Lucian of Samosata, Vitarum auctio, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 14

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BUYER

Oh, what effrontery! Will you never stop laughing? (Zo the other.) But you, why do youcry? For I think it is much more becoming to talk with you.

HERACLITEAN

Because I consider, O stranger, that the affairs of man are woeful and tearful, and there is naught in them that is not foredoomed; therefore I pity and grieve for men. And their present woes I do not consider great, but those to come in future will be wholly bitter; I speak of the great conflagrations and the collapse of the universe. It is for this that I grieve, and because nothing is fixed, but all things are in a manner stirred up into porridge, and joy and joylessness, wisdom and unwisdom, great and small are all but the same, circling about, up and down, and interchanging in the game of Eternity.

BUYER

And what is Eternity?

HERACLITEAN

A child playing a game, moving counters, in discord, in concord.

BUYER

What are men?

HERACLITEAN

Mortal gods.

BUYER

And the Gods?

HERACLITEAN

Immortal men.

BUYER

Are you telling riddles, man, or making conundrums? You are just like Apollo, for you say nothing plainly.¹

HERACLITEAN

Because you matter naught to me.

BUYER

Then nobody in his sense will buy you.

HERACLITEAN

I bid ye go weep, one and all, buy you or buy you not.

BUYER

This fellow’s trouble is not far removed from insanity. However, I for my part will not buy either of them.

HERMES

They are left unsold also.

ZEUS

Put up another.

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

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Philosophies for Sale (English) (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.)

Editions (1)

Βίων Πρᾶσις Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 14 focus

Ἀγοράστης

ὢ τῆς ὕβρεως, οὐ παύσῃ γελῶν; σὺ δὲ τί κλάεις, ὦ βέλτιστε; πολὺ γὰρ οἶμαι κάλλιον σοὶ προσλαλεῖν.

Ἡράκλειτος

ἡγέομαι γάρ, ὦ ξεῖνε, τὰ ἀνθρωπήϊα πρήγματα ὀϊζυρὰ καὶ δακρυώδεα καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτέων ὅ τι μὴ ἐπικήριον· τὸ δὴ οἰκτείρω τε σφέας καὶ ὀδύρομαι, καὶ τὰ μὲν παρεόντα οὐ δοκέω μεγάλα, τὰ δὲ ὑστέρῳ χρόνῳ ἐσόμενα πάμπαν ἀνιηρά, λέγω δὲ τὰς ἐκπυρώσιας καὶ τὴν τοῦ ὅλου συμφορήν· ταῦτα ὀδύρομαι καὶ ὅτι ἔμπεδον οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ὅκως ἐς κυκεῶνα τὰ πάντα συνειλέονται καί ἐστι τὠυτὸ τέρψις ἀτερψίη, γνῶσις ἀγνωσίη, μέγα μικρόν, ἄνω κάτω περιχωρέοντα καὶ ἀμειβόμενα ἐν τῇ τοῦ αἰῶνος παιδιῇ.

Ἀγοράστης

τί γὰρ ὁ αἰών ἐστι;

Ἡράκλειτος

παῖς παίζων, πεσσεύων, διαφερόμενος, συμφερόμενος.

Ἀγοράστης

τί δὲ ἄνθρωποι;

Ἡράκλειτος

θεοὶ θνητοί.

Ἀγοράστης

τί δὲ θεοί;

Ἡράκλειτος

ἄνθρωποι ἀθάνατοι.

Ἀγοράστης

αἰνίγματα λέγεις, ὦ οὗτος, ἢ γρίφους συντίθης; ἀτεχνῶς γὰρ ὥσπερ ὁ Λοξίας οὐδὲν ἀποσαφεῖς.

Ἡράκλειτος

οὐδὲν γάρ μοι μέλει ὑμέων.

Ἀγοράστης

τοιγαροῦν οὐδὲ ὠνήσεταί σέ τις εὖ φρονῶν.

Ἡράκλειτος

ἐγὼ δὲ κέλομαι πᾶσιν ἡβηδὸν οἰμώζειν, τοῖσιν ὠνεομένοισι καὶ τοῖσιν οὐκ ὠνεομένοισι.

Ἀγοράστης

τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν οὐ πόρρω μελαγχολίας ἐστίν· οὐδέτερον δὲ ὅμως αὐτῶν ἔγωγε ὠνήσομαι.

Ἑρμῆς

ἄπρατοι καὶ οὗτοι μένουσιν.

Ζεύς

ἄλλον ἀποκήρυττε.

Translations (2)

Sale of Creeds Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 14 focus

Fourth Dealer

And you, my poor fellow, what are you crying for? I must see what I can make of you.

Heraclitus

I am thinking, friend, upon human affairs; and well may I weep and lament, for the doom of all is sealed. Hence my compassion and my sorrow. For the present, I think not of it; but the future!—the future is all bitterness. Conflagration and destruction of the world. I weep to think that nothing abides, All things are whirled together in confusion. Pleasure and pain, knowledge and ignorance, great and small; up and down they go, the playthings of Time.

Fourth Dealer

And what is Time?

Heraclitus

A child; and plays at draughts and blindman’s-buff.

Fourth Dealer

And men?

Heraclitus

Are mortal Gods.

Fourth Dealer

And Gods?

Heraclitus

Immortal men.

Fourth Dealer

So! Conundrums, fellow? Nuts to crack? You are a very oracle for obscurity.

Heraclitus

Your affairs do not interest me.

Fourth Dealer

No one will be fool enough to bid for you at that rate.

Heraclitus

Young and old, him that bids and him that bids not, a murrain seize you all!

Fourth Dealer

A sad case. He will be melancholy mad before long. Neither of these is the creed for my money.

Heraclitus

No one bids.

Zeus

Next lot.

The Sale of Lives Perseus (Lucian. Selections from Lucian. Smith, Emily James, translator. New York: Harper Brothers, 1892.) — 14 focus

Buyer

But what are you weeping for, my good fellow? I imagine it will be much pleasanter to talk with you.

Herakleitos

Because, friend, I deem human life a lamentable thing, worthy of tears, so soon passeth it all away. Therefore, I pity you and bewail your lot. The present does not strike me as important, and what is to come hereafter is unmixed woe-I mean the final conflagration and the catastrophe of the universe. These are the things I lament. Nothing is steadfast, but all things are somehow pressed together into an olla-podrïda and the same thing is a joyless joy, a knowing without knowledge, a great littleness, drifting up and down and changing at the caprice of the playful Aeon.

Buyer

What may the Aeon be?

Herakleitos

A child at play, moving the chessmen, changing them by hazard.

Buyer

What, then, are men?

Herakleitos

Mortal gods.

Buyer

And what are the gods?

Herakleitos

Immortal men.

Buyer

Are you talking in riddles, fellow, or setting me conundrums? You make your meaning as dim, actually, as Apollo does.

Herakleitos

Because I am at no pains about you.

Buyer

Very well; neither will any but a lunatic buy you.

Herakleitos

I bid each of you go to the devil from his youth up, whether he purchase or purchase not.

Buyer

His affliction is not much removed from melancholia. For my part, I am not going to buy either of them.

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BUYER Oh, what effrontery! Will you never stop laughing? (Zo the other.) But you, why do youcry? For I think it is much more becoming to talk with you.

BUYER And what is Eternity?

HERACLITEAN A child playing a game, moving counters, in discord, in concord.

BUYER What are men?

HERACLITEAN Mortal gods.

BUYER And the Gods?

HERACLITEAN Immortal men.

BUYER Are you telling riddles, man, or making conundrums? You are just like Apollo, for you say nothing plainly. 1

HERACLITEAN Because you matter naught to me.

BUYER Then nobody in his sense will buy you.

HERACLITEAN I bid ye go weep, one and all, buy you or buy you not.

BUYER This fellow’s trouble is not far removed from insanity. However, I for my part will not buy either of them.

HERMES They are left unsold also.

ZEUS Put up another.

Current edition Perseus

Ἀγοράστης ὢ τῆς ὕβρεως, οὐ παύσῃ γελῶν; σὺ δὲ τί κλάεις, ὦ βέλτιστε; πολὺ γὰρ οἶμαι κάλλιον σοὶ προσλαλεῖν.

Ἀγοράστης τί γὰρ ὁ αἰών ἐστι;

Ἡράκλειτος παῖς παίζων, πεσσεύων, διαφερόμενος, συμφερόμενος.

Ἀγοράστης τί δὲ ἄνθρωποι;

Ἡράκλειτος θεοὶ θνητοί.

Ἀγοράστης τί δὲ θεοί;

Ἡράκλειτος ἄνθρωποι ἀθάνατοι.

Ἀγοράστης αἰνίγματα λέγεις, ὦ οὗτος, ἢ γρίφους συντίθης; ἀτεχνῶς γὰρ ὥσπερ ὁ Λοξίας οὐδὲν ἀποσαφεῖς.

Ἡράκλειτος οὐδὲν γάρ μοι μέλει ὑμέων.

Ἀγοράστης τοιγαροῦν οὐδὲ ὠνήσεταί σέ τις εὖ φρονῶν.

Ἡράκλειτος ἐγὼ δὲ κέλομαι πᾶσιν ἡβηδὸν οἰμώζειν, τοῖσιν ὠνεομένοισι καὶ τοῖσιν οὐκ ὠνεομένοισι.

Ἀγοράστης τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν οὐ πόρρω μελαγχολίας ἐστίν· οὐδέτερον δὲ ὅμως αὐτῶν ἔγωγε ὠνήσομαι.

Ἑρμῆς ἄπρατοι καὶ οὗτοι μένουσιν.

Ζεύς ἄλλον ἀποκήρυττε.

Fourth Dealer And you, my poor fellow, what are you crying for? I must see what I can make of you.

Fourth Dealer And what is Time?

Heraclitus A child; and plays at draughts and blindman’s-buff.

Fourth Dealer And men?

Heraclitus Are mortal Gods.

Fourth Dealer And Gods?

Heraclitus Immortal men.

Fourth Dealer So! Conundrums, fellow? Nuts to crack? You are a very oracle for obscurity.

Heraclitus Your affairs do not interest me.

Fourth Dealer No one will be fool enough to bid for you at that rate.

Heraclitus Young and old, him that bids and him that bids not, a murrain seize you all!

Fourth Dealer A sad case. He will be melancholy mad before long. Neither of these is the creed for my money.

Heraclitus No one bids.

Zeus Next lot.

Buyer But what are you weeping for, my good fellow? I imagine it will be much pleasanter to talk with you.

Buyer What may the Aeon be?

Herakleitos A child at play, moving the chessmen, changing them by hazard.

Buyer What, then, are men?

Herakleitos Mortal gods.

Buyer And what are the gods?

Herakleitos Immortal men.

Buyer Are you talking in riddles, fellow, or setting me conundrums? You make your meaning as dim, actually, as Apollo does.

Herakleitos Because I am at no pains about you.

Buyer Very well; neither will any but a lunatic buy you.

Herakleitos I bid each of you go to the devil from his youth up, whether he purchase or purchase not.

Buyer His affliction is not much removed from melancholia. For my part, I am not going to buy either of them.

Hermes These two are left on our hands.

Zeus Put up another!

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

BUYER

Oh, what effrontery! Will you never stop laughing? (Zo the other.) But you, why do youcry? For I think it is much more becoming to talk with you.

BUYER

And what is Eternity?

HERACLITEAN

A child playing a game, moving counters, in discord, in concord.

BUYER

What are men?

HERACLITEAN

Mortal gods.

BUYER

And the Gods?

HERACLITEAN

Immortal men.

BUYER

Are you telling riddles, man, or making conundrums? You are just like Apollo, for you say nothing plainly.¹

HERACLITEAN

Because you matter naught to me.

BUYER

Then nobody in his sense will buy you.

HERACLITEAN

I bid ye go weep, one and all, buy you or buy you not.

BUYER

This fellow’s trouble is not far removed from insanity. However, I for my part will not buy either of them.

HERMES

They are left unsold also.

ZEUS

Put up another.

Ἀγοράστης

ὢ τῆς ὕβρεως, οὐ παύσῃ γελῶν; σὺ δὲ τί κλάεις, ὦ βέλτιστε; πολὺ γὰρ οἶμαι κάλλιον σοὶ προσλαλεῖν.

Ἀγοράστης

τί γὰρ ὁ αἰών ἐστι;

Ἡράκλειτος

παῖς παίζων, πεσσεύων, διαφερόμενος, συμφερόμενος.

Ἀγοράστης

τί δὲ ἄνθρωποι;

Ἡράκλειτος

θεοὶ θνητοί.

Ἀγοράστης

τί δὲ θεοί;

Ἡράκλειτος

ἄνθρωποι ἀθάνατοι.

Ἀγοράστης

αἰνίγματα λέγεις, ὦ οὗτος, ἢ γρίφους συντίθης; ἀτεχνῶς γὰρ ὥσπερ ὁ Λοξίας οὐδὲν ἀποσαφεῖς.

Ἡράκλειτος

οὐδὲν γάρ μοι μέλει ὑμέων.

Ἀγοράστης

τοιγαροῦν οὐδὲ ὠνήσεταί σέ τις εὖ φρονῶν.

Ἡράκλειτος

ἐγὼ δὲ κέλομαι πᾶσιν ἡβηδὸν οἰμώζειν, τοῖσιν ὠνεομένοισι καὶ τοῖσιν οὐκ ὠνεομένοισι.

Ἀγοράστης

τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν οὐ πόρρω μελαγχολίας ἐστίν· οὐδέτερον δὲ ὅμως αὐτῶν ἔγωγε ὠνήσομαι.

Ἑρμῆς

ἄπρατοι καὶ οὗτοι μένουσιν.

Ζεύς

ἄλλον ἀποκήρυττε.

Fourth Dealer

And you, my poor fellow, what are you crying for? I must see what I can make of you.

Fourth Dealer

And what is Time?

Heraclitus

A child; and plays at draughts and blindman’s-buff.

Fourth Dealer

And men?

Heraclitus

Are mortal Gods.

Fourth Dealer

And Gods?

Heraclitus

Immortal men.

Fourth Dealer

So! Conundrums, fellow? Nuts to crack? You are a very oracle for obscurity.

Heraclitus

Your affairs do not interest me.

Fourth Dealer

No one will be fool enough to bid for you at that rate.

Heraclitus

Young and old, him that bids and him that bids not, a murrain seize you all!

Fourth Dealer

A sad case. He will be melancholy mad before long. Neither of these is the creed for my money.

Heraclitus

No one bids.

Zeus

Next lot.

Buyer

But what are you weeping for, my good fellow? I imagine it will be much pleasanter to talk with you.

Buyer

What may the Aeon be?

Herakleitos

A child at play, moving the chessmen, changing them by hazard.

Buyer

What, then, are men?

Herakleitos

Mortal gods.

Buyer

And what are the gods?

Herakleitos

Immortal men.

Buyer

Are you talking in riddles, fellow, or setting me conundrums? You make your meaning as dim, actually, as Apollo does.

Herakleitos

Because I am at no pains about you.

Buyer

Very well; neither will any but a lunatic buy you.

Herakleitos

I bid each of you go to the devil from his youth up, whether he purchase or purchase not.

Buyer

His affliction is not much removed from melancholia. For my part, I am not going to buy either of them.

Hermes

These two are left on our hands.

Zeus

Put up another!