Lucian of Samosata, Alexander, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 13

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[13] When at length it was time to begin, he contrived an ingenious ruse. Going at night to the foundations of the temple which were just being excavated, where a pool of water had gathered which either issued from springs somewhere in the foundations themselves or had fallen from the sky, he secreted there a goose-egg, previously blown, which contained a snake just born; and after burying it deep in the mud, he went back again. In the morning he ran out into the market-place naked, wearing a loin-cloth-(this too was gilded),¹ carrying his falchion, and tossing his unconfined mane like a devotee of the Great Mother in the frenzy. Addressing the people from a high altar upon which he had climbed, he congratulated the city because it was at once to receive the god in visible presence. The assembly—for almost the whole city, including women, old men, and boys, had come running— marvelled, prayed and made obeisance. Uttering a few meaningless words like Hebrew or Phoenician, he dazed the creatures, who did not know what he was saying save only that he everywhere brought in Apollo and Asclepius.

Alexander. Lucian of Samosata. Austin Morris Harmon (Translator). United States. Perseus 5.0.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Alexander the False Prophet (English) (Lucian, Vol. 4. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1925 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Ἀλέξανδρος ἢ Ψευδόμαντις Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 4. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1925 (printing).) — 13 focus

[13] ἤδη δὲ ἄρχεσθαι δέον, μηχανᾶται τοιόνδε τι· νύκτωρ γὰρ ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τοὺς θεμελίους τοῦ νεὼ τοὺς ἄρτι ὀρυττομένους — συνειστήκει δὲ ἐν αὐτοῖς ὕδωρ ἢ αὐτόθεν ποθὲν συλλειβόμενον ἢ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ πεσόν — ἐνταῦθα κατατίθεται χήνειον ᾠὸν προκεκενωμένον, ἔνδον φυλάττον ἑρπετόν τι ἀρτιγέννητον, καὶ βυθίσας τοῦτο ἐν μυχῷ τοῦ πηλοῦ ὀπίσω αὖθις ἀπηλλάττετο. ἕωθεν δὲ γυμνὸς εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν προπηδήσας, διάζωμα περὶ τὸ αἰδοῖον ἔχων, κατάχρυσον καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ τὴν ἅρπην ἐκείνην φέρων, σείων ἅμα τὴν κόμην ἄνετον ὥσπερ οἱ τῇ μητρὶ ἀγείροντές τε καὶ ἐνθεαζόμενοι, ἐδημηγόρει ἐπὶ βωμόν τινα ὑψηλὸν ἀναβὰς καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐμακάριζεν αὐτίκα μάλα δεξομένην ἐναργῆ τὸν θεόν. οἱ παρόντες δέ — συνδεδραμήκει γὰρ σχεδὸν ἅπασα ἡ πόλις ἅμα γυναιξὶ καὶ γέρουσι καὶ παιδίοις — ἐτεθήπεσαν καὶ εὔχοντο καὶ προσεκύνουν. ὁ δὲ φωνάς τινας ἀσήμους φθεγγόμενος, οἷαι γένοιντο ἂν Ἑβραίων ἢ Φοινίκων, ἐξέπληττε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οὐκ εἰδότας ὅ τι καὶ λέγοι, πλὴν τοῦτο μόνον, ὅτι πᾶσιν ἐγκατεμίγνυ τὸν Ἀπόλλω καὶ τὸν Ἀσκληπιόν.

Translations (1)

Alexander the Oracle-monger Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 2. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 13 focus

[13] In the fullness of time, his plan took shape. He went one night to the temple foundations, still in process of digging, and with standing water in them which had collected from the rainfall or otherwise; here he deposited a goose egg, into which, after blowing it, he had inserted some new-born reptile. He made a resting-place deep down in the mud for this, and departed. Early next morning he rushed into the market-place, naked except for a gold-spangled loin-cloth; with nothing but” this and his scimetar, and shaking his long loose hair, like the fanatics who collect money in the name of Cybele, he climbed on to a lofty altar and delivered a harangue, felicitating the city upon the advent of the God now to bless them with his presence. In a few minutes nearly the whole population was on the spot, women, old men, and children included; all was awe, prayer, and adoration. He uttered some unintelligible sounds, which might have been Hebrew or Phoenician, but completed his victory over his audience, who could make nothing of what he said, beyond the constant repetition of the names: Apollo and Asclepius.

Notes on the current edition

Alexander

Why “this too”? The hilt of the falchion may have been gilt, but Lucian has not said so. Perhaps Lucian is thinking of Alexander’s golden thigh (c. 40), and forgets that he has not yet told us of it.

Lucian of Samosata Alexander 13

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

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