Lucian of Samosata, Contemplantes, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 9

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CHARON

Tell me,

Who is the other man yonder, the haughty one?

Iliad3, 226 served as a model for this line also. Not a Greek, it seems, from his dress at least.

HERMES

That is Cyrus, Charon, the son of Cambyses, who has already transferred to the Persians the empire that once belonged to the Medes. Moreover, he recently conquered the Assyrians and brought Babylon to terms, and now he appears to be meditating a campaign against Lydia, with the idea of overthrowing Croesus and ruling the world.

CHARON

And Croesus, where is he?

HERMES

Look over there towards the great acropolis with the triple wall. That is Sardis, and now you see Croesus himself sitting on a golden throne, talking with Solon of Athens. Would you like to listen to what they are saying?¹

CHARON

By all means.

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.) — 9 focus

Χάρων

σὺ δέ μοι ἐκεῖνο εἰπέ,
τίς τʼ ἄρʼ ὅδʼ ἄλλος ὁ σεμνὸς ἀνήρ;
οὐχ Ἕλλην, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀπὸ γοῦν τῆς στολῆς.

Ἑρμῆς

Κῦρος, ὦ Χάρων, ὁ Καμβύσου, ὃς τὴν ἀρχὴν πάλαι Μήδων ἐχόντων νῦν Περσῶν ἤδη ἐποίησεν εἶναι· καὶ Ἀσσυρίων δʼ ἔναγχος οὗτος ἐκράτησε καὶ Βαβυλῶνα παρεστήσατο καὶ νῦν ἐλασείοντι ἐπὶ Λυδίαν ἔοικεν, ὡς καθελὼν τὸν Κροῖσον ἄρχοι ἁπάντων.

Χάρων

ὁ Κροῖσος δὲ ποῦ ποτε κἀκεῖνός ἐστιν;

Ἑρμῆς

ἐκεῖσε ἀπόβλεψον ἐς τὴν μεγάλην ἀκρόπολιν, τὴν τὸ τριπλοῦν τεῖχος· Σάρδεις ἐκεῖναι, καὶ τὸν Κροῖσον αὐτὸν ὁρᾷς ἤδη ἐπὶ κλίνης χρυσῆς καθήμενον, Σόλωνι τῷ Ἀθηναίῳ διαλεγόμενον. βούλει ἀκούσωμεν αὐτῶν ὅ τι καὶ λέγουσι;

Χάρων

πάνυ μὲν 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.) — 9 focus

Charon

But pray,

Who is yon haughty hero?

No Greek, to judge by his dress.

Hermes

That is Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who transferred to the Persians the ancient empire of the Medes. He has lately conquered Assyria, and reduced Babylon; and now it looks as if he meditated an invasion of Lydia, to complete his dominion by the overthrow of Croesus.

Charon

And whereabouts is Croesus?

Hermes

Look over there. You see the great city with the triple wall? That is Sardis, And there, look, is Croesus himself, reclining on a golden couch, and conversing with Solon the Athenian. Shall we listen to what they are saying?

Charon

Yes, let us.

Notes on the current edition

Charon, or the Inspectors

1. The conversation that follows is based on Herodotus 1.29-33.

Lucian of Samosata Contemplantes 9

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

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CHARON

Tell me,

Who is the other man yonder, the haughty one?

Iliad3, 226 served as a model for this line also. Not a Greek, it seems, from his dress at least.

CHARON

And Croesus, where is he?

HERMES

Look over there towards the great acropolis with the triple wall. That is Sardis, and now you see Croesus himself sitting on a golden throne, talking with Solon of Athens. Would you like to listen to what they are saying?¹

CHARON

By all means.

Current edition Perseus

Χάρων

σὺ δέ μοι ἐκεῖνο εἰπέ,
τίς τʼ ἄρʼ ὅδʼ ἄλλος ὁ σεμνὸς ἀνήρ;
οὐχ Ἕλλην, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀπὸ γοῦν τῆς στολῆς.

Χάρων

ὁ Κροῖσος δὲ ποῦ ποτε κἀκεῖνός ἐστιν;

Χάρων

πάνυ μὲν οὖν.

Charon

But pray,

Who is yon haughty hero?

No Greek, to judge by his dress.

Hermes

That is Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who transferred to the Persians the ancient empire of the Medes. He has lately conquered Assyria, and reduced Babylon; and now it looks as if he meditated an invasion of Lydia, to complete his dominion by the overthrow of Croesus.

Charon

And whereabouts is Croesus?

Hermes

Look over there. You see the great city with the triple wall? That is Sardis, And there, look, is Croesus himself, reclining on a golden couch, and conversing with Solon the Athenian. Shall we listen to what they are saying?

Charon

Yes, let us.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

CHARON Tell me, Who is the other man yonder, the haughty one? Iliad3, 226 served as a model for this line also. Not a Greek, it seems, from his dress at least.

CHARON And Croesus, where is he?

HERMES Look over there towards the great acropolis with the triple wall. That is Sardis, and now you see Croesus himself sitting on a golden throne, talking with Solon of Athens. Would you like to listen to what they are saying? 1

CHARON By all means.

Current edition Perseus

Χάρων σὺ δέ μοι ἐκεῖνο εἰπέ, τίς τʼ ἄρʼ ὅδʼ ἄλλος ὁ σεμνὸς ἀνήρ; οὐχ Ἕλλην, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀπὸ γοῦν τῆς στολῆς.

Χάρων ὁ Κροῖσος δὲ ποῦ ποτε κἀκεῖνός ἐστιν;

Χάρων πάνυ μὲν οὖν.

Charon But pray, Who is yon haughty hero? No Greek, to judge by his dress.

Hermes That is Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who transferred to the Persians the ancient empire of the Medes. He has lately conquered Assyria, and reduced Babylon; and now it looks as if he meditated an invasion of Lydia, to complete his dominion by the overthrow of Croesus.

Charon And whereabouts is Croesus?

Hermes Look over there. You see the great city with the triple wall? That is Sardis, And there, look, is Croesus himself, reclining on a golden couch, and conversing with Solon the Athenian. Shall we listen to what they are saying?

Charon Yes, let us.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

CHARON

Tell me,

Who is the other man yonder, the haughty one?

Iliad3, 226 served as a model for this line also. Not a Greek, it seems, from his dress at least.

CHARON

And Croesus, where is he?

HERMES

Look over there towards the great acropolis with the triple wall. That is Sardis, and now you see Croesus himself sitting on a golden throne, talking with Solon of Athens. Would you like to listen to what they are saying?¹

CHARON

By all means.

Χάρων

σὺ δέ μοι ἐκεῖνο εἰπέ,
τίς τʼ ἄρʼ ὅδʼ ἄλλος ὁ σεμνὸς ἀνήρ;
οὐχ Ἕλλην, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀπὸ γοῦν τῆς στολῆς.

Χάρων

ὁ Κροῖσος δὲ ποῦ ποτε κἀκεῖνός ἐστιν;

Χάρων

πάνυ μὲν οὖν.

Charon

But pray,

Who is yon haughty hero?

No Greek, to judge by his dress.

Hermes

That is Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who transferred to the Persians the ancient empire of the Medes. He has lately conquered Assyria, and reduced Babylon; and now it looks as if he meditated an invasion of Lydia, to complete his dominion by the overthrow of Croesus.

Charon

And whereabouts is Croesus?

Hermes

Look over there. You see the great city with the triple wall? That is Sardis, And there, look, is Croesus himself, reclining on a golden couch, and conversing with Solon the Athenian. Shall we listen to what they are saying?

Charon

Yes, let us.