Lucian, Hermotimus, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 3

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[3]

Lycinus

Ah, but Hesiod, your own authority, tells us, Well begun is half done; so we may safely call you half-way by this time.

Hermotimus

Not even there yet; that would indeed have been much.

Lycinus

Where shall we put you, then?

Hermotimus

Still on the lower slopes, just making an effort to get on; but it is slippery and rough, and needs a helping hand.

Lycinus

Well, your master can give you that; from his station on the summit, like Zeus in Homer with his golden cord, he can let you down his discourse, and therewith haul and heave you up to himself and to the Virtue which he has himself attained this long time.

Hermotimus

The very picture of what he is doing; if it depended on him alone, I should have been hauled up long ago; it is my part that is still wanting.

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.) — 3 focus

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατα μέσην την ἄνοδον εἶναί σε ἤδη λέγοντες οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

Ἑρμότιμος

οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο· πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ ποῦ. γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

Ἑρμότιμος

ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον· ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

Λυκῖνος

οὐκοῦν ὁ διδάσκαλός σοι τοῦτο ἱκανὸς ποιῆσαι ἄνωθεν ἐκ τοῦ ἄκρου καθάπερ ὁ τοῦ Ὁμήρου Ζεὺς χρυσῆν τινα σειρὰν καθιεὶς τοὺς αὑτοῦ λόγους, ὑφʼ ὧν 743 σε ἀνασπᾷ δηλαδὴ καὶ ἀνακουφίζει πρὸς αὑτόν τε καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτὸς πρὸ πολλοῦ ἀναβεβηκώς.

Ἑρμότιμος

αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον· ὅσον γοῦν ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἂν ἐσπάσμην ἄνω καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς, τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

Σκύθης ἢ πρόξενος Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 3 focus

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατὰ μέσην τὴν ἄνοδον ἤδη λέγοντες εἶναί σε οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο. πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ ποῦ γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον. ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν ὁ διδάσκαλός σοι τοῦτο ἱκανὸς ποιῆσαι ἄνωθεν ἐκ τοῦ ἄκρου καθάπερ ὁ τοῦ Ὁμήρου Ζεὺς χρυσῆν τινα σειρὰν καθιεὶς τοὺς αὑτοῦ λόγους, ὑφ' ὧν σε ἀνασπᾷ δηλαδὴ καὶ ἀνακουφίζει πρὸς αὑτόν τε καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτὸς πρὸ πολλοῦ ἀναβεβηκώς.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον. ὅσον γοῦν ἐπ' ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἀνεσπάσμην ἂν ¹ καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς. τὸ δ’ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

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).) — 3 focus

LYCINUS

But this same Hesiod says that the beginning is half-way there, ¹ so that we should not wrong you if we said that you were half-way up.

HERMOTIMUS

No, not even that yet. That would be a great achievement.

LYCINUS

Well, where on the road may we put you?

HERMOTIMUS

Still down in the foothills, Lycinus, though lately struggling on. It is slippery and rough and needs a hand to help.

LYCINUS

Your teacher can do that: he can let down his own teaching from the top like Zeus’s golden rope in Homer, ² and clearly pull and lift you up to himself and Virtue. He made the climb long ago.

HERMOTIMUS

That is just what happens, Lycinus. As far as he is concerned I should have been pulled up long ago and been in their company. But my share still falls short.

Lucian Hermotimus 3

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

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Current edition Perseus

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατα μέσην την ἄνοδον εἶναί σε ἤδη λέγοντες οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

Ἑρμότιμος

οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο· πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ ποῦ. γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

Ἑρμότιμος

ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον· ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

Ἑρμότιμος

αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον· ὅσον γοῦν ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἂν ἐσπάσμην ἄνω καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς, τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατὰ μέσην τὴν ἄνοδον ἤδη λέγοντες εἶναί σε οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο. πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ ποῦ γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον. ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον. ὅσον γοῦν ἐπ' ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἀνεσπάσμην ἂν ¹ καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς. τὸ δ’ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

LYCINUS

But this same Hesiod says that the beginning is half-way there, ¹ so that we should not wrong you if we said that you were half-way up.

HERMOTIMUS

No, not even that yet. That would be a great achievement.

LYCINUS

Well, where on the road may we put you?

HERMOTIMUS

Still down in the foothills, Lycinus, though lately struggling on. It is slippery and rough and needs a hand to help.

LYCINUS

Your teacher can do that: he can let down his own teaching from the top like Zeus’s golden rope in Homer, ² and clearly pull and lift you up to himself and Virtue. He made the climb long ago.

HERMOTIMUS

That is just what happens, Lycinus. As far as he is concerned I should have been pulled up long ago and been in their company. But my share still falls short.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Current edition Perseus

Λυκῖνος ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατα μέσην την ἄνοδον εἶναί σε ἤδη λέγοντες οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

Ἑρμότιμος οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο· πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

Λυκῖνος ἀλλὰ ποῦ. γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

Ἑρμότιμος ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον· ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

Ἑρμότιμος αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον· ὅσον γοῦν ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἂν ἐσπάσμην ἄνω καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς, τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατὰ μέσην τὴν ἄνοδον ἤδη λέγοντες εἶναί σε οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο. πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Ἀλλὰ ποῦ γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον. ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον. ὅσον γοῦν ἐπ' ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἀνεσπάσμην ἂν 1 καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς. τὸ δ’ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

LYCINUS But this same Hesiod says that the beginning is half-way there, 1 so that we should not wrong you if we said that you were half-way up.

HERMOTIMUS No, not even that yet. That would be a great achievement.

LYCINUS Well, where on the road may we put you?

HERMOTIMUS Still down in the foothills, Lycinus, though lately struggling on. It is slippery and rough and needs a hand to help.

LYCINUS Your teacher can do that: he can let down his own teaching from the top like Zeus’s golden rope in Homer, 2 and clearly pull and lift you up to himself and Virtue. He made the climb long ago.

HERMOTIMUS That is just what happens, Lycinus. As far as he is concerned I should have been pulled up long ago and been in their company. But my share still falls short.

Stable identifiers

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατα μέσην την ἄνοδον εἶναί σε ἤδη λέγοντες οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

Ἑρμότιμος

οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο· πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ ποῦ. γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

Ἑρμότιμος

ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον· ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

Ἑρμότιμος

αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον· ὅσον γοῦν ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἂν ἐσπάσμην ἄνω καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς, τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τήν γε ἀρχὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἡσίοδος ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς ἔφη εἶναι, ὥστε κατὰ μέσην τὴν ἄνοδον ἤδη λέγοντες εἶναί σε οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιμεν.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οὐδέπω οὐδὲ τοῦτο. πάμπολυ γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν ἤνυστο.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ ποῦ γάρ σε φῶμεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τυγχάνειν ὄντα;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἐν τῇ ὑπωρείᾳ κάτω ἔτι, ὦ Λυκῖνε, ἄρτι προβαίνειν βιαζόμενον. ὀλισθηρὰ δὲ καὶ τραχεῖα καὶ δεῖ χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Αὐτὸ ἔφησθα, ὦ Λυκῖνε, τὸ γιγνόμενον. ὅσον γοῦν ἐπ' ἐκείνῳ πάλαι ἀνεσπάσμην ἂν ¹ καὶ συνῆν αὐτοῖς. τὸ δ’ ἐμὸν ἔτι ἐνδεῖ.

LYCINUS

But this same Hesiod says that the beginning is half-way there, ¹ so that we should not wrong you if we said that you were half-way up.

HERMOTIMUS

No, not even that yet. That would be a great achievement.

LYCINUS

Well, where on the road may we put you?

HERMOTIMUS

Still down in the foothills, Lycinus, though lately struggling on. It is slippery and rough and needs a hand to help.

LYCINUS

Your teacher can do that: he can let down his own teaching from the top like Zeus’s golden rope in Homer, ² and clearly pull and lift you up to himself and Virtue. He made the climb long ago.

HERMOTIMUS

That is just what happens, Lycinus. As far as he is concerned I should have been pulled up long ago and been in their company. But my share still falls short.