Lucian of Samosata, Vitarum auctio, Emily James Smith (Translator), 11

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Buyer

Be off with you! Your ways are foul and unnatural.

Diogones

But the easiest, at least, sirrah, and handy for every one to pursue; for they will not ask education of you, or oratory, or nonsense. No; this road is a short cut to fame; for even if you are a private citizen, a tanner, or a fishmonger, or a carpenter, or a cabinet-maker, nothing prevents your being a wonder if only you are shameless and bold, and have acquired the art of skilful abuse.

Buyer

I do not want your services in that line, but you might perhaps be convenient as a sailor or a gardener-particularly if the vendor is willing to sell you for not more than five cents.

Hermes

Take him; we shall be glad to get rid of him. He is a nuisance, yelling and abusing everybody generally with his foul tongue.

Vitarum auctio. Lucian of Samosata. Emily James Smith (Translator). Medford, MA. Perseus 5.0.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

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

Ἀγοράστης

ἄπαγε· μιαρὰ γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπινα λέγεις.

Διογένης

ἀλλὰ ῥᾷστά γε, ὦ οὗτος, καὶ πᾶσιν εὐχερῆ μετελθεῖν· οὐ γάρ σοι δεήσει παιδείας καὶ λόγων καὶ λήρων, ἀλλʼ ἐπίτομος αὕτη σοι πρὸς δόξαν ἡ ὁδός· κἂν ἰδιώτης ᾖς, ἤτοι σκυτοδέψης ἢ ταριχοπώλης ἢ τέκτων ἢ τραπεζίτης, οὐδέν σε κωλύσει θαυμαστὸν εἴναι, ἢν μόνον ἡ ἀναίδεια καὶ τὸ θράσος παρῇ καὶ λοιδορεῖσθαι καλῶς ἐκμάθῃς.

Ἀγοράστης

πρὸς ταῦτα μὲν οὐ δέομαί σου. ναύτης δʼ ἂν ἴσως ἢ κηπουρὸς ἐν καιρῷ γένοιο, καὶ ταῦτα, ἢν ἐθέλῃ σε ἀποδόσθαι οὑτοσὶ τὸ μέγιστον δύʼ ὀβολῶν.

Ἑρμῆς

ἔχε λαβών· καὶ γὰρ ἄσμενοι ἀπαλλαξόμεθα ἐνοχλοῦντος αὐτοῦ καὶ βοῶντος καὶ ἅπαντας ἁπαξαπλῶς ὑβρίζοντος καὶ ἀγορεύοντος κακῶς.

Translations (2)

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

BUYER

Get out with you! The life you talk of is abominable and inhuman.

CYNIC

But at all events it is easy, man, and no trouble for all to follow; for you will not need education and doctrine and drivel, but this road is a short cut to fame. Even if you are an unlettered man,—a tanner or a fish-man or a carpenter or a money-changer— there will be nothing to hinder you from being wondered at, if only you have impudence and _ boldness and learn how to abuse people properly.

BUYER

I do not want you for any such purpose, but you might do at a pinch for a boatman or a gardener, and only then if my friend here is willing to sell you for two obols at the outside.

HERMES

He’s yours: take him. We shall be glad to get rid of him because he is annoying and loud-mouthed and insults and abuses everybody without exception.

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

Second Dealer

Oh, vile creed! Monstrous creed! Avaunt!

Diogenes

But look you, it is all so easy; it is within every man’s reach. No education is necessary, no nonsensical argumentation. I offer you a short cut to Glory. You may be the merest clown—cobbler, fishmonger, carpenter, money-changer; yet there is nothing to prevent your becoming famous. Given brass and boldness, you have only to learn to wag your tongue with dexterity.

Second Dealer

All this is of no use to me. But I might make a sailor or a gardener of you at a pinch; that is, if you are to be had cheap. Three-pence is the most I can give.

Lucian of Samosata Vitarum auctio 11

Emily James Smith (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Buyer

Be off with you! Your ways are foul and unnatural.

Buyer

I do not want your services in that line, but you might perhaps be convenient as a sailor or a gardener-particularly if the vendor is willing to sell you for not more than five cents.

Hermes

Take him; we shall be glad to get rid of him. He is a nuisance, yelling and abusing everybody generally with his foul tongue.

Current edition Perseus

Ἀγοράστης

ἄπαγε· μιαρὰ γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπινα λέγεις.

Ἀγοράστης

πρὸς ταῦτα μὲν οὐ δέομαί σου. ναύτης δʼ ἂν ἴσως ἢ κηπουρὸς ἐν καιρῷ γένοιο, καὶ ταῦτα, ἢν ἐθέλῃ σε ἀποδόσθαι οὑτοσὶ τὸ μέγιστον δύʼ ὀβολῶν.

Ἑρμῆς

ἔχε λαβών· καὶ γὰρ ἄσμενοι ἀπαλλαξόμεθα ἐνοχλοῦντος αὐτοῦ καὶ βοῶντος καὶ ἅπαντας ἁπαξαπλῶς ὑβρίζοντος καὶ ἀγορεύοντος κακῶς.

BUYER

Get out with you! The life you talk of is abominable and inhuman.

BUYER

I do not want you for any such purpose, but you might do at a pinch for a boatman or a gardener, and only then if my friend here is willing to sell you for two obols at the outside.

HERMES

He’s yours: take him. We shall be glad to get rid of him because he is annoying and loud-mouthed and insults and abuses everybody without exception.

Second Dealer

Oh, vile creed! Monstrous creed! Avaunt!

Second Dealer

All this is of no use to me. But I might make a sailor or a gardener of you at a pinch; that is, if you are to be had cheap. Three-pence is the most I can give.

Heraclitus

He is yours, to have and to hold. And good riddance to the brawling foul-mouthed bully. He is a slanderer by wholesale.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Buyer Be off with you! Your ways are foul and unnatural.

Buyer I do not want your services in that line, but you might perhaps be convenient as a sailor or a gardener-particularly if the vendor is willing to sell you for not more than five cents.

Hermes Take him; we shall be glad to get rid of him. He is a nuisance, yelling and abusing everybody generally with his foul tongue.

Current edition Perseus

Ἀγοράστης ἄπαγε· μιαρὰ γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπινα λέγεις.

Ἀγοράστης πρὸς ταῦτα μὲν οὐ δέομαί σου. ναύτης δʼ ἂν ἴσως ἢ κηπουρὸς ἐν καιρῷ γένοιο, καὶ ταῦτα, ἢν ἐθέλῃ σε ἀποδόσθαι οὑτοσὶ τὸ μέγιστον δύʼ ὀβολῶν.

Ἑρμῆς ἔχε λαβών· καὶ γὰρ ἄσμενοι ἀπαλλαξόμεθα ἐνοχλοῦντος αὐτοῦ καὶ βοῶντος καὶ ἅπαντας ἁπαξαπλῶς ὑβρίζοντος καὶ ἀγορεύοντος κακῶς.

BUYER Get out with you! The life you talk of is abominable and inhuman.

BUYER I do not want you for any such purpose, but you might do at a pinch for a boatman or a gardener, and only then if my friend here is willing to sell you for two obols at the outside.

HERMES He’s yours: take him. We shall be glad to get rid of him because he is annoying and loud-mouthed and insults and abuses everybody without exception.

Second Dealer Oh, vile creed! Monstrous creed! Avaunt!

Second Dealer All this is of no use to me. But I might make a sailor or a gardener of you at a pinch; that is, if you are to be had cheap. Three-pence is the most I can give.

Heraclitus He is yours, to have and to hold. And good riddance to the brawling foul-mouthed bully. He is a slanderer by wholesale.

Stable identifiers

Buyer

Be off with you! Your ways are foul and unnatural.

Buyer

I do not want your services in that line, but you might perhaps be convenient as a sailor or a gardener-particularly if the vendor is willing to sell you for not more than five cents.

Hermes

Take him; we shall be glad to get rid of him. He is a nuisance, yelling and abusing everybody generally with his foul tongue.

Ἀγοράστης

ἄπαγε· μιαρὰ γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπινα λέγεις.

Ἀγοράστης

πρὸς ταῦτα μὲν οὐ δέομαί σου. ναύτης δʼ ἂν ἴσως ἢ κηπουρὸς ἐν καιρῷ γένοιο, καὶ ταῦτα, ἢν ἐθέλῃ σε ἀποδόσθαι οὑτοσὶ τὸ μέγιστον δύʼ ὀβολῶν.

Ἑρμῆς

ἔχε λαβών· καὶ γὰρ ἄσμενοι ἀπαλλαξόμεθα ἐνοχλοῦντος αὐτοῦ καὶ βοῶντος καὶ ἅπαντας ἁπαξαπλῶς ὑβρίζοντος καὶ ἀγορεύοντος κακῶς.

BUYER

Get out with you! The life you talk of is abominable and inhuman.

BUYER

I do not want you for any such purpose, but you might do at a pinch for a boatman or a gardener, and only then if my friend here is willing to sell you for two obols at the outside.

HERMES

He’s yours: take him. We shall be glad to get rid of him because he is annoying and loud-mouthed and insults and abuses everybody without exception.

Second Dealer

Oh, vile creed! Monstrous creed! Avaunt!

Second Dealer

All this is of no use to me. But I might make a sailor or a gardener of you at a pinch; that is, if you are to be had cheap. Three-pence is the most I can give.

Heraclitus

He is yours, to have and to hold. And good riddance to the brawling foul-mouthed bully. He is a slanderer by wholesale.