Lucian of Samosata, Saturnalia, ed. Kenneth Kilburn, 1

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ΚΡΟΝΟΣ

Τοῦτο μὲν αὐτόν σε καλῶς ἔχει ἐσκέφθαι ὅ τι σοι εὐκτέον, ¹ εἰ μὴ καὶ μάντιν ἅμα ἐθέλεις εἶναι τὸν ἄρχοντα, εἰδέναι τί σοι ἥδιον αἰτεῖν. ἐγὼ δὲ τά γε δυνατὰ οὐκ ἀνανεύσω πρὸς τὴν εὐχήν.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

Ἀλλὰ πάλαι ἔσκεμμαι. ἐρῶ γὰρ τὰ κοινὰ ταυτὶ καὶ πρόχειρα—πλοῦτον καὶ χρυσὸν πολὺν καὶ ἀγρῶν ² δεσπότην εἶναι καὶ ἀνδράποδα πολλὰ κεκτῆσθαι καὶ ἐσθῆτας εὐανθεῖς καὶ μαλακὰς καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ ἐλέφαντα καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὁπόσα τίμια. τούτων οὖν, ὦ ἄριστε Κρόνε, δίδου μοι, ὥς τι καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς σῆς ἀρχῆς μηδὲ ἄμοιρον εἶναι μόνον αὐτὸν διὰ παντὸς τοῦ βίου.

Saturnalia. Lucian of Samosata. ed. Kenneth Kilburn. Medford, MA. Perseus 5.0.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Τὰ πρὸς Κρόνον (Greek) (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).)

Editions (1)

Τὰ πρὸς Κρόνον Perseus (Lucian. Luciani Samosatensis Opera, Vol. 3. Jacobitz, Karl, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1913.) — 1 focus

Ἱερεύς

ὦ κρόνε, σὺ γὰρ ἔοικας ἄρχειν τό γε νῦν εἶναι καὶ σοὶ τέθυται καὶ κεκαλλιέρηται παρʼ ἡμῶν, τί ἂν μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αἰτήσας λάβοιμι παρὰ σοῦ;

Κρόνος

τοῦτο μὲν αὐτόν σε καλῶς ἔχει ἐσκέφθαι ὅ τι σοι εὐκταῖον, εἰ μὴ καὶ μάντιν ἅμα ἐθέλεις εἶναι τὸν ἄρχοντα, εἰδέναι τί σοι ἥδιον αἰτεῖν· ἐγὼ δὲ τά γε δυνατὰ οὐκ ἀνανεύσω πρὸς τὴν εὐχήν.

Ἱερεύς

ἀλλὰ πάλαι ἔσκεμμαι· ἐρῶ γὰρ τὰ κοινὰ ταυτὶ καὶ πρόχειρα, πλοῦτον καὶ χρυσὸν πολὺν καὶ ἀγρῶν δεσπότην εἶναι καὶ ἀνδράποδα πολλὰ κεκτῆσθαι καὶ ἐσθῆτας εὐανθεῖς καὶ μαλακὰς καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ ἐλέφαντα καὶ τἆλλα ὁπόσα τίμια. τούτων οὖν, ὦ ἄριστε Κρόνε, δίδου μοι, ὥς τι καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς σῆς ἀρχῆς μηδὲ ἄμοιρον 386 εἶναι μόνον αὐτὸν διὰ παντὸς τοῦ βίου.

Translations (2)

A Conversation with Cronus Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 1 focus

PRIEST

Cronus, you seem to be king just now, and it is you to whom we have offered sacrifices and we have received favourable omens. Now, what precise return for these rites would you give me if I asked?

CRONUS

In this case the proper procedure is for you to have made your own decision what to pray for, unless you expect your king to be a diviner as well and know what request would please you. As far as lies within my power I shall not deny your prayer.

PRIEST

My decision was made a long time ago. I shall ask for the usual, obvious things—wealth, a lot of gold, to be lord of an estate, to own many slaves, clothing, bright-coloured and soft, silver, ivory, and everything else that is worth something. Grant me some part of this, my dearest Cronus, so that I too may profit from your reign, and may not spend my whole life as the only one who gets no benefit.

Saturnalia Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 4. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 1 focus

[1]

Priest

Cronus, you are in authority just now, I understand; to you our sacrifices and ceremonies are directed; now, what can I make surest of getting if I ask it of you at this holy season?

Cronus

You had better make up your own mind what to pray for, unless you expect your ruler to be a clairvoyant and know what you would like to ask. Then, I will do my best not to disappoint you.

Priest

Oh, I have done that long ago. No originality about it; the usual thing, please,—wealth, plenty of gold, landed proprietorship, a train of slaves, gay soft raiment, silver, ivory, in fact everything that is worth anything. Best of Cronuses, give me some of these; your priest should profit by your rule, and not be the one man who has to go without all his life.

Notes on the current edition

Τὰ πρὸς Κρόνον

1. εὐκτέον Γ: εὐκταῖον other MSS.

2. ἀγρῶν Courier: ἀνδρῶν MSS.

Lucian of Samosata Saturnalia 1

ed. Kenneth Kilburn

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ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

Ὦ Κρόνε, σὺ γὰρ ἔοικας ἄρχειν τό γε νῦν εἶναι καὶ σοὶ τέθυται καὶ κεκαλλιέρηται παρ’ ἡμῶν, τί ἂν μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αἰτήσας λάβοιμι παρὰ σοῦ;

Current edition Perseus

Ἱερεύς

ὦ κρόνε, σὺ γὰρ ἔοικας ἄρχειν τό γε νῦν εἶναι καὶ σοὶ τέθυται καὶ κεκαλλιέρηται παρʼ ἡμῶν, τί ἂν μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αἰτήσας λάβοιμι παρὰ σοῦ;

PRIEST

Cronus, you seem to be king just now, and it is you to whom we have offered sacrifices and we have received favourable omens. Now, what precise return for these rites would you give me if I asked?

CRONUS

In this case the proper procedure is for you to have made your own decision what to pray for, unless you expect your king to be a diviner as well and know what request would please you. As far as lies within my power I shall not deny your prayer.

Priest

Cronus

Priest

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ Ὦ Κρόνε, σὺ γὰρ ἔοικας ἄρχειν τό γε νῦν εἶναι καὶ σοὶ τέθυται καὶ κεκαλλιέρηται παρ’ ἡμῶν, τί ἂν μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αἰτήσας λάβοιμι παρὰ σοῦ;

Current edition Perseus

Ἱερεύς ὦ κρόνε, σὺ γὰρ ἔοικας ἄρχειν τό γε νῦν εἶναι καὶ σοὶ τέθυται καὶ κεκαλλιέρηται παρʼ ἡμῶν, τί ἂν μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αἰτήσας λάβοιμι παρὰ σοῦ;

PRIEST Cronus, you seem to be king just now, and it is you to whom we have offered sacrifices and we have received favourable omens. Now, what precise return for these rites would you give me if I asked?

CRONUS In this case the proper procedure is for you to have made your own decision what to pray for, unless you expect your king to be a diviner as well and know what request would please you. As far as lies within my power I shall not deny your prayer.

Priest

Cronus

Priest

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

Ὦ Κρόνε, σὺ γὰρ ἔοικας ἄρχειν τό γε νῦν εἶναι καὶ σοὶ τέθυται καὶ κεκαλλιέρηται παρ’ ἡμῶν, τί ἂν μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αἰτήσας λάβοιμι παρὰ σοῦ;

Ἱερεύς

ὦ κρόνε, σὺ γὰρ ἔοικας ἄρχειν τό γε νῦν εἶναι καὶ σοὶ τέθυται καὶ κεκαλλιέρηται παρʼ ἡμῶν, τί ἂν μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αἰτήσας λάβοιμι παρὰ σοῦ;

PRIEST

Cronus, you seem to be king just now, and it is you to whom we have offered sacrifices and we have received favourable omens. Now, what precise return for these rites would you give me if I asked?

CRONUS

In this case the proper procedure is for you to have made your own decision what to pray for, unless you expect your king to be a diviner as well and know what request would please you. As far as lies within my power I shall not deny your prayer.