Lucian of Samosata, Contemplantes, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 11

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

CHARON

But who are those men whom Croesus is sending out, and what are they carrying on their shoulders?¹

HERMES

He is making an offering of golden ingots to Apollo at Delphi to pay for the prophecies which will bring him to grief a little later on. The man is monstrously daft on divination.

CHARON

Is that gold, the bright substance that shines, the pale yellow substance with a cast of red? This is the first time that I have seen it, though I am always hearing of it.

HERMES

That is it, Charon, the name that they sing of and fight for.

CHARON

Really I don’t see what good there is about it, except perhaps for one thing, that its bearers find it heavy.

HERMES

You do not know how many wars there have been on account of it, how many plots, perjuries, murders, imprisonments, trading ventures, and enslavements.

CHARON

On account of this substance, not much different from bronze? I know bronze, for, as you are aware, I collect an obol from everyone who makes the downward journey.

HERMES

Yes, but bronze is plentiful, so that they do not prize it very highly, while this is dug up by the miners at a great depth in small quantities. It comes from the earth, however, like lead and the rest of the metals.

CHARON

Men are terribly stupid, by what you say, since they have such a passion for a yellow, heavy substance.

HERMES

Well, at any rate Solon yonder does not seem to love it, Charon, as you see, for he is laughing at Croesus and his barbarian boastfulness, and to my mind he wants to ask him a question. Let us listen, then.

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

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

Χάρων ἢ Ἐπισκοποῦντες Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 11 focus

Χάρων

ἀλλὰ τίνας ἐκείνους ὁ Κροῖσος ἐκπέμπει ἢ τί ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέρουσι;

Ἑρμῆς

πλίνθους τῷ Πυθίῳ χρυσᾶς ἀνατίθησι μισθὸν τῶν χρησμῶν ὑφʼ ὧν καὶ ἀπολεῖται μικρὸν ὕστερον· φιλόμαντις δὲ ἁνὴρ¹ ἐκτόπως.

Χάρων

ἐκεῖνο γάρ ἐστιν ὁ χρυσός, τὸ λαμπρὸν ὃ ἀποστίλβει, τὸ ὕπωχρον μετʼ ἐρυθήματος; νῦν γὰρ πρῶτον εἶδον, ἀκούων ἀεί.

Ἑρμῆς

ἐκεῖνο, ὦ Χάρων, τὸ ἀοίδιμον ὄνομα καὶ περιμάχητον.

Χάρων

καὶ μὴν οὐχ ὁρῶ ὅ τι τὸ ἀγαθὸν αὐτῷ πρόσεστιν, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ἕν τι μόνον, ὅτι βαρύνονται οἱ φέροντες αὐτό.

Ἑρμῆς

οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα ὅσοι πόλεμοι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπιβουλαὶ καὶ λῃστήρια καὶ ἐπιορκίαι καὶ φόνοι καὶ δεσμὰ² καὶ ἐμπορίαι καὶ δουλεῖαι;

Χάρων

διὰ τοῦτο, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὸ μὴ πολὺ τοῦ χαλκοῦ διαφέρον; οἶδα γὰρ τὸν χαλκόν, ὀβολόν, ὡς οἶσθα, παρὰ τῶν καταπλεόντων ἑκάστου ἐκλέγων.

Ἑρμῆς

ναί· ἀλλὰ ὁ χαλκὸς μὲν πολύς, ὥστε οὐ πάνυ σπουδάζεται ὑπʼ αὐτῶν· τοῦτον δὲ ὀλίγον ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ βάθους οἱ μεταλλεύοντες ἀνορύττουσι· πλὴν ἀλλὰ ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ οὗτος ὥσπερ ὁ μόλυβδος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα.

Χάρων

δεινήν τινα λέγεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἀβελτερίαν, οἳ τοσοῦτον ἔρωτα ἐρῶσιν ὠχροῦ καὶ βαρέος κτήματος.

Ἑρμῆς

ἀλλὰ οὐ Σόλων γε ἐκεῖνος, ὦ Χάρων, ἐρᾶν αὐτοῦ φαίνεται, ὅς, ὡς ὁρᾷς, καταγελᾷ τοῦ Κροίσου καὶ τῆς μεγαλαυχίας τοῦ βαρβάρου, καί μοι δοκεῖν ἐρέσθαι τι βούλεται αὐτόν· ἐπακούσωμεν οὖν.

Translations (1)

Charon Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 11 focus

Charon

But who are these men whom Croesus is sending out? And what have they got on their shoulders?

Hermes

Those are bars of gold; they are going to Delphi, to pay for an oracle, which oracle will presently be the ruin of Croesus. But oracles are a hobby of his.

Charon

Oh, so that is gold, that glittering yellow stuff, with just a tinge of red init. I have often heard of gold, but never saw it before.

Hermes

Yes, that is the stuff there isso much talking and squabbling about.

Charon

Well now, I see no advantages about it, unless it is an advantage that it is heavy to carry.

Hermes

Ah, you do not know what it has to answer for; the wars and plots and robberies, the perjuries and murders; for this men will endure slavery and imprisonment; for this they traffic and sail the seas.;

Charon

For this stuff? Why, it is not much different from copper. I know copper, of course, because I get a penny from each passenger.

Hermes

Yes, but copper is plentiful, and therefore not much esteemed by men. Gold is found only in small quantities, and the miners have to go to a considerable depth for it. For the rest, it comes out of the earth, just the same as lead and other metals.

Charon

What fools men must be, to be enamoured of an object of this sallow complexion; and of such a weight!

Hermes

Well, Solon, at any rate, seems to have no great affection for it, See, he is making merry with Croesus and his outlandish magnificence. I think he is going to ask him a question. Listen.

Notes on the current edition

Charon, or the Inspectors

1. Compare Herodotus i. 50 ff. The conversation between Solon and Croesus on the subject of the ingots is Lucian’s own contribution.

Lucian of Samosata Contemplantes 11

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

CHARON

But who are those men whom Croesus is sending out, and what are they carrying on their shoulders?¹

HERMES

He is making an offering of golden ingots to Apollo at Delphi to pay for the prophecies which will bring him to grief a little later on. The man is monstrously daft on divination.

CHARON

Is that gold, the bright substance that shines, the pale yellow substance with a cast of red? This is the first time that I have seen it, though I am always hearing of it.

HERMES

That is it, Charon, the name that they sing of and fight for.

CHARON

Really I don’t see what good there is about it, except perhaps for one thing, that its bearers find it heavy.

HERMES

You do not know how many wars there have been on account of it, how many plots, perjuries, murders, imprisonments, trading ventures, and enslavements.

CHARON

On account of this substance, not much different from bronze? I know bronze, for, as you are aware, I collect an obol from everyone who makes the downward journey.

HERMES

Yes, but bronze is plentiful, so that they do not prize it very highly, while this is dug up by the miners at a great depth in small quantities. It comes from the earth, however, like lead and the rest of the metals.

CHARON

Men are terribly stupid, by what you say, since they have such a passion for a yellow, heavy substance.

HERMES

Well, at any rate Solon yonder does not seem to love it, Charon, as you see, for he is laughing at Croesus and his barbarian boastfulness, and to my mind he wants to ask him a question. Let us listen, then.

Current edition Perseus

Χάρων

ἀλλὰ τίνας ἐκείνους ὁ Κροῖσος ἐκπέμπει ἢ τί ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέρουσι;

Ἑρμῆς

πλίνθους τῷ Πυθίῳ χρυσᾶς ἀνατίθησι μισθὸν τῶν χρησμῶν ὑφʼ ὧν καὶ ἀπολεῖται μικρὸν ὕστερον· φιλόμαντις δὲ ἁνὴρ¹ ἐκτόπως.

Χάρων

ἐκεῖνο γάρ ἐστιν ὁ χρυσός, τὸ λαμπρὸν ὃ ἀποστίλβει, τὸ ὕπωχρον μετʼ ἐρυθήματος; νῦν γὰρ πρῶτον εἶδον, ἀκούων ἀεί.

Ἑρμῆς

ἐκεῖνο, ὦ Χάρων, τὸ ἀοίδιμον ὄνομα καὶ περιμάχητον.

Χάρων

καὶ μὴν οὐχ ὁρῶ ὅ τι τὸ ἀγαθὸν αὐτῷ πρόσεστιν, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ἕν τι μόνον, ὅτι βαρύνονται οἱ φέροντες αὐτό.

Ἑρμῆς

οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα ὅσοι πόλεμοι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπιβουλαὶ καὶ λῃστήρια καὶ ἐπιορκίαι καὶ φόνοι καὶ δεσμὰ² καὶ ἐμπορίαι καὶ δουλεῖαι;

Χάρων

διὰ τοῦτο, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὸ μὴ πολὺ τοῦ χαλκοῦ διαφέρον; οἶδα γὰρ τὸν χαλκόν, ὀβολόν, ὡς οἶσθα, παρὰ τῶν καταπλεόντων ἑκάστου ἐκλέγων.

Χάρων

δεινήν τινα λέγεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἀβελτερίαν, οἳ τοσοῦτον ἔρωτα ἐρῶσιν ὠχροῦ καὶ βαρέος κτήματος.

Charon

But who are these men whom Croesus is sending out? And what have they got on their shoulders?

Hermes

Those are bars of gold; they are going to Delphi, to pay for an oracle, which oracle will presently be the ruin of Croesus. But oracles are a hobby of his.

Charon

Oh, so that is gold, that glittering yellow stuff, with just a tinge of red init. I have often heard of gold, but never saw it before.

Hermes

Yes, that is the stuff there isso much talking and squabbling about.

Charon

Well now, I see no advantages about it, unless it is an advantage that it is heavy to carry.

Hermes

Ah, you do not know what it has to answer for; the wars and plots and robberies, the perjuries and murders; for this men will endure slavery and imprisonment; for this they traffic and sail the seas.;

Charon

For this stuff? Why, it is not much different from copper. I know copper, of course, because I get a penny from each passenger.

Hermes

Yes, but copper is plentiful, and therefore not much esteemed by men. Gold is found only in small quantities, and the miners have to go to a considerable depth for it. For the rest, it comes out of the earth, just the same as lead and other metals.

Charon

What fools men must be, to be enamoured of an object of this sallow complexion; and of such a weight!

Hermes

Well, Solon, at any rate, seems to have no great affection for it, See, he is making merry with Croesus and his outlandish magnificence. I think he is going to ask him a question. Listen.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

CHARON But who are those men whom Croesus is sending out, and what are they carrying on their shoulders? 1

HERMES He is making an offering of golden ingots to Apollo at Delphi to pay for the prophecies which will bring him to grief a little later on. The man is monstrously daft on divination.

CHARON Is that gold, the bright substance that shines, the pale yellow substance with a cast of red? This is the first time that I have seen it, though I am always hearing of it.

HERMES That is it, Charon, the name that they sing of and fight for.

CHARON Really I don’t see what good there is about it, except perhaps for one thing, that its bearers find it heavy.

HERMES You do not know how many wars there have been on account of it, how many plots, perjuries, murders, imprisonments, trading ventures, and enslavements.

CHARON On account of this substance, not much different from bronze? I know bronze, for, as you are aware, I collect an obol from everyone who makes the downward journey.

HERMES Yes, but bronze is plentiful, so that they do not prize it very highly, while this is dug up by the miners at a great depth in small quantities. It comes from the earth, however, like lead and the rest of the metals.

CHARON Men are terribly stupid, by what you say, since they have such a passion for a yellow, heavy substance.

HERMES Well, at any rate Solon yonder does not seem to love it, Charon, as you see, for he is laughing at Croesus and his barbarian boastfulness, and to my mind he wants to ask him a question. Let us listen, then.

Current edition Perseus

Χάρων ἀλλὰ τίνας ἐκείνους ὁ Κροῖσος ἐκπέμπει ἢ τί ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέρουσι;

Ἑρμῆς πλίνθους τῷ Πυθίῳ χρυσᾶς ἀνατίθησι μισθὸν τῶν χρησμῶν ὑφʼ ὧν καὶ ἀπολεῖται μικρὸν ὕστερον· φιλόμαντις δὲ ἁνὴρ 1 ἐκτόπως.

Χάρων ἐκεῖνο γάρ ἐστιν ὁ χρυσός, τὸ λαμπρὸν ὃ ἀποστίλβει, τὸ ὕπωχρον μετʼ ἐρυθήματος; νῦν γὰρ πρῶτον εἶδον, ἀκούων ἀεί.

Ἑρμῆς ἐκεῖνο, ὦ Χάρων, τὸ ἀοίδιμον ὄνομα καὶ περιμάχητον.

Χάρων καὶ μὴν οὐχ ὁρῶ ὅ τι τὸ ἀγαθὸν αὐτῷ πρόσεστιν, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ἕν τι μόνον, ὅτι βαρύνονται οἱ φέροντες αὐτό.

Ἑρμῆς οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα ὅσοι πόλεμοι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπιβουλαὶ καὶ λῃστήρια καὶ ἐπιορκίαι καὶ φόνοι καὶ δεσμὰ 2 καὶ ἐμπορίαι καὶ δουλεῖαι;

Χάρων διὰ τοῦτο, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὸ μὴ πολὺ τοῦ χαλκοῦ διαφέρον; οἶδα γὰρ τὸν χαλκόν, ὀβολόν, ὡς οἶσθα, παρὰ τῶν καταπλεόντων ἑκάστου ἐκλέγων.

Χάρων δεινήν τινα λέγεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἀβελτερίαν, οἳ τοσοῦτον ἔρωτα ἐρῶσιν ὠχροῦ καὶ βαρέος κτήματος.

Charon But who are these men whom Croesus is sending out? And what have they got on their shoulders?

Hermes Those are bars of gold; they are going to Delphi, to pay for an oracle, which oracle will presently be the ruin of Croesus. But oracles are a hobby of his.

Charon Oh, so that is gold, that glittering yellow stuff, with just a tinge of red init. I have often heard of gold, but never saw it before.

Hermes Yes, that is the stuff there isso much talking and squabbling about.

Charon Well now, I see no advantages about it, unless it is an advantage that it is heavy to carry.

Hermes Ah, you do not know what it has to answer for; the wars and plots and robberies, the perjuries and murders; for this men will endure slavery and imprisonment; for this they traffic and sail the seas.;

Charon For this stuff? Why, it is not much different from copper. I know copper, of course, because I get a penny from each passenger.

Hermes Yes, but copper is plentiful, and therefore not much esteemed by men. Gold is found only in small quantities, and the miners have to go to a considerable depth for it. For the rest, it comes out of the earth, just the same as lead and other metals.

Charon What fools men must be, to be enamoured of an object of this sallow complexion; and of such a weight!

Hermes Well, Solon, at any rate, seems to have no great affection for it, See, he is making merry with Croesus and his outlandish magnificence. I think he is going to ask him a question. Listen.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

CHARON

But who are those men whom Croesus is sending out, and what are they carrying on their shoulders?¹

HERMES

He is making an offering of golden ingots to Apollo at Delphi to pay for the prophecies which will bring him to grief a little later on. The man is monstrously daft on divination.

CHARON

Is that gold, the bright substance that shines, the pale yellow substance with a cast of red? This is the first time that I have seen it, though I am always hearing of it.

HERMES

That is it, Charon, the name that they sing of and fight for.

CHARON

Really I don’t see what good there is about it, except perhaps for one thing, that its bearers find it heavy.

HERMES

You do not know how many wars there have been on account of it, how many plots, perjuries, murders, imprisonments, trading ventures, and enslavements.

CHARON

On account of this substance, not much different from bronze? I know bronze, for, as you are aware, I collect an obol from everyone who makes the downward journey.

HERMES

Yes, but bronze is plentiful, so that they do not prize it very highly, while this is dug up by the miners at a great depth in small quantities. It comes from the earth, however, like lead and the rest of the metals.

CHARON

Men are terribly stupid, by what you say, since they have such a passion for a yellow, heavy substance.

HERMES

Well, at any rate Solon yonder does not seem to love it, Charon, as you see, for he is laughing at Croesus and his barbarian boastfulness, and to my mind he wants to ask him a question. Let us listen, then.

Χάρων

ἀλλὰ τίνας ἐκείνους ὁ Κροῖσος ἐκπέμπει ἢ τί ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέρουσι;

Ἑρμῆς

πλίνθους τῷ Πυθίῳ χρυσᾶς ἀνατίθησι μισθὸν τῶν χρησμῶν ὑφʼ ὧν καὶ ἀπολεῖται μικρὸν ὕστερον· φιλόμαντις δὲ ἁνὴρ¹ ἐκτόπως.

Χάρων

ἐκεῖνο γάρ ἐστιν ὁ χρυσός, τὸ λαμπρὸν ὃ ἀποστίλβει, τὸ ὕπωχρον μετʼ ἐρυθήματος; νῦν γὰρ πρῶτον εἶδον, ἀκούων ἀεί.

Ἑρμῆς

ἐκεῖνο, ὦ Χάρων, τὸ ἀοίδιμον ὄνομα καὶ περιμάχητον.

Χάρων

καὶ μὴν οὐχ ὁρῶ ὅ τι τὸ ἀγαθὸν αὐτῷ πρόσεστιν, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ἕν τι μόνον, ὅτι βαρύνονται οἱ φέροντες αὐτό.

Ἑρμῆς

οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα ὅσοι πόλεμοι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπιβουλαὶ καὶ λῃστήρια καὶ ἐπιορκίαι καὶ φόνοι καὶ δεσμὰ² καὶ ἐμπορίαι καὶ δουλεῖαι;

Χάρων

διὰ τοῦτο, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὸ μὴ πολὺ τοῦ χαλκοῦ διαφέρον; οἶδα γὰρ τὸν χαλκόν, ὀβολόν, ὡς οἶσθα, παρὰ τῶν καταπλεόντων ἑκάστου ἐκλέγων.

Χάρων

δεινήν τινα λέγεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἀβελτερίαν, οἳ τοσοῦτον ἔρωτα ἐρῶσιν ὠχροῦ καὶ βαρέος κτήματος.

Charon

But who are these men whom Croesus is sending out? And what have they got on their shoulders?

Hermes

Those are bars of gold; they are going to Delphi, to pay for an oracle, which oracle will presently be the ruin of Croesus. But oracles are a hobby of his.

Charon

Oh, so that is gold, that glittering yellow stuff, with just a tinge of red init. I have often heard of gold, but never saw it before.

Hermes

Yes, that is the stuff there isso much talking and squabbling about.

Charon

Well now, I see no advantages about it, unless it is an advantage that it is heavy to carry.

Hermes

Ah, you do not know what it has to answer for; the wars and plots and robberies, the perjuries and murders; for this men will endure slavery and imprisonment; for this they traffic and sail the seas.;

Charon

For this stuff? Why, it is not much different from copper. I know copper, of course, because I get a penny from each passenger.

Hermes

Yes, but copper is plentiful, and therefore not much esteemed by men. Gold is found only in small quantities, and the miners have to go to a considerable depth for it. For the rest, it comes out of the earth, just the same as lead and other metals.

Charon

What fools men must be, to be enamoured of an object of this sallow complexion; and of such a weight!

Hermes

Well, Solon, at any rate, seems to have no great affection for it, See, he is making merry with Croesus and his outlandish magnificence. I think he is going to ask him a question. Listen.