ZEUS
What’s that you say? Don’t you believe that there are any punishments and rewards, and a court where each man’s life is scrutinized!
What’s that you say? Don’t you believe that there are any punishments and rewards, and a court where each man’s life is scrutinized!
CYNISCUS
I hear that somebody named Minos, a Cretan, acts as judge in such matters down below. And please answer me a question on his behalf, for he is your son, they say.
I hear that somebody named Minos, a Cretan, acts as judge in such matters down below. And please answer me a question on his behalf, for he is your son, they say.
ZEUS
What have you to ask him, Cyniscus?
What have you to ask him, Cyniscus?
CYNISCUS
Whom does he punish principally?
Whom does he punish principally?
ZEUS
wicked, of course, such as murderers and temple-robbers.
wicked, of course, such as murderers and temple-robbers.
CYNISCUS
And whom does he send to join the heroes?
And whom does he send to join the heroes?
ZEUS
Those who were good and pious and lived virtuously.
Those who were good and pious and lived virtuously.
CYNISCUS
Why is that, Zeus?
Why is that, Zeus?
ZEUS
Because the latter deserve reward and the former punishment.
Because the latter deserve reward and the former punishment.
CYNISCUS
But if a man should do a dreadful thing unintentionally, would he think it right to punish him like the others?
But if a man should do a dreadful thing unintentionally, would he think it right to punish him like the others?
ZEUS
Not by any means.
Not by any means.
CYNISCUS
I suppose, then, if a man did something good unintentionally, he would not think fit to reward him, either?
I suppose, then, if a man did something good unintentionally, he would not think fit to reward him, either?
ZEUS
Certainly not!
Certainly not!
CYNISCUS
Then, Zeus, he ought not to reward or punish anyone.
Then, Zeus, he ought not to reward or punish anyone.
ZEUS
Why not?
Why not?
CYNISCUS
Because we men do nothing of our own accord. but only at the behest of some inevitable necessity, if what you previously admitted is true, that Fate is the cause of everything If a man slay, it is she who slays, and if he rob temples, he only does it under orders. Therefore if Minos were to judge justly, he would punish Destiny instead of Sisyphus and Fate instead of Tantalus, for what wrong did they do in obeying orders?
Because we men do nothing of our own accord. but only at the behest of some inevitable necessity, if what you previously admitted is true, that Fate is the cause of everything If a man slay, it is she who slays, and if he rob temples, he only does it under orders. Therefore if Minos were to judge justly, he would punish Destiny instead of Sisyphus and Fate instead of Tantalus, for what wrong did they do in obeying orders?
Juppiter Confutatus. Lucian of Samosata. Austin Morris Harmon (Translator). United States. Perseus 5.0.
Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.