Lucian, Gallus, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 28

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Micyllus

It may be as you say. But, cock (I don’t mind making a clean breast of it to you), I have had a fancy all my life for being rich, and I am as bad as ever; nay, worse, for there is the dream, still flaunting its gold before my eyes; and that confounded Simon, too,—it chokes me to think of him rolling in luxury.

Cock

V’'ll put that right. It is still dark, get up and come with me. You shall pay a visit to Simon and other rich men, and see how things stand with them.

Micyllus

But the doors are locked. Would you have me break in?

Cock

Oh no; but I have a certain privilege from Hermes, my patron: you see my longest tail-feather, the curling one that hangs down,—

Micyllus

There are two curling ones that hang down.

Cock

The one on the right. By allowing any one to pluck out that feather and carry it, I give him the power, for as long as I like, of opening all doors and seeing everything, himself unseen.

Micyllus

Cock, you are a positive conjurer. Only give me the feather, and it shall not be long before Simon’s wealth shifts its quarters; I’ll slip in and make a clean sweep. His teeth shall tug leather again.

Cock

That must not be. I have my instructions from Hermes, and if my feather is put to any such purpose, I am to call out and expose the offender.

Micyllus

Hermes, of all people, grudge a man a little thievery? I'll not believe it of him. However, let us start; I promise not to touch the gold ... if I can help it.

Cock

You must pluck out the feather first. ... What’s this? You have taken both!

Micyllus

Better to be on the safe side. And it would look so bad to have one half of your tail gone and not the other.

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

Current edition Perseus

The Cock (English) (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 3. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.)

Editions (1)

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

Μίκυλλος

ἀληθῆ ἴσως ταῦτα, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών. ἐγὼ δὲ ὃ πέπονθα οὐκ αἰσχύνομαι πρὸς σὲ εἰπεῖν· οὐδέπω δύναμαι ἀπομαθεῖν τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἣν ἐκ παίδων εἶχον πλούσιος γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τοὐνύπνιον ἔτι πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἕστηκεν ἐπιδεικνύμενον τὸ χρυσίον, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῷ καταράτῳ Σίμωνι ἀποπνίγομαι τρυφῶντι ἐν ἀγαθοῖς τοσούτοις.

Ἀλεκτρυών

ἐγώ σε ἰάσομαι, ὦ Μίκυλλε· καὶ ἐπείπερ ἔτι νύξ ἐστιν, ἐξαναστὰς ἕπου μοι· ἀπάξω γάρ σε παρʼ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον τὸν Σίμωνα καὶ εἰς τὰς τῶν ἄλλων πλουσίων οἰκίας. ὡς ἴδοις οἷα τὰ παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐστι.

Μίκυλλος

πῶς τοῦτο, κεκλεισμένων τῶν θυρῶν; εἰ μὴ καὶ τοιχωρυχεῖν γε σύ με ἀναγκάσεις.

Ἀλεκτρυών

οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλʼ ὁ Ἑρμῆς, οὗπερ ἱερός εἰμι, ἐξαίρετον ἔδωκέ μοι τοῦτο, ἤν τις τὸ οὐραῖον πτερὸν τὸ μήκιστον, ὃ διʼ ἁπαλότητα ἐπικαμπές ἐστι —

Μίκυλλος

δύο δʼ ἔστι σοι τοιαῦτα.

Ἀλεκτρυών

τὸ δεξιὸν τοίνυν ὅτῳ ἂν ἐγὼ ἀποσπάσαι παράσχω καὶ ἔχειν,¹ ἐς ὅσον ἂν βούλωμαι ἀνοίγειν τε ὁ τοιοῦτος πᾶσαν θύραν δύναται καὶ ὁρᾶν ἅπαντα οὐχ ὁρώμενος αὐτός.

Μίκυλλος

ἐλελήθεις με, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών, καὶ σὺ γόης ὤν. ἐμοὶ δʼ οὖν ἢν τοῦτο ἅπαξ παράσχῃς, ὄψει τὰ Σίμωνος πάντα ἐν βραχεῖ δεῦρο μετενηνεγμένα· μετοίσω γὰρ αὐτὰ παρεισελθών, ὁ δὲ αὖθις περιτρώξεται ἀποτείνων τὰ καττύματα.

Ἀλεκτρυών

οὐ θέμις γενέσθαι τοῦτο· παρήγγειλε γὰρ ὁ Ἑρμῆς, ἤν τι τοιοῦτον ἐργάσηται ὁ ἔχων τὸ πτερόν, ἀναβοήσαντά με καταφωρᾶσαι αὐτόν.

Μίκυλλος

ἀπίθανον λέγεις, κλέπτην τὸν Ἑρμῆν αὐτὸν ὄντα τοῖς ἄλλοις φθονεῖν τοῦ τοιούτου. ἀπίωμεν δʼ ὅμως· ἀφέξομαι γὰρ τοῦ χρυσίου, ἢν δύνωμαι.

Ἀλεκτρυών

ἀπότιλον, ὦ Μίκυλλε, πρότερον τὸ πτίλον τί τοῦτο; ἄμφω ἀπέτιλας.

Μίκυλλος

ἀσφαλέστερον οὕτως, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών, καὶ σοὶ ἧττον ἂν ἄμορφον τὸ πρᾶγμα εἴη, ὡς μὴ χωλεύοις διὰ θάτερον τῆς οὐρᾶς μέρος.

Translations (2)

The Dream, or the Cock Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 28 focus

MICYLLUS

No doubt that is true, cock. But as to myself, I am not ashamed to tell you how I feel. I am not yet able to unlearn the desire of becoming rich that [have had since my boyhood. My dream, too, still stands before my eyes displaying its gold; and above all I am choking with envy of that confounded Simon, who is revelling in so many blessings.

COCK

I will cure you, Micyllus. As it is still night, get up and follow me; I will take you to visit Simon and to the house of the other rich men, so that you may see what their establishments are like.

MICYLLUS

How can you do it when their doors are locked? You aren't going to make me be a burglar?

COCK

Not by any means. But Hermes, to whom IT am consecrated, gave me this privilege, that if my longest tail feather, the one that is so pliant that it curls—

MICYLLUS

You have two like that.

COCK

It is the one on the right, and if I permit any man to pull it out and keep it, that man, as long as I choose, can open every door and see everything without being seen himself.

MICYLLUS

I didn’t realize, cock, that you yourself were a conjurer. Well, if you only let me have it, you shall see all Simon’s possessions brought over here in a jiffy: Pl slip in and bring them over, and he will once more eat his leather as he stretches it.¹

COCK

That is impossible, for Hermes ordered me, if the man who had the feather did anything of that sort, to uplift my voice and expose him.

MICYLLUS

It is hard to believe what you say, that Hermes, himself a thief, begrudges others the same privilege. But let’s be off just the same; I'll keep my hands off the gold if I can.

COCK

First pluck the feather out, Micyllus . . . What's this? You have pulled them both out!

MICYLLUS

It is safer to do so, cock, and it will spoil your beauty less, preventing you from being crippled on one side of your tail.

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

Mikyllos

Probably this is all very true, Cock, but I will confess my case to you without shame. I am still unable to rid my mind of the longing I have had from childhood to be a rich man. In fact, the dream still stands before my eyes pointing to gold, and, most of all, it chokes me to think of that confounded Simon revelling in such goodfortune.

Cock

I will cure you, Mikyllos. It is still night, so get up and come with me. I will take you to see Simon and into the houses of the other rich men, to show you how things are with them.

Mikyllos

How can you? The doors are locked. You are not going to make a burglar of me, are you?

Cock

Heaven forbid; but Hermes, whose sacred bird I am, bestowed on me this special gift: if my longest tail-feather, the one that curls because it is so soft, be-

Mikyllos

But you have two like that!

Cock

The man whom I permit to pluck the right hand one and keep it will be able to open any door and see everything, himself unseen, as long as I am willing.

Mikyllos

I did not know, Cock, that you are a sorcerer, too. Now if you will give me this chance once, you will soon see all Simon's wealth transferred to this house; for if I can make my way in I will carry it off, and then he will have to come back to his lasts and nibble for a living.

Cock

That is not permitted. Hermes commanded me, if the holder of the feather should do anything of the sort, to give the alarm and have him caught in the theft.

Mykillos

That is a likely story! Hermes, a thief himself, begrudges theft to others! However, let us be off. I will keep my hands off the gold if I can.

Cock

First, Mikyllos, pluck the soft feather. What are you doing? You have plucked them both!

Mykillos

To be on the safe side, Cock. And you will look better so. Your tail will be more symmetrical.

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Cock V’'ll put that right. It is still dark, get up and come with me. You shall pay a visit to Simon and other rich men, and see how things stand with them.

Micyllus But the doors are locked. Would you have me break in?

Cock Oh no; but I have a certain privilege from Hermes, my patron: you see my longest tail-feather, the curling one that hangs down,—

Micyllus There are two curling ones that hang down.

Cock The one on the right. By allowing any one to pluck out that feather and carry it, I give him the power, for as long as I like, of opening all doors and seeing everything, himself unseen.

Micyllus Cock, you are a positive conjurer. Only give me the feather, and it shall not be long before Simon’s wealth shifts its quarters; I’ll slip in and make a clean sweep. His teeth shall tug leather again.

Cock That must not be. I have my instructions from Hermes, and if my feather is put to any such purpose, I am to call out and expose the offender.

Micyllus Hermes, of all people, grudge a man a little thievery? I'll not believe it of him. However, let us start; I promise not to touch the gold ... if I can help it.

Cock You must pluck out the feather first. ... What’s this? You have taken both!

Micyllus Better to be on the safe side. And it would look so bad to have one half of your tail gone and not the other.

Current edition Perseus

Μίκυλλος πῶς τοῦτο, κεκλεισμένων τῶν θυρῶν; εἰ μὴ καὶ τοιχωρυχεῖν γε σύ με ἀναγκάσεις.

Ἀλεκτρυών οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλʼ ὁ Ἑρμῆς, οὗπερ ἱερός εἰμι, ἐξαίρετον ἔδωκέ μοι τοῦτο, ἤν τις τὸ οὐραῖον πτερὸν τὸ μήκιστον, ὃ διʼ ἁπαλότητα ἐπικαμπές ἐστι —

Μίκυλλος δύο δʼ ἔστι σοι τοιαῦτα.

Ἀλεκτρυών οὐ θέμις γενέσθαι τοῦτο· παρήγγειλε γὰρ ὁ Ἑρμῆς, ἤν τι τοιοῦτον ἐργάσηται ὁ ἔχων τὸ πτερόν, ἀναβοήσαντά με καταφωρᾶσαι αὐτόν.

Μίκυλλος ἀπίθανον λέγεις, κλέπτην τὸν Ἑρμῆν αὐτὸν ὄντα τοῖς ἄλλοις φθονεῖν τοῦ τοιούτου. ἀπίωμεν δʼ ὅμως· ἀφέξομαι γὰρ τοῦ χρυσίου, ἢν δύνωμαι.

Ἀλεκτρυών ἀπότιλον, ὦ Μίκυλλε, πρότερον τὸ πτίλον τί τοῦτο; ἄμφω ἀπέτιλας.

Μίκυλλος ἀσφαλέστερον οὕτως, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών, καὶ σοὶ ἧττον ἂν ἄμορφον τὸ πρᾶγμα εἴη, ὡς μὴ χωλεύοις διὰ θάτερον τῆς οὐρᾶς μέρος.

COCK I will cure you, Micyllus. As it is still night, get up and follow me; I will take you to visit Simon and to the house of the other rich men, so that you may see what their establishments are like.

MICYLLUS How can you do it when their doors are locked? You aren't going to make me be a burglar?

COCK Not by any means. But Hermes, to whom IT am consecrated, gave me this privilege, that if my longest tail feather, the one that is so pliant that it curls—

MICYLLUS You have two like that.

COCK It is the one on the right, and if I permit any man to pull it out and keep it, that man, as long as I choose, can open every door and see everything without being seen himself.

MICYLLUS I didn’t realize, cock, that you yourself were a conjurer. Well, if you only let me have it, you shall see all Simon’s possessions brought over here in a jiffy: Pl slip in and bring them over, and he will once more eat his leather as he stretches it. 1

COCK That is impossible, for Hermes ordered me, if the man who had the feather did anything of that sort, to uplift my voice and expose him.

MICYLLUS It is hard to believe what you say, that Hermes, himself a thief, begrudges others the same privilege. But let’s be off just the same; I'll keep my hands off the gold if I can.

COCK First pluck the feather out, Micyllus . . . What's this? You have pulled them both out!

MICYLLUS It is safer to do so, cock, and it will spoil your beauty less, preventing you from being crippled on one side of your tail.

Cock I will cure you, Mikyllos. It is still night, so get up and come with me. I will take you to see Simon and into the houses of the other rich men, to show you how things are with them.

Mikyllos How can you? The doors are locked. You are not going to make a burglar of me, are you?

Cock Heaven forbid; but Hermes, whose sacred bird I am, bestowed on me this special gift: if my longest tail-feather, the one that curls because it is so soft, be-

Mikyllos But you have two like that!

Cock The man whom I permit to pluck the right hand one and keep it will be able to open any door and see everything, himself unseen, as long as I am willing.

Mikyllos I did not know, Cock, that you are a sorcerer, too. Now if you will give me this chance once, you will soon see all Simon's wealth transferred to this house; for if I can make my way in I will carry it off, and then he will have to come back to his lasts and nibble for a living.

Cock That is not permitted. Hermes commanded me, if the holder of the feather should do anything of the sort, to give the alarm and have him caught in the theft.

Mykillos That is a likely story! Hermes, a thief himself, begrudges theft to others! However, let us be off. I will keep my hands off the gold if I can.

Cock First, Mikyllos, pluck the soft feather. What are you doing? You have plucked them both!

Mykillos To be on the safe side, Cock. And you will look better so. Your tail will be more symmetrical.

Stable identifiers

Cock

V’'ll put that right. It is still dark, get up and come with me. You shall pay a visit to Simon and other rich men, and see how things stand with them.

Micyllus

But the doors are locked. Would you have me break in?

Cock

Oh no; but I have a certain privilege from Hermes, my patron: you see my longest tail-feather, the curling one that hangs down,—

Micyllus

There are two curling ones that hang down.

Cock

The one on the right. By allowing any one to pluck out that feather and carry it, I give him the power, for as long as I like, of opening all doors and seeing everything, himself unseen.

Micyllus

Cock, you are a positive conjurer. Only give me the feather, and it shall not be long before Simon’s wealth shifts its quarters; I’ll slip in and make a clean sweep. His teeth shall tug leather again.

Cock

That must not be. I have my instructions from Hermes, and if my feather is put to any such purpose, I am to call out and expose the offender.

Micyllus

Hermes, of all people, grudge a man a little thievery? I'll not believe it of him. However, let us start; I promise not to touch the gold ... if I can help it.

Cock

You must pluck out the feather first. ... What’s this? You have taken both!

Micyllus

Better to be on the safe side. And it would look so bad to have one half of your tail gone and not the other.

Μίκυλλος

πῶς τοῦτο, κεκλεισμένων τῶν θυρῶν; εἰ μὴ καὶ τοιχωρυχεῖν γε σύ με ἀναγκάσεις.

Ἀλεκτρυών

οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλʼ ὁ Ἑρμῆς, οὗπερ ἱερός εἰμι, ἐξαίρετον ἔδωκέ μοι τοῦτο, ἤν τις τὸ οὐραῖον πτερὸν τὸ μήκιστον, ὃ διʼ ἁπαλότητα ἐπικαμπές ἐστι —

Μίκυλλος

δύο δʼ ἔστι σοι τοιαῦτα.

Ἀλεκτρυών

οὐ θέμις γενέσθαι τοῦτο· παρήγγειλε γὰρ ὁ Ἑρμῆς, ἤν τι τοιοῦτον ἐργάσηται ὁ ἔχων τὸ πτερόν, ἀναβοήσαντά με καταφωρᾶσαι αὐτόν.

Μίκυλλος

ἀπίθανον λέγεις, κλέπτην τὸν Ἑρμῆν αὐτὸν ὄντα τοῖς ἄλλοις φθονεῖν τοῦ τοιούτου. ἀπίωμεν δʼ ὅμως· ἀφέξομαι γὰρ τοῦ χρυσίου, ἢν δύνωμαι.

Ἀλεκτρυών

ἀπότιλον, ὦ Μίκυλλε, πρότερον τὸ πτίλον τί τοῦτο; ἄμφω ἀπέτιλας.

Μίκυλλος

ἀσφαλέστερον οὕτως, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών, καὶ σοὶ ἧττον ἂν ἄμορφον τὸ πρᾶγμα εἴη, ὡς μὴ χωλεύοις διὰ θάτερον τῆς οὐρᾶς μέρος.

COCK

I will cure you, Micyllus. As it is still night, get up and follow me; I will take you to visit Simon and to the house of the other rich men, so that you may see what their establishments are like.

MICYLLUS

How can you do it when their doors are locked? You aren't going to make me be a burglar?

COCK

Not by any means. But Hermes, to whom IT am consecrated, gave me this privilege, that if my longest tail feather, the one that is so pliant that it curls—

MICYLLUS

You have two like that.

COCK

It is the one on the right, and if I permit any man to pull it out and keep it, that man, as long as I choose, can open every door and see everything without being seen himself.

MICYLLUS

I didn’t realize, cock, that you yourself were a conjurer. Well, if you only let me have it, you shall see all Simon’s possessions brought over here in a jiffy: Pl slip in and bring them over, and he will once more eat his leather as he stretches it.¹

COCK

That is impossible, for Hermes ordered me, if the man who had the feather did anything of that sort, to uplift my voice and expose him.

MICYLLUS

It is hard to believe what you say, that Hermes, himself a thief, begrudges others the same privilege. But let’s be off just the same; I'll keep my hands off the gold if I can.

COCK

First pluck the feather out, Micyllus . . . What's this? You have pulled them both out!

MICYLLUS

It is safer to do so, cock, and it will spoil your beauty less, preventing you from being crippled on one side of your tail.

Cock

I will cure you, Mikyllos. It is still night, so get up and come with me. I will take you to see Simon and into the houses of the other rich men, to show you how things are with them.

Mikyllos

How can you? The doors are locked. You are not going to make a burglar of me, are you?

Cock

Heaven forbid; but Hermes, whose sacred bird I am, bestowed on me this special gift: if my longest tail-feather, the one that curls because it is so soft, be-

Mikyllos

But you have two like that!

Cock

The man whom I permit to pluck the right hand one and keep it will be able to open any door and see everything, himself unseen, as long as I am willing.

Mikyllos

I did not know, Cock, that you are a sorcerer, too. Now if you will give me this chance once, you will soon see all Simon's wealth transferred to this house; for if I can make my way in I will carry it off, and then he will have to come back to his lasts and nibble for a living.

Cock

That is not permitted. Hermes commanded me, if the holder of the feather should do anything of the sort, to give the alarm and have him caught in the theft.

Mykillos

That is a likely story! Hermes, a thief himself, begrudges theft to others! However, let us be off. I will keep my hands off the gold if I can.

Cock

First, Mikyllos, pluck the soft feather. What are you doing? You have plucked them both!

Mykillos

To be on the safe side, Cock. And you will look better so. Your tail will be more symmetrical.