Lucian, Symposium, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 23

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Lycinus

But you pass me by, and feast others. I ought not to be surprised; you have not acquired the power of distinguishing merit; you have no apprehensive imagination. I know whence the blow comes; it 1s from your precious philosophers, Zenothemis and The Labyrinth, whose mouths (though I would not boast) I could stop with a single syllogism. Let either of them tell me, What is Philosophy? or, not to go beyond the merest elements, how does condition differ from constitution? for I will not resort to real puzzles, as the Horns, the Sorites, or the Reaper¹. Well, I wish you joy of their company. As for me, holding as I do that nothing is good but what is right, I shall get over a slight like this.

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

Current edition Perseus

A Feast of Lapithae (English) (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 4. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.)

Editions (1)

Συμπόσιον ἢ Λαπίθαι Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.) — 23 focus

Λυκῖνος

σὺ δὲ ἡμᾶς παραλιπὼν ἄλλους εὐωχεῖς, εἰκότως· οὔπω γὰρ δύνασαι διακρίνειν τὸ βέλτιον οὐδὲ τὴν καταληπτικὴν φαντασίαν ἔχεις. ἀλλὰ οἶδα ὅθεν μοι ταῦτα, παρὰ τῶν θαυμαστῶν σου φιλοσόφων, Ζηνοθέμιδος καὶ Λαβυρίνθου, ὧν — ἀπείη δὲ ἡ Ἀδράστεια — συλλογισμῷ ἑνὶ ἀποφράξαι ἄν μοι τάχιστα δοκῶ τὰ στόματα. ἢ εἰπάτω τις αὐτῶν, τί ἐστὶ φιλοσοφία; ἢ τὰ πρῶτα ταῦτα, τί διαφέρει σχέσις ἕξεως; ἵνα μὴ τῶν ἀπόρων εἴπω τι, κερατίναν ἢ σωρείτην ἢ θερίζοντα λόγον. Ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν ὄναιο αὐτῶν. ἐγὼ δὲ ὡς ἂν μόνον τὸ καλὸν ἀγαθὸν ἡγούμενος εἶναι οἴσω ῥᾳδίως τὴν ἀτιμίαν.

Translations (1)

The Carousal, or the Lapiths Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.) — 23 focus

LYCINUS

You, however, have given me the go-by and are entertaining others. No wonder, for you are even yet unable to distinguish between the better and the worse, and you have not the faculty of direct comprehension, either. But I know where all this comes from—those wonderful philosophers of yours, Zenothemis and the Labyrinth, whose mouths I could very soon stop, I know, with a single syllogism, Heaven forgive me for boasting! Just let one of them say what philosophy is, or, to go back to the elements, what is the difference between attribute and accident.¹ I shall not mention an of the fallacies like ‘ the horns,’ ‘ the heap,’ or ‘ the mower.’ ² “Well, much may your philosophers profit you! Holding as I do that only what is honourable is good, I shall easily stand the slight.

Notes on the current edition

A Feast of Lapithae

1. See Puzzles in Notes.

Lucian Symposium 23

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

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