Lucian of Samosata, Gallus, Emily James Smith (Translator), 16

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Cock

How my soul first took its flight from Apollo down to earth, and made its way into the body of a man in expiation of some crime would be over long to tell; and, moreover, it is not lawful for me to speak or you to hear such matters as these. Then I became Euphorbos.

Mikyllos

Tell me this first, have I, too, ever been changed like you?

Cock

Certainly.

Mikyllos

Who was I, then, if you can tell me, for I long to know.

Cock

You? You were an Indian ant of the gold-digging variety.

Mikyllos

Poor devil, why did I hesitate to provide myself with even a few grains when I came from that life to this? But tell me, too, what I am going to be next. Probably you know. If it should be anything good, I will get up forthwith and hang myself from the peg you are standing on.

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

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

The Cock (English) (Lucian. Selections from Lucian. Smith, Emily James, translator. New York: Harper Brothers, 1892.)

Editions (1)

Ὄνειρος ἢ Ἀλεκτρυών Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 16 focus

Ἀλεκτρυών

ὡς μὲν ἐξ Ἀπόλλωνος τὸ πρῶτον ἡ ψυχή μοι καταπταμένη ἐς τὴν γῆν ἐνέδυ ἐς ἀνθρώπου σῶμα ἥντινα τὴν καταδίκην ἐκτελοῦσα, μακρὸν ἂν εἴη λέγειν, ἄλλως τε οὐδὲ ὅσιον οὔτε ἐμοὶ εἰπεῖν οὔτε σοὶ ἀκούειν τὰ τοιαῦτα. ἐπεὶ δὲ Εὔφορβος ἐγενόμην

Μίκυλλος

ἐγὼ δὲ πρό γε τούτου, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τίς ἦν; τοῦτό μοι πρότερον εἰπέ, εἰ κἀγώ ποτε ἠλλάγην ὥσπερ σύ.

Ἀλεκτρυών

καὶ μάλα.

Μίκυλλος

τίς οὖν ἦν, εἴ τι ἔχεις εἰπεῖν; ἐθέλω γὰρ τοῦτο εἰδέναι.

Ἀλεκτρυών

σύ; μύρμηξ Ἰνδικὸς τῶν τὸ χρυσίον ἀνορυττόντων.

Μίκυλλος

εἶτα ὤκνουν ὁ κακοδαίμων κἂν ὀλίγα τῶν ψηγμάτων ἥκειν ἐς τόνδε τὸν βίον ἐξ ἐκείνου ἐπισιτισάμενος; ἀλλὰ καὶ τί μετὰ τοῦτο ἔσομαι, εἰπέ· εἰκὸς γὰρ εἰδέναι σε. εἰ γάρ τι ἀγαθὸν εἴη, ἀπάγξομαι ἤδη ἀναστὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ παττάλου ἐφʼ οὗ σὺ ἕστηκας.

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.) — 16 focus

COCK

How my soul originally left Apollo, flew down to earth and entered into a human body and what sin it was condemned to expiate in that way would make a long story; besides, it is impious either for me to tell or for you to hear such things. But when I became Euphorbus. . .

MICYLLUS

But I,—who was I formerly, wondrous creature? First tell me whether I too was ever transformed like you. Cock Yes, certainly.

MICYLLUS

Then what was I? ‘Tell me if you can, for I want to know.

COCK

You were an Indian ant, one of the gold-digging kind.¹

MICYLLUS

Confound the luck! to think that I did not dare to lay in even a small supply of gold-dust before coming from that life to this! But what shall I be next, tell me? You probably know. If it is anything good, [ll climb up this minute and hang myself from the peg that you are standing on.

The Cock Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 3. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 16 focus

Cock

How my spirit first proceeded from Apollo, and took flight to earth, and entered into a human form, and what was the nature of the crime thus expiated,—all this would take too long to tell; nor is it fitting either for me to speak of such matters or for you to hear of them. I pass to the time when I became Euphorbus,—

Micyllus

Wait a minute: have I ever been changed in this way?

Cock

You have.

Micyllus

Then who was I, do you know? I am curious about that.

Cock

Why, you were an Indian ant, of the gold-digging’ species.

Micyllus

What could induce me, misguided insect that I was, to leave that life without’so much as a grain of gold-dust to supply my needs in this one? And what am I going to be next? I suppose you can tell me. If it is anything good, I’ll hang myself this moment from the very perch on which you stand.

Lucian of Samosata Gallus 16

Emily James Smith (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Cock

How my soul first took its flight from Apollo down to earth, and made its way into the body of a man in expiation of some crime would be over long to tell; and, moreover, it is not lawful for me to speak or you to hear such matters as these. Then I became Euphorbos.

Mikyllos

Tell me this first, have I, too, ever been changed like you?

Cock

Certainly.

Mikyllos

Who was I, then, if you can tell me, for I long to know.

Cock

You? You were an Indian ant of the gold-digging variety.

Mikyllos

Poor devil, why did I hesitate to provide myself with even a few grains when I came from that life to this? But tell me, too, what I am going to be next. Probably you know. If it should be anything good, I will get up forthwith and hang myself from the peg you are standing on.

Current edition Perseus

Μίκυλλος

ἐγὼ δὲ πρό γε τούτου, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τίς ἦν; τοῦτό μοι πρότερον εἰπέ, εἰ κἀγώ ποτε ἠλλάγην ὥσπερ σύ.

Ἀλεκτρυών

καὶ μάλα.

Μίκυλλος

τίς οὖν ἦν, εἴ τι ἔχεις εἰπεῖν; ἐθέλω γὰρ τοῦτο εἰδέναι.

Ἀλεκτρυών

σύ; μύρμηξ Ἰνδικὸς τῶν τὸ χρυσίον ἀνορυττόντων.

COCK

How my soul originally left Apollo, flew down to earth and entered into a human body and what sin it was condemned to expiate in that way would make a long story; besides, it is impious either for me to tell or for you to hear such things. But when I became Euphorbus. . .

MICYLLUS

But I,—who was I formerly, wondrous creature? First tell me whether I too was ever transformed like you. Cock Yes, certainly.

MICYLLUS

Then what was I? ‘Tell me if you can, for I want to know.

COCK

You were an Indian ant, one of the gold-digging kind.¹

MICYLLUS

Confound the luck! to think that I did not dare to lay in even a small supply of gold-dust before coming from that life to this! But what shall I be next, tell me? You probably know. If it is anything good, [ll climb up this minute and hang myself from the peg that you are standing on.

Micyllus

Wait a minute: have I ever been changed in this way?

Cock

You have.

Micyllus

Then who was I, do you know? I am curious about that.

Cock

Why, you were an Indian ant, of the gold-digging’ species.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Cock How my soul first took its flight from Apollo down to earth, and made its way into the body of a man in expiation of some crime would be over long to tell; and, moreover, it is not lawful for me to speak or you to hear such matters as these. Then I became Euphorbos.

Mikyllos Tell me this first, have I, too, ever been changed like you?

Cock Certainly.

Mikyllos Who was I, then, if you can tell me, for I long to know.

Cock You? You were an Indian ant of the gold-digging variety.

Mikyllos Poor devil, why did I hesitate to provide myself with even a few grains when I came from that life to this? But tell me, too, what I am going to be next. Probably you know. If it should be anything good, I will get up forthwith and hang myself from the peg you are standing on.

Current edition Perseus

Μίκυλλος ἐγὼ δὲ πρό γε τούτου, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τίς ἦν; τοῦτό μοι πρότερον εἰπέ, εἰ κἀγώ ποτε ἠλλάγην ὥσπερ σύ.

Ἀλεκτρυών καὶ μάλα.

Μίκυλλος τίς οὖν ἦν, εἴ τι ἔχεις εἰπεῖν; ἐθέλω γὰρ τοῦτο εἰδέναι.

Ἀλεκτρυών σύ; μύρμηξ Ἰνδικὸς τῶν τὸ χρυσίον ἀνορυττόντων.

COCK How my soul originally left Apollo, flew down to earth and entered into a human body and what sin it was condemned to expiate in that way would make a long story; besides, it is impious either for me to tell or for you to hear such things. But when I became Euphorbus. . .

MICYLLUS But I,—who was I formerly, wondrous creature? First tell me whether I too was ever transformed like you. Cock Yes, certainly.

MICYLLUS Then what was I? ‘Tell me if you can, for I want to know.

COCK You were an Indian ant, one of the gold-digging kind. 1

MICYLLUS Confound the luck! to think that I did not dare to lay in even a small supply of gold-dust before coming from that life to this! But what shall I be next, tell me? You probably know. If it is anything good, [ll climb up this minute and hang myself from the peg that you are standing on.

Micyllus Wait a minute: have I ever been changed in this way?

Cock You have.

Micyllus Then who was I, do you know? I am curious about that.

Cock Why, you were an Indian ant, of the gold-digging’ species.

Stable identifiers

Cock

How my soul first took its flight from Apollo down to earth, and made its way into the body of a man in expiation of some crime would be over long to tell; and, moreover, it is not lawful for me to speak or you to hear such matters as these. Then I became Euphorbos.

Mikyllos

Tell me this first, have I, too, ever been changed like you?

Cock

Certainly.

Mikyllos

Who was I, then, if you can tell me, for I long to know.

Cock

You? You were an Indian ant of the gold-digging variety.

Mikyllos

Poor devil, why did I hesitate to provide myself with even a few grains when I came from that life to this? But tell me, too, what I am going to be next. Probably you know. If it should be anything good, I will get up forthwith and hang myself from the peg you are standing on.

Μίκυλλος

ἐγὼ δὲ πρό γε τούτου, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τίς ἦν; τοῦτό μοι πρότερον εἰπέ, εἰ κἀγώ ποτε ἠλλάγην ὥσπερ σύ.

Ἀλεκτρυών

καὶ μάλα.

Μίκυλλος

τίς οὖν ἦν, εἴ τι ἔχεις εἰπεῖν; ἐθέλω γὰρ τοῦτο εἰδέναι.

Ἀλεκτρυών

σύ; μύρμηξ Ἰνδικὸς τῶν τὸ χρυσίον ἀνορυττόντων.

COCK

How my soul originally left Apollo, flew down to earth and entered into a human body and what sin it was condemned to expiate in that way would make a long story; besides, it is impious either for me to tell or for you to hear such things. But when I became Euphorbus. . .

MICYLLUS

But I,—who was I formerly, wondrous creature? First tell me whether I too was ever transformed like you. Cock Yes, certainly.

MICYLLUS

Then what was I? ‘Tell me if you can, for I want to know.

COCK

You were an Indian ant, one of the gold-digging kind.¹

MICYLLUS

Confound the luck! to think that I did not dare to lay in even a small supply of gold-dust before coming from that life to this! But what shall I be next, tell me? You probably know. If it is anything good, [ll climb up this minute and hang myself from the peg that you are standing on.

Micyllus

Wait a minute: have I ever been changed in this way?

Cock

You have.

Micyllus

Then who was I, do you know? I am curious about that.

Cock

Why, you were an Indian ant, of the gold-digging’ species.