Lucian, Hermotimus, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 39

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[39] For the source of all the difficulty is this: every one who is stripped has something or other on him, one a bowl, one a cup, one a garland, which again may be bronze, gold, or silver; but whether the one he has is the sacred one, is not yet clear. It is absolutely impossible to know which man to accuse of sacrilege; even if all the objects were similar, it would be uncertain who had robbed the God; for such things may be private property too. Our perplexity, of course, is simply due to the fact that the missing cup—assume it to be a cup—has no inscription; if either the God’s or the donor’s name had been on it, we should not have had all this trouble; when we found the inscribed one, we should have stopped stripping and inconveniencing other visitors. I suppose, Hermotimus, you have often been at athletic meetings?

Hermotimus

You suppose right; and in many places too.

Lycinus

Did you ever have a seat close by the judges?

Hermotimus

Dear me, yes; last Olympia, I was on the left of the stewards; Euandridas of Elis had got me a place in the Elean enclosure; I particularly wanted to have a near view of how things are done there.

Lycinus

So you know how they arrange ties for the wrestling or the pancratium?

Hermotimus

Yes.

Lycinus

Then you will describe it better than I, as you have seen it so close.

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.) — 39 focus

Λυκῖνος

καὶ γὰρ αὖ τὸ τὴν πολλὴν ἀπορίαν παρεχόμενον τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι ἕκαστος τῶν ἀποδυθησομένων ἔχει τι πάντως, ὁ μὲν σκύφον, ὁ δὲ φιάλην, ὁ δὲ στέφανον, καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐκ χαλκοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἐκ χρυσοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἀργύρου· εἰ δὲ ὃ ἔχει, τοῦτο τὸ ἱερόν ἐστιν, οὐδέπω δῆλον. πᾶσα τοίνυν ἀνάγκη ἀπορεῖν ὅντινα ἱερόσυλον εἴπῃς, ὅπου γε καὶ εἰ πάντες τὰ ὅμοια εἶχον, ἄδηλον ἦν καὶ οὕτως ὅστις ὁ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑφῃρημένος· ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ἰδιωτικὰ ἔχειν. τὸ 782 δʼ αἴτιον τῆς ἀγνοίας ἕν ἐστιν, οἶμαι, τὸ ἀνεπίγραφον εἶναι τὴν ἀπολομένην φιάλην — θῶμεν γὰρ φιάλην ἀπολωλέναι — ὡς εἴ γε ἐπεγέγραπτο τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ὄνομα ἢ τοῦ ἀναθέντος, ἧττον ἂν ἐκάμνομεν καὶ εὑρόντες τὴν ἐπιγεγραμμένην ἐπεπαύμεθʼ ἂν ἀποδύοντες καὶ ἐνοχλοῦντες τοὺς ἄλλους. οἶμαι δέ σε, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, καὶ ἀγῶνας ἤδη γυμνικοὺς ἑωρακέναι πολλάκις.

Ἑρμότιμος

καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει· πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

Λυκῖνος

ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

Ἑρμότιμος

νὴ Δία, ἔναγχος Ὀλυμπίασιν ἐπὶ τὰ λαιὰ τῶν Ἑλλανοδικῶν, Εὐανδρίδου τοῦ Ἠλείου θέαν μοι προκαταλαβόντος ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ πολίταις· ἐπεθύμουν γὰρ ἐγγύθεν ἅπαντα ὁρᾶν τὰ παρὰ τοῖς Ἑλλανοδίκαις γιγνόμενα.

Λυκῖνος

οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

Ἑρμότιμος

οἶδα γάρ.

Λυκῖνος

οὐκοῦν ἂν ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

Σκύθης ἢ πρόξενος Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 39 focus

Καὶ γὰρ αὖ τὸ τὴν πολλὴν ἀπορίαν παρεχόμενον τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι ἕκαστος τῶν ἀποδυθησομένων ἔχει τι πάντως, ὁ μὲν σκύφον, ὁ δὲ φιάλην, ὁ δὲ στέφανον, καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐκ χαλκοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἐκ χρυσοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἀργύρου. εἰ δὲ ὃ ἔχει, τοῦτο ἱερόν ἐστιν, οὐδέπω δῆλον. πᾶσα τοίνυν ἀνάγκη ἀπορεῖν ὅντινα ἱερόσυλον εἴπῃς, ὅπου γε καὶ εἰ πάντες τὰ ὅμοια εἶχον ἄδηλον ἦν καὶ οὕτως ὅστις ὁ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑφῃρημένος—ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ἰδιωτικὰ ἔχειν. τὸ δ’ αἴτιον τῆς ἀγνοίας ἕν ἐστιν οἶμαι τὸ ἀνεπίγραφον εἶναι τὴν ἀπολομένην φιάλην (θῶμεν γὰρ φιάλην ἀπολωλέναι), ὡς εἴ γε ἐπεγέγραπτο τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ὄνομα ἢ τοῦ ἀναθέντος ἧττον ἂν ἐκάμνομεν καὶ εὑρόντες τὴν ἐπιγεγραμμένην ἐπεπαύμεθ' ἂν ἀποδύοντες καὶ ἐνοχλοῦντες τοὺς ἄλλους. οἶμαι δέ σε, ὦ Ἑρμότιμε, καὶ ἀγῶνας ἤδη γυμνικοὺς ἑωρακέναι πολλάκις.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει. πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Νὴ Δία, ἔναγχος Ὀλυμπίασιν ἐπὶ τὰ λαιὰ τῶν Ἑλλανοδικῶν, Εὐανδρίδου τοῦ Ἠλείου θέαν μοι προκαταλαβόντος ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ πολίταις· ἐπεθύμουν γὰρ ἐγγύθεν ἅπαντα ὁρᾶν τὰ παρὰ τοῖς Ἑλλανοδίκαις γιγνόμενα.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οἶδα γάρ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν ἂν ¹ ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

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).) — 39 focus

For this is where your great difficulty lies: each of those whom you will strip has surely something—one a cup, another a chalice, another a garland, and each of these may be of bronze, gold, or silver. And it is still not clear whether that which each man has is the holy object. So you have every reason to hesitate about whom to accuse of temple-robbery. In this case, even if all had similar objects, even so it would be uncertain who had stolen the property of the god—for these articles may be private property too. The sole reason for our ignorance, I suppose, is that the missing chalice has no inscription (assuming that it is a chalice), since if it had been inscribed with the name of the god or the person who had made the dedication we should have had less difficulty, and when we had found the inscribed chalice we should stop stripping and troubling the others. I think, Hermotimus, that you have often watched athletic contests?

HERMOTIMUS

You think rightly. Many a time, in many places.

LYCINUS

Now, have you ever sat near the judges themselves?

HERMOTIMUS

Yes, indeed. Recently at Olympia I sat to the left of the National Judges. Euandridas of Elis reserved me a seat among his fellow-citizens, for I wanted to see everything that happened among the judges from near at hand.

Lucian Hermotimus 39

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

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμότιμος

καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει· πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

Λυκῖνος

ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

Λυκῖνος

οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

Ἑρμότιμος

οἶδα γάρ.

Λυκῖνος

οὐκοῦν ἂν ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει. πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οἶδα γάρ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν ἂν ¹ ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

HERMOTIMUS

You think rightly. Many a time, in many places.

LYCINUS

Now, have you ever sat near the judges themselves?

HERMOTIMUS

Yes, indeed. Recently at Olympia I sat to the left of the National Judges. Euandridas of Elis reserved me a seat among his fellow-citizens, for I wanted to see everything that happened among the judges from near at hand.

LYCINUS

Well, do you know this too—how they draw lots for the pairs in the wrestling or the pancratium?

HERMOTIMUS

Yes, I know.

LYCINUS

Then, since you have seen it from near at hand, you could give a better account of it than

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Current edition Perseus

Ἑρμότιμος καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει· πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

Λυκῖνος ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

Λυκῖνος οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

Ἑρμότιμος οἶδα γάρ.

Λυκῖνος οὐκοῦν ἂν ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει. πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Οἶδα γάρ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Οὐκοῦν ἂν 1 ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

HERMOTIMUS You think rightly. Many a time, in many places.

LYCINUS Now, have you ever sat near the judges themselves?

HERMOTIMUS Yes, indeed. Recently at Olympia I sat to the left of the National Judges. Euandridas of Elis reserved me a seat among his fellow-citizens, for I wanted to see everything that happened among the judges from near at hand.

LYCINUS Well, do you know this too—how they draw lots for the pairs in the wrestling or the pancratium?

HERMOTIMUS Yes, I know.

LYCINUS Then, since you have seen it from near at hand, you could give a better account of it than

Stable identifiers

Ἑρμότιμος

καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει· πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

Λυκῖνος

ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

Λυκῖνος

οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

Ἑρμότιμος

οἶδα γάρ.

Λυκῖνος

οὐκοῦν ἂν ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Καὶ ὀρθῶς οἴει. πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ πολλαχόθι.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἦ οὖν ποτε καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἀθλοθέτας αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζου;

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οἶσθα οὖν καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς κληροῦσιν ὅντινα ᾧτινι χρὴ παλαίειν ἢ παγκρατιάζειν;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Οἶδα γάρ.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν ἂν ¹ ἄμεινον σὺ εἴποις ὡς ἐγγύθεν ἰδών.

HERMOTIMUS

You think rightly. Many a time, in many places.

LYCINUS

Now, have you ever sat near the judges themselves?

HERMOTIMUS

Yes, indeed. Recently at Olympia I sat to the left of the National Judges. Euandridas of Elis reserved me a seat among his fellow-citizens, for I wanted to see everything that happened among the judges from near at hand.

LYCINUS

Well, do you know this too—how they draw lots for the pairs in the wrestling or the pancratium?

HERMOTIMUS

Yes, I know.

LYCINUS

Then, since you have seen it from near at hand, you could give a better account of it than