---
title: "The Ship, or The Wishes · Πλοῖον ἢΕυχαί"
author: "Lucian"
translator: "Kenneth Kilburn"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-ship/2/
cite: "Lucian, tr. Kenneth Kilburn, The Ship, or The Wishes · Πλοῖον ἢΕυχαί, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-the-ship/2/"
---

# The Ship, or The Wishes · Πλοῖον ἢΕυχαί

*Lucian, tr. Kenneth Kilburn*

Friends at the Piraeus see a great grain ship and each wishes for what he would want most.

> Greek: ed. Kenneth Kilburn, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg065, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Kenneth Kilburn, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg065.perseus-eng3). Notes are not included.

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

## 2. Sections 27–46

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

[¶0] 27. LYCINUS: But, to let them go, do you think that you will have sure and certain good health? Don’t you see that many rich men live unhappy lives through some affliction—some unable even to walk, some blind, some with internal trouble? You would not accept twice the wealth if the effeminacy of the wealthy Phanomachus went with it, I’m sure, even if you deny it. I say nothing of the plots and robberies and envy and hatred by the mob that go with riches. Do you see how much trouble your treasure causes?

> Greek: 27. ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: ἵνα δέ σοι καὶ τούτους ἀφῶ, τό γε ὑγιαίνειν ἐχέγγυον οἴει σοι γενήσεσθαι καὶ βέβαιον; ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς πολλοὺς τῶν πλουσίων κακοδαιμόνως διάγοντας ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλγηδόνων, τοὺς μὲν οὐδὲ βαδίζειν δυναμένους, ἐνίους δὲ τυφλοὺς ἢ τῶν ἐντοσθιδίων τι ἀλγοῦντας; ὅτι μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιο πλουτῶν δὶς τοσοῦτον πλοῦτον ὅμοια πάσχειν Φανομάχῳ τῷ πλουσίῳ καὶ θηλύνεσθαι ὡς ἐκεῖνος εὖ οἶδα, κἂν μὴ εἴπῃς. ἐῶ λέγειν ὅσας ἐπιβουλὰς μετὰ τοῦ πλούτου καὶ λῃστὰς καὶ φθόνον καὶ μῖσος παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν. ὁρᾷς οἵων σοι πραγμάτων αἴτιος ὁ θησαυρὸς γίγνεται;

[¶1] ADIMANTUS: You’re always against me, Lycinus. Very well, you won’t get even a quart, as you’ve abused my wish to the end.

> Greek: ΑΔΕΙΜΑΝΤΟΣ: Ἀεὶ σύ μοι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ὑπεναντίος· ὥστε οὐδὲ τὴν χοίνικα ἔτι λήψῃ ἐς τέλος μου τῆς εὐχῆς ἐπηρεάζων.

[¶2] LYCINUS: There you are. Just like most rich men, backing out and calling off your promises. Now give us your wish, Samippus.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Τοῦτο μὲν ἤδη κατὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς τῶν πλουσίων ἀναδύῃ καὶ ἀνακαλεῖς τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν. ἀλλὰ σὺ ἤδη ὁ Σάμιππος εὔχου.

[¶3] 28. SAMIPPUS: I’m from the mainland, an Arcadian from Mantinea as you know, so I shan’t ask for a ship. I could not show it off to my fellow-citizens, and I shan’t be niggardly with the gods and ask for treasure and measured gold. The gods can do anything, even what seems to be quite stupendous, and the rule of wish which Timolaus laid down was not to hesitate to ask for anything, on the assumption that they will not say no. Well, I ask to be made a king, but not a king like Alexander, Philip’s son, or Ptolemy or Mithridates or any of those who inherited their kingdom from a father. No, let me begin as a brigand with about thirty sworn companions, men absolutely trustworthy and full of spirit. Then let them grow by degrees to three hundred, a thousand, and soon ten thousand, until the total is some fifty thousand heavy infantry and about five thousand horse.

> Greek: 28. ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Ἐγὼ δὲ—ἠπειρώτης γάρ εἰμι, Αρκὰς ἐκ Μαντινείας, ὡς ἴστε—ναῦν μὲν οὐκ αἰτήσω μοι γενέσθαι, ἥν γε τοῖς πολίταις ἐπιδείξασθαι ἀδύνατον, οὐδὲ μικρολογήσομαι πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς θησαυρὸν αἰτῶν καὶ μεμετρημένον χρυσίον. ἀλλὰ δύνανται γὰρ πάντα οἱ θεοί, καὶ τὰ μέγιστα εἶναι δοκοῦντα, καὶ ὁ νόμος τῆς εὐχῆς ὃν Τιμόλαος ἔθηκε φήσας μηδὲν ὀκνεῖν αἰτεῖν, ὡς ἐκείνων πρὸς οὐδὲν ἀνανευόντων. αἰτῶ δὴ βασιλεὺς γενέσθαι οὐχ οἷος Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Φιλίππου ἢ Πτολεμαῖος ἢ Μιθριδάτης ἢ εἴ τις ἄλλος ἐκδεξάμενος τὴν βασιλείαν παρὰ πατρὸς ἦρξεν, ἀλλά μοι τὸ πρῶτον ἀπὸ λῃστείας ἀρξαμένῳ ἑταῖροι καὶ συνωμόται ὅσον τριάκοντα, πιστοὶ μάλα καὶ πρόθυμοι, γενέσθωσαν, εἶτα κατ' ὀλίγον τριακόσιοι προσιόντες ἡμῖν ἄλλος ἐπ' ἄλλῳ, εἶτα χίλιοι καὶ μετ' οὐ πολὺ μύριοι, καὶ τὸ πᾶν εἰς πέντε μυριάδας ὁπλιτικόν, ἱππεῖς δὲ ἀμφὶ τοὺς πεντακισχιλίους.

[¶4] 29. SAMIPPUS: I shall be elected chief by all, because they think me the most able leader and administrator. This very fact is sweet—to be greater than other kings, because I’ve been elected commander by the army on merit, and not inherited the kingdom after someone else has done the work—that would be like Adimantus’s treasure and not so gratifying as when you see that you have won power by your own effort.

> Greek: 29. ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: ἐγὼ δὲ χειροτονητὸς ὑφ' ἁπάντων προκριθεὶς ἄρχων, ἄριστος εἶναι δόξας ἀνθρώπων ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ πράγμασι χρῆσθαι. ὡς τοῦτό γε αὐτὸ ἡδύ, μείζω εἶναι τῶν ἄλλων βασιλέων ἅτε ἀρετῇ προχειρισθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἄρχειν, οὐ κληρονόμον γενόμενον ἄλλου πονήσαντος ἐς τὴν βασιλείαν· ἐπεὶ τῷ Ἀδειμάντου θησαυρῷ παραπλήσιον τὸ τοιοῦτο, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα οὐχ ὅμοιον ἡδύ, ὥσπερ ὅταν ἴδῃ τις αὐτὸς δι’ αὑτοῦ κτησάμενος τὴν δυναστείαν.

[¶5] LYCINUS: Goodness, Samippus! This is no small demand. You’ve asked for the essence of every good there is, to have fifty thousand men choose you as most able to command a force like that. What a wonderful king and general Mantinea had bred and didn’t know it! Never mind! Be king and lead your soldiers and muster your cavalry and your heroic shield-bearers. I want to know where you are going with an army of that size from Arcadia and who will be your first unhappy victims.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Παπαῖ, ὦ Σάμιππε, οὐδὲν μικρόν, ἀλλὰ τὸ κεφάλαιον αὐτὸ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἁπάντων σύ γε ᾔτησας, ἄρχειν ἀσπίδος τοσαύτης ἄριστος δὴ προκριθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν πεντακισμυρίων. τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν ἡ Μαντίνεια θαυμαστὸν βασιλέα καὶ στρατηγὸν ἐλελήθει ἀνατρέφουσα. πλὴν ἀλλὰ βασίλευε καὶ ἡγοῦ τῶν στρατιωτῶν καὶ διακόσμει τό τε ἱππικὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀνέρας τοὺς ἀσπιδιώτας· ἐθέλω γὰρ εἰδέναι οἷ βαδιεῖσθε τοσοῦτοι ὄντες ἐξ Ἀρκαδίας ἢ ἐπὶ τίνας ἀθλίους πρώτους ἀφίξεσθε.

[¶6] 30. SAMIPPUS: Listen, Lycinus, or better still come with us if you like. I’ll make you a cavalry officer in the fifty thousand.

> Greek: 30. ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Ἄκουε, ὦ Λυκῖνε, μᾶλλον δέ, εἴ σοι φίλον, ἀκολούθει μεθ' ἡμῶν. ἵππαρχον γάρ σε τῶν πεντακισχιλίων ἀποφανῶ.

[¶7] LYCINUS: Well, I’m grateful for the honour, your majesty. I bow my head in Persian style and do obeisance sweeping my hands behind me, honouring your upright turban and your diadem. But make one of these mighty men your cavalry officer. I’m dreadfully bad at horses and never sat on a horse in my life before. I’m afraid that when the trumpet blows for action I’ll fall off and be trampled on by all those hooves in the throng; or the horse may be spirited and take the bit between its teeth and carry me right among the enemy; or I shall have to be tied to the saddle if I’m going to stay up and hold the reins.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Ἀλλὰ τῆς μὲν τιμῆς, ὦ βασιλεῦ, χάριν οἶδά σοι καὶ ὑποκύψας ἐς τὸ Περσικὸν προσκυνῶ σε περιαγαγὼν εἰς τοὐπίσω τὼ χεῖρε τιμῶν τὴν τιάραν ὀρθὴν οὖσαν καὶ τὸ διάδημα. σὺ δὲ τῶν ἐρρωμένων τούτων τινὰ ποίησον ἵππαρχον. ἐγὼ γάρ σοι δεινῶς ἄφιππός εἰμι καὶ οὐδὲ ὅλως ἐπέβην ἵππου ἐν τῷ πρὸ τοῦ χρόνῳ. δέδια τοίνυν μὴ τοῦ σαλπιγκτοῦ ἐποτρύνοντος καταπεσὼν ἔγωγε συμπατηθῶ ἐν τῇ τύρβῃ ὑπὸ τοσαύταις ὁπλαῖς, ἢ καὶ θυμοειδὴς ὢν ὁ ἵππος ἐξενέγκῃ με τὸν χαλινὸν ἐνδακὼν ἐς μέσους τοὺς πολεμίους, ἢ δεήσει καταδεθῆναί με πρὸς τὸ ἐφίππιον, εἰ μέλλω μενεῖν τε ἄνω καὶ ἕξεσθαι τοῦ χαλινοῦ.

[¶8] 31. ADIMANTUS: I’ll lead your cavalry, Samippus. Let Lycinus have the right wing. I deserve the best from you in return for all those bushels of minted gold I gave you.

> Greek: 31. ΑΔΕΙΜΑΝΤΟΣ: Ἐγώ σοι, ὦ Σάμιππε, ἡγήσομαι τῶν ἱππέων, Λυκῖνος δὲ τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας ἐχέτω. δίκαιος δ’ ἂν εἴην τυχεῖν παρὰ σοῦ τῶν μεγίστων τοσούτοις σε μεδίμνοις δωρησάμενος ἐπισήμου χρυσίου.

[¶9] SAMIPPUS: Let us ask the cavalry personally, Adimantus, if they will have you as commander. Gentlemen of the cavalry, those in favour of Adimantus as cavalry officer, raise your hands.

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐρώμεθα, ὦ Ἀδείμαντε, τοὺς ἱππέας, εἰ δέξονταί ἄρχοντα σε σφῶν γενέσθαι. ὅτῳ δοκεῖ, ὦ ἱππεῖς, Ἀδείμαντον ἱππαρχεῖν, ἀνατεινάτω τὴν χεῖρα.

[¶10] ADIMANTUS: They’ve voted unanimously, you see, Samippus.

> Greek: ΑΔΕΙΜΑΝΤΟΣ: Πάντες, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ὦ Σάμιππε, ἐχειροτόνησαν.

[¶11] SAMIPPUS: Well, you command the cavalry and let Lycinus have the right. Timolaus here shall take the left. I shall be in the centre as the law lays down for Persian kings when they are with their troops.

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν ἄρχε τῆς ἵππου, Λυκῖνος δὲ ἐχέτω τὸ δεξιόν. οὑτοσὶ δὲ Τιμόλαος ἐπὶ τοῦ εὐωνύμου τετάξεται. ἐγὼ δὲ κατὰ μέσον, ὡς νόμος βασιλεῦσι τῶν Περσῶν, ἐπειδὰν αὐτοὶ συμπαρῶσι.

[¶12] 32. SAMIPPUS: Let us now advance to Corinth over the hills after a prayer to Royal Zeus; and when we have conquered all of Greece—we shall have no opposition to our enormous numbers and have an easy victory—we shall embark on triremes, putting the cavalry on horse-transports—enough corn and sufficient boats and everything else is ready at Cenchreae—let us cross the Aegean to Ionia. There let us sacrifice to Artemis and capture the cities easily—they are unwalled—leave governors behind, and press on to Syria through Caria first, then Lycia, Pamphylia, Pisidia, Cilicia (both coast and hill areas), until we reach the Euphrates.

> Greek: 32. ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: προΐωμεν δὲ ἤδη τὴν ἐπὶ Κορίνθου διὰ τῆς ὀρεινῆς ἐπευξάμενοι τῷ βασιλείῳ Διί· κἀπειδὰν τἀν τῇ Ἑλλάδι πάντα ἤδη χειρωσώμεθα—οὐδεὶς γὰρ ὁ ἐναντιωθησόμενος ἡμῖν τὰ ὅπλα τοσούτοις οὖσιν, ἀλλ’ ἀκονιτὶ κρατοῦμεν—ἐπιβάντες ἐπὶ τὰς τριήρεις καὶ τοὺς ἵππους εἰς τὰς ἱππαγωγοὺς ἐμβιβάσαντες—παρεσκεύασται δ’ ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς καὶ σῖτος ἱκανὸς καὶ τὰ πλοῖα διαρκῆ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα—διαβάλωμεν τὸν Αἰγαῖον ἐς τὴν Ἰωνίαν, εἶτα ἐκεῖ τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι θύσαντες καὶ τὰς πόλεις ἀτειχίστους λαβόντες ῥᾳδίως ἄρχοντας ἀπολιπόντες προχωρῶμεν ἐπὶ Συρίας διὰ Καρίας, εἶτα Λυκίας καὶ Παμφυλίας καὶ Πισιδῶν καὶ τῆς παραλίου καὶ ὀρεινῆς Κιλικίας, ἄχρι ἂν ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐφράτην ἀφικώμεθα.

[¶13] 33. LYCINUS: Please, your Majesty, leave me behind as satrap of Greece. I’m a coward and I couldn’t bear to go far away from things at home. You seem to be pushing on to the Armenians and Parthians, warlike nations, good shots with the bow. So give the right wing to someone else and leave me in Greece like an Antipater. I don’t want anyone to stick me with an arrow hitting some exposed part of my poor body when I’m leading your phalanx near Susa or Bactra.

> Greek: 33. ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Ἐμέ, ὦ βασιλεῦ, εἰ δοκεῖ, σατράπην τῆς Ἑλλάδος κατάλιπε. δειλὸς γάρ εἰμι καὶ τῶν οἴκοι πολὺ ἀπελθεῖν οὐκ ἂν ἡδέως ὑπομείναιμι. σὺ δὲ ἔοικας ἐπὶ Ἀρμενίους καὶ Παρθυαίους ἐλάσειν μάχιμα φῦλα καὶ τὴν τοξικὴν εὔστοχα. ὥστε ἄλλῳ παραδοὺς τὸ δεξιὸν ἐμὲ Ἀντίπατρόν τινα ἔασον ἐπὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος, μή με καὶ διαπείρῃ τις οἰστῷ ἄθλιον βαλὼν ἐς τὰ γυμνὰ περὶ Σοῦσα ἢ Βάκτρα ἡγούμενόν σοι τῆς φάλαγγος.

[¶14] SAMIPPUS: You’re deserting the levy, Lycinus, you coward. It’s the law to cut the head off anyone seen leaving the ranks. But now that we are at the Euphrates, the river has been bridged and all is safe in the rear and I’ve put prefects over each tribe to keep control of everything. Others meanwhile will go off for us to win over Phoenicia and Palestine and afterwards Egypt too.

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Ἀποδιδράσκεις, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸν κατάλογον δειλὸς ὤν. ὁ δὲ νόμος ἀποτετμῆσθαι τὴν κεφαλήν, εἴ τις λιπὼν φαίνοιτο τὴν τάξιν. ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ κατὰ τὸν Εὐφράτην ἤδη ἐσμὲν καὶ ὁ ποταμὸς ἔζευκται καὶ κατόπιν ὁπόσα διεληλύθαμεν ἀσφαλῶς ἔχει καὶ πάντα ὕπαρχοι κατέχουσιν ὑπ' ἐμοῦ ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει ἐπεισαχθέντες, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἀπίασι τὴν Φοινίκην ἡμῖν ἐν τούτῳ καὶ τὴν Παλαιστίνην εἶτα καὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον προσαξόμενοι, ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: σὺ πρῶτος, ὦ Λυκῖνε, διάβαινε τὸ δεξιὸν ἄγων, εἶτα ἐγὼ καὶ μετ' ἐμὲ ὁ Τιμόλαος·

[¶15] 34. SAMIPPUS: You cross first, Lycinus, with the right wing, then I, and Timolaus after me; last of all, Adimantus, bring the cavalry. Throughout Mesopotamia not an enemy has met us. They surrendered themselves and their strongholds quite voluntarily. We came against Babylon unexpectedly and entered the walls and held the city. The King was busy at Ctesiphon when he heard of our approach. Then he came to Seleucia, and is summoning and making ready all the cavalry he can and bowmen and slingers. The scouts report about a million already mustered under arms, including two hundred thousand mounted archers. Yet the Armenians are not yet here nor those from the Caspian Sea nor the men from Bactra, only those from near at hand and the suburbs of the empire. See how easily he mustered all those thousands. Now it’s time for us to consider what to do next.

> Greek: 34. ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ τὸ ἱππικὸν ἄγε σύ, ὦ Ἀδείμαντε. καὶ διὰ μὲν τῆς Μεσοποταμίας οὐδεὶς ἀπήντηκεν ἡμῖν πολέμιος, ἀλλὰ ἑκόντες αὑτούς τε καὶ τὰς ἀκροπόλεις ἅνθρωποι ἐνεχείρισαν, καὶ ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνα ἐλθόντες ἀπροσδόκητοι παρήλθομεν εἰς τὸ εἴσω τῶν τειχῶν καὶ ἔχομεν τὴν πόλιν. ὁ βασιλεὺς δὲ περὶ Κτησιφῶντα διατρίβων ἤκουσε τὴν ἔφοδον, εἶτα εἰς Σελεύκειαν παρελθὼν παρασκευάζεται ἱππέας τε ὅτι πλείστους μεταπεμπόμενος καὶ τοξότας καὶ σφενδονήτας. ἀπαγγέλλουσι δ’ οὖν οἱ σκοποὶ ἀμφὶ τὰς ἑκατὸν ἤδη μυριάδας τοῦ μαχίμου συνειλέχθαι καὶ τούτων εἴκοσιν ἱπποτοξότας, καίτοι οὔπω ὁ Ἀρμένιος πάρεστιν οὔτε οἱ κατὰ τὴν Κασπίαν θάλατταν οἰκοῦντες οὔτε οἱ ἀπὸ Βάκτρων, ἀλλ’ ἐκ τῶν πλησίον καὶ προαστείων τῆς ἀρχῆς· οὕτω ῥᾳδίως τοσαύτας μυριάδας κατέλεξε. καιρὸς οὖν ἤδη σκοπεῖν ἡμᾶς ὅ τι χρὴ ποιεῖν.

[¶16] 35. ADIMANTUS: I say you infantry must be off on the road to Ctesiphon while we cavalry stay here to guard Babylon.

> Greek: 35. ΑΔΕΙΜΑΝΤΟΣ: Ἀλλ' ἐγὼ μέν φημι δεῖν ὑμᾶς τὸ πεζὸν ἀπιέναι τὴν ἐπὶ Κτησιφῶντος, ἡμᾶς δὲ τὸ ἱππικὸν αὐτοῦ μένειν τὴν Βαβυλῶνα διαφυλάξοντας.

[¶17] SAMIPPUS: Are you playing the coward too, Adimantus, now you’re close to danger? What do you think, Timolaus?

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Ἀποδειλιᾷς καὶ σύ, ὦ Ἀδείμαντε, πλησίον τοῦ κινδύνου γενόμενος; σοὶ δὲ τί δοκεῖ, ὦ Τιμόλαε;

[¶18] TIMOLAUS: March against the enemy with your entire army and don’t wait until the arrival of allies from all around makes them better prepared. No, let us attack the enemy while they are still on the march.

> Greek: ΤΙΜΟΛΑΟΣ: Ἁπάσῃ τῇ στρατιᾷ βαδίζειν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους, μηδὲ περιμένειν ἔστ' ἂν ἄμεινον παρασκευάσωνται πανταχόθεν τῶν συμμάχων προσγενομένων, ἀλλ’ ἕως ἔτι καθ' ὁδόν εἰσιν οἱ πολέμιοι, ἐπιχειρῶμεν αὐτοῖς.

[¶19] SAMIPPUS: Good! What’s your opinion, Lycinus?

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Εὖ λέγεις. σὺ δὲ τί, ὦ Λυκῖνε, δοκιμάζεις;

[¶20] LYCINUS: I will tell you. We are tired with our hard travelling to Piraeus this morning, and now we have already done thirty stades I suppose, and the sun is hot—it’s about midday. Let’s go over to the olives and sit on that overturned stone there and have a breather. Then when we’re recovered we complete the rest of the way to the city.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Ἐγώ σοι φράσω. ἐπειδὴ κεκμήκαμεν συντόνως ὁδεύοντες, ὁπότε κατῄειμεν ἕωθεν ἐς τὸν Πειραιᾶ, καὶ νῦν ἤδη τριάκοντά που σταδίους προκεχωρήκαμεν καὶ ὁ ἥλιος πολύς, κατὰ μεσημβρίαν γὰρ ἤδη μάλιστα, ἐνταῦθά που ἐπὶ τὰς ἐλαίας ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνατετραμμένης στήλης καθίσαντας ἀναπαύσασθαι, εἶτα οὕτως ἀναστάντας ἀνύειν τὸ λοιπὸν ἐς τὸ ἄστυ.

[¶21] SAMIPPUS: Bless you! Do you think you are still at Athens? You’re stationed on the plain near Babylon outside the walls, one of a mighty army, in a council of war.

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Ἔτι γὰρ Ἀθήνησιν, ὦ μακάριε, εἶναι δοκεῖς, ὃς ἀμφὶ Βαβυλῶνα ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν ἐν τοσούτοις στρατιώταις κάθησαι περὶ τοῦ πολέμου διασκοπούμενος;

[¶22] LYCINUS: Thanks for the reminder. I thought I was sober and that the idea I was expressing was wideawake.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Εὖ γε ὑπέμνησας. ἐγὼ δὲ νήφειν ᾤμην καὶ ὕπαρ ἀποφανεῖσθαι τὴν γνώμην.

[¶23] 36. SAMIPPUS: We’ll go on then, if you don’t mind. Be good soldiers in danger and don’t betray our native spirit! The enemy are coming on now, I fancy. So let Enyalius be our watchword! When the trumpeter gives the signal, raise the battle-cry, crash your spears against your shields, charge and get to grips with ’em! Get under their arrows! Don’t let them shoot us down at long range! Now we’re at close quarters and Timolaus and the left have routed those against them—Medes they are. There’s no decision yet in my sector—they’re Persians here and the king’s with them. All the barbarian horse are charging our right. So show your quality, Lycinus, and encourage your men to receive the charge!

> Greek: 36. ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Πρόσιμεν δή, εἴ σοι δοκεῖ. καὶ ὅπως ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις ἔσεσθε μηδὲ προδώσετε τὸ πάτριον φρόνημα. ἤδη γάρ που καὶ οἱ πολέμιοι ἐπιλαμβάνουσιν. ὥστε τὸ μὲν σύνθημα ἔστω Ἐνυάλιος. ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐπειδὰν σημάνῃ ὁ σαλπιγκτής, ἀλαλάξαντες καὶ τὰ δόρατα κρούσαντες πρὸς τὰς ἀσπίδας ἐπείγεσθε συμμῖξαι τοῖς ἐναντίοις καὶ ἐντὸς γενέσθαι τῶν τοξευμάτων, ὡς μηδὲ πληγὰς λαμβάνωμεν ἀκροβολίζεσθαι αὐτοῖς διδόντες. καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐς χεῖρας ἤδη συνεληλύθαμεν, τὸ μὲν εὐώνυμον καὶ ὁ Τιμόλαος ἐτρέψαντο τοὺς καθ' αὑτοὺς Μήδους ὄντας, τὸ δὲ κατ' ἐμὲ ἰσόπαλον ἔτι, Πέρσαι γάρ εἰσι καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς. ἡ δὲ ἵππος ἅπασα τῶν βαρβάρων ἐπὶ τὸ δεξιὸν ἡμῶν ἐλαύνουσιν, ὥστε, ὦ Λυκῖνε, αὐτός τε ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς γίγνου καὶ τοῖς μετὰ σαυτοῦ παρακελεύου δέχεσθαι τὴν ἐπέλασιν.

[¶24] 37. LYCINUS: Oh, what luck! All the cavalry are charging against me, and they’ve thought me alone worth attacking. Well, if they press me hard, I fancy I shall desert and run away to the gymnasium and leave you behind still fighting your war.

> Greek: 37. ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Ὢ τῆς τύχης. ἐπ' ἐμὲ γὰρ οἱ ἱππεῖς ἅπαντες καὶ μόνος ἐπιτήδειος αὐτοῖς ἔδοξα ἐπελαύνεσθαι. καί μοι δοκῶ, ἢν βιάζωνται, αὐτομολήσειν προσδραμὼν ἐς τὴν παλαίστραν ἔτι πολεμοῦντας ὑμᾶς καταλιπών.

[¶25] SAMIPPUS: Don’t do that! You are already mastering them on your side. Now, as you see, I am going to fight the king in single combat. He is challenging me, and to refuse would be absolutely disgraceful.

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Μηδαμῶς. κρατεῖς γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ σὺ ἤδη τὸ μέρος. ἐγὼ δέ, ὡς ὁρᾷς, καὶ μονομαχήσω πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· προκαλεῖται γάρ με καὶ ἀναδῦναι πάντως αἰσχρόν.

[¶26] LYCINUS: Yes, and you’ll be wounded by him in a moment. It’s a royal privilege to be wounded fighting for your empire.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Νὴ Δία καὶ τετρώσῃ αὐτίκα μάλα πρὸς αὐτοῦ. βασιλικὸν γὰρ καὶ τὸ τρωθῆναι περὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς μαχόμενον.

[¶27] SAMIPPUS: You are right. Still, it’s only a slight wound and not in an exposed place, so the scar won’t disfigure me afterwards. But did you see how I charged him and ran him through and his horse too with one throw of my spear, and then cut off his head and stripped him of his diadem and now I am the Great King with everyone doing obeisance? Let the barbarians do obeisance!

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Εὖ λέγεις. ἐπιπόλαιον μέντοι τὸ τραῦμα καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὰ φανερὰ τοῦ σώματος, ὡς μηδὲ τὴν οὐλὴν ὕστερον ἄμορφον γενέσθαι. πλὴν ἀλλὰ ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἐπελάσας μιᾷ πληγῇ αὐτόν τε καὶ τὸν ἵππον διέπειρα τὴν λόγχην ἀφείς, εἶτα τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτεμὼν καὶ ἀφελὼν τὸ διάδημα βασιλεὺς ἤδη γέγονα προσκυνούμενος ὑφ' ἁπάντων; οἱ βάρβαροι προσκυνείτωσαν.

[¶28] 38. SAMIPPUS: You I’ll rule in Greek manner under the title of sole commander. Then think how many cities I shall found and name after myself, and how many I shall storm and destroy that have been insolent to my empire! Of all men I’ll punish that rich Cydias in particular: he used to be my neighbour; he encroached on my property little by little and drove me from my land.

> Greek: 38. ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: ὑμῶν κατὰ τὸν Ἑλλήνων νόμον ἄρξω εἷς στρατηγὸς ὀνομαζόμενος. ἐπὶ τούτοις ἄρα ἐννοεῖτε ὅσας μὲν πόλεις ἐπωνύμους ἐπ' ἐμαυτοῦ οἰκιῶ, ὅσας δὲ καὶ καθαιρήσω ἑλὼν κατὰ κράτος, αἳ ἂν ὑβρίσωσί τι ἐς τὴν ἀρχήν. ἁπάντων δὲ μάλιστα Κυδίαν τὸν πλούσιον μετελεύσομαι, ὃς ὅμορος ὤν μοι ἐξέωσε τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐπιβαίνων κατ' ὀλίγον ἐς τὸ εἴσω τῶν ὅρων.

[¶29] 39. LYCINUS: That’s enough, Samippus. Now you’ve won your big fight it’s time for your victory-feast in Babylon—I think your empire is six stades long. It is the turn of Timolaus now to wish for whatever he wants.

> Greek: 39. ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Πέπαυσο ἤδη, ὦ Σάμιππε. καιρὸς γὰρ σὲ ἤδη μὲν νενικηκότα τηλικαύτην μάχην ἐν Βαβυλῶνι εὐωχεῖσθαι τὰ ἐπινίκια—ἑκστάδιος γὰρ οἶμαί σοι ἡ ἀρχή—Τιμόλαον δὲ ἐν τῷ μέρει εὔχεσθαι ὅπερ ἂν ἐθέλῃ.

[¶30] SAMIPPUS: Well, but, Lycinus, what do you think of my wish?

> Greek: ΣΑΜΙΠΠΟΣ: Τί δ’ οὖν, ὦ Λυκῖνε; οἷά σοι ᾐτῆσθαι δοκῶ;

[¶31] LYCINUS: Much more laborious and violent, most glorious Majesty, than Adimantus’s. He lived in luxury and bestowed on his fellow-drinkers golden cups of two talents weight each. You were wounded in single combat and were afraid and anxious night and day—you had not only your enemies to fear, but thousands of plots and envy from those around you and hatred and flattery: not one true friend did you have, but all feigned goodwill for fear or hope. You had not even a phantom enjoyment of your pleasures, only the appearance, purple embroidered with gold, a white ribbon on your brow, and bodyguards to go before you, but otherwise intolerable hardship and much unpleasantness. Then you must do business with missions from your enemies or pass judgments or send instructions to your subjects; some tribe has revolted or some foreign state is invading. You must fear and suspect everything, and in fine everyone will count you happy except your own self.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Παρὰ πολύ, ὦ θαυμασιώτατε βασιλέων, ἐπιπονώτερα καὶ βιαιότερα τῶν Ἀδειμάντου, παρ' ὅσον ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐτρύφα διτάλαντα χρύσεα ἐκπώματα προπίνων τοῖς συμπόταις, σὺ δὲ καὶ ἐτιτρώσκου μονομαχῶν καὶ ἐδεδίεις καὶ ἐφρόντιζες νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν· οὐ μόνον γάρ σοι τὰ παρὰ τῶν πολεμίων φοβερὰ ἦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιβουλαὶ μυρίαι καὶ φθόνος παρὰ τῶν συνόντων καὶ μῖσος καὶ κολακεία, φίλος δὲ οὐδεὶς ἀληθής, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ δέος ἅπαντες ἢ πρὸς τὴν ἐλπίδα εὖνοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι. ἀπόλαυσις μέν γε οὐδὲ ὄναρ τῶν ἡδέων, ἀλλὰ δόξα μόνη καὶ πορφυρὶς χρυσῷ ποικίλη καὶ ταινία λευκὴ περὶ τῷ μετώπῳ καὶ δορυφόροι προϊόντες, τὰ δ’ ἄλλα κάματος ἀφόρητος καὶ ἀηδία πολλή, καὶ ἢ χρηματίζειν δεῖ τοῖς παρὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἥκουσιν ἢ δικάζειν ἢ καταπέμπειν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις ἐπιτάγματα, καὶ ἤτοι ἀφέστηκέ τι ἔθνος ἢ ἐπελαύνουσί τινες τῶν ἔξω τῆς ἀρχῆς. δεδιέναι οὖν δεῖ πάντα καὶ ὑφορᾶσθαι, καὶ ὅλως ὑπὸ πάντων μᾶλλον ἢ ὑπὸ σεαυτοῦ εὐδαιμονίζεσθαι.

[¶32] 40. LYCINUS: Besides, it is humiliating that sickness will come to you as to ordinary folk and fever will not set you apart as a king: Death has no fear of your bodyguard, but comes when he will and takes you moaning with no respect for your diadem. From what a height you will fall when, jerked from your royal throne, you depart by the same road as the common crowd, all equal as you are driven in the herd of the dead. Above ground you will leave behind a high mound and a lofty tombstone or a pyramid with inscribed corners, honours too late for you to see. Those statues and temples which cities erect to flatter you, and your great name, all will soon disappear unnoticed and be gone, neglected. But if all remains as long as may be, what enjoyment will now come to one who is beyond feeling? Do you see what further troubles you will have in life from fear, anxiety, and labour, and what will remain with you after you depart?

> Greek: 40. ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: καὶ γὰρ οὖν καὶ τόδε πῶς οὐ ταπεινόν, ὅτι καὶ νοσεῖς τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς ἰδιώταις καὶ ὁ πυρετὸς οὐ διαγιγνώσκει σε βασιλέα ὄντα οὐδ’ ὁ θάνατος δέδιε τοὺς δορυφόρους, ἀλλ’ ἐπιστάς, ὁπόταν αὐτῷ δοκῇ, ἄγει οἰμώζοντα οὐκ αἰδούμενος τὸ διάδημα; σὺ δὲ ὁ οὕτως ὑψηλὸς καταπεσὼν ἀνάσπαστος ἐκ τοῦ βασιλείου θρόνου τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἄπει τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἰσότιμος ἐλαυνόμενος ἐν τῇ ἀγέλῃ τῶν νεκρῶν, χῶμα ὑψηλὸν ὑπὲρ γῆς καὶ στήλην μακρὰν ἢ πυραμίδα εὔγραμμον τὰς γωνίας ἀπολιπών, ἐκπρόθεσμα καὶ ἀνεπαίσθητα φιλοτιμήματα. εἰκόνες δὲ ἐκεῖναι καὶ νεῴ, οὓς ἀνιστᾶσιν αἱ πόλεις θεραπεύουσαι, καὶ τὸ μέγα ὄνομα πάντα κατ' ὀλίγον ὑπορρεῖ καὶ ἄπεισιν ἀμελούμενα. ἢν δὲ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα ἐπὶ πλεῖστον παραμείνῃ, τίς ἔτι ἀπόλαυσις ἀναισθήτῳ αὐτῷ γενομένῳ; ὁρᾷς οἷα μὲν ἔτι ζῶν ἕξεις πράγματα δεδιὼς καὶ φροντίζων καὶ κάμνων, οἷα δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν ἔσται;

[¶33] 41. LYCINUS: But now it’s your turn to make your request, Timolaus. See that you outdo them—as we expect from an intelligent man of the world.

> Greek: 41. ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Ἀλλ' ἤδη σὸν αἰτεῖν, ὦ Τιμόλαε, καὶ ὅπως ὑπερβαλῇ τούτους, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς ἄνδρα συνετὸν καὶ πράγμασιν χρῆσθαι εἰδότα.

[¶34] TIMOLAUS: Well, Lycinus, see if my wish will be open to censure or possible correction. Gold, treasures and bushels of coin, kingdoms, wars and fears for empire you have rightly censured—I shall not ask for them. They are insecure, full of plots and give more grief than pleasure.

> Greek: ΤΙΜΟΛΑΟΣ: Σκόπει γοῦν, ὦ Λυκῖνε, εἴ τι ἐπιλήψιμον εὔξομαι καὶ ὅ τι ἂν εὐθῦναί τις δυνηθείη. χρυσὸν μὲν οὖν καὶ θησαυροὺς καὶ μεδίμνους νομίσματος ἢ βασιλείας καὶ πολέμους καὶ δείματα ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρχῆς, εἰκότως διέβαλες, οὐκ αἰτήσομαι. ἀβέβαια γὰρ ταῦτά γε καὶ πολλὰς τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἔχοντα καὶ πλέον τοῦ ἡδέος τὸ ἀνιαρὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἦν.

[¶35] 42. TIMOLAUS: I want Hermes to meet me and give me a set of rings with certain powers: one is to keep the body always strong and healthy, invulnerable and free from disease, another to make the wearer invisible like the ring of Gyges, a third to make me stronger than thousands of men and able easily to carry by myself a weight that thousands together could hardly move, and another to lift me flying far above the earth—let me have a ring for this as well. Then a ring to put anyone I want to sleep and open every door as I approach, releasing bolts and bars—let one ring do both.

> Greek: 42. ΤΙΜΟΛΑΟΣ: ἐγὼ δὲ βούλομαι τὸν Ἑρμῆν ἐντυχόντα μοι δοῦναι δακτυλίους τινὰς τοιούτους τὴν δύναμιν, ἕνα μὲν ὥστε ἀεὶ ἐρρῶσθαι καὶ ὑγιαίνειν τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἄτρωτον εἶναι καὶ ἀπαθῆ, ἕτερον δὲ ὡς μὴ ὁρᾶσθαι τὸν περιθέμενον, οἷος ἦν ὁ τοῦ Γύγου, τὸν δέ τινα ὡς ἰσχύειν ὑπὲρ ἄνδρας μυρίους καὶ ὅ τι ἂν ἄχθος ἅμα μυρίοι κινῆσαι μόλις δύναιντο, τοῦτο ἐμὲ ῥᾳδίως μόνον ἀνατίθεσθαι, ἔτι δὲ καὶ πέτεσθαι πολὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀρθέντα, καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο εἶναί μοι δακτύλιόν τινα. καὶ μὴν καὶ ἐς ὕπνον κατασπᾶν ὁπόσους ἂν ἐθέλω καὶ ἅπασαν θύραν προσιόντι μοι ἀνοίγεσθαι χαλωμένου τοῦ κλείθρου καὶ τοῦ μοχλοῦ ἀφαιρουμένου, ταῦτα ἀμφότερα εἷς δακτύλιος δυνάσθω.

[¶36] 43. TIMOLAUS: But in particular let me have one more, the most delightful of all, one that when I wear it will make the pretty boys and women and whole peoples fall in love with me—no one will fail to love me and think me desirable: I shall be on every tongue. Many women will hang themselves in despair, boys will be mad for me and think themselves blessed if I but glance at one of them, and pine away for grief if I ignore them. Just let me be better than Hyacinthus or Hylas or Phaon the Chian.

> Greek: 43. ΤΙΜΟΛΑΟΣ: τὸ δὲ μέγιστον ἄλλος τις ἔστω ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ὁ ἥδιστος, ὡς ἐράσμιον εἶναί με περιθέμενον παισὶ τοῖς ὡραίοις καὶ γυναιξὶ καὶ δήμοις ὅλοις καὶ μηδένα εἶναι ἀνέραστον καὶ ὅτῳ μὴ ποθεινότατος ἐγὼ καὶ ἀνὰ στόμα, ὥστε πολλὰς γυναῖκας οὐ φερούσας τὸν ἔρωτα καὶ ἀναρτᾶν ἑαυτὰς καὶ τὰ μειράκια ἐπιμεμηνέναι μοι καὶ εὐδαίμονα εἶναι δοκεῖν, εἴ τινα καὶ μόνον προσβλέψαιμι αὐτῶν, εἰ δ’ ὑπερορῴην, κἀκεῖνα ὑπὸ λύπης ἀπολλύσθω, καὶ ὅλως ὑπὲρ τὸν Ὑάκινθον ἢ Ὕλαν ἢ Φάωνα τὸν Χῖον εἶναί με.

[¶37] 44. TIMOLAUS: All these let me have and not for a short time: for I shall not live the measure of human life but for a thousand years, renewing my youth and always casting off old age about every seventeen years, as a snake sloughs its skin. While I have all this I shall want for nothing: all that others own would be mine as long as I could open doors, put watchmen to sleep, and pass in myself unseen. Whatever remarkable sight there were in India or beyond the North Wind, whatever precious possession, whatever dainty morsel or pleasant drink, I should not send for them, but fly there myself and enjoy them all to satiety. That winged beast the griffin or the Phoenix bird in India may be unseen by others, but I should see it: I alone would know the source of the Nile and how much of the earth is uninhabited and if people live head-downwards in the southern half of the world. Again I should know the nature of the stars and the moon and the sun itself without trouble, being insensitive to fire; sweetest pleasure of all, on the self-same day I should give Babylon the name of the Olympic victor, and after breakfast perhaps in Syria dine in Italy. If I had an enemy I could pay him out by dropping a stone on his head unseen and cracking his skull: my friends I could help by pouring gold on them as they slept. Then if there was a haughty person or a rich and bullying tyrant, I could pick him up and throw him down the cliffs twenty furlongs off. I could meet my darlings without let or hindrance: I’d go in unseen and put everyone to sleep but them alone. What a wonderful thing, aloft and out of arrow-shot, to spy on embattled armies and, if I wished, to support the vanquished and send the victors to sleep and to give victory to fugitives turned back from their flight. In a word I should make human life my plaything, all things would be mine and I would be thought by all others a god. This is the supreme bliss which cannot be destroyed or schemed against, being particularly accompanied by health in a long life.

> Greek: 44. ΤΙΜΟΛΑΟΣ: καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ἔχειν μὴ ὀλιγοχρόνιον ὄντα μηδὲ κατὰ μέτρον ζῶντα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης βιοτῆς, ἀλλ’ ἔτη χίλια νέον ἐκ νέου γιγνόμενον διαβιῶναι ἀμφὶ τὰ ἑπτακαίδεκα ἔτη ἀεὶ ἀποδυόμενον τὸ γῆρας ὥσπερ οἱ ὄφεις. οὐδὲν γὰρ δεήσει με ταῦτα ἔχοντα· πάντα γὰρ ἐμὰ ἦν ἂν τὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ἐς ὅσον ἀνοίγειν τε τὰς θύρας ἐδυνάμην καὶ κοιμίζειν τοὺς φύλακας καὶ ἀθέατος εἶναι εἰσιών. εἰ δέ τι ἐν Ἰνδοῖς ἢ Ὑπερβορέοις θέαμα παράδοξον ἢ κτῆμα τίμιον ἢ ὅσα ἐμφαγεῖν ἢ πιεῖν ἡδέα, οὐ μεταστειλάμενος, ἀλλ’ αὐτὸς ἐπιπετόμενος ἀπέλαυον ἁπάντων ἐς κόρον. καὶ ἐπεὶ γρὺψ ὑπόπτερον θηρίον ἢ φοῖνιξ ὄρνεον ἐν Ἰνδοῖς ἀθέατον τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἑώρων ἄν, καὶ τὰς πηγὰς δὲ τὰς Νείλου μόνος ἂν ἠπιστάμην καὶ ὅσον τῆς γῆς ἀοίκητον, καὶ εἴ τινες ἀντίποδες ἡμῖν οἰκοῦσι τὸ νότιον τῆς γῆς ἡμίτομον ἔχοντες. ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἀστέρων φύσιν καὶ σελήνης καὶ αὐτοῦ ἡλίου ῥᾳδίως ἔγνων ἂν ἀπαθὴς ὢν τῷ πυρί, καὶ τὸ πάντων ἥδιστον, αὐθημερὸν ἀγγεῖλαι ἐς Βαβυλῶνα, τίς ἐνίκησεν Ὀλύμπια, καὶ ἀριστήσαντα, εἰ τύχοι, ἐν Συρίᾳ δειπνῆσαι ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ. εἰ δέ τις ἐχθρὸς εἴη, ἀμύνασθαι καὶ τοῦτον ἐκ τοῦ ἀφανοῦς πέτρον ἐμβαλόντα τῇ κεφαλῇ, ὡς ἐπιτετρῖφθαι τὸ κρανίον, τούς τε αὖ φίλους εὖ ποιεῖν ἐπιχέαντα κοιμωμένοις αὐτοῖς τὸ χρυσίον. καὶ μὴν εἴ τις ὑπερόπτης εἴη ἢ τύραννος πλούσιος ὑβριστής, ἀράμενος αὐτὸν ὅσον ἐπὶ σταδίους εἴκοσιν ἀφῆκα φέρεσθαι κατὰ τῶν κρημνῶν. τοῖς παιδικοῖς δὲ ὁμιλεῖν ἀκωλύτως ἂν ἐξῆν εἰσιόντα ἀθέατον κοιμίσαντα ἅπαντας ἄνευ ἐκείνων μόνων. οἷον δὲ κἀκεῖνο ἦν, τοὺς πολεμοῦντας ἐπισκοπεῖν ἔξω βέλους ὑπεραιωρούμενον; καὶ εἰ δόξειέ μοι, προσθέμενος ἂν τοῖς ἡττημένοις κοιμίσας τοὺς κρατοῦντας νικᾶν παρεῖχον τοῖς φεύγουσιν ἀναστρέψασιν ἀπὸ τῆς τροπῆς. καὶ τὸ ὅλον, παιδιὰν ἐποιούμην ἂν τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίον καὶ πάντα ἐμὰ ἦν καὶ θεὸς ἐδόκουν τοῖς ἄλλοις. τοῦτο ἡ ἄκρα εὐδαιμονία ἐστὶ μήτε ἀπολέσθαι μήτε ἐπιβουλευθῆναι δυναμένη, καὶ μάλιστα μεθ' ὑγιείας ἐν μακρῷ τῷ βίῳ.

[¶38] 45. TIMOLAUS: What fault can you find in my wish, Lycinus?

> Greek: 45. ΤΙΜΟΛΑΟΣ: τί ἂν αἰτιάσαιο, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τῆς εὐχῆς;

[¶39] LYCINUS: None, Timolaus. It isn’t safe to oppose a winged man stronger than ten thousand. But I will ask you this: did you see in all those tribes you flew over any other old man so out of his mind, carried by a little ring and able to move whole mountains with his finger-tip, loved by everyone, even though he was bald and snub-nosed? But tell me this: why cannot just one ring do all this for you? Why must you go about weighed down by such a load of rings on one finger of your left hand? There are too many, and your right hand must take its share. Yet there is one more ring you most certainly need to put on, one which will stop your fooling and wipe away all this drivel. Or perhaps a stronger dose of hellebore than usual will be adequate?

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Οὐδέν, ὦ Τιμόλαε. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς ἐναντιοῦσθαι ἀνδρὶ πτηνῷ καὶ ὑπὲρ μυρίους τὴν ἰσχύν, πλὴν ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνο ἐρήσομαί σε, εἴ τινα ἄλλον εἶδες ἐν τοσούτοις ἔθνεσιν, ὅσα ὑπερέπτης, γέροντα ἤδη ἄνδρα οὕτω παρακεκινηκότα τὴν γνώμην, ἐπὶ δακτυλίου μικροῦ ὀχούμενον, ὄρη ὅλα κινεῖν ἄκρῳ τῷ δακτύλῳ δυνάμενον, ἐπέραστον πᾶσι, καὶ ταῦτα φαλακρὸν ὄντα καὶ τὴν ῥῖνα σιμόν; ἀτὰρ εἰπέ μοι καὶ τόδε, τί δή ποτε οὐχ εἶς δακτύλιος ἅπαντα ταῦτα δύναταί σοι, ἀλλὰ τοσούτους περιημμένος βαδιῇ τὴν ἀριστερὰν πεφορτισμένος κατὰ δάκτυλον ἕνα; μᾶλλον δὲ ὑπερπαίει ὁ ἀριθμός, καὶ δεήσει καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν συνεπιλαβεῖν. καίτοι ἑνὸς τοῦ ἀναγκαιοτάτου προσδεῖ, ὃς περιθέμενόν σε παύσει μωραίνοντα τὴν πολλὴν ταύτην κόρυζαν ἀποξύσας. ἢ τοῦτο μὲν καὶ ὁ ἑλλέβορος ἱκανὸς ποιῆσαι ζωρότερος ποθείς;

[¶40] 46. TIMOLAUS: Well now it’s your turn to wish, Lycinus. Let us see what you who cavil against everybody else can find to ask that no one can censure or pull to pieces.

> Greek: 46. ΤΙΜΟΛΑΟΣ: Ἀλλὰ πάντως, ὦ Λυκῖνε, καὶ αὐτὸς εὔξῃ τι ἤδη ποτέ, ὡς ἂν μάθωμεν οἷα αἰτήσεις ἀνεπίληπτα καὶ ἀνέγκλητα ὁ συκοφαντῶν τοὺς ἄλλους.

[¶41] LYCINUS: I don’t need a wish. Look, we’ve reached the Dipylon, and our excellent Samippus is in single combat over Babylon, you, Timolaus, are breakfasting in Syria and dining in Italy, and you have used up my share of road, for which I’m grateful. Besides I should not like to be rich for a little while with dream-treasure, and then be cross when there was soon but plain barley-cake to eat. That’s what you’ll find soon when your happiness and your great wealth take wings and are gone and you have to come back from your treasures and your diadems just as you are, like sleepers awaking after a pleasant dream, and you find how different things are at home, like tragic actors who play the part of kings and for the most part starve when off the stage, although just now they were Agamemnons or Creons. So you’ll be sorry, in all probability, and displeased with things at home, especially you, Timolaus, when you suffer the fate of Icarus and your wings dissolve, and falling from heaven you must walk on earth, having lost all those rings which have slipped off your fingers. Instead of all your treasures and Babylon itself I have what is enough for me—a good laugh at the sort of thing that you have asked for, for all that you praise philosophy.

> Greek: ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ: Ἀλλ' οὐ δέομαι εὐχῆς ἐγώ. ἥκομεν γὰρ δὴ πρὸς τὸ Δίπυλον, καὶ ὁ βέλτιστος οὑτοσὶ Σάμιππος ἀμφὶ Βαβυλῶνα μονομαχῶν, καὶ σύ, ὦ Τιμόλαε, ἀριστῶν μὲν ἐν Συρίᾳ, δειπνῶν δὲ ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἐμοὶ ἐπιβάλλουσι σταδίοις κατεχρήσασθε καλῶς ποιοῦντες. ἄλλως τε οὐκ ἂν δεξαίμην πλουτήσας ἐπ' ὀλίγον ὑπηνέμιόν τινα πλοῦτον ἀνιᾶσθαι μετ' ὀλίγον ψιλὴν τὴν μᾶζαν ἐσθίων, οἷα ὑμεῖς πείσεσθε μετ' ὀλίγον, ἐπειδὰν ἡ εὐδαιμονία μὲν ὑμῖν καὶ ὁ πολὺς πλοῦτος οἴχηται ἀποπτάμενος, αὐτοὶ δὲ καταβάντες ἀπὸ τῶν θησαυρῶν τε καὶ διαδημάτων ὥσπερ ἐξ ἡδίστου ὀνείρατος ἀνεγρόμενοι ἀνόμοια τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας εὑρίσκητε ὥσπερ οἱ τοὺς βασιλεῖς ὑποκρινόμενοι τραγῳδοὶ ἐξελθόντες ἀπὸ τοῦ θεάτρου λιμώττοντες οἱ πολλοί, καὶ ταῦτα πρὸ ὀλίγου Ἀγαμέμνονες ὄντες ἢ Κρέοντες. λυπήσεσθε οὖν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, καὶ δυσάρεστοι ἔσεσθε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας, καὶ μάλιστα σύ, ὦ Τιμόλαε, ὁπόταν δέῃ σε τὸ αὐτὸ παθεῖν τῷ Ἰκάρῳ τῆς πτερώσεως διαλυθείσης καταπεσόντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ χαμαὶ βαδίζειν ἀπολέσαντα τοὺς δακτυλίους ἐκείνους ἅπαντας ἀπορρυέντας τῶν δακτύλων. ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἱκανὸν ἀντὶ πάντων θησαυρῶν καὶ Βαβυλῶνος αὐτῆς τὸ γελάσαι μάλα ἡδέως ἐφ' οἷς ὑμεῖς ᾐτήσατε τοιούτοις οὖσι, καὶ ταῦτα φιλοσοφίαν ἐπαινοῦντες.