Lucian, Contemplantes, ed. Austin Morris Harmon, 21

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Ἑρμῆς

ὦ μακάριε, οὐκ οἶσθα ὅπως αὐτοὺς ἡ ἄγνοια καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη διατεθείκασιν, ὡς μηδʼ ἂν τρυπάνῳ ἔτι διανοιχθῆναι αὐτοῖς τὰ ὦτα, τοσούτῳ κηρῷ ἔβυσαν αὐτά, οἷόν περ ὁ Ὀδυσσεὺς τοὺς ἑταίρους ἔδρασε δέει τῆς Σειρήνων ἀκροάσεως. πόθεν οὖν ἂν ἐκεῖνοι δυνηθεῖεν ἀκοῦσαι, ἢν καὶ σὺ κεκραγὼς διαρραγῇς; ὅπερ γὰρ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἡ Λήθη δύναται, τοῦτο ἐνταῦθα ἡ ἄγνοια ἐργάζεται. πλὴν ἀλλὰ εἰσὶν αὐτῶν ὀλίγοι οὐ παραδεδεγμένοι τὸν κηρὸν ἐς τὰ ὦτα, πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀποκλίνοντες, ὀξὺ δεδορκότες ἐς τὰ πράγματα καὶ κατεγνωκότες οἷά ἐστιν.

Χάρων

οὐκοῦν ἐκείνοις γοῦν ἐμβοήσωμεν.

Ἑρμῆς

περιττὸν καὶ τοῦτο, λέγειν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἃ ἴσασιν. ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἀποσπάσαντες τῶν πολλῶν καταγελῶσι τῶν γιγνομένων καὶ οὐδαμῆ οὐδαμῶς ἀρέσκονται αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ δῆλοί εἰσι δρασμὸν ἤδη βουλεύοντες παρʼ ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου. καὶ γὰρ καὶ μισοῦνται ἐλέγχοντες αὐτῶν τὰς ἀμαθίας.

Χάρων

εὖ γε, ὦ γεννάδαι· πλὴν πάνυ ὀλίγοι εἰσίν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ.

Ἑρμῆς

ἱκανοὶ καὶ οὗτοι. ἀλλὰ κατίωμεν ἤδη.

Contemplantes. Lucian. ed. Austin Morris Harmon. Medford, MA. Perseus 4.0.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities; Harvard Library Arcadia Fund; Google Digital Humanities Awards Program.

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (2)

Charon, or the Inspectors Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 21 focus

HERMES

My dear fellow, you do not know how Ignorance and Error have served them. Even a drill could not penetrate their ears now, because these dames have stopped them with such quantities of wax, like Odysseus, who did this to his comrades for fear that they might hear the Sirens. How could they hear, then, even if you should crack your lungs with bawling? What lies in the power of Lethe down below is done by Ignorance here. However, there are a few of them who have not admitted the wax into their ears, who are devoted to truth, who look keenly into things and know them for what they are.

CHARON

Then let us call to them at least.

HERMES

It would be superfluous to tell them what they know. You see how they stand aloof from the masses and laugh at what goes on; they are not in the least satisfied with it all, but are clearly planning to make their escape from life to your own regions. Indeed, they have reason, for they are disliked because they expose the follies of man. ¢

CHARON

Well done, staunch souls! But they are very few, Hermes.

HERMES

Even these are enough. But let us go down now.

Charon Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 21 focus

Hermes

Ah, my poor friend, you know not what you say. Ignorance and deceit have done for them what Odysseus did for his crew when he was afraid of the Sirens; they have waxed men’s ears up so effectually, that no drill would ever open them. How then should they hear you? You might shout till your lungs gave way. Ignorance is as potent here as the waters of Lethe are with you. There are a few, to be sure, who from a regard for Truth have refused the wax process; men whose eyes are open to discern good and evil.

Charon

Well then, we might call out to them?

Hermes

There again: where would be the use of telling them what they know already? See, they stand aloof from the rest of mankind, and scoff at all that goes on; nothing is as they would have it. Nay, they are evidently bent on giving life the slip, and joining you. Their condemnations of folly make them unpopular here.

Lucian Contemplantes 21

ed. Austin Morris Harmon

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Χάρων

οὐκοῦν ἐκείνοις γοῦν ἐμβοήσωμεν.

Χάρων

εὖ γε, ὦ γεννάδαι· πλὴν πάνυ ὀλίγοι εἰσίν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ.

Ἑρμῆς

ἱκανοὶ καὶ οὗτοι. ἀλλὰ κατίωμεν ἤδη.

Current edition Perseus

CHARON

Then let us call to them at least.

CHARON

Well done, staunch souls! But they are very few, Hermes.

HERMES

Even these are enough. But let us go down now.

Charon

Well then, we might call out to them?

Charon

Well done, my brave boys! There are not many of them, though, Hermes.

Hermes

These must serve. And now let us go down.

Stable identifiers

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Χάρων οὐκοῦν ἐκείνοις γοῦν ἐμβοήσωμεν.

Χάρων εὖ γε, ὦ γεννάδαι· πλὴν πάνυ ὀλίγοι εἰσίν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ.

Ἑρμῆς ἱκανοὶ καὶ οὗτοι. ἀλλὰ κατίωμεν ἤδη.

Current edition Perseus

CHARON Then let us call to them at least.

CHARON Well done, staunch souls! But they are very few, Hermes.

HERMES Even these are enough. But let us go down now.

Charon Well then, we might call out to them?

Charon Well done, my brave boys! There are not many of them, though, Hermes.

Hermes These must serve. And now let us go down.

Stable identifiers

Χάρων

οὐκοῦν ἐκείνοις γοῦν ἐμβοήσωμεν.

Χάρων

εὖ γε, ὦ γεννάδαι· πλὴν πάνυ ὀλίγοι εἰσίν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ.

Ἑρμῆς

ἱκανοὶ καὶ οὗτοι. ἀλλὰ κατίωμεν ἤδη.

CHARON

Then let us call to them at least.

CHARON

Well done, staunch souls! But they are very few, Hermes.

HERMES

Even these are enough. But let us go down now.

Charon

Well then, we might call out to them?

Charon

Well done, my brave boys! There are not many of them, though, Hermes.

Hermes

These must serve. And now let us go down.