Lucian of Samosata, Lexiphanes, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 10

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

[10] Forthwith I hit upon the Torch-bearer and the Hierophant, with the other participants in unutterable rites,¹ haling Deinias neck and crop to the office, bringing the charge that he had named them, albeit he knew right well that from the time when they were hallowed they were nameless and thenceforth ineffable, as being now all Hieronymuses.”²

“I do not know,” said I, “the Deinias that you mention, but the name intrigues me.”³ “A clove- engulfing haunter of gaming-houses,” quoth he; “one of those bezonians, those joculators, a curlilocks, wearing lace boots or pantoffles, with manches to his shirt.”⁴ “Well,’ said I, ‘did he in some wise pay the piper; or did he take himself off after setting his heel upon them?” “Verily,” said he, “that fellow, the whilom swaggerer, is now ensconced; for, notwithstanding his reluctation, the magistrate decked him out with wristlets and a necklace and lodged him in the bilboes and the stocks. Wherefore, being impounded, the sorry wretch fusted for fear, and trumped, and was fain to give weregelt.”⁵

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

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Lexiphanes (English) (Lucian, Vol. 5. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Λεξιφάνης Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 5. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936 (printing).) — 10 focus

Λεξιφάνης

εἶτʼ εὐθὺς ἐντυγχάνω δᾳδούχῳ τε καὶ ἱεροφάντῃ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀρρητοποιοῖς Δεινίαν σύρουσιν ἄγδην ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχήν, ἔγκλημα ἐπάγοντας ὅτι ὠνόμαζεν αὐτούς, καὶ ταῦτα εὖ εἰδὼς ὅτι ἐξ οὗπερ ὡσιώθησαν, ἀνώνυμοί τέ εἰσι καὶ οὐκέτι ὀνομαστοὶ ὡς ἂν ἱερώνυμοι ἤδη γεγενημένοι.

οὐκ οἶδα, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, ὃν λέγεις τὸν Δεινίαν· αἰκάλλει¹ δʼ οὖν με τοὔνομα. ἔστιν, ἦ δʼ ὅς, ἐν τοῖς σκιραφείοις ἐγκαψικήδαλος² ἄνθρωπος τῶν αὐτοληκύθων καὶ τῶν αὐτοκαβδάλων, ἀεὶ κουριῶν, ἐνδρομίδας ὑποδούμενος ἢ βαυκίδας, ἀμφιμάσχαλον ἔχων. τί οὖν, ἦν δʼ ἐγώ, ἔδωκεν ἀμηγέπη δίκην ἢ λὰξ πατήσας ᾤχετο; καὶ μὴν ἐκεῖνός γε, ἦ δʼ ὅς, ὁ τέως³ σαυλούμενος, ἤδη ἔμπεδός ἐστιν· ὁ γὰρ στρατηγὸς καίτοι ἀτιμαγελοῦντι καρπόδεσμά τε αὐτῷ περιθεὶς καὶ περιδέραιον ἐν ποδοκάκαις καὶ ποδοστράβαις ἐποίησεν εἶναι. ὥστε ἔνδεσμος ὢν ὑπέβδυλλέν τε ὁ κακοδαίμων ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους καὶ πορδαλέος ἦν καὶ χρήματα ἀντίψυχα διδόναι ἤθελεν.

Translations (1)

Lexiphanes Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 2. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 10 focus

[10] 'The first I met were a torch-bearer, a hierophant, and others of the initiated, baling Dinias before the judge, and protesting that be had called them by their names, though he well knew that, from the time of their sanctification, they were nameless, and no more to be named but by hallowed names; so then he appealed to me. ‘Dinias?' I put in; ‘Who is Dinias?' ‘Oh, he’s a dance-for-your-supper carry-your-luggage rattle-your-patter gaming-house sort of man; eschews the barber, and takes care of bis poor chest and toes.’ ‘Well,’ said I, ‘paid he the penalty in some wise, or showed a clean pair of heels?’ ‘Our delicate goer is now fast bound. The governor, regardless of his retiring disposition, slipped him on a pair of bracelets and a necklace, and brought him acquainted with stocks and boot. The poor worm quaked for fear, and could not contain himself, and offered money, if so he might save bis soul alive.’

Notes on the current edition

Lexiphanes

Those of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

The adjective “of hallowed name” was itself used as a name. Unintentionally, Lexiphanes suggests that they have changed their names.

No doubt because the name deinias was given to a variety of drinking pot (Athenaeus, XI, 467 D—E).

The word here used for boots (€vSpoyéSas) had another meaning—a kind of woman’s cloak.

In my opinion ypjpuara dvrifvya is misused here, for it means “blood-money,” or weregelt, rather than “ransom.”

Lucian of Samosata Lexiphanes 10

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Perseus

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers