Lucian of Samosata, Deorum concilium, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 6

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[6]

ZEUS

Say nothing, Momus, about either Asclepius or Heracles, for I see where you are heading in your speech. As far as they are concerned, one of them is a doctor who cures people of their illnesses and is “as good as a host in himself,”¹ whilst Heracles, though my own son, purchased his immortality at the cost of many labours; so do not denounce them.

MOMUS

I shall hold my tongue, Zeus, for your sake, although I have plenty to say. Indeed, if there were nothing else, they still carry the marks of fire!² And if it were permissible to employ free speech about yourself, I should have plenty to say.

ZEUS

I assure you, about me it is quite permissible. But you are not prosecuting me as an alien, are you?

MOMUS

Well, in Crete not only that may be heard, but they tell another story about you and show people atomb. However, I put no faith either in them or in the Achaeans of Aegium, who assert that you are a changeling.³

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

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

Θεῶν Ἐκκλησία Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 5. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936 (printing).) — 6 focus

Ζεύς

μηδέν, ὦ Μῶμε, εἴπῃς μήτε περὶ Ἀσκληπιοῦ μήτε περὶ Ἡρακλέους· ὁρῶ γὰρ οἷ φέρῃ τῷ λόγῳ. οὗτοι γάρ, ὁ μὲν αὐτῶν ἰᾶται καὶ ἀνίστησιν ἐκ τῶν νόσων καὶ ἔστιν πολλῶν ἀντάξιος ἄλλων, ὁ δὲ Ἡρακλῆς υἱὸς ὢν ἐμὸς οὐκ ὀλίγων πόνων ἐπρίατο τὴν ἀθανασίαν· ὥστε μὴ κατηγόρει αὐτῶν.

Μῶμος

σιωπήσομαι, ὦ Ζεῦ, διὰ σέ, πολλὰ εἰπεῖν ἔχων. καίτοι εἰ μηδὲν ἄλλο, ἔτι τὰ σημεῖα ἔχουσι τοῦ πυρός. εἰ δὲ ἐξῆν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν σὲ τῇ παρρησίᾳ χρῆσθαι, πολλὰ ἂν εἶχον εἰπεῖν.

Ζεύς

καὶ μὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ ἔξεστιν μάλιστα. μῶν δʼ οὖν κἀμὲ ξενίας διώκεις;

Μῶμος

ἐν Κρήτῃ μὲν οὐ μόνον τοῦτο ἀκοῦσαι ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλο τι περὶ σοῦ λέγουσιν καὶ τάφον ἐπιδεικνύουσιν· ἐγὼ δὲ οὔτε ἐκείνοις πείθομαι οὔτε Ἀχαιῶν Αἰγιεῦσιν ὑποβολιμαῖόν σε εἶναι φάσκουσιν.

Translations (1)

The Gods in Council Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 4. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 6 focus

[6]

Zeus

Now, Momus, I see what you are coming to: but you will kindly leave Asclepius and Heracles alone. Asclepius is a physician, and restores the sick; he is More worth than many men.

And Heracles is my own son, and purchased his immortality with many toils, So not one word against either of them.

Momus

Very well, sir; as you wish, though I had something to say on that subject, too. You will excuse my remarking, at any rate, that they have something of a scorched appearance still, With reference to yourself, sir, a good deal might be said, if I could feel at liberty Zeus. Oh, as regards myself, you are,—perfectly at liberty. What, then, I am an interloper too, am I?

Momus

Worse than that, according to what they say in Crete: your tomb is there on view. Not that I believe them, any more than I believe that Aegium story, about your being a changeling.

Notes on the current edition

The Parliament of the Gods

Iliad, XI, 514, alluding to Machaon.

Heracles cremated himself, and Asclepius was struck by lightning. Cf. p. 6, n. 1.

Zeus was not only born in Crete, but buried there, in more than one place. His critics in Lucian several times refer to this fact (Timon, 4; Zeus Rants, 45). Lucian very likely means the place that was pointed out to R. Pashley in 1834 as the tomb of Zeus, on Mt. Juktas; see A. J. Cook’s Zeus, I, 157-163. The Achaean version of the birth of Zeus which made him out a changeling is not mentioned elsewhere, but plenty of places gave him other fathers than Cronus, which amounts to the same thing.

Lucian of Samosata Deorum concilium 6

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

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ZEUS

MOMUS

ZEUS

MOMUS

Current edition Perseus

Ζεύς

καὶ μὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ ἔξεστιν μάλιστα. μῶν δʼ οὖν κἀμὲ ξενίας διώκεις;

Zeus

Momus

Momus

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

ZEUS

MOMUS

ZEUS

MOMUS

Current edition Perseus

Ζεύς καὶ μὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ ἔξεστιν μάλιστα. μῶν δʼ οὖν κἀμὲ ξενίας διώκεις;

Zeus

Momus

Momus

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Ζεύς

καὶ μὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ ἔξεστιν μάλιστα. μῶν δʼ οὖν κἀμὲ ξενίας διώκεις;