Lucian of Samosata, Juppiter Tragoedus, Emily James Smith (Translator), 45

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

Timokles

Perhaps you do not hear Zeus thundering, you fighter against the gods?

Damis

Of course I hear the thunder; but as to whether it is Zeus who thunders, your knowledge would be more reliable if you had come from somewhere up there among the gods. For travellers from Crete tell us a different story: that a certain tomb is shown in that country, and beside it stands a pillar telling that Zeus will thunder no more, being long since dead.

Momos

I knew long ago that the man was going to say that. But, Zeus, why have you turned pale? Why do you tremble so that your teeth chatter? You must take heart and despise such manikins.

Zeus

What do you say, Momos? Despise them? Do you not see how large the audience is, and how they are persuaded against us already, and how Damis is leading them away with their ears stopped?

Momos

But, Zeus, if you liked you could let down a rope and

Drag not them alone, but earth, too, and the ocean.

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.) — 45 focus

Τιμοκλῆς

οὐδὲ βροντῶντος ἄρα τοῦ Διὸς ἀκούεις, ὦ θεομάχε Δᾶμι;

Δάμις

καὶ πῶς οὐ μέλλω βροντῆς ἀκούειν, ὦ Τιμόκλεις; εἰ δʼ ὁ Ζεὺς ὁ βροντῶν ἐστι, σὺ ἄμεινον ἂν εἰδείης ἐκεῖθέν ποθεν παρὰ τῶν θεῶν ἀφιγμένος· ἐπεὶ οἵ γε ἐκ Κρήτης ἥκοντες ἄλλα ἡμῖν διηγοῦνται, τάφον τινὰ κεῖθι δείκνυσθαι καὶ στήλην ἐφεστάναι δηλοῦσαν ὡς οὐκέτι βροντήσειεν ἂν ὁ Ζεὺς πάλαι τεθνεώς.

Μῶμος

τοῦτʼ ἐγὼ πρὸ πολλοῦ ἠπιστάμην ἐροῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. τί δʼ οὖν, ὦ Ζεῦ, ὠχρίακας ἡμῖν καὶ συγκροτεῖς τοὺς ὀδόντας ὑπὸ τοῦ τρόμου; θαρρεῖν χρὴ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀνθρωπίσκων καταφρονεῖν.

Ζεύς

τί λέγεις, ὦ Μῶμε; καταφρονεῖν; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσοι ἀκούουσι καὶ ὡς συμπεπεισμένοι εἰσὶν ἤδη καθʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ἀπάγει αὐτοὺς ἀναδησάμενος τῶν ὤτων ὁ Δᾶμις;

Μῶμος

ἀλλὰ σύ, ὦ Ζεῦ, ὁπόταν θελήσῃς, σειρὴν χρυσείην καθεὶς ἅπαντας αὐτοὺς
αὐτῇ κεν γαίῃ ἐρύσαις αὐτῇ τε θαλάσσῃ.

Translations (2)

Zeus Rants Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 45 focus

TIMOCLES

Then can’t you even hear Zeus when he thunders, Damis, you god-fighter?

DAMIS

Why shouldn’t I hear thunder, Timocles? But whether it is Zeus that thunders or not, you no doubt know best, coming as you do from some place or other where the gods live! However, the people who come here from Crete tell us a different tale, that a grave is pointed out there with a tombstone standing upon it which proves that Zeus cannot thunder any more, as he has been dead this long time.

MOMUS

I knew far in advance that the fellow would say that. But why have you become so pale, Zeus, and why do you tremble till your teeth chatter? You should be bold and despise such mannikins.

ZEUS

What’s that you say, Momus? Despise them? don’t you see how many are listening, and how they have already been persuaded against us and he is leading them after him tethered by the ears?

MOMUS

But whenever you like, Zeus, you can let down a cord of gold and

Sway them aloft, with the earth and the sea, too, into the bargain.

Iliad8, 24.

Zeus Tragoedus Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 3. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 45 focus

Timocles

Do you close your ears even to Zeus’s thunder, atheist? Da. I clearly cannot shut out the thunder; whether it is Zeus’s thunder, you know better than I perhaps 5 you may have interviewed the Gods. Travellers from Crete tell another story: there is a tomb there with an inscribed pillar, stating that Zeus is long dead, and not going to thunder any more.

Momus

I could have told you that was coming long ago. What, Zeus? pale? and your teeth chattering?, What is the matter? You should cheer up, and treat such manikins with lofty contempt.

Zeus

Contempt? See what a number of them there is— how set against us they are already—and he has them fast by the ears.

Momus

Well, but you have only to choose, and you can let down your golden cord, and then every man of them With earth and sky and all thou canst draw up.

Lucian of Samosata Juppiter Tragoedus 45

Emily James Smith (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Timokles

Perhaps you do not hear Zeus thundering, you fighter against the gods?

Momos

I knew long ago that the man was going to say that. But, Zeus, why have you turned pale? Why do you tremble so that your teeth chatter? You must take heart and despise such manikins.

Zeus

What do you say, Momos? Despise them? Do you not see how large the audience is, and how they are persuaded against us already, and how Damis is leading them away with their ears stopped?

Momos

But, Zeus, if you liked you could let down a rope and

Drag not them alone, but earth, too, and the ocean.

Current edition Perseus

Τιμοκλῆς

οὐδὲ βροντῶντος ἄρα τοῦ Διὸς ἀκούεις, ὦ θεομάχε Δᾶμι;

Ζεύς

τί λέγεις, ὦ Μῶμε; καταφρονεῖν; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσοι ἀκούουσι καὶ ὡς συμπεπεισμένοι εἰσὶν ἤδη καθʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ἀπάγει αὐτοὺς ἀναδησάμενος τῶν ὤτων ὁ Δᾶμις;

Μῶμος

ἀλλὰ σύ, ὦ Ζεῦ, ὁπόταν θελήσῃς, σειρὴν χρυσείην καθεὶς ἅπαντας αὐτοὺς
αὐτῇ κεν γαίῃ ἐρύσαις αὐτῇ τε θαλάσσῃ.

TIMOCLES

Then can’t you even hear Zeus when he thunders, Damis, you god-fighter?

MOMUS

I knew far in advance that the fellow would say that. But why have you become so pale, Zeus, and why do you tremble till your teeth chatter? You should be bold and despise such mannikins.

ZEUS

What’s that you say, Momus? Despise them? don’t you see how many are listening, and how they have already been persuaded against us and he is leading them after him tethered by the ears?

MOMUS

But whenever you like, Zeus, you can let down a cord of gold and

Sway them aloft, with the earth and the sea, too, into the bargain.

Iliad8, 24.

Momus

I could have told you that was coming long ago. What, Zeus? pale? and your teeth chattering?, What is the matter? You should cheer up, and treat such manikins with lofty contempt.

Zeus

Contempt? See what a number of them there is— how set against us they are already—and he has them fast by the ears.

Momus

Well, but you have only to choose, and you can let down your golden cord, and then every man of them With earth and sky and all thou canst draw up.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Timokles Perhaps you do not hear Zeus thundering, you fighter against the gods?

Momos I knew long ago that the man was going to say that. But, Zeus, why have you turned pale? Why do you tremble so that your teeth chatter? You must take heart and despise such manikins.

Zeus What do you say, Momos? Despise them? Do you not see how large the audience is, and how they are persuaded against us already, and how Damis is leading them away with their ears stopped?

Momos But, Zeus, if you liked you could let down a rope and Drag not them alone, but earth, too, and the ocean.

Current edition Perseus

Τιμοκλῆς οὐδὲ βροντῶντος ἄρα τοῦ Διὸς ἀκούεις, ὦ θεομάχε Δᾶμι;

Ζεύς τί λέγεις, ὦ Μῶμε; καταφρονεῖν; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσοι ἀκούουσι καὶ ὡς συμπεπεισμένοι εἰσὶν ἤδη καθʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ἀπάγει αὐτοὺς ἀναδησάμενος τῶν ὤτων ὁ Δᾶμις;

Μῶμος ἀλλὰ σύ, ὦ Ζεῦ, ὁπόταν θελήσῃς, σειρὴν χρυσείην καθεὶς ἅπαντας αὐτοὺς αὐτῇ κεν γαίῃ ἐρύσαις αὐτῇ τε θαλάσσῃ.

TIMOCLES Then can’t you even hear Zeus when he thunders, Damis, you god-fighter?

MOMUS I knew far in advance that the fellow would say that. But why have you become so pale, Zeus, and why do you tremble till your teeth chatter? You should be bold and despise such mannikins.

ZEUS What’s that you say, Momus? Despise them? don’t you see how many are listening, and how they have already been persuaded against us and he is leading them after him tethered by the ears?

MOMUS But whenever you like, Zeus, you can let down a cord of gold and Sway them aloft, with the earth and the sea, too, into the bargain. Iliad8, 24.

Momus I could have told you that was coming long ago. What, Zeus? pale? and your teeth chattering?, What is the matter? You should cheer up, and treat such manikins with lofty contempt.

Zeus Contempt? See what a number of them there is— how set against us they are already—and he has them fast by the ears.

Momus Well, but you have only to choose, and you can let down your golden cord, and then every man of them With earth and sky and all thou canst draw up.

Stable identifiers

Timokles

Perhaps you do not hear Zeus thundering, you fighter against the gods?

Momos

I knew long ago that the man was going to say that. But, Zeus, why have you turned pale? Why do you tremble so that your teeth chatter? You must take heart and despise such manikins.

Zeus

What do you say, Momos? Despise them? Do you not see how large the audience is, and how they are persuaded against us already, and how Damis is leading them away with their ears stopped?

Momos

But, Zeus, if you liked you could let down a rope and

Drag not them alone, but earth, too, and the ocean.

Τιμοκλῆς

οὐδὲ βροντῶντος ἄρα τοῦ Διὸς ἀκούεις, ὦ θεομάχε Δᾶμι;

Ζεύς

τί λέγεις, ὦ Μῶμε; καταφρονεῖν; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσοι ἀκούουσι καὶ ὡς συμπεπεισμένοι εἰσὶν ἤδη καθʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ἀπάγει αὐτοὺς ἀναδησάμενος τῶν ὤτων ὁ Δᾶμις;

Μῶμος

ἀλλὰ σύ, ὦ Ζεῦ, ὁπόταν θελήσῃς, σειρὴν χρυσείην καθεὶς ἅπαντας αὐτοὺς
αὐτῇ κεν γαίῃ ἐρύσαις αὐτῇ τε θαλάσσῃ.

TIMOCLES

Then can’t you even hear Zeus when he thunders, Damis, you god-fighter?

MOMUS

I knew far in advance that the fellow would say that. But why have you become so pale, Zeus, and why do you tremble till your teeth chatter? You should be bold and despise such mannikins.

ZEUS

What’s that you say, Momus? Despise them? don’t you see how many are listening, and how they have already been persuaded against us and he is leading them after him tethered by the ears?

MOMUS

But whenever you like, Zeus, you can let down a cord of gold and

Sway them aloft, with the earth and the sea, too, into the bargain.

Iliad8, 24.

Momus

I could have told you that was coming long ago. What, Zeus? pale? and your teeth chattering?, What is the matter? You should cheer up, and treat such manikins with lofty contempt.

Zeus

Contempt? See what a number of them there is— how set against us they are already—and he has them fast by the ears.

Momus

Well, but you have only to choose, and you can let down your golden cord, and then every man of them With earth and sky and all thou canst draw up.