Lucian of Samosata, Nigrinus, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 32

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[32] From the same standpoint he made a comment exactly like that of Momus. Just as the latter found fault with the god ¹ who made the bull for not putting the horns in front of the eyes, so he censured those who wear garlands for not knowing where they should go. “If it is the scent of their violets and roses that they like,” he said, “they certainly ought to put their garlands under their noses, as close as may be to the intake of the breath, so as to inhale the greatest possible amount of pleasure.”

Nigrinus. Lucian of Samosata. Austin Morris Harmon (Translator). United States. Perseus 5.0.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Nigrinus (English) (Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.)

Editions (1)

Νιγρίνου Φιλοσοφία Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.) — 32 focus

[32] ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς γνώμης κἀκεῖνα ἔλεγεν, ἀτεχνῶς τοῦ Μώμου τὸν λόγον μιμησάμενος· ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἐμέμφετο τοῦ ταύρου τὸν δημιουργὸν θεὸν οὐ προθέντα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὰ κέρατα, οὕτω δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ᾐτιᾶτο τῶν στεφανουμένων, ὅτι μὴ ἴσασι τοῦ στεφάνου τὸν τόπον· εἰ γάρ τοι, ἔφη, τῇ πνοῇ τῶν ἴων τε καὶ ῥόδων χαίρουσιν, ὑπὸ τῇ ῥινὶ μάλιστα ἐχρῆν αὐτοὺς στέφεσθαι παρʼ αὐτὴν ὡς οἷόν τε τὴν ἀναπνοήν, ἵνʼ ὡς πλεῖστον ἀνέσπων τῆς ἡδονῆς.

Translations (1)

Nigrinus Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 32 focus

[32] Such pleasures are rank solecism.’ One observation of his in the same spirit fairly caps the famous censure of Momus. Momus found fault with the divine artificer for not putting his bull’s horns in front of the eyes. Similarly, Nigrinus complained that when these men crown themselves in their banquets, they put the garlands in the wrong place; if they are so fond of the smell of violets and roses, they should tie on their garlands as close as may be under their nostrils; they could then snuff up the smell to their hearts’ content.

Notes on the current edition

Nigrinus

1. Poseidon: see Hermotimus, 20.

Lucian of Samosata Nigrinus 32

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

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