Lucian, Hermotimus, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 13

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[13] But we have time to spare—you might tell a friend like me the story of your start in philosophy; then I might perhaps, if it is not too late, begin now and join your school; you are my friends; you will not be exclusive?

Hermotimus

If only you would, Lycinus! you will soon find out how much you are superior to the rest of men. I do assure you, you will think them all children, you will be so much wiser.

Lycinus

Enough for me, if after twenty years of it I am where you are now.

Hermotimus

Oh, I was about your age when I started on philosophy; I was forty; and you must be about that.

Lycinus

Just that; so take and lead me on the same way; that is but right. And first tell me—do you allow learners to criticize, if they find difficulties in your doctrines, or must juniors abstain from that?

Hermotimus

Why, yes, they must; but you shall have leave to ask questions and criticize; you will learn easier that way.

Lycinus

I thank you for it, Hermotimus, by your name-God Hermes.

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

Current edition Perseus

Hermotimus, or the Rival Philosophies (English) (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 2. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.)

Editions (2)

Ἑρμότιμος ἢ Περὶ Αἱρέσεων Perseus (Lucian. Luciani Samosatensis Opera, Vol. 1. Jacobitz, Karl, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1909.) — 13 focus

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ σχολὴν γὰρ ἄγομεν — τί οὐ διηγῇ μοι ἑταίρῳ ὄντι, ὃν τρόπον ὡρμήθης τὸ πρῶτον φιλοσοφεῖν, ὡς καὶ αὐτός, εἰ δυνατὸν ἔτι, συνοδοιποροίην ὑμῖν τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦδε ἀρξάμενος. οὐ γὰρ ἀποκλείσετέ με δηλαδὴ φίλοι ὄντες.

Ἑρμότιμος

εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων· παῖδας, εὖ ἴσθι, οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

Λυκῖνος

ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενοίμην τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀμέλει, καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν, ὁπόσα, οἶμαι, σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

Λυκῖνος

τοσαῦτα γάρ, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε· ὥστε τὴν αὐτὴν ἄγε λαβὼν κἀμέ — δίκαιον γάρ — καὶ πρῶτόν γέ μοι τοῦτο εἰπέ. δίδοτε ἀντιλέγειν τοῖς μανθάνουσιν, ἤν τι μὴ ὀρθῶς λέγεσθαι δοκῇ αὐτοῖς, ἢ οὐκ ἐφίετε τοῦτο τοῖς νεωτέροις;

Ἑρμότιμος

οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε· ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

Λυκῖνος

εὖ γε, νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν, οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

Σκύθης ἢ πρόξενος Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 13 focus

ἀλλὰ, σχολὴν γὰρ ἄγομεν, τί οὐ διηγῇ μοι ἑταίρῳ ὄντι ὃν τρόπον ὡρμήθης τὸ πρῶτον φιλοσοφεῖν, ὡς καὶ αὐτός, εἰ δυνατὸν ἔτι, συνοδοιποροίην ὑμῖν τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦδε ἀρξάμενος. οὐ γὰρ ἀποκλείσετέ με δηλαδὴ φίλοι ὄντες.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων. παῖδας εὖ ἴσθι οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενέσθαι οἷός τε εἴην ¹ τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀμέλει. καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν—ὁπόσα οἶμαι σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Τοσαῦτα γάρ, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε. ὥστε τὴν αὐτὴν ἄγε λαβὼν κἀμέ—δίκαιον γάρ. καὶ πρῶτόν γέ μοι τοῦτο εἰπέ· δίδοτε ἀντιλέγειν τοῖς μανθάνουσιν ἤν τι μὴ ὀρθῶς λέγεσθαι δοκῇ αὐτοῖς, ἢ οὐκ ἐφίετε τοῦτο τοῖς νεωτέροις;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε. ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Εὖ γε—νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

Translations (1)

The Scythian or Consul Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 13 focus

But now we have time to spare why don’t you tell a friend how you first took up philosophy? I myself, if it is still possible, could then begin there and join you all on the road. You are my friends and of course won’t shut me out.

HERMOTIMUS

I wish you would, Lycinus! You will soon see how much better you will be than the rest of mankind. Children you will think them all, mere children compared with you with your intellect so superior.

LYCINUS

Good enough, if after twenty years I could be as you are now.

HERMOTIMUS

Don’t worry. I myself was about your age when I began to study philosophy, about forty—as old as you are now I imagine.

LYCINUS

Exactly that, Hermotimus. So take and lead me too along the same path—that would be only right. First of all tell me this: do you allow learners to argue if they disagree with something, or is this not allowed to the young?

HERMOTIMUS

No, it is not allowed at all. But you, if you like, may ask questions and make criticisms as we go along. You will learn more easily that way.

Lucian Hermotimus 13

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

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμότιμος

εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων· παῖδας, εὖ ἴσθι, οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

Λυκῖνος

ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενοίμην τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀμέλει, καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν, ὁπόσα, οἶμαι, σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

Ἑρμότιμος

οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε· ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

Λυκῖνος

εὖ γε, νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν, οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων. παῖδας εὖ ἴσθι οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενέσθαι οἷός τε εἴην ¹ τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀμέλει. καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν—ὁπόσα οἶμαι σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε. ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Εὖ γε—νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

But now we have time to spare why don’t you tell a friend how you first took up philosophy? I myself, if it is still possible, could then begin there and join you all on the road. You are my friends and of course won’t shut me out.

HERMOTIMUS

I wish you would, Lycinus! You will soon see how much better you will be than the rest of mankind. Children you will think them all, mere children compared with you with your intellect so superior.

LYCINUS

Good enough, if after twenty years I could be as you are now.

HERMOTIMUS

Don’t worry. I myself was about your age when I began to study philosophy, about forty—as old as you are now I imagine.

LYCINUS

Exactly that, Hermotimus. So take and lead me too along the same path—that would be only right. First of all tell me this: do you allow learners to argue if they disagree with something, or is this not allowed to the young?

HERMOTIMUS

No, it is not allowed at all. But you, if you like, may ask questions and make criticisms as we go along. You will learn more easily that way.

LYCINUS

Good, Hermotimus—by Hermes who gives you your name.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμότιμος εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων· παῖδας, εὖ ἴσθι, οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

Λυκῖνος ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενοίμην τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

Ἑρμότιμος ἀμέλει, καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν, ὁπόσα, οἶμαι, σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

Ἑρμότιμος οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε· ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

Λυκῖνος εὖ γε, νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν, οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων. παῖδας εὖ ἴσθι οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενέσθαι οἷός τε εἴην 1 τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Ἀμέλει. καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν—ὁπόσα οἶμαι σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε. ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Εὖ γε—νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

But now we have time to spare why don’t you tell a friend how you first took up philosophy? I myself, if it is still possible, could then begin there and join you all on the road. You are my friends and of course won’t shut me out.

HERMOTIMUS I wish you would, Lycinus! You will soon see how much better you will be than the rest of mankind. Children you will think them all, mere children compared with you with your intellect so superior.

LYCINUS Good enough, if after twenty years I could be as you are now.

HERMOTIMUS Don’t worry. I myself was about your age when I began to study philosophy, about forty—as old as you are now I imagine.

LYCINUS Exactly that, Hermotimus. So take and lead me too along the same path—that would be only right. First of all tell me this: do you allow learners to argue if they disagree with something, or is this not allowed to the young?

HERMOTIMUS No, it is not allowed at all. But you, if you like, may ask questions and make criticisms as we go along. You will learn more easily that way.

LYCINUS Good, Hermotimus—by Hermes who gives you your name.

Stable identifiers

Ἑρμότιμος

εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων· παῖδας, εὖ ἴσθι, οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

Λυκῖνος

ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενοίμην τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀμέλει, καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν, ὁπόσα, οἶμαι, σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

Ἑρμότιμος

οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε· ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

Λυκῖνος

εὖ γε, νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν, οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Εἰ γὰρ ἐθελήσειας, ὦ Λυκῖνε· ὄψει ἐν βραχεῖ ὅσον διοίσεις τῶν ἄλλων. παῖδας εὖ ἴσθι οἰήσῃ ἅπαντας ὡς πρὸς σέ, τοσοῦτον ὑπερφρονήσεις αὐτός.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἱκανόν, εἰ μετὰ εἴκοσιν ἔτη γενέσθαι οἷός τε εἴην ¹ τοιοῦτος οἷος σὺ νῦν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀμέλει. καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ σὲ γεγονὼς ἠρξάμην φιλοσοφεῖν τετταρακοντούτης σχεδόν—ὁπόσα οἶμαι σὺ νῦν γέγονας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οὐ πάνυ. σὺ δέ, ἤν τι βούλῃ, ἐρώτα μεταξὺ καὶ ἀντίλεγε. ῥᾷον γὰρ ἂν οὕτω μάθοις.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Εὖ γε—νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, αὐτόν οὗ ἐπώνυμος ὢν τυγχάνεις.

HERMOTIMUS

I wish you would, Lycinus! You will soon see how much better you will be than the rest of mankind. Children you will think them all, mere children compared with you with your intellect so superior.

LYCINUS

Good enough, if after twenty years I could be as you are now.

HERMOTIMUS

Don’t worry. I myself was about your age when I began to study philosophy, about forty—as old as you are now I imagine.

LYCINUS

Exactly that, Hermotimus. So take and lead me too along the same path—that would be only right. First of all tell me this: do you allow learners to argue if they disagree with something, or is this not allowed to the young?

HERMOTIMUS

No, it is not allowed at all. But you, if you like, may ask questions and make criticisms as we go along. You will learn more easily that way.

LYCINUS

Good, Hermotimus—by Hermes who gives you your name.