Lucian of Samosata, Timon, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 24

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[24]

HERMES

Yes, that is just about the way of it. But when you go on your own feet, how do you find the way, since you are so blind, and how do you tell who the people are whom Zeus sends you to because he thinks they deserve to be rich?

RICHES

Do you suppose I find the way or tell who they are? Good Heavens, not a bit of it! Otherwise I would not have left Aristides in the lurch"to--go to Hipponicus and Callias and a great many others who do not deserve a copper.¹

HERMES

But what do you do when he sends you down?

RICHES

I wander up and down, roaming about until I come upon someone unawares, and that man, whoever he may be who happens on me, takes me home and keeps me, paying homage to you, Hermes, for his unexpected stroke of good-luck.²

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

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

Τίμων Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 24 focus

Ἑρμῆς

αὐτά που σχεδὸν φὴς τὰ γινόμενα· ὁπόταν δʼ οὖν αὐτόπους βαδίζῃς, πῶς οὕτω τυφλὸς ὢν εὑρίσκεις τὴν ὁδόν; ἢ πῶς διαγινώσκεις ἐφʼ οὓς ἄν σε ὁ Ζεὺς ἀποστείλῃ κρίνας εἶναι τοῦ πλουτεῖν ἀξίους;

Πλοῦτος

οἴει γὰρ εὑρίσκειν με¹ οἵτινές εἰσι; μὰ τὸν Δία οὐ πάνυ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν Ἀριστείδην καταλιπὼν Ἱππονίκῳ καὶ Καλλίᾳ προσῄειν καὶ πολλοῖς ἄλλοις Ἀθηναίων οὐδὲ ὀβολοῦ ἀξίοις.

Ἑρμῆς

πλὴν ἀλλὰ τί πράττεις καταπεμφθείς;

Πλοῦτος

ἄνω καὶ κάτω πλανῶμαι, περινοστῶν ἄχρι ἂν λάθω τινὶ ἐμπεσών· ὁ δέ, ὅστις ἂν πρῶτός μοι περιτύχῃ, ἀπαγαγὼν παρʼ αὑτὸν ἔχει, σὲ τὸν Ἑρμῆν ἐπὶ τῷ παραλόγῳ τοῦ κέρδους προσκυνῶν.

Translations (1)

Timon the Misanthrope Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 24 focus

Hermes

But when you go on your own feet, how can a blind man like you find the way? Zeus sends you to people who he thinks deserve riches; but how do you distinguish them?

Plutus

Do you suppose I do find them? not much. I should scarcely have passed Aristides by, and gone to Hipponicus, Callias, and any number of other Athenians whose merits could have been valued in copper.

Hermes

Well, but what do you do when he sends you?

Plutus

I just wander up and down till I come across some one; the first comer takes me off home with him, and thanks—whom but the God of windfalls, yourself?

Notes on the current edition

Timon, or the Misanthrope

1. Hipponicus was the father of Callias, and the son of another Callias, the founder of the family fortunes. There were several sinister stories current about the source of his wealth, but Lucian is probably thinking of the version given by Plutarch in the life of Aristides.

2. All windfalls were attributed to Hermes.

Lucian of Samosata Timon 24

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

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HERMES

RICHES

HERMES

RICHES

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμῆς

πλὴν ἀλλὰ τί πράττεις καταπεμφθείς;

Hermes

But when you go on your own feet, how can a blind man like you find the way? Zeus sends you to people who he thinks deserve riches; but how do you distinguish them?

Plutus

Do you suppose I do find them? not much. I should scarcely have passed Aristides by, and gone to Hipponicus, Callias, and any number of other Athenians whose merits could have been valued in copper.

Hermes

Well, but what do you do when he sends you?

Plutus

I just wander up and down till I come across some one; the first comer takes me off home with him, and thanks—whom but the God of windfalls, yourself?

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

HERMES

RICHES

HERMES

RICHES

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμῆς πλὴν ἀλλὰ τί πράττεις καταπεμφθείς;

Hermes But when you go on your own feet, how can a blind man like you find the way? Zeus sends you to people who he thinks deserve riches; but how do you distinguish them?

Plutus Do you suppose I do find them? not much. I should scarcely have passed Aristides by, and gone to Hipponicus, Callias, and any number of other Athenians whose merits could have been valued in copper.

Hermes Well, but what do you do when he sends you?

Plutus I just wander up and down till I come across some one; the first comer takes me off home with him, and thanks—whom but the God of windfalls, yourself?

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Ἑρμῆς

πλὴν ἀλλὰ τί πράττεις καταπεμφθείς;

Hermes

But when you go on your own feet, how can a blind man like you find the way? Zeus sends you to people who he thinks deserve riches; but how do you distinguish them?

Plutus

Do you suppose I do find them? not much. I should scarcely have passed Aristides by, and gone to Hipponicus, Callias, and any number of other Athenians whose merits could have been valued in copper.

Hermes

Well, but what do you do when he sends you?

Plutus

I just wander up and down till I come across some one; the first comer takes me off home with him, and thanks—whom but the God of windfalls, yourself?