Lucian, Hermotimus, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 16

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[16]

Lycinus

Then this must be my first lesson from you—how one can decide out of hand which is the best and the true philosophy to be taken, and the others left.

Hermotimus

1 will tell you: I observed that it attracted most disciples, and thence inferred that it was superior.

Lycinus

Give me figures; how many more of them than of Epicureans, Platonists, Peripatetics? Of course you took a sort of show of hands.

Hermotimus

Well, no; I didn’t count; I just guessed.

Lycinus

Now, now! you are not teaching, but hoaxing me; judge by guesswork and impression, indeed, on a thing of this importance! You are hiding the truth.

Hermotimus

Well, that was not my only way; every one told me the Epicureans were sensual and self-indulgent, the Peripatetics avaricious and contentious, the Platonists conceited and vain; about the Stoics, on the contrary, many said they had fortitude and an open mind; he who goes their way, I heard, was the true king and millionaire and wise man, alone and all in one.

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.) — 16 focus

Λυκῖνος

οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς διδάσκοις ἂν τοῦτο πρῶτον, ὅπως διαγνωστέον ἡμῖν εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ, τίς ἡ ἀρίστη φιλοσοφία ἐστὶ καὶ ἡ ἀληθεύουσα, καὶ ἣν ἄν τις ἕλοιτο παρεὶς τὰς ἄλλας.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἐγώ σοι φράσω· ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας, ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν. 755

Λυκῖνος

πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

Λυκῖνος

ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με, ἀλλʼ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὃς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

Ἑρμότιμος

οὐ μόνον τοῦτο, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἤκουον ἁπάντων λεγόντων ὡς οἱ μὲν Ἐπικούρειοι γλυκύθυμοι καὶ φιλήδονοί εἰσιν, οἱ Περιπατητικοὶ δὲ φιλόπλουτοι καὶ ἐριστικοί τινες, οἱ Πλατωνικοὶ δὲ τετύφωνται καὶ φιλόδοξοί εἰσι, περὶ δὲ τῶν Στωϊκῶν πολλοὶ ἔφασκον, ὅτι ἀνδρώδεις καὶ πάντα γιγνώσκουσι, καὶ ὅτι ὁ ταύτην ἰὼν τὴν ὁδὸν μόνος βασιλεύς, μόνος πλούσιος, μόνος σοφὸς καὶ συνόλως ἅπαντα.

Σκύθης ἢ πρόξενος Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 16 focus

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς διδάσκοις ἂν τοῦτο πρῶτον, ὅπως διαγνωστέον ἡμῖν εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ, τίς ἡ ἀρίστη φιλοσοφία ἐστὶ καὶ ἡ ἀληθεύουσα καὶ ἣν ἄν τις ἕλοιτο παρεὶς τὰς ἄλλας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἐγώ σοι φράσω. ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπ' αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με ἀλλ’ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὂς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οὐ μόνον τοῦτο, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἤκουον ἁπάντων λεγόντων ὡς οἱ μὲν Ἐπικούρειοι γλυκύθυμοι καὶ φιλήδονοί εἰσιν, οἱ Περιπατητικοὶ δὲ φιλόπλουτοι καὶ ἐριστικοί τινες, οἱ Πλατωνικοὶ δὲ τετύφωνται καὶ φιλόδοξοί εἰσι, περὶ δὲ τῶν Στωϊκῶν πολλοὶ ἔφασκον ὅτι ἀνδρώδεις καὶ πάντα γιγνώσκουσιν καὶ ὅτι ὁ ταύτην ἰὼν τὴν ὁδὸν μόνος βασιλεύς, μόνος πλούσιος, μόνος σοφὸς καὶ συνόλως ἅπαντα.

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).) — 16 focus

LYCINUS

Well then, please teach me this first, how, right at the beginning, we can distinguish the best, the true philosophy, the one we must choose, leaving aside the others.

HERMOTIMUS

I will tell you. I saw that most people took to this one, so I guessed it was the best.

LYCINUS

How many more Stoics are there than Epicureans or Platonists or Peripatetics? You obviously took a count of them as in a show of hands.

HERMOTIMUS

I didn’t count. I made an estimate.

LYCINUS

So you are not prepared to teach me. You are cheating when you tell me you decide such a matter by guesswork and weight of numbers. You’re hiding the truth from me.

HERMOTIMUS

It wasn’t just that, Lycinus. I also heard everybody saying that the Epicureans were sensual and lovers of pleasure, that the Peripatetics loved riches and wrangling, and that the Platonists were puffed up and loved glory. But a lot of people said that the Stoics were manly and understood everything and that the man who went this way was the only king, the only rich man, the only wise man, and everything rolled into one.

Lucian Hermotimus 16

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

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμότιμος

ἐγώ σοι φράσω· ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας, ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν. 755

Λυκῖνος

πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

Λυκῖνος

ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με, ἀλλʼ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὃς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἐγώ σοι φράσω. ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπ' αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με ἀλλ’ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὂς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

LYCINUS

Well then, please teach me this first, how, right at the beginning, we can distinguish the best, the true philosophy, the one we must choose, leaving aside the others.

HERMOTIMUS

I will tell you. I saw that most people took to this one, so I guessed it was the best.

LYCINUS

How many more Stoics are there than Epicureans or Platonists or Peripatetics? You obviously took a count of them as in a show of hands.

HERMOTIMUS

I didn’t count. I made an estimate.

LYCINUS

So you are not prepared to teach me. You are cheating when you tell me you decide such a matter by guesswork and weight of numbers. You’re hiding the truth from me.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμότιμος ἐγώ σοι φράσω· ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας, ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν. 755

Λυκῖνος πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

Ἑρμότιμος ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

Λυκῖνος ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με, ἀλλʼ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὃς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Ἐγώ σοι φράσω. ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπ' αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με ἀλλ’ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὂς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

LYCINUS Well then, please teach me this first, how, right at the beginning, we can distinguish the best, the true philosophy, the one we must choose, leaving aside the others.

HERMOTIMUS I will tell you. I saw that most people took to this one, so I guessed it was the best.

LYCINUS How many more Stoics are there than Epicureans or Platonists or Peripatetics? You obviously took a count of them as in a show of hands.

HERMOTIMUS I didn’t count. I made an estimate.

LYCINUS So you are not prepared to teach me. You are cheating when you tell me you decide such a matter by guesswork and weight of numbers. You’re hiding the truth from me.

Stable identifiers

Ἑρμότιμος

ἐγώ σοι φράσω· ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας, ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν. 755

Λυκῖνος

πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

Λυκῖνος

ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με, ἀλλʼ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὃς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἐγώ σοι φράσω. ἑώρων τοὺς πλείστους ἐπ' αὐτὴν ὁρμῶντας ὥστε εἴκαζον ἀμείνω εἶναι αὐτήν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Πόσῳ τινὶ πλείους τῶν Ἐπικουρείων ἢ Πλατωνικῶν ἢ Περιπατητικῶν; ἠρίθμησας γὰρ αὐτοὺς δηλαδὴ καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς χειροτονίαις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠρίθμησα ἔγωγε, εἴκαζον δέ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ὡς οὐκ ἐθέλεις διδάξαι με ἀλλ’ ἐξαπατᾷς, ὂς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκασμῷ φὴς καὶ πλήθει κρῖναι ἀποκρυπτόμενος λέγειν πρός με τἀληθές.

LYCINUS

Well then, please teach me this first, how, right at the beginning, we can distinguish the best, the true philosophy, the one we must choose, leaving aside the others.

HERMOTIMUS

I will tell you. I saw that most people took to this one, so I guessed it was the best.

LYCINUS

How many more Stoics are there than Epicureans or Platonists or Peripatetics? You obviously took a count of them as in a show of hands.

HERMOTIMUS

I didn’t count. I made an estimate.

LYCINUS

So you are not prepared to teach me. You are cheating when you tell me you decide such a matter by guesswork and weight of numbers. You’re hiding the truth from me.