Lucian, Piscator, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 48

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Parrhesiades

Ah, a fine bass; no, it is not; it is a gilthead.

Exposure

A shark, you mean; there, see, he is getting near the hook, open-mouthed too. He scents the gold; now he is close—touching—he has it; up with him!

Parrhesiades

Give me a hand with the line, Exposure; here he is. Now, my best of fishes, what do we make of you? Salmo Cynicus, that is what you are. Good gracious, what teeth! Aha, my brave fish, caught snapping up trifles in the rocks, where you thought you could lurk unobserved? But now you shall hang by the gills for every one to look at you. Pull out hook and bait. Why, the hook is bare; he has not been long assimilating the figs, eh? and the gold has gone down too.

Diogenes

Make him disgorge; we want the bait for some more.

Parrhesiades

There, then. Now, Diogenes, do you know who it is? has the fellow anything to do with you?

Diogenes

Nothing whatever.

Parrhesiades

Well, what do you put him at? threepence was the price fi I the other day.

Diogenes

Too much. His flavour and his looks are intolerable— a coarse worthless brute. Drop him head first over the rock, and catch another. But take care your rod does not bend to breaking point.

Parrhesiades

No fear; they are quite light—about the weight of a gudgeon.

Diogenes

About the weight and about the wit. However, up with them.

Piscator. Lucian. Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator). Medford, MA, USA. 2023-08-01.

Current edition Perseus

The Fisher (English) (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.)

Editions (1)

Ἀναβιοῦντες ἢ Ἁλιεύς Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 3. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1921.) — 48 focus

Παρρησιάδης

ἀλλʼ ὁρῶ τινα λάβρακα εὐμεγέθη, μᾶλλον δὲ χρύσοφρυν· οὐκ, ἀλλὰ γαλεός ἐστιν. πρόσεισι γοῦν τῷ ἀγκίστρῳ κεχηνώς· ὤσφραται τοῦ χρυσίου· πλησίον ἤδη ἐστίν· ἔψαυσεν· εἴληπται· ἀνασπάσωμεν. καὶ σύ, ὦ Ἔλεγχε, ἀνάσπα· Ἔλεγχε,¹ συνεπιλαβοῦ τῆς ὁρμιᾶς.

Ἔλεγχος

ἄνω ἐστί. φέρʼ ἴδω τίς εἶ, ὦ βέλτιστε ἰχθύων; κύων οὗτός γε.² Ἡράκλεις τῶν ὀδόντων. τί τοῦτο, ὦ γενναιότατε; εἴληψαι λιχνεύων περὶ τὰς πέτρας, ἔνθα λήσειν ἤλπισας ὑποδεδυκώς; ἀλλὰ νῦν ἔσῃ φανερὸς ἅπασιν ἐκ τῶν βραγχίων ἀπηρτημένος. ἐξέλωμεν τὸ ἄγκιστρον καὶ τὸ δέλεαρ. μὰ Δίʼ ἔπιεν.³ τουτὶ κενόν σοι τὸ ἄγκιστρον· ἡ δʼ ἰσχὰς ἤδη προσέσχηται καὶ τὸ χρυσίον ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ.

Παρρησιάδης

ἐξεμεσάτω νὴ Δία, ὡς καὶ ἐπʼ ἄλλους δελεάσωμεν. εὖ ἔχει· τί φής, ὦ Διόγενες; οἶσθα τοῦτον ὅστις ἐστίν, ἢ προσήκει τί σοι ἁνήρ;

Διογένης

οὐδαμῶς.

Παρρησιάδης

τί οὖν; πόσου ἄξιον αὐτὸν χρὴ φάναι; ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ δύʼ ὀβολῶν πρῴην αὐτὸν ἐτιμησάμην.

Διογένης

πολὺ λέγεις· ἄβρωτός τε γάρ ἐστιν καὶ εἰδεχθὴς καὶ σκληρὸς καὶ ἄτιμος· ἄφες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν κατὰ τῆς πέτρας· σὺ δὲ ἄλλον ἀνάσπασον καθεὶς τὸ ἄγκιστρον. ἐκεῖνο μέντοι· ὅρα, ὦ Παρρησιάδη, μὴ καμπτόμενός σοι ὁ κάλαμος ἀποκλασθῇ.

Παρρησιάδης

θάρρει, ὦ Διόγενες· κοῦφοί εἰσι καὶ τῶν ἀφύων ἐλαφρότεροι.

Διογένης

νὴ Δίʼ, ἀφυέστατοί γε· ἀνάσπα δὲ ὅμως.

Translations (1)

The Dead Come to Life, or the Fisherman Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 3. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1921.) — 48 focus

FRANKNESS

Ah! I see a fine big pike, or rather, a golden carp.—No, it is a cat-fish. Anyhow, he is coming up to the hook with his mouth open. He has scented the gold; now he is close by; he struck; he is on; let’s pull him up. You pull too, Investigation. Investigation, take hold of the line with me!

INVESTIGATION

He isup! Come, let me see what you are, my good fish. A dogfish!¹ Heracles, what teeth! How about it, my fine fellow? Caught, were you, gormandizing about the rocks, where you hoped to slip under cover and keep out of sight? But now you will be in public view, hung up by the gills! Let us take out the hook and the bait. No, by Zeus, he has swallowed it! Here is your hook, all bare; the fig and the gold are secure in his insides.

FRANKNESS

Let him spew them up, by Zeus, so that we may bait for others. That’s well. What say you, Diogenes; do you know who this fellow is, and has he anything in common with you?

DIOGENES

Not in the least!

FRANKNESS

Well, how much ought we to call him worth? For my part, I valued him at two obols the other day.

DIOGENES

A high price. He is inedible and ugly and tough and worthless. Throw him down the cliff head first. Let down your hook and pull up another. But I say: look out, Frankness, not to let your rod bend till it breaks.

FRANKNESS

Have no fear, Diogenes. They are light, and pull no harder than weakfish.²

DIOGENES

Aye, they are mighty weak, for certain; pull them up, however.

Lucian Piscator 48

Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator)

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Parrhesiades

Ah, a fine bass; no, it is not; it is a gilthead.

Exposure

A shark, you mean; there, see, he is getting near the hook, open-mouthed too. He scents the gold; now he is close—touching—he has it; up with him!

Diogenes

Make him disgorge; we want the bait for some more.

Parrhesiades

There, then. Now, Diogenes, do you know who it is? has the fellow anything to do with you?

Diogenes

Nothing whatever.

Parrhesiades

Well, what do you put him at? threepence was the price fi I the other day.

Diogenes

Too much. His flavour and his looks are intolerable— a coarse worthless brute. Drop him head first over the rock, and catch another. But take care your rod does not bend to breaking point.

Parrhesiades

No fear; they are quite light—about the weight of a gudgeon.

Diogenes

About the weight and about the wit. However, up with them.

Current edition Perseus

Παρρησιάδης

ἐξεμεσάτω νὴ Δία, ὡς καὶ ἐπʼ ἄλλους δελεάσωμεν. εὖ ἔχει· τί φής, ὦ Διόγενες; οἶσθα τοῦτον ὅστις ἐστίν, ἢ προσήκει τί σοι ἁνήρ;

Διογένης

οὐδαμῶς.

Παρρησιάδης

τί οὖν; πόσου ἄξιον αὐτὸν χρὴ φάναι; ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ δύʼ ὀβολῶν πρῴην αὐτὸν ἐτιμησάμην.

Παρρησιάδης

θάρρει, ὦ Διόγενες· κοῦφοί εἰσι καὶ τῶν ἀφύων ἐλαφρότεροι.

Διογένης

νὴ Δίʼ, ἀφυέστατοί γε· ἀνάσπα δὲ ὅμως.

FRANKNESS

Let him spew them up, by Zeus, so that we may bait for others. That’s well. What say you, Diogenes; do you know who this fellow is, and has he anything in common with you?

DIOGENES

Not in the least!

FRANKNESS

Well, how much ought we to call him worth? For my part, I valued him at two obols the other day.

DIOGENES

A high price. He is inedible and ugly and tough and worthless. Throw him down the cliff head first. Let down your hook and pull up another. But I say: look out, Frankness, not to let your rod bend till it breaks.

FRANKNESS

Have no fear, Diogenes. They are light, and pull no harder than weakfish.²

DIOGENES

Aye, they are mighty weak, for certain; pull them up, however.

Stable identifiers

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Parrhesiades Ah, a fine bass; no, it is not; it is a gilthead.

Exposure A shark, you mean; there, see, he is getting near the hook, open-mouthed too. He scents the gold; now he is close—touching—he has it; up with him!

Diogenes Make him disgorge; we want the bait for some more.

Parrhesiades There, then. Now, Diogenes, do you know who it is? has the fellow anything to do with you?

Diogenes Nothing whatever.

Parrhesiades Well, what do you put him at? threepence was the price fi I the other day.

Diogenes Too much. His flavour and his looks are intolerable— a coarse worthless brute. Drop him head first over the rock, and catch another. But take care your rod does not bend to breaking point.

Parrhesiades No fear; they are quite light—about the weight of a gudgeon.

Diogenes About the weight and about the wit. However, up with them.

Current edition Perseus

Παρρησιάδης ἐξεμεσάτω νὴ Δία, ὡς καὶ ἐπʼ ἄλλους δελεάσωμεν. εὖ ἔχει· τί φής, ὦ Διόγενες; οἶσθα τοῦτον ὅστις ἐστίν, ἢ προσήκει τί σοι ἁνήρ;

Διογένης οὐδαμῶς.

Παρρησιάδης τί οὖν; πόσου ἄξιον αὐτὸν χρὴ φάναι; ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ δύʼ ὀβολῶν πρῴην αὐτὸν ἐτιμησάμην.

Παρρησιάδης θάρρει, ὦ Διόγενες· κοῦφοί εἰσι καὶ τῶν ἀφύων ἐλαφρότεροι.

Διογένης νὴ Δίʼ, ἀφυέστατοί γε· ἀνάσπα δὲ ὅμως.

FRANKNESS Let him spew them up, by Zeus, so that we may bait for others. That’s well. What say you, Diogenes; do you know who this fellow is, and has he anything in common with you?

DIOGENES Not in the least!

FRANKNESS Well, how much ought we to call him worth? For my part, I valued him at two obols the other day.

DIOGENES A high price. He is inedible and ugly and tough and worthless. Throw him down the cliff head first. Let down your hook and pull up another. But I say: look out, Frankness, not to let your rod bend till it breaks.

FRANKNESS Have no fear, Diogenes. They are light, and pull no harder than weakfish. 2

DIOGENES Aye, they are mighty weak, for certain; pull them up, however.

Stable identifiers

Parrhesiades

Ah, a fine bass; no, it is not; it is a gilthead.

Exposure

A shark, you mean; there, see, he is getting near the hook, open-mouthed too. He scents the gold; now he is close—touching—he has it; up with him!

Diogenes

Make him disgorge; we want the bait for some more.

Parrhesiades

There, then. Now, Diogenes, do you know who it is? has the fellow anything to do with you?

Diogenes

Nothing whatever.

Parrhesiades

Well, what do you put him at? threepence was the price fi I the other day.

Diogenes

Too much. His flavour and his looks are intolerable— a coarse worthless brute. Drop him head first over the rock, and catch another. But take care your rod does not bend to breaking point.

Parrhesiades

No fear; they are quite light—about the weight of a gudgeon.

Diogenes

About the weight and about the wit. However, up with them.

Παρρησιάδης

ἐξεμεσάτω νὴ Δία, ὡς καὶ ἐπʼ ἄλλους δελεάσωμεν. εὖ ἔχει· τί φής, ὦ Διόγενες; οἶσθα τοῦτον ὅστις ἐστίν, ἢ προσήκει τί σοι ἁνήρ;

Διογένης

οὐδαμῶς.

Παρρησιάδης

τί οὖν; πόσου ἄξιον αὐτὸν χρὴ φάναι; ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ δύʼ ὀβολῶν πρῴην αὐτὸν ἐτιμησάμην.

Παρρησιάδης

θάρρει, ὦ Διόγενες· κοῦφοί εἰσι καὶ τῶν ἀφύων ἐλαφρότεροι.

Διογένης

νὴ Δίʼ, ἀφυέστατοί γε· ἀνάσπα δὲ ὅμως.

FRANKNESS

Let him spew them up, by Zeus, so that we may bait for others. That’s well. What say you, Diogenes; do you know who this fellow is, and has he anything in common with you?

DIOGENES

Not in the least!

FRANKNESS

Well, how much ought we to call him worth? For my part, I valued him at two obols the other day.

DIOGENES

A high price. He is inedible and ugly and tough and worthless. Throw him down the cliff head first. Let down your hook and pull up another. But I say: look out, Frankness, not to let your rod bend till it breaks.

FRANKNESS

Have no fear, Diogenes. They are light, and pull no harder than weakfish.²

DIOGENES

Aye, they are mighty weak, for certain; pull them up, however.