Lucian, Toxaris vel amicitia, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 38

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[38] I will commence with the recent story of Dandamis. In our conflict with the Sauromatae, Dandamis’s friend Amizoces had been taken captive,—oh, but first I must take the Scythian oath, as we agreed at the start. I swear by Wind and Scimetar that I will speak nothing but truth of the Scythian friendships.

Mnesippus

You need not have troubled to swear, as far as I am concerned. However, you showed judgement in not swearing by a God.

Toxaris

What can you mean? Wind and Scimetar not Gods? Are you now to learn that life and death are the highest considerations among mankind? When we swear by Wind and Scimetar, we do so because Wind is the cause of life and Scimetar of death.

Mnesippus

On that principle, you get a good many other Gods besides Scimetar, and as good as he: there is Arrow, and Spear, and Hemlock, and Halter, and so on. Death is a God who assumes many shapes; numberless are the roads that lead into his presence.

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

Current edition Perseus

Toxaris: a Dialogue of Friendship (English) (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 3. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.)

Editions (1)

Τόξαρις ἢ Φιλία Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 5. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936 (printing).) — 38 focus

Τόξαρις

ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν Δανδάμιδος πρῴην γενομένων. ὁ γὰρ Δάνδαμις ἐν τῇ πρὸς Σαυρομάτας συμπλοκῇ, ἀπαχθέντος αἰχμαλώτου Ἀμιζώκου τοῦ φίλου αὐτοῦ — μᾶλλον δὲ πρότερον ὀμοῦμαί σοι τὸν ἡμέτερον ὅρκον, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο ἐν ἀρχῇ διωμολογησάμην· οὐ μὰ γὰρ τὸν Ἄνεμον καὶ τὸν Ἀκινάκην, οὐδὲν πρὸς σέ, ὦ Μνήσιππε, ψεῦδος ἐρῶ περὶ τῶν φίλων τῶν Σκυθῶν.¹

Μνήσιππος

ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ πάνυ σου ὀμνύντος ἐδεόμην· σὺ δὲ ὅμως εὖ ποιῶν οὐδένα θεῶν² ἐπωμόσω.

Τόξαρις

τί σὺ λέγεις; οὔ σοι δοκοῦσιν ὁ Ἄνεμος καὶ ὁ Ἀκινάκης θεοὶ εἶναι; οὕτως ἄρα ἠγνόησας ὅτι ἀνθρώποις μεῖζον οὐδέν ἐστιν ζωῆς τε καὶ θανάτου; ὁπόταν τοίνυν τὸν Ἄνεμον καὶ τὸν Ἀκινάκην ὀμνύωμεν, ταῦτα ὀμνύομεν ὡς τὸν μὲν ἄνεμον ζωῆς αἴτιον ὄντα, τὸν ἀκινάκην δὲ ὅτι ἀποθνήσκειν ποιεῖ.

Μνήσιππος

καὶ μὴν εἰ διά γε τοῦτο, καὶ ἄλλους ἂν ἔχοιτε πολλοὺς θεοὺς οἷος ὁ Ἀκινάκης ἐστί, τὸν Ὀιστὸν καὶ τὴν Λόγχην καὶ Κώνειον δὲ καὶ Βρόχον καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα· ποικίλος γὰρ οὗτος ὁ θεὸς ὁ θάνατος καὶ ἀπείρους τὰς ἐφʼ ἑαυτὸν παρέχεται ἀγούσας ὁδούς.

Τόξαρις

ὁρᾷς τοῦτο ὡς ἐριστικὸν ποιεῖς καὶ δικανικόν, ὑποκρούων μεταξὺ καὶ διαφθείρων μου τὸν λόγον; ἐγὼ δὲ ἡσυχίαν ἦγον σοῦ λέγοντος.

Μνήσιππος

ἀλλʼ οὐκ αὖθίς γε, ὦ Τόξαρι, ποιήσω τοῦτο, πάνυ γὰρ ὀρθῶς ἐπετίμησας· ὥστε θαρρῶν τό γε ἐπὶ τούτῳ λέγε, ὡς μηδὲ παρόντος ἐμοῦ τοῖς λόγοις, οὕτω σιωπήσομαί σοι.

Translations (2)

Toxaris, or Friendship Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 5. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936 (printing).) — 38 focus

[38] I shall begin with the affair of Dandamis, which happened recently. In our engagement with the Sauromatae, when Amizoces had been taken prisoner, his friend Dandamis—but stay! first let me take my oath for you in our way, since that also was part of the agreement that I made with you in the beginning. I swear by Wind and Glaive that I shall tell you no falsehood, Mnesippus, about Scythian friends.

MNESIPPUS

I scarcely felt the need of your swearing, but you did well to avoid taking oath by any god!

TOXARIS

What is that you say? Do you not think Wind and Glaive are gods? Were you really so unaware that there is nothing more important to mankind than life and death? Well then, when we swear by Wind and Glaive, we do so because the wind is the source of life, and the glaive the cause of death.¹

MNESIPPUS

Well, really, if that is the reason, you could have many other such gods as Glaive is—Arrow, Spear, Poison, Halter, and the like; for this god Death takes many shapes and puts at our disposal an infinite number of roads that lead to him.

TOXARIS

Don’t you see how it smacks of sophists bickering and lawyers in court for you to act this way, interrupting and spoiling my story? I kept still while you were talking.

MNESIPPUS

I won’t do it again, anyhow, Toxaris, for you were quite right in your reproof. Therefore, you may proceed confidently, as if I were not even here while you are talking, so silent shall I be for you.

Toxaris; Or, Friendship Perseus (Selections from Lucian. Smith, Emily James, translator. New York: Harper Brothers, 1892.) — 38 focus

[38] I will begin with the recent adventures of Dandamis. When his friend Amizokes was carried off as a prisoner of war by the Sauromatians— but first I will take our national oath for you, since that was our original agreement. I swear by the Wind and by the Sword, Mnesippos, that I will tell you nothing false about Scythian friends.

Mnesippos

I did not insist on an oath from you, Toxaris; but you did well not to swear by any god.

Toxaris

What do you mean? Don't you think that the Wind and the Sword are gods? Are you, perhaps, unaware that nothing is greater to men than life and death? So whenever we swear by the Wind and the Sword we swear by the Wind as the source of life and the Sword because it brings death.

Mnesippos

If that is your reason you might have plenty of other gods like the Sword: the arrow and the spear and the hemlock and the noose, and the like. For this god Death has many forms, and offers innumerable roads lead ing his way.

Toxaris

See now how captious you are! What a lawyer's trick it is to break in in the midst and spoil my speech! I held my tongue while you were talking.

Mnesippos

I'll not do it again, Toxaris, your reproof was very just. So go on with confidence just as if I were not present to hear you. I will be as silent as that.

Lucian Toxaris vel amicitia 38

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

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Mnesippus

Toxaris

Mnesippus

Current edition Perseus

Μνήσιππος

ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ πάνυ σου ὀμνύντος ἐδεόμην· σὺ δὲ ὅμως εὖ ποιῶν οὐδένα θεῶν² ἐπωμόσω.

Τόξαρις

ὁρᾷς τοῦτο ὡς ἐριστικὸν ποιεῖς καὶ δικανικόν, ὑποκρούων μεταξὺ καὶ διαφθείρων μου τὸν λόγον; ἐγὼ δὲ ἡσυχίαν ἦγον σοῦ λέγοντος.

MNESIPPUS

TOXARIS

MNESIPPUS

TOXARIS

MNESIPPUS

Mnesippos

Toxaris

Mnesippos

Toxaris

Mnesippos

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Mnesippus

Toxaris

Mnesippus

Current edition Perseus

Μνήσιππος ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ πάνυ σου ὀμνύντος ἐδεόμην· σὺ δὲ ὅμως εὖ ποιῶν οὐδένα θεῶν 2 ἐπωμόσω.

Τόξαρις ὁρᾷς τοῦτο ὡς ἐριστικὸν ποιεῖς καὶ δικανικόν, ὑποκρούων μεταξὺ καὶ διαφθείρων μου τὸν λόγον; ἐγὼ δὲ ἡσυχίαν ἦγον σοῦ λέγοντος.

MNESIPPUS

TOXARIS

MNESIPPUS

TOXARIS

MNESIPPUS

Mnesippos

Toxaris

Mnesippos

Toxaris

Mnesippos

Stable identifiers

Μνήσιππος

ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ πάνυ σου ὀμνύντος ἐδεόμην· σὺ δὲ ὅμως εὖ ποιῶν οὐδένα θεῶν² ἐπωμόσω.

Τόξαρις

ὁρᾷς τοῦτο ὡς ἐριστικὸν ποιεῖς καὶ δικανικόν, ὑποκρούων μεταξὺ καὶ διαφθείρων μου τὸν λόγον; ἐγὼ δὲ ἡσυχίαν ἦγον σοῦ λέγοντος.