Lucian of Samosata, Juppiter Tragoedus, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 28

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MOMUS

You were right, Apollo, in praising people who speak clearly, even though you yourself do not do it at all, for in your oracles you are ambiguous and riddling and you unconcernedly toss most of them into the debatable ground so that your hearers need another Apollo to interpret them. But what do you advise as the next step, what remedy for Timocles’ helplessness in debate?

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

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Zeus Rants (English) (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.)

Editions (1)

Ζεὺς Τραγῳδός Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 28 focus

Μῶμος

τοῦτο μὲν ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἐπαινέσας τοὺς σαφῶς λέγοντας, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάνυ ποιεῖς αὐτὸ σὺ ἐν τοῖς χρησμοῖς λοξὸς ὢν καὶ γριφώδης καὶ ἐς τὸ μεταίχμιον ἀσφαλῶς ἀπορρίπτων τὰ πολλά, ὡς τοὺς ἀκούοντας ἄλλου δεῖσθαι Πυθίου πρὸς τὴν ἐξήγησιν αὐτῶν. ἀτὰρ τί τὸ ἐπὶ τούτῳ συμβουλεύεις; τίνα ἴασιν ποιήσασθαι τῆς Τιμοκλέους ἀδυναμίας ἐν τοῖς λόγοις;

Translations (2)

Zeus Tragoedus Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 3. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 28 focus

Momus

You praise lucidity, Apollo; your theory is excellent, though your practice does not quite conform; your oracles are crooked and enigmatic, and generally rely upon a safe ambiguity; a second prophet is required to say what they mean. But what is your solution of the problem? How are we to cure Timocles of the impediment in his speech? Apol.

Zeus the Tragedian Perseus (Selections from Lucian. Smith, Emily James, translator. New York: Harper Brothers, 1892.) — 28 focus

Momos

What you say in praise of plain-speaking, Apollo, is very just, though you do not practice it very much yourself in your oracles. They are ambiguous and enigmatical, and in a non-commital way throw most things on disputed ground, so that the hearers need another Apollo to tell them what you mean. But what is your advice in this case? How is Timokles's weakness in argument to be cured?

Lucian of Samosata Juppiter Tragoedus 28

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

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