Plutarch, De sollertia animalium, 8

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[8]

SOCLARUS.

Contain yourself, my dearest Autobulus, and forbear these accusations; for here are several gentlemen coming, all great huntsmen, whom it will be very difficult to bring over to your opinion; neither is it convenient to offend them.

AUTOBULUS.

You give me good advice. However, I know Eubiotus very well, and my kinsman Ariston; nor am I less acquainted with Aeacides and Aristotimus, the sons of Dionysius the Delphian, as also with Nicander the son of Euthydamus, all expert in the chase by land, as Homer expresses it; and therefore likely to take part with Aristotimus. On the other side, yonder comes Phaedimus too, bringing along with him the islanders and neighbors to the sea, Heracleon of Megara, and Philostratus of Euboea,

Whose whole delight is all the day

The toilsome pastime of the sea.

But as for Optatus, our equal in years (like Tydides),—

Which of the sides to range him well,

So versed in both, we cannot tell.

For he is one that offers as well the first-fruits of his fishery to Dictynna, as of his forest spoils to Diana; so that it is apparent he comes among us as one that intends not to be partial to one side more than the other; or else our conjecture is amiss, dear Optatus, that your design is only to be an impartial umpire between these young gentlemen.

OPTATUS.

You conjecture very truly, Autobulus. For the ancient law of Solon is out of date, that punished those who stood neuters and refused to adhere to either side.

AUTOBULUS.

Seat yourself then here by us, that if there should be any occasion for a testimony, we may not be troubled to run to Aristotle’s writings, but acquiescing in your experience, may give our suffrages according to what you aver for truth.

OPTATUS.

Go to then, young gentlemen: are ye agreed upon the method and order of the dispute?

PHAEDIMUS.

Truly, worthy Soclarus, that very thing occasioned a great debate among us; but at length, according to that of Euripides,

The child of Fortune, Chance, the point agreed,

And fixed the method how we should proceed,

by giving the precedence to the land animals to plead their cause before marine creatures.

SOCLARUS.

Then, Aristotimus, it is high time for you to speak and for us to hear.

De sollertia animalium. Plutarch. Boston. 1874.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Which are the most crafty, water-animals or those creatures that breed upon the land? (English) (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. V. Goodwin, William W., editor; Philips, John, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1874.)

Editions (1)

Πότερα τῶν ζῴων φρονιμώτερα τὰ χερσαῖα ἢ τὰ ἔνυδρα Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. VI. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1895.) — 8 focus

[8]

ΣΩΚΛ.

. ἐπίσχες, ὦ Αὐτόβουλε, καὶ παραβαλοῦ τὸ θυρίον τῆς κατηγορίας· ἐγγὺς γὰρ οἵδε προσιόντες πολλοὶ καὶ θηρατικοὶ πάντες, οὓς οὔτε μεταθεῖναι ῥᾴδιον οὔτε λυπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. 5 965c

ΑΥΤ.

Ὀρθῶς παραινεῖς· ἀλλʼ Εὐβίωτον μὲν εὖ οἶδα καὶ τὸν ἐμὸν ἀνεψιὸν Ἀρίστωνα, τούς τε Διονυσίου παῖδας ἀπὸ Δελφῶν, Αἰακίδην καὶ Ἀριστότιμον τοῦτον, εἶτα Νίκανδρον τὸν Εὐθυδάμου, χερσαίας δαήμονας ἄγρας ὡς Ὅμηρος ἔφη, 10 καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ Ἀριστοτίμου γενησομένους· ὥσπερ αὖ πάλιν τούσδε τοὺς νησιώτας καὶ παραλίους, Ἡρακλέωνα τὸν Μεγαρόθεν καὶ Φιλόστρατον τὸν Εὐβοέα, τοῖσι θαλάσσια ἔργα μέμηλε, Φαίδιμος ἔχων περὶ αὑτὸν βαδίζει. 15

Τυδείδην δʼ οὐκ ἂν γνοίης ποτέροισι μετείη,

τουτονὶ τὸν ἡμέτερον ἡλικιώτην Ὀπτᾶτον, ὃς πολλοῖς μὲν ἐνάλου ὀρείου δὲ πολλοῖς ἄγρας ἀκροθινίοις ἀγλαΐσας τὴν Ἀγροτέραν ἅμα θεὸν καὶ 965d Δίκτυνναν, ἐνταῦθα δῆλός ἐστι πρὸς ἡμᾶς βαδίζων, 20 ὡς μηδετέροις προσθήσων ἑαυτόν· ἢ φαύλως εἰκάζομεν, ὦ φίλε Ὀπτᾶτε, κοινόν σε καὶ μέσον ἔσεσθαι τῶν νεανίσκων βραβευτήν;

ΟΠΤΑΤΟΣ.

πάνυ μὲν οὖν ὀρθῶς ὑπονοεῖς, ὦ Αὐτόβουλε· πάλαι γὰρ ὁ Σόλωνος ἐκλέλοιπε νόμος, τοὺς ἐν στάσει μηδετέρῳ μέρει προσγενομένους κολάζων.

ΑΥΤ.

. δεῦρο δὴ καθίζου πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὅπως, εἰ δεήσει μάρτυρος, μὴ τοῖς Ἀριστοτέλους πράγματα 5 965e βιβλίοις παρέχωμεν, ἀλλὰ σοὶ διʼ ἐμπειρίαν ἑπόμενοι τοῖς λεγομένοις ἀληθῶς τὴν ψῆφον ἐπιφέρωμεν.ς

ΣΩΚΛ.

εἶεν, ὦ ἄνδρες νέοι, γέγονέ τις ὑμῖν ὁμολογία περὶ τάξεως; 10

ΦΑΙΔΙΜΟΣ.

γέγονεν, ὦ Σώκλαρε, πολλὴν παρασχοῦσα φιλονεικίαν εἶτα κατʼ Εὐριπίδην

ὁ τῆς τύχης παῖς; κλῆρος ἐπὶ τούτῳ ταγείς

τὰ χερσαῖα προεισάγει δίκαια τῶν ἐνάλων.

ΣΩΚΛ.

καιρὸς; οὖν, ὦ Ἀριστότιμε, σοὶ μὲν ἤδη 15 λέγειν ἡμῖν δʼ ἀκούειν.

Translations (1)

Whether land or sea animals are cleverer Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. XII. Cherniss, Harold, and Helmbold, William C., translators. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1957 (printing).) — 8 focus

[8]

SOCLARUS.

Restrain yourself, Autobulus, and turn off the flow of these accusations.¹ I see a good many gentlemen approaching who are all hunters; you will hardly convert them and you needn’t hurt their feelings.

AUTOBULUS.

Thanks for the warning. Eubiotus, however, I know quite well and my cousin Ariston, and Aeacides and Aristotimus here, the sons of Dionysius of Delphi, and Nicander, the son of Euthydamus, all of them expert, as Homer² expresses it, in the chase by land - and for this reason they will be on Aristotimus’ side. So too yonder comes Phaedimus with the islanders and coast-dwellers about him, Heracleon from Megara and the Euboean Philostratus,

Whose hearts are on deeds of the sea.³

And here is my contemporary Optatus: like Diomedes, it is

Hard to tell the side on which he ranges,⁴

for with many a trophy from the sea, many likewise from the chase on the mountain, he has glorified⁵ the goddess⁶ who is at once the Huntress and Dictynna. It is evident that he is coming to join us with no intention of attaching himself to either side. Or am I wrong, my dear Optatus, in supposing that you will be an impartial and neutral umpire between the young men ?

OPTATUS.

It is just as you suppose, Autobulus. Solon’s⁷ law, which used to punish those who adhered to neither side in a factious outbreak, has long since fallen into disuse.

AUTOBULUS.

Come over here, then, and take your place beside us so that, if we need evidence, we shall not have to disturb the tomes of Aristotle,⁸ but may follow you as expert and return a true verdict on the arguments.

SOCLARUS.

Well then, my young friends, have you reached any agreement on procedure ?

PHAEDIMUS.

We have, Soclarus, though it occasioned considerable controversy; but at length, as Euripides⁹ has it,

The lot, the child of chance,

made arbiter, admits into court the case of the land animals before that of creatures from the sea.

SOCLARUS.

The time has come, then, Aristotimus, for you to speak and us to hear.

Notes on the current edition

Which are the most crafty, water-animals or those creatures that breed upon the land?

1. See Odyss. XII. 116.

2. Il. V. 85.

Plutarch De sollertia animalium 8

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

SOCLARUS.

AUTOBULUS.

OPTATUS.

AUTOBULUS.

OPTATUS.

PHAEDIMUS.

SOCLARUS.

Current edition Perseus

ΣΩΚΛ.

ΑΥΤ.

ΟΠΤΑΤΟΣ.

ΑΥΤ.

ΣΩΚΛ.

ΦΑΙΔΙΜΟΣ.

ΣΩΚΛ.

SOCLARUS.

AUTOBULUS.

OPTATUS.

AUTOBULUS.

SOCLARUS.

PHAEDIMUS.

SOCLARUS.

Notes on the current edition

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