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[1] 985d

Ὀδυσσεύς.

ταῦτα μέν, ὦ Κίρκη, μεμαθηκέναι 5 δοκῶ καὶ διαμνημονεύσειν· ἡδέως δʼ ἄν σου πυθοίμην, εἴ τινας ἔχεις Ἕλληνας ἐν τούτοις, οὓς λύκους καὶ λέοντας ἐξ ἀνθρώπων πεποίηκας. 985e

ΚΙΡΚΗ.

καὶ πολλούς, ὦ ποθούμενʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ. πρὸς τί δὲ τοῦτο ἐρωτᾷς; 10

ΟΔ.

ὅτι νὴ Δία καλὴν ἄν μοι δοκῶ γενέσθαι φιλοτιμίαν πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, εἰ χάριτι σῇ λαβὼν τούτους, αὖθις εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἑταίρους ἀνασώσαιμι καὶ μὴ περιίδοιμι καταγηράσαντας παρὰ φύσιν ἐν σώμασι θηρίων, οἰκτρὰν καὶ ἄτιμον οὕτω δίαιταν 15 ἔχοντας.

ΚΙΡ.

οὗτος ὁ ἀνὴρ οὐχ αὑτῷ μόνον οὐδὲ τοῖς ἑταίροις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μηδὲν προσήκουσιν οἴεται δεῖν ὑπʼ ἀβελτερίας συμφορὰν γενέσθαι τὴν αὑτοῦ φιλοτιμίαν. 985f

ΟΔ.

ἕτερον αὖ τινα τοῦτον, ὦ Κίρκη, κυκεῶνα 20 λόγων ταράττεις καὶ ὑποφαρμάττεις, ἐμὲ γοῦν ἀτεχνῶς ρατιονε δτι; ποιοῦσα θηρίον, εἰ πείσομαί σοι ὡς συμφορὰ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπον ἐκ θηρίου γενέσθαι.

ΚΙΡ.

οὐ γὰρ ἢδη τούτων ἀτοπώτερα πεποίηκας σεαυτόν, ὃς τὸν ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀγήρων σὺν ἐμοὶ 5 βίον ἀφεὶς ἐπὶ γυναῖκα θνητήν, ὡς δʼ ἐγώ φημι, 986a καὶ γραῦν ἤδη διὰ μυρίων ἔτι κακῶν σπεύδεις, ὡς δὴ περίβλεπτος ἐκ τούτου καὶ ὀνομαστὸς ἔτι μᾶλλον ἢ νῦν γενησόμενος, κενὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ εἴδωλον ἀντὶ τῆς ἀληθείας διώκων; 10

ΟΔ.

ἐχέτω ταῦτα, ὡς λέγεις, ὦ Κίρκη τί γὰρ δεῖ πολλάκις ζυγομαχεῖν ἡμᾶς περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν; τούτους δέ μοι δὸς ἀναλύσασα καὶ χάρισαι τοὺς ἄνδρας.

ΚΙΡ.

Οὐχ οὕτω γʼ ἁπλῶς, μὰ τὴν Ἑκάτην οὐ γὰρ οἱ τυχόντες εἰσίν· ἀλλʼ ἐροῦ πρῶτον αὐτούς, 15 εἰ θέλουσιν ἂν δὲ μὴ φῶσι, διαλεχθείς, ὦ γενναῖε, πεῖσον· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ πείσῃς, ἀλλὰ καὶ περιγένωνται διαλεγόμενοι, ἱκανὸν ἔστω σοι περὶ σεαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν φίλων κακῶς βεβουλεῦσθαι. 986b

ΟΔ.

τί μου καταγελᾷς, ὦ μακαρία; πῶς γὰρ 20 ἂν ἢ δοῖεν οὗτοι λόγον ἢ λάβοιεν, ἕως ὄνοι καὶ σύες καὶ λέοντές εἰσι;

ΚΙΡ.

Θάρρει, φιλοτιμότατʼ ἀνθρώπων ἐγώ σοι παρέξω καὶ συνιέντας αὐτοὺς καὶ διαλεγομένους· μᾶλλον δʼ εἷς ἱκανὸς ἔσται καὶ διδοὺς καὶ λαμβάνων 25 ὑπὲρ πάντων λόγον· ἰδού, τούτῳ διαλέγου.

ΟΔ.

καὶ τίνα τοῦτον, ὦ Κίρκη, προσαγορεύσομεν; ἢ τίς ἦν οὗτος ἀνθρώπων;

ΚΙΡ.

τί γὰρ τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν λόγον; ἀλλὰ καὶ κάλει αὐτόν, εἰ βούλει, Γρύλλον. ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκστήσομαι ὑμῖν, μὴ καὶ παρὰ γνώμην ἐμοὶ δοκῇ χαριζόμενος διαλέγεσθαι. 5

Bruta animalia ratione uti. Plutarch. ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs. Leipzig. 1895.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Περὶ τοῦ τὰ ἄλογα λόγῳ χρῆσθαι (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. VI. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1895.)

Translations (2)

Beasts are rational Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. XII. Cherniss, Harold, and Helmbold, William C., translators. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1957 (printing)) — 1 focus

(The speakers in the dialogue are Odysseus, Circe, and Gryllus.)

ODYSSEUS.

These facts,¹ Circe, I believe I have learned and shall not forget them; yet I should be happy to learn from you further whether there are any Greeks among those whom you have changed from the shape of men into wolves and lions.

CIRCE.

Quite a few, beloved Odysseus. But what is your reason for asking this question?

ODYSSEUS.

It is, I swear, because it would bring me noble glory among the Greeks if by your favour I should restore comrades of mine to their original humanity and not allow them to grow old in the unnatural guise of beasts, leading an existence that is so piteous and shameful.

CIRCE.

Here’s a lad who finds it appropriate that not only himself and his companions, but even total strangers should, through his stupidity, find his ambition their ruin.

ODYSSEUS.

This is a new potion² of words that you are stirring and drugging for me, Circe. It will certainly transform me literally into a beast if I am to take your word for it that changing from beast to man spells ruin.

CIRCE.

Haven’t you already worked a stranger magic than this on yourself? You who refused an ageless, immortal life at my side and would struggle through a thousand new dangers to a woman who is mortal and, I can assure you, no longer so very young - and this for no object other than to make yourself more gaped at and renowned than you already are, pursuing an empty phantom instead of what is truly good.

ODYSSEUS.

All right, let it be as you say, Circe. Why must we quarrel again and again about the same matters? Now please just grant me the favour of letting the men go free.

CIRCE.

By the Black Goddess,³ it’s not so simple as that. These creatures are no run of the mill. You must ask them first if they are willing. If they say no, my hero, you’ll have to argue with them and convince them. And if you don’t, and they win the argument, then you must be content with having exercised poor judgement about yourself and your friends.

ODYSSEUS.

Dear lady, why are you making fun of me? How can they argue with me or I with them so long as they are asses and hogs and lions?

CIRCE.

Courage, courage, my ambitious friend. I’ll see to it that you shall find them both receptive and responsive. Or rather, one of the number will be enough to thrust and parry for them all. Presto! You may talk with this one.

ODYSSEUS.

And how am I to address him, Circe? Who in the world was he?⁴

CIRCE.

What’s that to do with the issue? Call him Gryllus,⁵ if you like. I’ll retire now to avoid any suggestion that he is arguing against his own convictions to curry favour with me.

That brute beasts make use of reason Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. V. Goodwin, William W., editor; J., A., Sir, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 1 focus

[1]

ULYSSES.

All these things, Circe, I believe that I have learned and well remember. But I would willingly ask thee, whether thou hast any Grecians here, which being men thou hast transformed into wolves and lions.

CIRCE.

Very many, dearest Ulysses, but wherefore do you ask the question?

ULYSSES.

Because in good truth I am of opinion I should gain a high reputation among the Greeks, if by thy favor I could restore these men to human shape again, and not suffer them through any negligence of mine to wax old in the bodies of beasts, where they lead a miserable and ignominious life.

CIRCE.

Surely, this man, fool as he is, believes it requisite that his ambition should be unfortunate not only to himself and his friends, but to those that nothing belong to him.

ULYSSES.

Thou art now jumbling and mixing another villanous potion of twittle twattle, and wouldst plainly turn me into a beast too, if thou couldst make me believe that it were a misfortune to be transformed from a beast to a man.

CIRCE.

What hast thou made thyself better than a beast, who, forsaking an immortal life, free from the miseries of old age, with me, art making such haste through a thousand threatening calamities to a mortal and (as I may say) old wife, pursuing an empty good and a shadow instead of real truth, and all this, thinking to be more conspicuous and famous than thou art.

ULYSSES.

Well, Circe, let it be as thou sayest; for why should we be always contending about the same thing? However, do me the favor to restore these men, and give them into my custody.

CIRCE.

By Hecate, not so fast neither; these are no ordinary fellows. But ask them first whether they are willing. If they refuse, do you, being such an eloquent gentleman, discourse them and persuade them; if you cannot persuade them, being too hard for ye at your own weapon, then let it suffice ye that you have ill consulted your own and the good of your friends.

ULYSSES.

Blessed woman, wherefore dost thou mock me thus? For how can they either talk or hear reason, so long as they are asses, hogs, and lions?

CIRCE.

Be of good comfort, most ambitious of men; I will so order the business, that they shall both understand and discourse; or rather, let one suffice to hear and return answers instead of all the rest. Look ye, here is one at hand; pray talk to him.

ULYSSES.

Prithee, Circe, by what name shall we call him? Who is this fellow of all the men in the world?

CIRCE.

What’s this to the purpose? Call him Gryllus, if you please; and for my part, I’ll leave ye together, that ye may not suspect him for speaking contrary to his mind to please me.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Ὀδυσσεύς.

ΚΙΡΚΗ.

ΟΔ.

ΚΙΡ.

ΟΔ.

ΚΙΡ.

ΟΔ.

ΚΙΡ.

ΟΔ.

ΚΙΡ.

ΟΔ.

ΚΙΡ.

Current edition Perseus

(The speakers in the dialogue are Odysseus, Circe, and Gryllus.)

ODYSSEUS.

CIRCE.

ODYSSEUS.

CIRCE.

ODYSSEUS.

CIRCE.

ODYSSEUS.

CIRCE.

ODYSSEUS.

CIRCE.

ODYSSEUS.

CIRCE.

ULYSSES.

CIRCE.

ULYSSES.

CIRCE.

ULYSSES.

CIRCE.

ULYSSES.

CIRCE.

ULYSSES.

CIRCE.

ULYSSES.

CIRCE.

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