Lucian, Nigrinus, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 6

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

[6]

Friend

This is not drunkenness, but sobriety and temperance. But I should like to hear what Nigrinus actually said, if that may be. It is only right that you should take that trouble for me; I am your friend, and share your interests.

Lucian

Enough! You urge a willing steed. I was about to bespeak your attention. You must be my witness to the world, that there is reason in my madness. Indeed, apart from this, the work of recollection is a pleasure, and has become a constant practice with me; twice, thrice in a day I repeat over his words, though there is none to hear.

Nigrinus. Lucian. Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator). Medford, MA, USA. 2023-08-01.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

Νιγρίνου Φιλοσοφία Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.) — 6 focus

[6] καὶ μὴν τοῦτό γε οὐ μεθύειν, ἀλλὰ νήφειν τε καὶ σωφρονεῖν ἐστιν. ἐγὼ δὲ βουλοίμην ἄν, εἰ οἷόν τε, αὐτῶν ἀκοῦσαι τῶν λόγων· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ φθονεῖν¹ αὐτῶν οἶμαι θέμις, ἄλλως τε εἰ καὶ φίλος καὶ περὶ τὰ ὅμοια ἐσπουδακὼς ὁ βουλόμενος ἀκούειν εἴη.

θάρρει, ὦγαθέ· τοῦτο γάρ τοι τὸ τοῦ Ὁμήρου, σπεύδοντα καὶ αὐτὸν παρακαλεῖς, καὶ εἴ γε μὴ ἔφθης, αὐτὸς ἂν ἐδεήθην ἀκοῦσαί μου διηγουμένου· μάρτυρα γάρ σε παραστήσασθαι πρὸς τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐθέλω, ὅτι οὐκ ἀλόγως μαίνομαι· ἄλλως τε καὶ ἡδύ μοι τὸ μεμνῆσθαι αὐτῶν πολλάκις, καὶ ταύτην ἤδη μελέτην ἐποιησάμην· ἐπεὶ κἄν τις μὴ παρὼν τύχῃ, καὶ οὕτω δὶς ἢ τρὶς τῆς ἡμέρας ἀνακυκλῶ πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν τὰ εἰρημένα.

Translations (1)

Nigrinus Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.) — 6 focus

[6]

A

Why, that isn’t drunkenness, it is sobriety and temperance! I should like to hear just what he said, if possible. It is far, very far from right, in my opinion, to be stingy with it, especially if the person who wants to hear is a friend and has the same interests.

B

Cheer up, good soul! you spur a willing horse, as Homer says,¹ and if you hadn’t got ahead of me, I myself should have begged you to listen to my tale, for I want to have you bear witness before the world that my madness has reason in it. Then, too, I take pleasure in calling his words to mind frequently, and have already made it a regular exercise: even if nobody happens to be at hand, I repeat them to myself two or three times a day just the same.

Lucian Nigrinus 6

Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Friend

Lucian

Current edition Perseus

A

B

Stable identifiers