Lucian of Samosata, Vitarum auctio, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 18

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BUYER

My word, what generosity! And what is the gist of your wisdom?

ACADEMIC

My “ideas”; I mean the patterns of existing things: for of everything that you behold, the earth, with all that is upon it, the sky, the sea, invisible images exist outside the universe.

BUYER

Where do they exist?

ACADEMIC

Nowhere; for if they were anywhere, they would not be.¹

BUYER

I do not see these patterns that you speak of.

ACADEMIC

Of course not, for the eye of your soul is blind; but I see images of everything,—an invisible “you,” another “me,” and in a word, two of everything.

BUYER

Then I must buy you for your wisdom and your sharp sight. (Zo Hermes.) Come, let’s see what price you will make me for him?

HERMES

Give me two talents.

BUYER

He is sold to me at the price you mention, But I will pay the money later on.

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.) — 18 focus

Ἀγοράστης

βαβαὶ τῆς φιλοδωρίας. τῆς δὲ σοφίας τί σοι τὸ κεφάλαιον ;

Σωκράτης

αἱ ἰδέαι καὶ τὰ τῶν ὄντων παραδείγματα· ὁπόσα γὰρ δὴ ὁρᾷς, τὴν γῆν, τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς, τὸν οὐρανόν, τὴν θάλατταν, ἁπάντων τούτων εἰκόνες ἀφανεῖς ἑστᾶσιν ἔξω τῶν ὅλων.

Ἀγοράστης

ποῦ δὲ ἑστᾶσιν;

Σωκράτης

οὐδαμοῦ· εἰ γάρ που εἶεν, οὐκ ἂν εἶεν.

Ἀγοράστης

οὐχ ὁρῶ ταῦθʼ ἅπερ λέγεις τὰ παραδείγματα.

Σωκράτης

εἰκότως· τυφλὸς γὰρ εἶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸν ὀφθαλμόν. ἐγὼ δὲ πάντων ὁρῶ εἰκόνας καὶ σὲ ἀφανῆ κἀμὲ ἄλλον, καὶ ὅλως διπλᾶ πάντα.

Ἀγοράστης

τοιγαροῦν ὠνητέος εἶ σοφὸς καὶ ὀξυδερκής τις ὤν. φέρε ἴδω τί καὶ πράξεις με ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ σύ;

Ἑρμῆς

δὸς δύο τάλαντα.

Ἀγοράστης

Ὠνησάμην ὅσου φής. τἀργύριον μέντοι εἰς αὖθις καταβαλῶ.

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.) — 18 focus

Fifth Dealer

Unparalleled generosity!—And now, what are the main features of your philosophy?

Socrates

Ideas and types of things. All things that you see, the earth and all that is upon it, the sea, the sky,—each has its counterpart in the invisible world.

Fifth Dealer

And where are they?

Socrates

Nowhere. Were they anywhere, they were not what they are.

Fifth Dealer

I see no signs of these ‘types’ of yours.

Socrates

Of course not; because you are spiritually blind. I see the counterparts of all things; an invisible you, an invisible me; everything is in duplicate.

Fifth Dealer

Come, such a shrewd and lynx-eyed creed is worth a bid. Let me see. What do you want for him?

Heraclitus

Five hundred.

Fifth Dealer

Done with you. Only I must settle the bill another day.

The Sale of Lives Perseus (Lucian. Selections from Lucian. Smith, Emily James, translator. New York: Harper Brothers, 1892.) — 18 focus

Buyer

A fine reward! And what is the substance of your philosophy?

Sokrates

The ideas and the types of existing things; for, indeed, everything that you see-the earth and all upon it, the sky, the sea-all these things have invisible images outside the universe.

Buyer

Where are they?

Sokrates

Nowhere; for if they were anywhere they could not be.

Buyer

I don't see these types you speak of.

Sokrates

Naturally; for your soul's eye is blind. But I see the images of all things: an invisible you, another me, and everything double.

Buyer

Then you will do to buy, for you are wise and have good eyes. Come, Hermes, how much will you charge me for him?

Hermes

Two thousand dollars.

Buyer

I take him at the price. However, I will pay you later.

Notes on the current edition

Philosophies for Sale

1. As space cannot be predicated of anything outside the univerge, it cannot be predicated of the Platonic Ideas. To do so would be to make them phenomena instead of realities, for nothing in the universe is real.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

BUYER My word, what generosity! And what is the gist of your wisdom?

ACADEMIC My “ideas”; I mean the patterns of existing things: for of everything that you behold, the earth, with all that is upon it, the sky, the sea, invisible images exist outside the universe.

BUYER Where do they exist?

ACADEMIC Nowhere; for if they were anywhere, they would not be. 1

BUYER I do not see these patterns that you speak of.

ACADEMIC Of course not, for the eye of your soul is blind; but I see images of everything,—an invisible “you,” another “me,” and in a word, two of everything.

BUYER Then I must buy you for your wisdom and your sharp sight. (Zo Hermes.) Come, let’s see what price you will make me for him?

HERMES Give me two talents.

BUYER He is sold to me at the price you mention, But I will pay the money later on.

Current edition Perseus

Ἀγοράστης βαβαὶ τῆς φιλοδωρίας. τῆς δὲ σοφίας τί σοι τὸ κεφάλαιον ;

Ἀγοράστης ποῦ δὲ ἑστᾶσιν;

Σωκράτης οὐδαμοῦ· εἰ γάρ που εἶεν, οὐκ ἂν εἶεν.

Ἀγοράστης οὐχ ὁρῶ ταῦθʼ ἅπερ λέγεις τὰ παραδείγματα.

Σωκράτης εἰκότως· τυφλὸς γὰρ εἶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸν ὀφθαλμόν. ἐγὼ δὲ πάντων ὁρῶ εἰκόνας καὶ σὲ ἀφανῆ κἀμὲ ἄλλον, καὶ ὅλως διπλᾶ πάντα.

Ἀγοράστης τοιγαροῦν ὠνητέος εἶ σοφὸς καὶ ὀξυδερκής τις ὤν. φέρε ἴδω τί καὶ πράξεις με ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ σύ;

Ἑρμῆς δὸς δύο τάλαντα.

Ἀγοράστης Ὠνησάμην ὅσου φής. τἀργύριον μέντοι εἰς αὖθις καταβαλῶ.

Fifth Dealer Unparalleled generosity!—And now, what are the main features of your philosophy?

Socrates Ideas and types of things. All things that you see, the earth and all that is upon it, the sea, the sky,—each has its counterpart in the invisible world.

Fifth Dealer And where are they?

Socrates Nowhere. Were they anywhere, they were not what they are.

Fifth Dealer I see no signs of these ‘types’ of yours.

Socrates Of course not; because you are spiritually blind. I see the counterparts of all things; an invisible you, an invisible me; everything is in duplicate.

Fifth Dealer Come, such a shrewd and lynx-eyed creed is worth a bid. Let me see. What do you want for him?

Heraclitus Five hundred.

Fifth Dealer Done with you. Only I must settle the bill another day.

Buyer A fine reward! And what is the substance of your philosophy?

Sokrates The ideas and the types of existing things; for, indeed, everything that you see-the earth and all upon it, the sky, the sea-all these things have invisible images outside the universe.

Buyer Where are they?

Sokrates Nowhere; for if they were anywhere they could not be.

Buyer I don't see these types you speak of.

Sokrates Naturally; for your soul's eye is blind. But I see the images of all things: an invisible you, another me, and everything double.

Buyer Then you will do to buy, for you are wise and have good eyes. Come, Hermes, how much will you charge me for him?

Hermes Two thousand dollars.

Buyer I take him at the price. However, I will pay you later.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

BUYER

My word, what generosity! And what is the gist of your wisdom?

ACADEMIC

My “ideas”; I mean the patterns of existing things: for of everything that you behold, the earth, with all that is upon it, the sky, the sea, invisible images exist outside the universe.

BUYER

Where do they exist?

ACADEMIC

Nowhere; for if they were anywhere, they would not be.¹

BUYER

I do not see these patterns that you speak of.

ACADEMIC

Of course not, for the eye of your soul is blind; but I see images of everything,—an invisible “you,” another “me,” and in a word, two of everything.

BUYER

Then I must buy you for your wisdom and your sharp sight. (Zo Hermes.) Come, let’s see what price you will make me for him?

HERMES

Give me two talents.

BUYER

He is sold to me at the price you mention, But I will pay the money later on.

Ἀγοράστης

βαβαὶ τῆς φιλοδωρίας. τῆς δὲ σοφίας τί σοι τὸ κεφάλαιον ;

Ἀγοράστης

ποῦ δὲ ἑστᾶσιν;

Σωκράτης

οὐδαμοῦ· εἰ γάρ που εἶεν, οὐκ ἂν εἶεν.

Ἀγοράστης

οὐχ ὁρῶ ταῦθʼ ἅπερ λέγεις τὰ παραδείγματα.

Σωκράτης

εἰκότως· τυφλὸς γὰρ εἶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸν ὀφθαλμόν. ἐγὼ δὲ πάντων ὁρῶ εἰκόνας καὶ σὲ ἀφανῆ κἀμὲ ἄλλον, καὶ ὅλως διπλᾶ πάντα.

Ἀγοράστης

τοιγαροῦν ὠνητέος εἶ σοφὸς καὶ ὀξυδερκής τις ὤν. φέρε ἴδω τί καὶ πράξεις με ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ σύ;

Ἑρμῆς

δὸς δύο τάλαντα.

Ἀγοράστης

Ὠνησάμην ὅσου φής. τἀργύριον μέντοι εἰς αὖθις καταβαλῶ.

Fifth Dealer

Unparalleled generosity!—And now, what are the main features of your philosophy?

Socrates

Ideas and types of things. All things that you see, the earth and all that is upon it, the sea, the sky,—each has its counterpart in the invisible world.

Fifth Dealer

And where are they?

Socrates

Nowhere. Were they anywhere, they were not what they are.

Fifth Dealer

I see no signs of these ‘types’ of yours.

Socrates

Of course not; because you are spiritually blind. I see the counterparts of all things; an invisible you, an invisible me; everything is in duplicate.

Fifth Dealer

Come, such a shrewd and lynx-eyed creed is worth a bid. Let me see. What do you want for him?

Heraclitus

Five hundred.

Fifth Dealer

Done with you. Only I must settle the bill another day.

Buyer

A fine reward! And what is the substance of your philosophy?

Sokrates

The ideas and the types of existing things; for, indeed, everything that you see-the earth and all upon it, the sky, the sea-all these things have invisible images outside the universe.

Buyer

Where are they?

Sokrates

Nowhere; for if they were anywhere they could not be.

Buyer

I don't see these types you speak of.

Sokrates

Naturally; for your soul's eye is blind. But I see the images of all things: an invisible you, another me, and everything double.

Buyer

Then you will do to buy, for you are wise and have good eyes. Come, Hermes, how much will you charge me for him?

Hermes

Two thousand dollars.

Buyer

I take him at the price. However, I will pay you later.