---
title: "Zeus Catechized · Ζεὺς ἐλεγχόμενος"
author: "Lucian"
translator: "Henry Watson Fowler"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 1
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-zeus-catechized/1/
cite: "Lucian, tr. Henry Watson Fowler, Zeus Catechized · Ζεὺς ἐλεγχόμενος, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-zeus-catechized/1/"
---

# Zeus Catechized · Ζεὺς ἐλεγχόμενος

*Lucian, tr. Henry Watson Fowler*

A Cynic asks Zeus how he can punish men for what the Fates have fixed.

> Greek: ed. Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg017, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Henry Watson Fowler, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg017.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 1–19

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-zeus-catechized/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-zeus-catechized/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. Cyniscus: Zeus: I am not going to trouble you with requests for a fortune or a throne; you get prayers enough of that sort from other people, and from your habit of convenient deafness I gather that you experience a difficulty in answering them. But there is one thing I should like, which would cost you no trouble to grant.

> Greek: 1. Κυνίσκος: ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ Ζεῦ, τὰ μὲν τοιαῦτα οὐκ ἐνοχλήσω σε πλοῦτον ἢ χρυσὸν ἢ βασιλείαν αἰτῶν, ἅπερ εὐκταιότατα τοῖς πολλοῖς, σοὶ δʼ οὐ πάνυ ῥᾴδια παρασχεῖν· ὁρῶ γοῦν σε τὰ πολλὰ παρακούοντα εὐχομένων αὐτῶν. ἓν δέ, καὶ τοῦτο ῥᾷστον, ἐβουλόμην παρὰ σοῦ μοι γενέσθαι.

[¶1] Zeus: Well, Cyniscus? You shall not be disappointed, if your expectations are as reasonable as you say.

> Greek: Ζεύς: τί τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὦ Κυνίσκε; οὐ γὰρ ἀτυχήσεις, καὶ μάλιστα μετρίων, ὡς φής, δεόμενος.

[¶2] Cyniscus: I want to ask you a plain question.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ἀπόκριναί μοι πρός τινα οὐ χαλεπὴν ἐρώτησιν.

[¶3] Zeus: Such a modest petition is soon granted; ask what you will, Cyniscus: Well then: you know your Homer and Hesiod, of course? Is it all true that they sing of Destiny and the Fates—that whatever they spin for a man at his birth must; inevitably come about?

> Greek: Ζεύς: μικρά γε ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡ εὐχὴ καὶ πρόχειρος· ὥστε ἐρώτα ὁπόσα ἂν ἐθέλῃς.
Κυνίσκος: ἰδοὺ ταῦτα, ὦ Ζεῦ· ἀνέγνως γὰρ δῆλον ὅτι καὶ σὺ τὰ Ὁμήρου καὶ Ἡσιόδου ποιήματα· εἰπὲ οὖν μοι εἰ ἀληθῆ ἐστιν ἃ περὶ τῆς Εἱμαρμένης καὶ τῶν Μοιρῶν ἐκεῖνοι ἐρραψῳδήκασιν, ἄφυκτα εἶναι ὁπόσα ἂν αὗται ἐπινήσωσιν γεινομένῳ ἑκάστῳ;

[¶4] Zeus: Unquestionably. Nothing is independent of their control. From their spindle hangs the life of all created things; whose end is predetermined even from the moment of their birth; and that Jaw knows no change.

> Greek: Ζεύς: καὶ πάνυ ἀληθῆ ταῦτα· οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν ὅ τι μὴ αἱ Μοῖραι διατάττουσιν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὁπόσα γίνεται, ὑπὸ τῷ τούτων ἀτράκτῳ στρεφόμενα εὐθὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἕκαστον ἐπικεκλωσμένην ἔχει τὴν ἀπόβασιν, καὶ οὐ θέμις ἄλλως γενέσθαι.

[¶5] 2. Cyniscus: Then when Homer says, for instance, in another place,
Lest unto Hell thou go, outstripping Fate,
he is talking nonsense, of course?

> Greek: 2. Κυνίσκος: οὐκοῦν ὁπόταν ὁ αὐτὸς Ὅμηρος ἐν ἑτέρῳ μέρει τῆς ποιήσεως λέγῃ, μὴ καὶ ὑπὲρ μοῖραν δόμον Ἄϊδος καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, ληρεῖν δηλαδὴ φήσομεν τότε αὐτόν;

[¶6] Zeus: Absolute nonsense. Such a thing is impossible: the law of the Fates, the thread of Destiny, is over all. No; so long as the poets are under the inspiration of the Muses, they speak truth: but once let those Goddesses leave them to their own devices, and they make blunders and contradict themselves. Nor can we blame them: they are but men; how should they know truth, when the divinity whose mouthpieces they were is departed from them? Cynic: That point is settled, then. But there is another thing I want toknow. There are three Fates, are there not,—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropus?

> Greek: Ζεύς: καὶ μάλα· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω γένοιτʼ ἂν ἔξω τοῦ νόμου τῶν Μοιρῶν, οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ τὸ λίνον. οἱ ποιηταὶ δὲ ὁπόσα μὲν ἂν ἐκ τῶν Μουσῶν κατεχόμενοι ᾄδωσιν, ἀληθῆ ταῦτά ἐστιν· ὁπόταν δὲ ἀφῶσιν αὐτοὺς αἱ θεαὶ καὶ καθʼ αὑτοὺς ποιῶσι, τότε δὴ καὶ σφάλλονται καὶ ὑπεναντία τοῖς πρότερον διεξίασι· καὶ συγγνώμη, εἰ ἄνθρωποι ὄντες ἀγνοοῦσι τἀληθές, ἀπελθόντος ἐκείνου ὃ τέως παρὸν ἐρραψῴδει διʼ αὐτῶν.
Κυνίσκος: ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν οὕτω φήσομεν. ἔτι δὲ κἀκεῖνό μοι ἀπόκριναι· οὐ τρεῖς αἱ Μοῖραί εἰσι, Κλωθὼ καὶ Λάχεσις, οἶμαι, καὶ Ἄτροπος;

[¶7] Zeus: Quite so.

> Greek: Ζεύς: πάνυ μὲν οὖν.

[¶8] 3. Cyniscus: But one also hears a great deal about Destiny and Fortune. Who are they, and what is the extent of their power? Is it equal to that of the Fates? or greater perhaps? People are always talking about the insuperable might of Fortune and Destiny.

> Greek: 3. Κυνίσκος: ἡ Εἱμαρμένη τοίνυν καὶ ἡ Τύχη — πολυθρύλητοι γὰρ πάνυ καὶ αὗται — τίνες πότʼ εἰσὶν ἢ τί δύναται αὐτῶν ἑκατέρα; πότερον τὰ ἴσα ταῖς Μοίραις ἤ τι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνας; ἀκούω γοῦν ἁπάντων λεγόντων, μηδὲν εἶναι Τύχης καὶ Εἱμαρμένης δυνατώτερον.

[¶9] Zeus: It is not proper, Cyniscus, that you should know all. But what made you ask me about the Fates?

> Greek: Ζεύς: οὐ θέμις ἅπαντά σε εἰδέναι, ὦ Κυνίσκε· τίνος δʼ οὖν ἕνεκα ἠρώτησας τὸ περὶ τῶν Μοιρῶν;

[¶10] 4. Cyniscus: Ah, you must tell me one thing more first. Do the Fates also control you Gods? Do you depend from their thread?

> Greek: 4. Κυνίσκος: ἢν πρότερόν μοι, ὦ Ζεῦ, κἀκεῖνο εἴπῃς, εἰ καὶ ὑμῶν αὗται ἄρχουσι καὶ ἀνάγκη ὑμῖν ἠρτῆσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ λίνου αὐτῶν.

[¶11] Zeus: We do. Why do you smile?

> Greek: Ζεύς: ἀνάγκη, ὦ Κυνίσκε. τί δʼ οὖν ἐμειδίασας;

[¶12] Cyniscus: I was thinking of that bit in Homer, where he makes you address the Gods in council, and threaten to suspend all the world from a golden cord. You said, you know, that you would let the cord down from Heaven, and all the Gods together, if they liked, might take hold of it and try to pull you down, and they would never do it: whereas you, if you had a mind to it, could easily pull them up,
And Earth and Sea withal.
I listened to that passage with shuddering reverence; I was much impressed with the idea of your strength. Yet now I understand that you and your cord and your threats all depend from a mere cobweb. It seems to me Clotho should be the one to boast: she has you dangling from her distaff, like a sprat at the end of a fishing-line.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ἀνεμνήσθην ἐκείνων τῶν Ὁμήρου ἐπῶν·, ἐν οἷς πεποίησαι αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῶν θεῶν δημηγορῶν, ὁπότε ἠπείλεις αὐτοῖς ὡς ἀπὸ σειρᾶς τινος χρυσῆς ἀναρτησόμενος τὰ πάντα· ἔφησθα γὰρ αὐτὸς μὲν τὴν σειρὰν καθήσειν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, τοὺς θεοὺς δὲ ἅμα πάντας, εἰ βούλοιντο, ἐκκρεμαμένους κατασπᾶν βιάσεσθαι, οὐ μὴν κατασπάσειν γε, σὺ δέ, ὁπόταν ἐθελήσῃς, ῥᾳδίως ἅπαντας αὐτῇ κεν γαίῃ ἐρύσαι αὐτῇ τε θαλάσσῃ. τότε μὲν οὖν θαυμάσιος ἐδόκεις μοι τὴν βίαν καὶ ὑπέφριττον μεταξὺ ἀκούων τῶν ἐπῶν· νῦν δὲ αὐτόν σε ἤδη ὁρῶ μετὰ τῆς σειρᾶς καὶ τῶν ἀπειλῶν ἀπὸ λεπτοῦ νήματος, ὡς φής, κρεμάμενον. δοκεῖ γοῦν μοι δικαιότερον ἂν ἡ Κλωθὼ μεγαλαυχήσασθαι, ὡς καὶ σὲ αὐτὸν ἀνάσπαστον αἰωροῦσα ἐκ τοῦ ἀτράκτου καθάπερ οἱ ἁλιεῖς ἐκ τοῦ καλάμου τὰ ἰχθύδια.

[¶13] 5. Zeus: I do not catch the drift of your questions.

> Greek: 5. Ζεύς: οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅ τι σοι ταυτὶ βούλεται τὰ ἐρωτήματα.

[¶14] Cyniscus: Come, I will speak my_mind; and in the name of Destiny and the Fates take not my candour amiss. If the case stands thus, if the Fates are mistresses of all, and their decisions unalterable, then why do men sacrifice to you, and bring hecatombs, and pray for good at your hands? If our prayers can neither save us from evil nor procure us any boon from Heaven, I fail to see what we get for our trouble.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ἐκεῖνο, ὦ Ζεῦ· καὶ πρὸς τῶν Μοιρῶν καὶ τῆς Εἱμαρμένης μὴ τραχέως μηδὲ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἀκούσῃς μου τἀληθῆ μετὰ παρρησίας λέγοντος. εἰ γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει ταῦτα καὶ πάντων αἱ Μοῖραι κρατοῦσι καὶ οὐδὲν ἂν ὑπʼ οὐδενὸς ἔτι ἀλλαγείη τῶν ἅπαξ δοξάντων αὐταῖς, τίνος ἕνεκα ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι θύομεν καὶ ἑκατόμβας προσάγομεν εὐχόμενοι γενέσθαι ἡμῖν παρʼ ὑμῶν τἀγαθά; οὐχ ὁρῶ γὰρ ὅ τι ἂν ἀπολαύσαιμεν τῆς ἐπιμελείας ταύτης, εἰ μήτε τῶν φαύλων ἀποτροπὰς εὑρέσθαι δυνατὸν ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν εὐχῶν μήτε ἀγαθοῦ τινος θεοσδότου ἐπιτυχεῖν.

[¶15] 6. Zeus: These are nice questions! I see how it is,—you have been with the sophists; accursed race! who would deny us all concern in human affairs. Yes, these are just the points they raise, impiously seeking to pervert mankind from the way of sacrifice and prayer: it is all thrown away, forsooth! the Gods take no thought for mankind; they have no power on the earth.—Ah well; they will be sorry for it some day.

> Greek: 6. Ζεύς: οἶδα ὅθεν σοι τὰ κομψὰ ταῦτα ἐρωτήματά ἐστιν, παρὰ τῶν καταράτων σοφιστῶν, οἳ μηδὲ προνοεῖν ἡμᾶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων φασίν· ἐκεῖνοι γοῦν τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐρωτῶσιν ὑπʼ ἀσεβείας, ἀποτρέποντες καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους θύειν καὶ εὔχεσθαι ὡς εἰκαῖον ὄν· ἡμᾶς γὰρ οὔτʼ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τῶν πραττομένων παρʼ ὑμῖν οὔθʼ ὅλως τι δύνασθαι πρὸς τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ πράγματα. πλὴν οὐ χαιρήσουσί γε τὰ τοιαῦτα διεξιόντες.

[¶16] Cyniscus: Now, by Clotho’s own spindle, my questions are free from all sophistic taint. How it has come about, I know not; but one word has brought up another, and the end of it is— there is no use in sacrifice. Let us begin again. I will put you a few more questions; answer me frankly, but think before you speak, this time.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: οὐ μὰ τὸν τῆς Κλωθοῦς ἄτρακτον, ὦ Ζεῦ, οὐχ ὑπʼ ἐκείνων ἀναπεισθεὶς ταῦτά σε ἠρώτησα, ὁ δὲ λόγος αὐτὸς οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ἡμῖν προϊὼν εἰς τοῦτο ἀπέβη, περιττὰς εἶναι τὰς θυσίας. αὖθις δʼ, εἰ δοκεῖ, διὰ βραχέων ἐρήσομαί σε, σὺ δὲ μὴ ὀκνήσῃς ἀποκρίνασθαι, καὶ ὅπως ἀσφαλέστερον ἀποκρινῇ.

[¶17] Zeus: Well; if you have the time to waste on such tomfoolery.

> Greek: Ζεύς: ἐρώτα, εἴ σοι σχολὴ τὰ τοιαῦτα ληρεῖν.

[¶18] 7. Cyniscus: Everything proceeds from the Fates, you say?

> Greek: 7. Κυνίσκος: πάντα φὴς ἐκ τῶν Μοιρῶν γίγνεσθαι;

[¶19] Zeus: Yes.

> Greek: Ζεύς: φημὶ γάρ.

[¶20] Cyniscus: And is it in your power to unspin what they have spun?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ὑμῖν δὲ δυνατὸν ἀλλάττειν ταῦτα καὶ ἀνακλώθειν;

[¶21] Zeus: It is not.

> Greek: Ζεύς: οὐδαμῶς.

[¶22] Cyniscus: Shall I proceed, or is the inference clear?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: βούλει οὖν ἐπαγάγω καὶ τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο, ἢ δῆλον, κἂν μὴ εἴπω αὐτό;

[¶23] Zeus: Oh, clear enough. But you seem to think that people sacrifice to us from ulterior motives; that they are driving a bargain with us, buying blessings, as it were: not at all; it is a disinterested testimony to our superior merit.

> Greek: Ζεύς: δῆλον μέν. οἱ δέ γε θύοντες οὐ τῆς χρείας ἕνεκα θύουσιν, ἀντίδοσιν δή τινα ποιούμενοι καὶ ὥσπερ ὠνούμενοι τὰ ἀγαθὰ παρʼ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ τιμῶντες ἄλλως τὸ βέλτιον.

[¶24] Cyniscus: There you are, then. As you say, sacrifice answers no useful purpose; it is just our good-natured way of acknowledging your superiority. And mind you, if we had a sophist here, he would want to know all about that superiority. You are our fellow slaves, he would say; if the Fates are our mistresses, they are also yours. Your immortality will not serve you; that only makes things worse. We mortals, after all, are liberated by death: but for you there is no end to the evil; that long thread of yours means eternal servitude.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ἱκανὸν καὶ τοῦτο, εἰ καὶ σὺ φὴς ἐπὶ μηδενὶ χρησίμῳ γίγνεσθαι τὰς θυσίας, εὐγνωμοσύνῃ δέ τινι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τιμώντων τὸ βέλτιον. καίτοι εἴ τις τῶν σοφιστῶν ἐκείνων παρῆν, ἤρετο ἄν σε καθʼ ὅ τι βελτίους φὴς τοὺς θεούς, καὶ ταῦτα ὁμοδούλους τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὄντας καὶ ὑπὸ ταῖς αὐταῖς δεσποίναις ταῖς Μοίραις ταττομένους. οὐ γὰρ ἀποχρήσει αὐτοῖς τὸ ἀθανάτους εἶναι, ὡς διʼ αὐτὸ ἀμείνους δοκεῖν· ἐπεὶ τοῦτό γε μακρῷ χεῖρόν ἐστιν, εἴγε τοὺς μὲν κἂν ὁ θάνατος εἰς ἐλευθερίαν ἀφείλετο, ὑμῖν δὲ εἰς ἄπειρον ἐκπίπτει τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ ἀΐδιος ἡ δουλεία γίνεται ὑπὸ μακρῷ τῷ λίνῳ στρεφομένη.

[¶25] 8. Zeus: But this eternity is an eternity of happiness; the life of Gods is one round of blessings.

> Greek: 8. Ζεύς: ἀλλʼ, ὦ Κυνίσκε, τὸ ἀΐδιον τοῦτο καὶ ἄπειρον εὔδαιμον ἡμῖν ἐστι καὶ ἐν ἅπασιν ἀγαθοῖς ἡμεῖς βιοῦμεν.

[¶26] Cyniscus: Not all Gods’ lives. Even in Heaven there are distinctions, not to say mismanagement. You are happy, of course: you are king, and you can haul up earth and sea as it were a bucket from: the well. But look at Hephaestus: a cripple; a common blacksmith. Look at Prometheus: be gets nailed up on Caucasus, And I need not remind you that your own father lies fettered in Tartarus at this hour. It seems, too, that Gods are liable to fall in love; and to receive wounds; nay, they may even have to take service with mortal men; witness your brother Posidon, and Apollo, servants to Laomedon and to Admetus. I see no great happiness in all this; some of you I dare say have a very pleasant time of it, but not so others. I might have added, that you are subject to robbery like the rest of us; your temples get plundered, and the richest of you becomes a pauper in the twinkling of an eye. To more than one of you it has even happened to be melted down, if he was a gold or a silver God. All destiny, of course.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: οὐχ ἅπαντες, ὦ Ζεῦ, ἀλλὰ διώρισται καὶ παρʼ ὑμῖν τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ πολλὴ ταραχὴ ἔνεστι· σὺ μὲν γὰρ εὐδαίμων, βασιλεὺς γάρ, καὶ δύνασαι ἀνασπᾶν τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ὥσπερ ἱμονιὰν καθείς· ὁ δὲ Ἥφαιστος χωλός ἐστι, βαναυσός τις καὶ πυρίτης τὴν τέχνην· ὁ Προμηθεὺς δὲ καὶ ἀνεσκολοπίσθη ποτέ. τὸν γὰρ πατέρα σου τί ἂν λέγοιμι, πεδήτην ἔτι ἐν τῷ Ταρτάρῳ ὄντα; καὶ ἐρᾶν δὲ ὑμᾶς φασι καὶ τιτρώσκεσθαι καὶ δουλεύειν ἐνίοτε παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τὸν σὸν ἀδελφὸν παρὰ Λαομέδοντι καὶ παρʼ Ἀδμήτῳ τὸν Ἀπόλλω. ταῦτα δέ μοι οὐ πάνυ εὐδαίμονα δοκεῖ, ἀλλʼ ἐοίκασιν ὑμῶν οἱ μέν τινες εὐτυχεῖς τε καὶ εὔμοιροι εἶναι, οἱ δὲ ἔμπαλιν· ἐῶ γὰρ λέγειν, ὅτι καὶ λῃστεύεσθε ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς καὶ περισυλᾶσθε ὑπὸ τῶν ἱεροσύλων καὶ ἐκ πλουσιωτάτων πενέστατοι ἐν ἀκαρεῖ γίγνεσθε· πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ κατεχωνεύθησαν ἤδη χρυσοῖ ἢ ἀργυροῖ ὄντες, οἷς τοῦτο εἵμαρτο δηλαδή.

[¶27] 9. Zeus: Take care, Cyniscus: you are going too far. You will repent of this one day.

> Greek: 9. Ζεύς: ὁρᾷς; ταῦτʼ ἤδη ὑβριστικά, ὦ Κυνίσκε, φής· καί σοι τάχα μεταμελήσει ποτὲ αὐτῶν.

[¶28] Cyniscus: Spare your threats: you know that nothing can happen to me, except what Fate has settled first. I notice, for instance, that even temple-robbers do not always get punished; most of them, indeed, slip through your hands. Not destined to be caught, I suppose.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: φείδου, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῶν ἀπειλῶν, εἰδὼς οὐδέν με πεισόμενον ὅ τι μὴ καὶ τῇ Μοίρᾳ πρὸ σοῦ ἔδοξεν· ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους ὁρῶ τοὺς ἱεροσύλους κολαζομένους, ἀλλʼ οἵ γε πλεῖστοι διαφεύγουσιν ὑμᾶς· οὐ γὰρ εἵμαρτο, οἶμαι, ἁλῶναι αὐτούς.

[¶29] Zeus: I knew it! you are one of those who would abolish Providence.

> Greek: Ζεύς: οὐκ ἔλεγον ὡς ἄρʼ ἐκείνων τις εἶ τῶν ἀναιρούντων τὴν πρόνοιαν τῷ λόγῳ;

[¶30] Cyniscus: You seem to be very much afraid of these gentlemen, for some reason.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: πάνυ, ὦ Ζεῦ, δέδιας αὐτούς, οὐκ οἶδα ὅτου ἕνεκα· πάντα γοῦν ὁπόσα ἂν εἴπω, ὑποπτεύεις ἐκείνων παιδεύματα εἶναι.

[¶31] 10. Cyniscus: Not one word can I say, but you must think I picked it up from them. Oblige me by answering another question; I could desire no better authority than yours. What is this Providence? Is she a Fate too? or some greater, a mistress of the Fates?

> Greek: 10. Κυνίσκος: ἐγὼ δὲ — παρὰ τίνος γὰρ ἂν ἄλλου τἀληθὲς ἢ παρὰ σοῦ μάθοιμι; — ἡδέως δʼ ἂν καὶ τοῦτο ἐροίμην σε, τίς ἡ Πρόνοια ὑμῖν αὕτη ἐστί, Μοῖρά τις ἢ καὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτας θεὸς ὥσπερ, ἄρχουσα καὶ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων;

[¶32] Zeus: I have already told you that there are things which it is not proper for you to know. You said you were only going to ask me one question, instead of which you go on quibbling without end. I see what it is you are at: you want to make out that we Gods take no thought for human affairs.

> Greek: Ζεύς: ἤδη σοι καὶ πρότερον ἔφην οὐ θεμιτὸν εἶναι πάντα σε εἰδέναι. σὺ δʼ ἕν τι ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐρωτήσειν φήσας οὐ παύῃ τοσαῦτα πρός με λεπτολογούμενος· καὶ ὁρῶ ὅτι σοι τὸ κεφάλαιόν ἐστι τοῦ λόγου ἐπιδεῖξαι οὐδενὸς ἡμᾶς προνοοῦντας τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων.

[¶33] Cyniscus: It is nothing to do with me: it was you who said just now that the Fates ordained everything. Have you thought better of it? Are you going to retract what you said? Are the Gods going to push Destiny aside and make a bid for government?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: οὐκ ἐμὸν τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ σὺ μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν ἔφησθα τὰς Μοίρας εἶναι τὰς ἅπαντα ἐπιτελούσας· εἰ μὴ μεταμέλει σοι ἐκείνων καὶ ἀνατίθεσαι αὖθις τὰ εἰρημένα καὶ ἀμφισβητεῖτε τῆς ἐπιμελείας παρωσάμενοι τὴν Εἱμαρμένην;

[¶34] 11. Zeus: Not at all; but the Fates work through us.

> Greek: 11. Ζεύς: οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλʼ ἡ Μοῖρα διʼ ἡμῶν ἕκαστα ἐπιτελεῖ.

[¶35] Cyniscus: I see: you are their servants, their underlings. But that comes to the same thing: it is still they who design; you are only their tools, their instruments.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: μανθάνω· ὑπηρέται καὶ διάκονοί τινες τῶν Μοιρῶν εἶναί φατε. πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως ἐκεῖναι ἂν εἶεν αἱ προνοοῦσαι, ὑμεῖς δὲ ὥσπερ σκεύη τινὰ καὶ ἐργαλεῖά ἐστε αὐτῶν.

[¶36] Zeus: How do you make that out?

> Greek: Ζεύς: πῶς λέγεις;

[¶37] Cyniscus: I suppose it is pretty much the same as with a carpenter’s adze and drill: they do assist him in his» work, but no one would describe them as the workmen; we do not say that a ship has been turned out by such and such an adze, or by such and such a drill; we name the shipwright. In the same way, Destiny and the Fates are the universal shipwrights, and you are their drills and adzes; and it seems to me that instead of paying their respects and their sacrifices to you, men ought to sacrifice to Destiny, and implore ber favours; though even that would not meet the case, because I take it that things are settled once and for all, and that the Fates themselves are not at liberty to chop and change. If some one gave the spindle a turn in the wrong direction, and undid all Clotho’s work, Atropus would have something to say on the subject.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ὥσπερ, οἶμαι, καὶ τὸ σκέπαρνον τῷ τέκτονι καὶ τὸ τρύπανον συνεργεῖ μέν τι πρὸς τὴν τέχνην, οὐδεὶς δʼ ἂν εἴποι ὡς ταῦτα ὁ τεχνίτης ἐστίν, οὐδʼ ἡ ναῦς ἔργον τοῦ σκεπάρνου ἢ τοῦ τρυπάνου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ναυπηγοῦ· ἀνάλογον τοίνυν ἡ μὲν ναυπηγουμένη ἕκαστα ἡ Εἱμαρμένη ἐστίν, ὑμεῖς δέ, εἴπερ ἄρα, τρύπανα καὶ σκέπαρνά ἐστε τῶν Μοιρῶν· καί, ὡς ἔοικεν, οἱ ἄνθρωποι δέον τῇ Εἱμαρμένῃ θύειν καὶ παρʼ ἐκείνης αἰτεῖν τἀγαθά, οἱ δʼ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς ἴασι προσόδοις καὶ θυσίαις γεραίροντες· ἢ οὐδὲ τὴν Εἱμαρμένην τιμῶντες εἰς δέον ἂν αὐτὸ ἔπραττον· οὐ γὰρ οἶμαι δυνατὸν εἶναι οὐδὲ αὐταῖς ἔτι ταῖς Μοίραις ἀλλάξαι τι καὶ μετατρέψαι τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς δοξάντων περὶ ἑκάστου· ἡ γοῦν Ἄτροπος οὐκ ἀνάσχοιτʼ ἄν, εἴ τις εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον στρέψειε τὸν ἄτρακτον ἀναλύων τῆς Κλωθοῦς τὸ ἔργον.

[¶38] 12. Zeus: So! You would deprive even the Fates of honour? You seem determined to reduce all to one level. Well, we Gods have at least one claim on you: we do prophesy and foretell what the Fates have disposed.

> Greek: 12. Ζεύς: σὺ δʼ ἤδη, ὦ Κυνίσκε, οὐδὲ τὰς Μοίρας τιμᾶσθαι πρὸς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀξιοῖς; ἀλλʼ ἔοικας ἅπαντα συγχεῖν προαιρεῖσθαι. ἡμεῖς δὲ εἰ καὶ μηδενὸς ἄλλου ἕνεκα, τοῦ γε μαντεύεσθαι καὶ προμηνύειν ἕκαστα τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας κεκυρωμένων δικαίως τιμῴμεθʼ ἄν.

[¶39] Cyniscus: Now even granting that you do, what is the use of knowing what one has to expect, when one can by no possibility take any precautions? Are you going to tell me that a man who finds out that he is to die by a steel point can escape the doom by shutting himself up? Not he. Fate will take him out hunting, and there will be his steel: Adrastus will hurl his spear at the boar, miss the brute, and get Croesus’s son; Fate’s inflexible law directs his aim.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: τὸ μὲν ὅλον, ἄχρηστον, ὦ Ζεῦ, προειδέναι τὰ μέλλοντα οἷς γε τὸ φυλάξασθαι αὐτὰ παντελῶς ἀδύνατον· εἰ μὴ ἄρα τοῦτο φής, ὡς ὁ προμαθὼν ὅτι ὑπʼ αἰχμῆς σιδηρᾶς τεθνήξεται δύναιτʼ ἂν ἐκφυγεῖν τὸν θάνατον καθείρξας ἑαυτόν; ἀλλʼ ἀδύνατον· ἐξάξει γὰρ αὐτὸν ἡ Μοῖρα κυνηγετήσοντα καὶ παραδώσει τῇ αἰχμῇ· καὶ ὁ Ἄδραστος ἐπὶ τὸν σῦν ἀφεὶς τὴν λόγχην ἐκείνου μὲν ἁμαρτήσεται, φονεύσει δὲ τὸν Κροίσου παῖδα, ὡς ἂν ἀπʼ ἰσχυρᾶς ἐμβολῆς τῶν Μοιρῶν φερομένου τοῦ ἀκοντίου ἐπὶ τὸν νεανίσκον.

[¶40] 13. Cyniscus: The full absurdity of the thing is seen in the case of Latus:
Seek not for offspring in the Gods’ despite;
Beget a child, and thou begett’st thy slayer.
Was not this advice superfluous, seeing that the end must come? Accordingly we find that the oracle does not deter Laius from begetting a son, nor that son from being his slayer. On the whole, I cannot see that your prophegies entitle you to reward.

> Greek: 13. Κυνίσκος: τὸ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ Λαΐου καὶ γελοῖον, τό·
μὴ σπεῖρε τέκνων ἄλοκα δαιμόνων βίᾳ·
εἰ γὰρ τεκνώσεις (φησὶ) παῖδʼ, ἀποκτενεῖ ς’ ὁ φύς.
περιττὴ γάρ, οἶμαι, ἡ παραίνεσις πρὸς τὰ πάντως οὕτω γενησόμενα. τοιγάρτοι μετὰ τὸν χρησμὸν καὶ ἔσπειρεν καὶ ὁ φὺς ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν. ὥστε οὐχ ὁρῶ ἀνθʼ ὅτου ἀπαιτεῖτε τὸν μισθὸν ἐπὶ τῇ μαντικῇ.

[¶41] 14. Cyniscus: I even set aside the obscurity of the oracles, which are generally contrived to cut both ways. You omitted to mention, for instance, whether Croesus—‘the Halys crossed ’ —should destroy his own or Cyrus’s ‘mighty realm.’ It might be either, so far as the oracle goes.

> Greek: 14. Κυνίσκος: ἐῶ γὰρ λέγειν ὡς λοξὰ καὶ ἐπαμφοτερίζοντα τοῖς πολλοῖς χρᾶν εἰώθατε, οὐ πάνυ ἀποσαφοῦντες εἰ ὁ τὸν Ἅλυν διαβὰς τὴν αὑτοῦ ἀρχὴν καταλύσει ἢ τὴν τοῦ Κύρου· ἄμφω γὰρ δύναται ὁ χρησμός.

[¶42] Zeus: Apollo was angry with Croesus. When Croesus boiled that lamb and tortoise together in the cauldron, he was making trial of Apollo.

> Greek: Ζεύς: ἦν τις, ὦ Κυνίσκε, τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι ὀργῆς αἰτία κατὰ τοῦ Κροίσου, διότι ἐπειρᾶτο ἐκεῖνος αὐτοῦ ἄρνεια κρέα καὶ χελώνην ἐς τὸ αὐτὸ ἕψων.

[¶43] Cyniscus: Gods ought not to be angry. After all, I suppose it was fated that the Lydian should misinterpret that oracle; his case only serves to illustrate that general ignorance of the future, which Destiny has appointed for mankind. At that rate, your prophetic power too seems to be in her hands.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ἐχρῆν μὲν μηδὲ ὀργίζεσθαι θεὸν ὄντα· πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐξαπατηθῆναι τῷ Λυδῷ ἐπέπρωτο, οἶμαι, καὶ ὅλως τὸ μὴ σαφῶς ἀκοῦσαι τὰ μέλλοντα ἡ Εἱμαρμένη ἐπέκλωσεν· ὥστε καὶ ἡ μαντικὴ ὑμῶν ἐκείνης μέρος ἐστίν.

[¶44] 15. Zeus: You leave us nothing, then? We exercise no control, we are not entitled to sacrifice, we are very drills and adzes, But you may well despise me: why do I sit here listening to all this, with my thunder-bolt beneath my arm?

> Greek: 15. Ζεύς: ἡμῖν δὲ οὐδὲν ἀπολείπεις, ἀλλὰ μάτην θεοί ἐσμεν, οὔτε πρόνοιάν τινα εἰσφερόμενοι εἰς τὰ πράγματα οὔτε τῶν θυσιῶν ἄξιοι καθάπερ τρύπανα ὡς ἀληθῶς ἢ σκέπαρνα; καί μοι δοκεῖς εἰκότως μου καταφρονεῖν, ὅτι κεραυνόν, ὡς ὁρᾷς, διηγκυλημένος ἀνέχομαί σε τοσαῦτα καθʼ ἡμῶν διεξιόντα.

[¶45] Cyniscus: Nay, smite, if the thunder-bolt is my destiny. I shall think none the worse of you; I shall know it is all Clotho’s doing; I will not even blame the bolt that wounds me. And by the way—talking of thunder-bolts—there is one thing I will ask you and Destiny to explain; you can answer for her.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: βάλλε, ὦ Ζεῦ, εἴ μοι καὶ κεραυνῷ πληγῆναι εἵμαρται, καὶ σὲ οὐδὲν αἰτιάσομαι τῆς πληγῆς, ἀλλὰ τὴν Κλωθὼ τὴν διὰ σοῦ τιτρώσκουσαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν κεραυνὸν αὐτὸν φαίην ἂν αἴτιον μοι γενέσθαι τοῦ τραύματος. πλὴν ἐκεῖνό γε ὑμᾶς ἐρήσομαι καὶ σὲ καὶ τὴν Εἱμαρμένην· σὺ δέ μοι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνης ἀπόκριναι· ἀνέμνησας γάρ με ἀπειλήσας.

[¶46] 16. Cyniscus: Why is it that you leave all the pirates and temple-robbers and tuffians and perjurers to themselves, and direct your shafts (as you are always doing) against an oak-tree or a stone or a harmless mast, or even an honest, God-fearing traveller?... No answer? Is this one of the things it is not proper for me to know?

> Greek: 16. Κυνίσκος: τί δήποτε τοὺς ἱεροσύλους καὶ λῃστὰς ἀφέντες καὶ τοσούτους ὑβριστὰς καὶ βιαίους καὶ ἐπιόρκους δρῦν τινα πολλάκις κεραυνοῦτε ἢ λίθον ἢ νεὼς ἱστὸν οὐδὲν ἀδικούσης, ἐνίοτε δὲ χρηστόν τινα καὶ ὅσιον ὁδοιπόρον; τί σιωπᾷς, ὦ Ζεῦ; ἢ οὐδὲ τοῦτό με θέμις εἰδέναι;

[¶47] Zeus: It is, Cyniscus. You are a meddlesome fellow; I don’t know where you picked up all these ideas.

> Greek: Ζεύς: οὐ γάρ, ὦ Κυνίσκε. σὺ δὲ πολυπράγμων τις εἶ καὶ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅθεν ταῦτα ἥκεις μοι συμπεφορηκώς.

[¶48] Cyniscus: Well, I suppose I must not ask you all (Providence and Destiny and you) why honest Phocion died in utter poverty and destitution, like Ayistides before him, while those two unwhipped puppies, Callias and Alcibiades, and the ruffian Midias, and that Aeginetan libertine Charops, who starved his own mother to death, were all rolling in money? nor again why Socrates was handed over to the Eleven instead of Meletus? nor yet why the effeminate Sardanapalus was a king, and one high-minded Persian after another went to the cross for refusing to countenance his doings?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: οὐκοῦν μηδὲ ἐκεῖνο ὑμᾶς ἔρωμαι, σέ τε καὶ τὴν Πρόνοιαν καὶ τὴν Εἱμαρμένην, τί δήποτε Φωκίων μὲν ὁ χρηστὸς ἐν τοσαύτῃ πενίᾳ καὶ σπάνει τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἀπέθανε καὶ Ἀριστείδης πρὸ αὐτοῦ, Καλλίας δὲ καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδης, ἀκόλαστα μειράκια, ὑπερεπλούτουν καὶ Μειδίας ὁ ὑβριστὴς καὶ Χάροψ ὁ Αἰγινήτης, κίναιδος ἄνθρωπος, τὴν μητέρα λιμῷ ἀπεκτονώς, καὶ πάλιν Σωκράτης μὲν παρεδόθη τοῖς ἕνδεκα, Μέλητος δὲ οὐ παρεδόθη, καὶ Σαρδανάπαλλος μὲν ἐβασίλευε θῆλυς ὤν, Γώχης δὲ ἀνὴρ ἐνάρετος ἀνεσκολοπίσθη πρὸς αὐτοῦ, διότι μὴ ἠρέσκετο τοῖς γιγνομένοις·

[¶49] 17. Cyniscus: I say nothing of our own days, in which villains and money-grubbers prosper, and honest men are oppressed with want and sickness and a thousand distresses, and can hardly call their souls their own.

> Greek: 17. Κυνίσκος: ἵνα ὑμῖν μὴ τὰ νῦν λέγω καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐπεξιών, τοὺς μὲν πονηροὺς εὐδαιμονοῦντας καὶ τοὺς πλεονέκτας, ἀγομένους δὲ καὶ φερομένους τοὺς χρηστοὺς ἐν πενίᾳ καὶ νόσοις καὶ μυρίοις κακοῖς πιεζομένους.

[¶50] Zeus: Surely you know, Cyniscus, what punishments await the evil-doers after death, and how happy will be the lot of the righteous?

> Greek: Ζεύς: οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα, ὦ Κυνίσκε, ἡλίκας μετὰ τὸν βίον οἱ πονηροὶ τὰς κολάσεις ὑπομένουσιν, ἢ ἐν ὅσῃ οἱ χρηστοὶ εὐδαιμονίᾳ διατρίβουσιν;

[¶51] Cyniscus: Ah, to be sure: Hades—Tityus—Tantalus. Whether there is such a place as Hades, I shall be able to satisfy myself when I die. In the meantime, I had rather live a pleasant life here, and have a score or so of vultures at my liver when I am dead, than thirst like Tantalus in this world, on the chance of drinking with the heroes in the Isles of the Blest, and reclining in the fields of Elysium.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: Ἅιδην μοι λέγεις καὶ Τιτυοὺς καὶ Ταντάλους. ἐγὼ δέ, εἰ μέν τι καὶ τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, εἴσομαι τὸ σαφὲς ἐπειδὰν ἀποθάνω· τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον ἐβουλόμην τὸν ὁποσονοῦν χρόνον τοῦτον εὐδαιμόνως διαβιοὺς ὑπὸ ἑκκαίδεκα γυπῶν κείρεσθαι τὸ ἧπαρ ἀποθανών, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐνταῦθα διψήσας ὥσπερ ὁ Τάνταλος ἐν Μακάρων νήσοις πίνειν μετὰ τῶν ἡρώων ἐν τῷ Ἠλυσίῳ λειμῶνι κατακείμενος.

[¶52] 18. Zeus: What! you doubt that there are punishments and rewards to come? You doubt of that judgement-seat before which every soul is arraigned?

> Greek: 18. Ζεύς: τί φής; ἀπιστεῖς εἶναί τινας κολάσεις καὶ τιμάς, καὶ δικαστήριον ἔνθα δὴ ἐξετάζεται ὁ ἑκάστου βίος;

[¶53] Cyniscus: I have heard mention of a judge in that connexion; one Minos, a Cretan. Ah, yes, tell me about him: they say he is your son?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ἀκούω τινὰ Μίνω Κρῆτα δικάζειν κάτω τὰ τοιαῦτα· καί μοι ἀπόκριναί τι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου· σὸς γὰρ υἱὸς εἶναι λέγεται.

[¶54] Zeus: And what of him?

> Greek: Ζεύς: τί δὲ κἀκεῖνον ἐρωτᾷς, ὦ Κυνίσκε;

[¶55] Cyniscus: Whom does he punish in particular?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: τίνας κολάζει μάλιστα;

[¶56] Zeus: Whom but the wicked?, Murderers, for instance, and temple-robbers.

> Greek: Ζεύς: τοὺς πονηροὺς δηλαδή, οἷον ἀνδροφόνους καὶ ἱεροσύλους.

[¶57] Cyniscus: And whom does he send to dwell with the heroes?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: τίνας δὲ παρὰ τοὺς ἥρωας ἀποπέμπει;

[¶58] Zeus: Good men and God-fearing, who have led virtuous lives.

> Greek: Ζεύς: τοὺς ἀγαθούς τε καὶ ὁσίους καὶ κατʼ ἀρετὴν βεβιωκότας.

[¶59] Cyniscus: Why?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: τίνος ἕνεκα, ὦ Ζεῦ;

[¶60] Zeus: Because they deserve punishment and reward respectively.

> Greek: Ζεύς: διότι οἱ μὲν τιμῆς, οἱ δὲ κολάσεως ἄξιοι.

[¶61] Cyniscus: Suppose a man commits a crime accidentally; does he punish him just the same?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: εἰ δέ τις ἀκούσιόν τι δεινὸν ἐργάσαιτο, κολάζεσθαι καὶ τοῦτον δικαιοῖ;

[¶62] Zeus: Certainly not.

> Greek: Ζεύς: οὐδαμῶς.

[¶63] Cyniscus: Similarly, if a man involuntarily performed a good action, he would not reward him?

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: οὐδʼ ἄρα εἴ τις ἄκων τι ἀγαθὸν ἔδρασεν, οὐδὲ τοῦτον τιμᾶν ἀξιώσειεν ἄν;

[¶64] Zeus: No.

> Greek: Ζεύς: οὐ γὰρ οὖν.

[¶65] Cyniscus: Then there is no one for him to reward or punish.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: οὐδένα τοίνυν, ὦ Ζεῦ, οὔτε τιμᾶν οὔτε κολάζειν αὐτῷ προσήκει.

[¶66] Zeus: How so?

> Greek: Ζεύς: πῶς οὐδένα;

[¶67] Cyniscus: Why, we men do nothing of our own free will: we are obeying an irresistible impulse,—that is, if there is any truth in what we settled just now, about Fate’s being the cause of everything. Does aman commit a murder? Fate is the murderess. Does he rob a temple? He has her instructions for it. So if there is going to be any justice in Minos’s sentences, he will punish Destiny, not Sisyphus; Fate, not Tantalus. What harm did these men do? They only obeyed orders.

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ὅτι οὐδὲν ἑκόντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποιοῦμεν, ἀλλά τινι ἀνάγκῃ ἀφύκτῳ κεκελευσμένοι, εἴ γε ἀληθῆ ἐκεῖνά ἐστι τὰ ἔμπροσθεν ὡμολογημένα, ὡς ἡ Μοῖρα πάντων αἰτία· καὶ ἢν φονεύσῃ τις, ἐκείνη ἐστὶν ἡ φονεύσασα, καὶ ἢν ἱεροσυλῇ, προστεταγμένον αὐτὸ δρᾷ. ὥστε εἴ γε τὰ δίκαια ὁ Μίνως δικάζειν μέλλοι, τὴν Εἱμαρμένην ἀντὶ τοῦ Σισύφου κολάσεται καὶ τὴν Μοῖραν ἀντὶ τοῦ Ταντάλου. τί γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ἠδίκησαν πεισθέντες τοῖς ἐπιτάγμασιν;

[¶68] 19. Zeus: I am not going to speak to you any more, You are an unscrupulous man; a sophist. I shall go away and leave you to yourself.

> Greek: 19. Ζεύς: οὐκέτʼ οὐδὲ ἀποκρίνεσθαί σοι ἄξιον τοιαῦτα ἐρωτῶντι· θρασὺς γὰρ εἶ καὶ σοφιστής. καί σε ἄπειμι ἤδη καταλιπών.

[¶69] Cyniscus: I wanted to ask you where the Fates lived; and how they managed to attend to all the details of such a vast mass of business, just those three. I do not envy them their lot; they must have a busy time of it, with so much on their hands. Their destiny, apparently, is no better than other people’s. I would not exchange with them, if I had the choice; I had rather be poorer than I am, than sit before such a spindleful, watching every thread.—But never mind, if you would rather not answer. Your previous replies have quite cleared up my doubts about Destiny and Providence; and for the rest, I expect I was not destined to hear it. Francis George Fowler

> Greek: Κυνίσκος: ἐδεόμην μὲν ἔτι καὶ τοῦτο ἐρέσθαι, ποῦ αἱ Μοῖραι διατρίβουσιν ἢ πῶς ἐφικνοῦνται τῇ ἐπιμελείᾳ τῶν τοσούτων ἐς τὸ λεπτότατον, καὶ ταῦτα τρεῖς οὖσαι. ἐπίπονον γάρ τινα καὶ οὐκ εὔμοιρόν μοι δοκοῦσι βιοῦν τὸν βίον τοσαῦτα ἔχουσαι πράγματα, καὶ ὡς ἔοικεν οὐ πάνυ οὐδὲ αὗται ὑπὸ χρηστῇ Εἱμαρμένῃ ἐγεννήθησαν. ἐγὼ γοῦν, εἴ μοι αἵρεσις δοθείη, οὐκ ἂν ἀλλαξαίμην πρὸς αὐτὰς τὸν ἐμαυτοῦ βίον, ἀλλʼ ἑλοίμην ἂν ἔτι πενέστερος διαβιῶναι ἤπερ καθῆσθαι κλώθων ἄτρακτον τοσούτων πραγμάτων μεστόν, ἐπιτηρῶν ἕκαστα. εἰ δὲ μὴ ῥᾴδιόν σοι ἀποκρίνασθαι πρὸς ταῦτα, ὦ Ζεῦ, καὶ τούτοις ἀγαπήσομεν οἷς ἀπεκρίνω· ἱκανὰ γὰρ ἐμφανίσαι τὸν περὶ τῆς Εἱμαρμένης καὶ Προνοίας λόγον· τὰ λοιπὰ δʼ ἴσως οὐχ εἵμαρτο ἀκοῦσαί μοι.