Lucian of Samosata, Vitarum auctio, Emily James Smith (Translator), 2

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Hermes

Which of them shall we put up first?

Zeus

This one with the long hair, the Ionian, for he seems to be a reverend person.

Hermes

Let the Pythagorean there show his points to the company.

Zeus

Announce him, pray.

Hermes

I offer the noblest life, the most reverend. Who will buy? Who wishes to be more than human, to know the harmony of the all, and rise from the dead?

Buyer

He is not bad to look at, but just what does he know?

Hermes

Arithmetic, astronomy, magic, geometry, music, jugglery. A finished fortune-teller is before you.

Buyer

May one question him?

Hermes

With all my heart.

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.) — 2 focus

Ἑρμῆς

τίνα πρῶτον ἐθέλεις παραγάγωμεν;

Ζεύς

τουτονὶ τὸν κομήτην, τὸν Ἰωνικόν, ἐπεὶ καὶ σεμνός τις εἶναι φαίνεται.

Ἑρμῆς

οὗτος ὁ Πυθαγορικὸς κατάβηθι καὶ πάρεχε σεαυτὸν ἀναθεωρεῖσθαι τοῖς συνειλεγμένοις.

Ζεύς

κήρυττε δή.

Ἑρμῆς

τὸν ἄριστον βίον πωλῶ, τὸν σεμνότατον. τίς ὠνήσεται; τίς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον εἶναι βούλεται; τίς εἰδέναι τὴν τοῦ παντὸς ἁρμονίαν καὶ ἀναβιῶναι πάλιν;

Ἀγοράστης

τὸ μὲν εἶδος οὐκ ἀγεννής. τί δὲ μάλιστα οἶδεν;

Ἑρμῆς

ἀριθμητικήν, ἀστρονομίαν, τερατείαν, γεωμετρίαν, μουσικήν, γοητείαν. μάντιν ἄκρον βλέπεις.

Ἀγοράστης

ἔξεστιν αὐτὸν ἀνακρίνειν;

Ἑρμῆς

ἀνάκρινε ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ.

Translations (2)

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

ZEUS

Many are gathering, so we must avoid wasting time and delaying them. Let us begin the sale, then.

HERMES

Which do you want us to bring on first?

ZEUS

This fellow with the long hair, the Ionian, for he seems to be someone of distinction.

HERMES

You Pythagorean, come forward and let yourself be looked over by the company.

ZEUS

Hawk him now.

HERMES

The noblest of philosophies for sale, the most distinguished; who'll buy? Who wants to be more than man? Who wants to apprehend the music of the spheres and to be born again?

BUYER

For looks, he is not bad, but what does he know best?

HERMES

Arithmetic, astronomy, charlatanry, geometry, music and quackery; you see in him a first-class soothsayer.

BUYER

May I question him?

HERMES

Yes, and good luck to you!

Sale of Creeds Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 2 focus

Heraclitus

What are we to put up first?

Zeus

The Ionic fellow, with the long hair. He seems a showy piece of goods.

Heraclitus

Step up, Pythagoreanism, and show yourself.

Zeus

Go ahead.

Heraclitus

Now here is a creed of the first water. Who bids for this handsome article? What gentleman says Superhumanity? Harmony of the Universe! Transmigration of souls! Who bids? First Dealer. He looks all right. And what can he do?

Heraclitus

Magic, music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, jugglery. Prophecy in all its branches,

First Dealer

Can I ask him some questions?

Heraclitus

Ask away, and welcome.

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Hermes Which of them shall we put up first?

Zeus This one with the long hair, the Ionian, for he seems to be a reverend person.

Hermes Let the Pythagorean there show his points to the company.

Zeus Announce him, pray.

Hermes I offer the noblest life, the most reverend. Who will buy? Who wishes to be more than human, to know the harmony of the all, and rise from the dead?

Buyer He is not bad to look at, but just what does he know?

Hermes Arithmetic, astronomy, magic, geometry, music, jugglery. A finished fortune-teller is before you.

Buyer May one question him?

Hermes With all my heart.

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμῆς τίνα πρῶτον ἐθέλεις παραγάγωμεν;

Ζεύς τουτονὶ τὸν κομήτην, τὸν Ἰωνικόν, ἐπεὶ καὶ σεμνός τις εἶναι φαίνεται.

Ἑρμῆς οὗτος ὁ Πυθαγορικὸς κατάβηθι καὶ πάρεχε σεαυτὸν ἀναθεωρεῖσθαι τοῖς συνειλεγμένοις.

Ζεύς κήρυττε δή.

Ἑρμῆς τὸν ἄριστον βίον πωλῶ, τὸν σεμνότατον. τίς ὠνήσεται; τίς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον εἶναι βούλεται; τίς εἰδέναι τὴν τοῦ παντὸς ἁρμονίαν καὶ ἀναβιῶναι πάλιν;

Ἀγοράστης τὸ μὲν εἶδος οὐκ ἀγεννής. τί δὲ μάλιστα οἶδεν;

Ἑρμῆς ἀριθμητικήν, ἀστρονομίαν, τερατείαν, γεωμετρίαν, μουσικήν, γοητείαν. μάντιν ἄκρον βλέπεις.

Ἀγοράστης ἔξεστιν αὐτὸν ἀνακρίνειν;

Ἑρμῆς ἀνάκρινε ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ.

ZEUS Many are gathering, so we must avoid wasting time and delaying them. Let us begin the sale, then.

HERMES Which do you want us to bring on first?

ZEUS This fellow with the long hair, the Ionian, for he seems to be someone of distinction.

HERMES You Pythagorean, come forward and let yourself be looked over by the company.

ZEUS Hawk him now.

HERMES The noblest of philosophies for sale, the most distinguished; who'll buy? Who wants to be more than man? Who wants to apprehend the music of the spheres and to be born again?

BUYER For looks, he is not bad, but what does he know best?

HERMES Arithmetic, astronomy, charlatanry, geometry, music and quackery; you see in him a first-class soothsayer.

BUYER May I question him?

HERMES Yes, and good luck to you!

Heraclitus What are we to put up first?

Zeus The Ionic fellow, with the long hair. He seems a showy piece of goods.

Heraclitus Step up, Pythagoreanism, and show yourself.

Zeus Go ahead.

Heraclitus Now here is a creed of the first water. Who bids for this handsome article? What gentleman says Superhumanity? Harmony of the Universe! Transmigration of souls! Who bids? First Dealer. He looks all right. And what can he do?

Heraclitus Magic, music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, jugglery. Prophecy in all its branches,

First Dealer Can I ask him some questions?

Heraclitus Ask away, and welcome.

Stable identifiers

Hermes

Which of them shall we put up first?

Zeus

This one with the long hair, the Ionian, for he seems to be a reverend person.

Hermes

Let the Pythagorean there show his points to the company.

Zeus

Announce him, pray.

Hermes

I offer the noblest life, the most reverend. Who will buy? Who wishes to be more than human, to know the harmony of the all, and rise from the dead?

Buyer

He is not bad to look at, but just what does he know?

Hermes

Arithmetic, astronomy, magic, geometry, music, jugglery. A finished fortune-teller is before you.

Buyer

May one question him?

Hermes

With all my heart.

Ἑρμῆς

τίνα πρῶτον ἐθέλεις παραγάγωμεν;

Ζεύς

τουτονὶ τὸν κομήτην, τὸν Ἰωνικόν, ἐπεὶ καὶ σεμνός τις εἶναι φαίνεται.

Ἑρμῆς

οὗτος ὁ Πυθαγορικὸς κατάβηθι καὶ πάρεχε σεαυτὸν ἀναθεωρεῖσθαι τοῖς συνειλεγμένοις.

Ζεύς

κήρυττε δή.

Ἑρμῆς

τὸν ἄριστον βίον πωλῶ, τὸν σεμνότατον. τίς ὠνήσεται; τίς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον εἶναι βούλεται; τίς εἰδέναι τὴν τοῦ παντὸς ἁρμονίαν καὶ ἀναβιῶναι πάλιν;

Ἀγοράστης

τὸ μὲν εἶδος οὐκ ἀγεννής. τί δὲ μάλιστα οἶδεν;

Ἑρμῆς

ἀριθμητικήν, ἀστρονομίαν, τερατείαν, γεωμετρίαν, μουσικήν, γοητείαν. μάντιν ἄκρον βλέπεις.

Ἀγοράστης

ἔξεστιν αὐτὸν ἀνακρίνειν;

Ἑρμῆς

ἀνάκρινε ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ.

ZEUS

Many are gathering, so we must avoid wasting time and delaying them. Let us begin the sale, then.

HERMES

Which do you want us to bring on first?

ZEUS

This fellow with the long hair, the Ionian, for he seems to be someone of distinction.

HERMES

You Pythagorean, come forward and let yourself be looked over by the company.

ZEUS

Hawk him now.

HERMES

The noblest of philosophies for sale, the most distinguished; who'll buy? Who wants to be more than man? Who wants to apprehend the music of the spheres and to be born again?

BUYER

For looks, he is not bad, but what does he know best?

HERMES

Arithmetic, astronomy, charlatanry, geometry, music and quackery; you see in him a first-class soothsayer.

BUYER

May I question him?

HERMES

Yes, and good luck to you!

Heraclitus

What are we to put up first?

Zeus

The Ionic fellow, with the long hair. He seems a showy piece of goods.

Heraclitus

Step up, Pythagoreanism, and show yourself.

Zeus

Go ahead.

Heraclitus

Now here is a creed of the first water. Who bids for this handsome article? What gentleman says Superhumanity? Harmony of the Universe! Transmigration of souls! Who bids? First Dealer. He looks all right. And what can he do?

Heraclitus

Magic, music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, jugglery. Prophecy in all its branches,

First Dealer

Can I ask him some questions?

Heraclitus

Ask away, and welcome.