Lucian of Samosata, Juppiter Tragoedus, Emily James Smith (Translator), 31

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Apollo

Hear now the word divine, declared by the prophet Apollo

Dealing with shuddering strife that men wage, shrill with their screaming,

Armed cap-a-pie with words, with arguments well-compacted.

Hither and yon with the clucking that shifts to the side of the victor

Strike they and bear to earth the towering stern of the plow-tail.

Yet, when the locust shall fall 'neath the crooked claw of the vulture,

Then the rain - bringing crows shall utter their ultimate portent.

Victory lies with the mules, but the ass shall butt his fleet children.

Zeus

Why do you burst out laughing at this, Momus? Surely there is nothing humorous in our present situation. Stop, wretch, or you will choke with laughing.

Momos

How can I help laughing at such a clear, straightforward oracle?

Zeus

Then, perhaps, you will kindly interpret to us what he says.

Momos

It is perfectly plain, so that we shall not need Themistokles. The oracle says clearly that the seer is a juggler and that we are packasses, by Zeus! and mules to believe in him, with not the wit of a locust among us.

Juppiter Tragoedus. Lucian of Samosata. Emily James Smith (Translator). Medford, MA. Perseus 5.0.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

Ζεὺς Τραγῳδός Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 31 focus

Ἀπόλλων

κέκλυτε μαντιπόλου τόδε θέσφατον Ἀπόλλωνος

ἀμφʼ ἔριδος κρυερῆς, τὴν ἀνέρες ἐστήσαντο

ὀξυβόαι, μύθοισι κορυσσόμενοι πυκινοῖσι.

πολλὰ γὰρ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα μόθου ἑτεραλκέϊ κλωγμῷ

ταρφέος ἄκρα κόρυμβα καταπλήσσουσιν ἐχέτλης.

ἀλλʼ ὅταν αἰγυπιὸς γαμψώνυχος ἀκρίδα μάρψῃ,

δὴ τότε λοίσθιον ὀμβροφόροι κλάγξουσι κορῶναι.

νίκη δʼ ἡμιόνων, ὁ δʼ ὄνος θοὰ τέκνα κορύψει.

Ζεύς

τί τοῦτο ἀνεκάγχασας, ὦ Μῶμε; καὶ μὴν οὐ γελοῖα τὰ ἐν ποσί· παῦσαι κακόδαιμον, ἀποπνιγήσῃ ὑπὸ τοῦ γέλωτος.

Μῶμος

καὶ πῶς δυνατόν, ὦ Ζεῦ, ἐφʼ οὕτω σαφεῖ καὶ προδήλῳ τῷ χρησμῷ;

Ζεύς

οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμῖν ἤδη ἑρμηνεύοις ἂν αὐτὸν ὅ τι καὶ λέγει.

Μῶμος

πάνυ πρόδηλα, ὥστε οὐδὲν ἡμῖν Θεμιστοκλέους δεήσει· φησὶ γὰρ τὸ λόγιον οὑτωσὶ διαρρήδην γόητα μὲν εἶναι τοῦτον, ὑμᾶς δὲ ὄνους κανθηλίους νὴ Δία καὶ ἡμιόνους, τοὺς πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ, οὐδʼ ὅσον αἱ ἀκρίδες τὸν νοῦν ἔχοντας.

Translations (2)

Zeus Rants Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 31 focus

APOLLO

Hark to the words of the prophet, oracular words of Apollo,

Touching the shivery strife in which heroes are facing each other.

Loudly they shout in the battle, and fast-flying words are their weapons;

Many a blow while the hisses of conflict are ebbing and flowing

This way and that shall be dealt on the crest of the plowtail stubborn;

Yet when the hook-taloned vulture the grasshopper grips in his clutches,

Then shall the rainbearing crows make an end of their cawing forever:

Vict’ry shall go to the mules, and the ass will rejoice in his offspring!

ZEUS

What are you guffawing about, Momus? Surely there is nothing to laugh at in the situation we are facing. Stop, hang you! You'll choke yourself to death with your laughing.

MOMUS

How can I, Zeus, when the oracle is so clear and manifest?

ZEUS

Well then, suppose you tell us what in the world it means.

MOMUS

It is quite manifest, so that we shan’t need a Themistocles.¹. The prophecy says as plainly as you please that this fellow is a humbug and that you who believe in him are pack-asses and mules, without as much sense as grasshoppers.

Zeus Tragoedus Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 3. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 31 focus

Apollo

Who lists may hear Apollo’s soothfast rede

Of stiff debate, heroic challenge ringing.

Shrill, and each headpiece lined with fence of proof..

Alternate clack the strokes in whirling strife;.

Sore buffeted, quakes and shivers heart of oak..

But when grasshopper feels the vulture’s talons,.

Then the storm-boding ravens croak their last,.

Prevail the mules, butts his swift foals the ass..

Zeus

Why that ribald laughter, Momus? It is no laughing matter. Stop, stop, fool; you'll choke yourself.

Momus

Well, such a clear simple oracle puts one in spirits.

Zeus

Indeed? Then perhaps you will kindly expound it.

Momus

No need of a Themistocles this time; it is absolutely plain. The oracle just says in so many words that he is a quack, and we pack-asses (quite true) and mules to believe in him; we have not as much sense, it adds, as a grasshopper.

Lucian of Samosata Juppiter Tragoedus 31

Emily James Smith (Translator)

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Zeus

Why do you burst out laughing at this, Momus? Surely there is nothing humorous in our present situation. Stop, wretch, or you will choke with laughing.

Momos

How can I help laughing at such a clear, straightforward oracle?

Zeus

Then, perhaps, you will kindly interpret to us what he says.

Momos

It is perfectly plain, so that we shall not need Themistokles. The oracle says clearly that the seer is a juggler and that we are packasses, by Zeus! and mules to believe in him, with not the wit of a locust among us.

Current edition Perseus

Ζεύς

τί τοῦτο ἀνεκάγχασας, ὦ Μῶμε; καὶ μὴν οὐ γελοῖα τὰ ἐν ποσί· παῦσαι κακόδαιμον, ἀποπνιγήσῃ ὑπὸ τοῦ γέλωτος.

Μῶμος

καὶ πῶς δυνατόν, ὦ Ζεῦ, ἐφʼ οὕτω σαφεῖ καὶ προδήλῳ τῷ χρησμῷ;

Ζεύς

οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμῖν ἤδη ἑρμηνεύοις ἂν αὐτὸν ὅ τι καὶ λέγει.

ZEUS

What are you guffawing about, Momus? Surely there is nothing to laugh at in the situation we are facing. Stop, hang you! You'll choke yourself to death with your laughing.

MOMUS

How can I, Zeus, when the oracle is so clear and manifest?

ZEUS

Well then, suppose you tell us what in the world it means.

MOMUS

It is quite manifest, so that we shan’t need a Themistocles.¹. The prophecy says as plainly as you please that this fellow is a humbug and that you who believe in him are pack-asses and mules, without as much sense as grasshoppers.

Zeus

Why that ribald laughter, Momus? It is no laughing matter. Stop, stop, fool; you'll choke yourself.

Momus

Well, such a clear simple oracle puts one in spirits.

Zeus

Indeed? Then perhaps you will kindly expound it.

Momus

No need of a Themistocles this time; it is absolutely plain. The oracle just says in so many words that he is a quack, and we pack-asses (quite true) and mules to believe in him; we have not as much sense, it adds, as a grasshopper.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Zeus Why do you burst out laughing at this, Momus? Surely there is nothing humorous in our present situation. Stop, wretch, or you will choke with laughing.

Momos How can I help laughing at such a clear, straightforward oracle?

Zeus Then, perhaps, you will kindly interpret to us what he says.

Momos It is perfectly plain, so that we shall not need Themistokles. The oracle says clearly that the seer is a juggler and that we are packasses, by Zeus! and mules to believe in him, with not the wit of a locust among us.

Current edition Perseus

Ζεύς τί τοῦτο ἀνεκάγχασας, ὦ Μῶμε; καὶ μὴν οὐ γελοῖα τὰ ἐν ποσί· παῦσαι κακόδαιμον, ἀποπνιγήσῃ ὑπὸ τοῦ γέλωτος.

Μῶμος καὶ πῶς δυνατόν, ὦ Ζεῦ, ἐφʼ οὕτω σαφεῖ καὶ προδήλῳ τῷ χρησμῷ;

Ζεύς οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμῖν ἤδη ἑρμηνεύοις ἂν αὐτὸν ὅ τι καὶ λέγει.

ZEUS What are you guffawing about, Momus? Surely there is nothing to laugh at in the situation we are facing. Stop, hang you! You'll choke yourself to death with your laughing.

MOMUS How can I, Zeus, when the oracle is so clear and manifest?

ZEUS Well then, suppose you tell us what in the world it means.

MOMUS It is quite manifest, so that we shan’t need a Themistocles. 1 . The prophecy says as plainly as you please that this fellow is a humbug and that you who believe in him are pack-asses and mules, without as much sense as grasshoppers.

Zeus Why that ribald laughter, Momus? It is no laughing matter. Stop, stop, fool; you'll choke yourself.

Momus Well, such a clear simple oracle puts one in spirits.

Zeus Indeed? Then perhaps you will kindly expound it.

Momus No need of a Themistocles this time; it is absolutely plain. The oracle just says in so many words that he is a quack, and we pack-asses (quite true) and mules to believe in him; we have not as much sense, it adds, as a grasshopper.

Stable identifiers

Zeus

Why do you burst out laughing at this, Momus? Surely there is nothing humorous in our present situation. Stop, wretch, or you will choke with laughing.

Momos

How can I help laughing at such a clear, straightforward oracle?

Zeus

Then, perhaps, you will kindly interpret to us what he says.

Momos

It is perfectly plain, so that we shall not need Themistokles. The oracle says clearly that the seer is a juggler and that we are packasses, by Zeus! and mules to believe in him, with not the wit of a locust among us.

Ζεύς

τί τοῦτο ἀνεκάγχασας, ὦ Μῶμε; καὶ μὴν οὐ γελοῖα τὰ ἐν ποσί· παῦσαι κακόδαιμον, ἀποπνιγήσῃ ὑπὸ τοῦ γέλωτος.

Μῶμος

καὶ πῶς δυνατόν, ὦ Ζεῦ, ἐφʼ οὕτω σαφεῖ καὶ προδήλῳ τῷ χρησμῷ;

Ζεύς

οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμῖν ἤδη ἑρμηνεύοις ἂν αὐτὸν ὅ τι καὶ λέγει.

ZEUS

What are you guffawing about, Momus? Surely there is nothing to laugh at in the situation we are facing. Stop, hang you! You'll choke yourself to death with your laughing.

MOMUS

How can I, Zeus, when the oracle is so clear and manifest?

ZEUS

Well then, suppose you tell us what in the world it means.

MOMUS

It is quite manifest, so that we shan’t need a Themistocles.¹. The prophecy says as plainly as you please that this fellow is a humbug and that you who believe in him are pack-asses and mules, without as much sense as grasshoppers.

Zeus

Why that ribald laughter, Momus? It is no laughing matter. Stop, stop, fool; you'll choke yourself.

Momus

Well, such a clear simple oracle puts one in spirits.

Zeus

Indeed? Then perhaps you will kindly expound it.

Momus

No need of a Themistocles this time; it is absolutely plain. The oracle just says in so many words that he is a quack, and we pack-asses (quite true) and mules to believe in him; we have not as much sense, it adds, as a grasshopper.