτο, ἐπιτρέποις ἂν αὐτῷ τοῦτο; [¶69] Purist: Certainly not. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐκ ἔγωγε. [¶70] Lycinus: Quite right too. We should never permit solecisms in a friend, but teach him better. Now, what are your feelings when you hear a man deprecating his own merits, and depreciating his friend’s excessive gratitude? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὀρθῶς γὰρ λέγεις· οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρεπτέον σολοικίζοντι τῷ φίλῳ, ἀλλὰ διδακτέον ὅπως τοῦτο μὴ τείσεται. καὶ εἴ τίς γε νῦν ψοφοίη τὴν θύραν ἐσιὼν ἢ ἐξιὼν κόπτοι, τί φήσομέν σε πεπονθέναι; [¶71] Purist: Feelings? only that he shows a very proper feeling. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἐμὲ μὲν οὐδέν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ ἐπεσελθεῖν βούλεσθαι ἢ ἐξιέναι. [¶72] Lycinus: Then, as you cannot feel the difference between ‘deprecate’ and ‘depreciate,’ shall we conclude that you are an ignoramus? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Σὲ δὲ ἀγνοοῦντα τὸν κόπτοντα ἤ ψοφοῦντα οὐδὲν ὅλως πεπονθέναι δόξομεν ἀπαίδευτον ὄντα; [¶73] Purist: Outrageous insolence! > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ὑβριστὴς εἶ. [¶74] Lycinus: Outrageous? I shall be, ere much, if I go on talking to you.—Now I should have said that ‘ere much’ was a blunder, but it does not strike you so. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Τί λέγεις; ὑβριστὴς ἐγώ; νῦν δὴ γενήσομαί σοι διαλεγόμενος. ἔοικε δὲ σολοικίσαι τὸ νῦν δὴ γενήσομαι, σὺ δ’ οὐκ ἔγνως. [¶75] 10. Purist: Oh, stop, for goodness’ sake! Look here, try this way; I want to get my profit out of it too. > Greek: 10. Σολοικιστής: Παῦσαι πρὸς τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς· ἀλλ’ εἰπέ τι τοιοῦτον, ὥστε κἀμὲ μαθεῖν. [¶76] Lycinus: Well? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Καὶ πῶς ἄν μάθοις; [¶77] Purist: Suppose you were to go through all the blunders you say I have missed, and tell me what is the right thing for each. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Εἴ μοι πάντα ἐπέλθοις, ὅσα φὴς σολοικίσας ἐμὲ λαθεῖν καὶ παρ’ ὅ τι ἕκαστον σεσολοίκισται. [¶78] Lycinus: Good gracious, no; it would take us till midnight. No; you can look those out for yourself. Meanwhile, we had better take fresh ones, as we have only a quarter of an hour (by the way, never pronounce the ‘h’ in hour; that sounds dreadful). Then as to that outrage which you say I have committed upon you; if I were to speak of an outrage committed against you, that would be another thing. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Μηδαμῶς, ὦ ἄριστε· μακρὸν γὰρ ἢν ποιήσαιμεν τὸν διάλογον. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἔξεστί σοι καθ’ ἕκαστον αὐτῶν πυνθάνεσθαι· νῦν δὲ ἕτερ’ ἄττα ἐπέλθωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ, καὶ πρῶτόν γε αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ ἄττα μὴ δασέως, ἀλλὰ ψιλῶς ἐξενεγκεῖν· [ὀρθῶς φαίνεται ῥηθὲν μετὰ τοῦ ἕτερα συντιθέμενον·] μὴ γὰρ οὕτως ἄλογον ἦν ἄν. ἔπειτα τὸ τῆς ὕβρεως, ἥν με φὴς ὑβρίσαι σε, εἰ μὴ οὕτω λέγοιμι, ἀλλ’ εἰς σέ, φαίην ἴδιον. [¶79] Purist: Would it? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν. [¶80] Lycinus: Yes; an outrage upon you must be committed upon you personally, in the shape of blows, interference with your liberty, or the like. An outrage agaiust you is upon something that belongs to you; he who does an outrage upon your wife, child, friend, or slave, does it against you. This distinction, however, does not apply to inanimate things. An ‘outrage against’ a legitimate phrase with them, as when Plato talks in the Symposium of an outrage against a proverb. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὅτι τὸ μὲν σὲ ὑβρίζειν τὸ σῶμά ἐστι τὸ σὸν ἤτοι πληγαῖς ἢ δεσμοῖς ἢ καὶ ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ, τὸ δὲ ἐς σέ, ὅταν εἴς τι τῶν σῶν γίγνηται ἡ ὕβρις· καὶ γὰρ ὅστις γυναῖκα φίλον καὶ ὅστις γε οἰκέτην. πλὴν γὰρ περὶ πραγμάτων οὕτως ἔχει σοι· ἐπεὶ τὸ ἐς πρᾶγμα ὑβρίζειν λέλεκται, οἷον ἐς τὴν παροιμίαν, ὡς ὁ Πλάτων φησὶν ἐν τῷ Συμποσίῳ. [¶81] Purist: Ah, I see now. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Κατανοῶ τὸ διάφορον. [¶82] Lycinus: Do you also see that the exchange of one for the other is a solecism? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἆρ’ οὖν καὶ τοῦτο κατανοεῖς, ὅτι τὸ ταῦτά ὑπαλλάττειν σολοικίζειν καλοῦσιν; [¶83] Purist: Yes, I shall know that for the future. Lycinus: And if a person were to use ‘interchange’ there instead of ‘exchange,’ what would you take him to mean? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἀλλὰ δὲ τὸ ὑπαλλάττειν εἴ τις ἐναλλάττειν λέγει, τί σοι δόξει λέγειν; [¶84] Purist: Just the same. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἐμοὶ μὲν ταὐτὸν λέγειν δόξει. [¶85] Lycinus: Why, how can they be equivalent? Exchange is merely the substitution of one expression for another, the improper for the proper; whereas interchange involves a false statement. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Καὶ πῶς ἂν εἴη ταὐτὸν τῷ ὑπαλλάττειν τὸ ἐναλλάττειν, εἴπερ τὸ μὲν ἑτέρου πρὸς ἕτερον γίγνεται, τοῦ μὴ ὀρθοῦ πρὸς τὸ ὀρθόν, τὸ δὲ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος πρὸς τὸ ὄν; [¶86] Purist: I see now; exchange is the use of a loose instead of a precise expression, while interchange is the use of both expressions, each in the other’s place. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Κατέμαθον ὅτι τὸ μὲν ὑπαλλάττειν τὸ μὴ κύριον ἀντὶ τοῦ κυρίου λέγειν ἐστί, τὸ δ’ ἐναλλάττειν ποτὲ μὲν τῷ κυρίῳ, ποτὲ δὲ τῷ μὴ κυρίῳ χρῆσθαι. [¶87] Lycinus: These subtleties are not unpleasing. Similarly, when we are concerned with a person, it is in our own interest; but when we are concerned for him, it is in his. It is true the phrases are sometimes confused, but there are those who observe the distinction; and it is as well to be on the safe side. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἔχει τινὰ καὶ ταῦτα κατανόησιν οὐκ ἄχαριν, τὸ δὲ σπουδάζειν πρός τινα τὴν οἰκείαν ὠφέλειαν τοῦ σπουδάζοντος ἐμφαίνει, τὸ δὲ περί τινα τὴν ἐκείνου περὶ ὅν σπουδάζει. καὶ ταῦτα ἴσως μὲν ὑποσυγκέχυται, ἴσως δὲ καὶ ἀκριβοῦται παρά τισί· βέλτιον δὲ τὸ ἀκριβοῦν ἑκάστῳ. [¶88] Purist: Quite true. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ὀρθῶς γὰρ λέγεις. [¶89] 11. Lycinus: Now, can you tell me the difference between ‘setting’ and ‘sitting,’ or between ‘be seated ’ and ‘sit’? > Greek: 11. Λυκῖνος: Τό γε μὴν καθέζεσθαι καὶ τὸ κάθισον τοῦ κάθησο ἆρ’ οἶσθ’ ὅτι διενήνοχεν; [¶90] Purist: No; but I have heard you say that ‘sit yourself’ is a barbarism,; Lycinus: Yes, quite so; but now I tell you that ‘be seated ’ is not the same as ‘sit.’ > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Οὐκ οἶδα. τὸ καθέσθητι ἤκουόν σου λεγοντος ὡς ἔστιν ἔκφυλον. Λυκῖνος: Καὶ ὀρθῶς γε ἤκουσας. ἀλλὰ τὸ κάθισον τοῦ κάθησο διαφέρειν φημί. [¶91] Purist: Why, what may the difference be? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Καὶ τῷ ποτ’ ἂν εἴη διαφέρον; [¶92] Lycinus: When a man is on his legs, you can only tell him to be seated; but if he is seated already, you can tell him to sit still. Sit where thou art; we find us seats: elsewhere. It means ‘remain sitting,’ you see. Here again we have to say that it is a mistake to reverse the expressions. And as to ‘set’ and ‘sit,’ surely it is the whole difference between transitive and intransitive? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Τῷ τὸ μὲν πρὸς τὸν ἑστῶτα λέγεσθαι τὸ κάθισον, τὸ δὲ πρὸς τὸν καθεζόμενον· ἧσ’, ὦ ξεῖν̓, ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἄλλοθι δήομεν ἕδρην, ἀντὶ τοῦ μένε καθεζόμενος. πάλιν οὖν εἰρήσθω ὅτι τὸ ταῦτα παραλλάττειν ἁμαρτάνειν ἐστί. τὸ δὲ καθίζω τοῦ ʼκαθέζομαι ἆρά σοι δοκεῖ μικρῷ τινι διαφέρειν; εἴπερ τὸ μὲν καὶ ἕτερον δρῶμεν, τὸ καθίζειν λέγω, τὸ δὲ μόνους ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς τὸ καθέζεσθαι. [¶93] 12. Purist: That is clear enough; go on; this is the way to teach. > Greek: 12. Σολοικιστής: Καὶ ταῦτα ἱκανῶς διελήλυθας, καὶ δὴ λέγε· οὕτω γάρ σε δεῖ προδιδάσκειν. [¶94] Lycinus: Or the only way you can learn? Well, do you know what a historian is? > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἑτέρως γὰρ λέγοντος οὐ κατανοεῖς; οὐκ οἶσθα οἷόν ἐστι ξυγγραφεὺς ἀνήρ; [¶95] Purist: Oh, yes, I quite see, after your lucid explanation. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Πάνυ οἶδα νῦν γέ σου ἀκούσας ταῦτα λέγοντος. [¶96] Lycinus: Now I daresay you think servility and servitude are the same; but I am aware of a considerable difference between them. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ καταδουλοῦν σὺ μὲν ἴσως ταὐτὸν τῷ καταδουλοῦσθαι νενόμικας, ἐγὼ δὲ οἶδα διαφορὰν οὐκ ὀλίγην ἔχον. [¶97] Purist: Namely—? > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Τίνα ταύτην; [¶98] Lycinus: The first depends on yourself, the other on some one else. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἑτέρῳ τὸ καταδουλοῦν, τὸ δ’ ἑαυτῷ γίγνεται. [¶99] Purist: Quite right. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Καλῶς λέγεις. [¶100] Lycinus: Oh, you will pick up all sorts of information, if you give up thinking you know more than you do. > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Καὶ ἄλλα δέ σοι πολλὰ ὑπάρχει μανθάνειν, εἴπερ μὴ αὐτὸς εἰδέναι οὐκ εἰδὼς δόξεις. [¶101] Purist: I give it up from this moment. > Greek: Σολοικιστής: Ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἂν δόξαιμι. [¶102] Lycinus: Then we will break off for the present, and take the rest another time H. and Francis George Fowler > Greek: Λυκῖνος: Οὐκοῦν τὰ λοιπὰ ἐσαῦθις ἀναβαλώμεθα, νῦν δὲ διαλύσωμεν τὸν διάλογον.