Lucian of Samosata, Pro lapsu inter salutandum, ed. Kenneth Kilburn, 5

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[5] Ὁ μέν γε θεσπέσιος Πυθαγόρας, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν αὐτὸς ἴδιον ἡμῖν καταλιπεῖν τῶν αὐτοῦ ἠξίωσεν, ὅσον Ὀκέλλῳ ¹ τῷ Λευκανῷ καὶ Ἀρχύτᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁμιληταῖς αὐτοῦ τεκμαίρεσθαι, οὔτε τὸ χαίρειν οὔτε τὸ εὖ πράττειν προὔγραφεν, ἀλλ’ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑγιαίνειν ἄρχεσθαι ἐκέλευεν. ἅπαντες γοῦν οἱ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἀλλήλοις ἐπιστέλλοντες ὁπότε σπουδαῖόν τι γράφοιεν ὑγιαίνειν εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ παρεκελεύοντο ὡς καὶ αὐτὸ ψυχῇ τε καὶ σώματι ἁρμοδιώτατον καὶ συνόλως ἅπαντα περιειληφὸς τἀνθρώπου ἀγαθά, καὶ τό γε τριπλοῦν αὐτοῖς τρίγωνον τὸ δι’ ἀλλήλων τὸ πεντάγραμμον, ᾧ συμβόλῳ πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοδόξους ἐχρῶντο, ὑγίεια πρὸς αὐτῶν ὠνομάζετο, καὶ ὅλως ἡγοῦντο τῷ μὲν ὑγιαίνειν τὸ εὖ πράττειν καὶ τὸ χαίρειν ² εἶναι, οὔτε δὲ τῷ εὖ πράττειν οὔτε τῷ χαίρειν πάντως καὶ τὸ ὑγιαίνειν. εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ καὶ τὴν τετρακτύν, τὸν μέγιστον ὅρκον αὐτῶν, ἣ τὸν ἐντελῆ αὐτοῖς ἀριθμὸν ἀποτελεῖ, ³ ἤδη ⁴ καὶ ὑγιείας ἀρχὴν ἐκάλεσαν. ὧν καὶ Φιλόλαός ἐστι.

Pro lapsu inter salutandum. 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

Ὑπέρ τοῦ ἐν τῇ προσαγορεύσει πταισμάτως (Greek) (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).)

Editions (1)

Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐν τῇ Προσαγορεύσει Πταίσματος Perseus (Lucian. Luciani Samosatensis Opera, Vol. 1. Jacobitz, Karl, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1909.) — 5 focus

[5] ὁ μέν γε θεσπέσιος Πυθαγόρας, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν αὐτὸς ἴδιον ἡμῖν καταλιπεῖν τῶν αὐτοῦ ἠξίωσεν, ὅσον Ὀκέλλῳ τῷ Λευκανῷ καὶ Ἀρχύτᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁμιληταῖς αὐτοῦ τεκμαίρεσθαι, οὔτε τὸ χαίρειν οὔτε τὸ εὖ πράττειν προὔγραφεν, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑγιαίνειν ἄρχεσθαι ἐκέλευεν· ἅπαντες γοῦν οἱ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἀλλήλοις ἐπιστέλλοντες ὁπότε σπουδαῖόν τι γράφοιεν, ὑγιαίνειν εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ παρεκελεύοντο ὡς καὶ αὐτὸ ψυχῇ τε καὶ σώματι ἁρμοδιώτατον καὶ συνόλως ἅπαντα περιειληφὸς τἀνθρώπου ἀγαθά, καὶ τό γε τριπλοῦν 730 αὐτοῖς τρίγωνον, τὸ διʼ ἀλλήλων, τὸ πεντάγραμμον, ᾧ συμβόλῳ πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοδόξους ἐχρῶντο, ὑγίεια πρὸς αὐτῶν ὠνομάζετο, καὶ ὅλως ἡγοῦντο τῷ μὲν ὑγιαίνειν τὸ εὖ πράττειν καὶ τὸ χαίρειν εἶναι, οὔτε δὲ τῷ εὖ 731 πράττειν οὔτε τῷ χαίρειν πάντως καὶ τὸ ὑγιαίνειν. εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ καὶ τὴν τετρακτύν, τὸν μέγιστον ὅρκον αὐτῶν, ἣ τὸν ἐντελῆ αὐτοῖς ἀριθμὸν ἀποτελεῖ, ἤδη καὶ ὑγιείας ἀρχὴν 732 ἐκάλεσαν, ὧν καὶ Φιλόλαός ἐστι.

Translations (2)

A Slip of the Tongue in Greeting Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 5 focus

[5] The divine Pythagoras chose not to leave us anything of his own, but if we may judge by Ocellus the Leucanian and Archytas and his other disciples, he did not prefix “Joy to you” or “Do well,” but told them to begin with “Health to you.” At any rate all his school in serious letters to each other began straightway with “Health to you,” as a greeting most suitable for both body and soul, encompassing all human goods. Indeed the Pentagram, the triple intersecting triangle which they used as a symbol of their sect, they called “Health.” In short they thought that health included doing well and joy, but that the converse did not altogether hold. Some of them called the Quaternion, ¹ their most solemn oath, which made for them the perfect number, the Beginning of Health. Philolaus, for example.

A Slip of the Tongue in Salutation Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 2. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 5 focus

[5] Pythagoras the mystic has vouchsafed us no writings of his own; but we may infer from his disciples, Ocellus the Lucanian and Archytas, for instance, that he headed his letters neither with Joy nor Prosperity, but recommended beginning with Hail. At any rate all the Pythagoreans in writing to one another (when their tone is serious, that is) started with wishing Health, which they took to be the prime need of soul and body alike, and to include all human blessings, The Pentagram¹, that interlaced triple triangle which served them as a sort of password, they called by the name Health. They argued that Health included Joy and Prosperity, but that neither of those two was coextensive with Health. Some of them gave to the Quaternion², which is their most solemn oath, and sums their perfect number, the name of Beginning of Health. Philolaus might be quoted.

Notes on the current edition

Ὑπέρ τοῦ ἐν τῇ προσαγορεύσει πταισμάτως

1. Ὀκέλλῳ two late MSS. and Aldinus: ὀκέλῳ Ω: ὀκέκλῳ other MSS. (ὁκέκλῳ Γ).

2. τὸ εὖ . . . χαίρειν one late MS.: other MSS. om.

3. ἀποτελεῖ Marcilius: ἀποτελεῖν MSS.

4. ἤδη Marcilius: οἱ δὲ MSS.

Lucian of Samosata Pro lapsu inter salutandum 5

ed. Kenneth Kilburn

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