Lucian of Samosata, Vitarum auctio, Emily James Smith (Translator), 4

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Pythagoras

In addition to these, counting.

Buyer

I can count now.

Pythagoras

How do you do it?

Buyer

One, two, three, four.

Pythagoras

Look, now; what you deem four is really ten, and a perfect triangle, and what we swear by.

Buyer

Hear me swear a mighty oath: by Four, I never heard diviner or more holy words.

Pythagoras

And after that, stranger, you will have knowledge concerning earth and air and water and fire-the mass of each, and what form it has, and what motion by consequence.

Buyer

Then has fire form, or air, or water?

Pythagoras

Very clear forms, for the formless and shapeless is immovable; and besides these things you will know that God is number and mind and harmony.

Buyer

This is startling!

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.) — 4 focus

Πυθαγόρας

εἶτʼ ἐπὶ τουτέοισιν ἀριθμέειν.

Ἀγοράστης

οἶδα καὶ νῦν ἀριθμεῖν.

Πυθαγόρας

πῶς ἀριθμέεις;

Ἀγοράστης

ἕν, δύο, τρία, τέτταρα.

Πυθαγόρας

ὁρᾷς; ἃ σὺ δοκέεις τέσσαρα, ταῦτα δέκα ἐστὶ καὶ τρίγωνον ἐντελὲς καὶ ἡμέτερον ὅρκιον.

Ἀγοράστης

οὐ μὰ τὸν μέγιστον τοίνυν ὅρκον τὰ τέτταρα, οὔποτε θειοτέρους λόγους ἤκουσα οὐδὲ μᾶλλον ἱερούς.

Πυθαγόρας

μετὰ δέ, ὦ ξεῖνε, εἴσεαι γῆς τε πέρι καὶ ἠέρος καὶ ὕδατος καὶ πυρὸς ἥτις αὐτέοισιν ἡ φορὴ καὶ ὁκοῖα ἐόντα μορφὴν ὅκως κινέονται.

Ἀγοράστης

μορφὴν γὰρ ἔχει τὸ πῦρ ἢ ἀὴρ ἢ ὕδωρ;

Πυθαγόρας

καὶ μάλα ἐμφανέα· οὐ γὰρ οἷά τε ἀμορφίῃ καὶ ἀσχημοσύνῃ κινέεσθαι. καὶ ἐπὶ τουτέοισι δὲ γνώσεαι τὸν θεὸν ἀριθμὸν ἐόντα καὶ νόον καὶ ἁρμονίην.

Ἀγοράστης

θαυμάσια λέγεις.

Translations (2)

Philosophies for Sale Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 4 focus

PYTHAGOREAN

Then, in addition to this, in counting.

BUYER

I know how to count now.

PYTHAGOREAN

How dost thou count?

BUYER

One, two, three, four—

PYTHAGOREAN

Lo! what thou thinkest four is ten, and a perfect triangle, and our oath.¹

BUYER

Well, by your greatest oath, by Four, I never heard diviner doctrines or more esoteric.

PYTHAGOREAN

Thereafter, my friend, thou shalt learn of earth and air and water and fire, what their flux is, and what form they have and how they move.

BUYER

Why, has fire form, or air, or water?

PYTHAGOREAN

Yea, very notably, for without shape and form there can be no motion. And in addition thou shalt learn that God is number and mind and harmony.

BUYER

What you say is wonderful.

Sale of Creeds Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 4 focus

Pythagoras

Next you will learn to count.

First Dealer

I can do that already.

Pythagoras

Let me hear you.

First Dealer

One, two, three, four,—

Pythagoras

There you are, you see. Four (as you call it) is ten. Four the perfect triangle. Four the oath of our school.

First Dealer

Now by Four, most potent Four!—higher and holier mysteries than these I never heard.

Pythagoras

Then you will learn of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; their action, their movement, their shapes.

First Dealer

Have Fire and Air and Water shapes?

Pythagoras

Clearly. That cannot move which lacks shape and form. You will also find that God is a number; an intelligence; a harmony.

First Dealer

You surprise me.

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Pythagoras In addition to these, counting.

Buyer I can count now.

Pythagoras How do you do it?

Buyer One, two, three, four.

Pythagoras Look, now; what you deem four is really ten, and a perfect triangle, and what we swear by.

Buyer Hear me swear a mighty oath: by Four, I never heard diviner or more holy words.

Pythagoras And after that, stranger, you will have knowledge concerning earth and air and water and fire-the mass of each, and what form it has, and what motion by consequence.

Buyer Then has fire form, or air, or water?

Pythagoras Very clear forms, for the formless and shapeless is immovable; and besides these things you will know that God is number and mind and harmony.

Buyer This is startling!

Current edition Perseus

Πυθαγόρας εἶτʼ ἐπὶ τουτέοισιν ἀριθμέειν.

Ἀγοράστης οἶδα καὶ νῦν ἀριθμεῖν.

Πυθαγόρας πῶς ἀριθμέεις;

Ἀγοράστης ἕν, δύο, τρία, τέτταρα.

Πυθαγόρας ὁρᾷς; ἃ σὺ δοκέεις τέσσαρα, ταῦτα δέκα ἐστὶ καὶ τρίγωνον ἐντελὲς καὶ ἡμέτερον ὅρκιον.

Ἀγοράστης οὐ μὰ τὸν μέγιστον τοίνυν ὅρκον τὰ τέτταρα, οὔποτε θειοτέρους λόγους ἤκουσα οὐδὲ μᾶλλον ἱερούς.

Πυθαγόρας μετὰ δέ, ὦ ξεῖνε, εἴσεαι γῆς τε πέρι καὶ ἠέρος καὶ ὕδατος καὶ πυρὸς ἥτις αὐτέοισιν ἡ φορὴ καὶ ὁκοῖα ἐόντα μορφὴν ὅκως κινέονται.

Ἀγοράστης μορφὴν γὰρ ἔχει τὸ πῦρ ἢ ἀὴρ ἢ ὕδωρ;

Πυθαγόρας καὶ μάλα ἐμφανέα· οὐ γὰρ οἷά τε ἀμορφίῃ καὶ ἀσχημοσύνῃ κινέεσθαι. καὶ ἐπὶ τουτέοισι δὲ γνώσεαι τὸν θεὸν ἀριθμὸν ἐόντα καὶ νόον καὶ ἁρμονίην.

Ἀγοράστης θαυμάσια λέγεις.

PYTHAGOREAN Then, in addition to this, in counting.

BUYER I know how to count now.

PYTHAGOREAN How dost thou count?

BUYER One, two, three, four—

PYTHAGOREAN Lo! what thou thinkest four is ten, and a perfect triangle, and our oath. 1

BUYER Well, by your greatest oath, by Four, I never heard diviner doctrines or more esoteric.

PYTHAGOREAN Thereafter, my friend, thou shalt learn of earth and air and water and fire, what their flux is, and what form they have and how they move.

BUYER Why, has fire form, or air, or water?

PYTHAGOREAN Yea, very notably, for without shape and form there can be no motion. And in addition thou shalt learn that God is number and mind and harmony.

BUYER What you say is wonderful.

Pythagoras Next you will learn to count.

First Dealer I can do that already.

Pythagoras Let me hear you.

First Dealer One, two, three, four,—

Pythagoras There you are, you see. Four (as you call it) is ten. Four the perfect triangle. Four the oath of our school.

First Dealer Now by Four, most potent Four!—higher and holier mysteries than these I never heard.

Pythagoras Then you will learn of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; their action, their movement, their shapes.

First Dealer Have Fire and Air and Water shapes?

Pythagoras Clearly. That cannot move which lacks shape and form. You will also find that God is a number; an intelligence; a harmony.

First Dealer You surprise me.

Stable identifiers

Pythagoras

In addition to these, counting.

Buyer

I can count now.

Pythagoras

How do you do it?

Buyer

One, two, three, four.

Pythagoras

Look, now; what you deem four is really ten, and a perfect triangle, and what we swear by.

Buyer

Hear me swear a mighty oath: by Four, I never heard diviner or more holy words.

Pythagoras

And after that, stranger, you will have knowledge concerning earth and air and water and fire-the mass of each, and what form it has, and what motion by consequence.

Buyer

Then has fire form, or air, or water?

Pythagoras

Very clear forms, for the formless and shapeless is immovable; and besides these things you will know that God is number and mind and harmony.

Buyer

This is startling!

Πυθαγόρας

εἶτʼ ἐπὶ τουτέοισιν ἀριθμέειν.

Ἀγοράστης

οἶδα καὶ νῦν ἀριθμεῖν.

Πυθαγόρας

πῶς ἀριθμέεις;

Ἀγοράστης

ἕν, δύο, τρία, τέτταρα.

Πυθαγόρας

ὁρᾷς; ἃ σὺ δοκέεις τέσσαρα, ταῦτα δέκα ἐστὶ καὶ τρίγωνον ἐντελὲς καὶ ἡμέτερον ὅρκιον.

Ἀγοράστης

οὐ μὰ τὸν μέγιστον τοίνυν ὅρκον τὰ τέτταρα, οὔποτε θειοτέρους λόγους ἤκουσα οὐδὲ μᾶλλον ἱερούς.

Πυθαγόρας

μετὰ δέ, ὦ ξεῖνε, εἴσεαι γῆς τε πέρι καὶ ἠέρος καὶ ὕδατος καὶ πυρὸς ἥτις αὐτέοισιν ἡ φορὴ καὶ ὁκοῖα ἐόντα μορφὴν ὅκως κινέονται.

Ἀγοράστης

μορφὴν γὰρ ἔχει τὸ πῦρ ἢ ἀὴρ ἢ ὕδωρ;

Πυθαγόρας

καὶ μάλα ἐμφανέα· οὐ γὰρ οἷά τε ἀμορφίῃ καὶ ἀσχημοσύνῃ κινέεσθαι. καὶ ἐπὶ τουτέοισι δὲ γνώσεαι τὸν θεὸν ἀριθμὸν ἐόντα καὶ νόον καὶ ἁρμονίην.

Ἀγοράστης

θαυμάσια λέγεις.

PYTHAGOREAN

Then, in addition to this, in counting.

BUYER

I know how to count now.

PYTHAGOREAN

How dost thou count?

BUYER

One, two, three, four—

PYTHAGOREAN

Lo! what thou thinkest four is ten, and a perfect triangle, and our oath.¹

BUYER

Well, by your greatest oath, by Four, I never heard diviner doctrines or more esoteric.

PYTHAGOREAN

Thereafter, my friend, thou shalt learn of earth and air and water and fire, what their flux is, and what form they have and how they move.

BUYER

Why, has fire form, or air, or water?

PYTHAGOREAN

Yea, very notably, for without shape and form there can be no motion. And in addition thou shalt learn that God is number and mind and harmony.

BUYER

What you say is wonderful.

Pythagoras

Next you will learn to count.

First Dealer

I can do that already.

Pythagoras

Let me hear you.

First Dealer

One, two, three, four,—

Pythagoras

There you are, you see. Four (as you call it) is ten. Four the perfect triangle. Four the oath of our school.

First Dealer

Now by Four, most potent Four!—higher and holier mysteries than these I never heard.

Pythagoras

Then you will learn of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; their action, their movement, their shapes.

First Dealer

Have Fire and Air and Water shapes?

Pythagoras

Clearly. That cannot move which lacks shape and form. You will also find that God is a number; an intelligence; a harmony.

First Dealer

You surprise me.