Lucian, Hermotimus, Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator), 7

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[7]

Lycinus

But is there indeed Happiness up there—and worth all the pains? How can you tell? You have never been up yourself.

Hermotimus

I trust my master’s word; and he knows well; is he not on the topmost height?

Lycinus

Oh, do tell me what he says about it; what is Happiness like? wealth, glory, pleasures incomparable?

Hermotimus

Hush, friend! all these have nought to do with the Virtuous life.

Lycinus

Well, if these will not do, what are the good things he offers to those who carry their course right through?

Hermotimus

Wisdom, courage, true beauty, justice, full and firm knowledge of all things as they are; but wealth and glory and pleasure and all bodily things — these a man strips off and abandons before he mounts up, like Heracles burning on Mount Oeta before deification; he too cast off whatever of the human he had from his mother, and soared up to the Gods with his divine part pure and unalloyed, sifted by the fire. Even so those I speak of are purged by the philosophic fire of all that deluded men count admirable, and reaching the summit have Happiness with never a thought of wealth and glory and pleasure—except to smile at any who count them more than phantoms.

Lycinus

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.) — 7 focus

Λυκῖνος

τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι διʼ αὐτά, πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι· ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

Λυκῖνος

ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

Ἑρμότιμος

εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε· οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα, ἕξειν προς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

Ἑρμότιμος

σοφίαν καὶ ἀνδρείαν καὶ τὸ καλὸν αὐτὸ καὶ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ πάντα ἐπίστασθαι βεβαίως πεπεισμένον ᾗ ἕκαστα ἔχει· πλούτους δὲ καὶ δόξας καὶ ἡδονὰς καὶ ὅσα τοῦ σώματος, ταῦτα πάντα κάτω ἀφεὶς καὶ ἀποδυσάμενος ἀνέρχεται, ὥσπερ φασὶ τὸν Ἡρακλέα ἐν τῇ Οἴτῃ κατακαυθέντα θεὸν γενέσθαι· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἀποβαλὼν 747 ὁπόσον ἀνθρώπειον εἶχε παρὰ τῆς μητρὸς καὶ καθαρόν τε καὶ ἀκήρατον φέρων τὸ θεῖον ἀνέπτατο ἐς τοὺς θεοὺς διευκρινηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός. καὶ οὗτοι δὴ ὑπὸ φιλοσοφίας ὥσπερ ὑπό τινος πυρὸς ἅπαντα ταῦτα περιαιρεθέντες, ἃ τοῖς ἄλλοις θαυμαστὰ εἶναι δοκεῖ οὐκ ὀρθῶς δοξάζουσιν, ἀνελθόντες ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον εὐδαιμονοῦσι πλούτου καὶ δόξης καὶ ἡδονῶν ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μεμνημένοι ἔτι, καταγελῶντες δὲ τῶν οἰομένων ταῦτα εἶναι.

Σκύθης ἢ πρόξενος Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 6. Kilburn, Kenneth, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1959 (unrenewed copyright).) — 7 focus

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι δι’ αὐτά πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι. ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε. οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἕξειν πρὸς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Σοφίαν καὶ ἀνδρείαν καὶ τὸ καλὸν αὐτὸ καὶ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ πάντα ἐπίστασθαι βεβαίως πεπεισμένον ᾗ ἕκαστα ἔχει. πλούτους δὲ καὶ δόξας καὶ ἡδονὰς καὶ ὅσα τοῦ σώματος ταῦτα πάντα κάτω ἀφεῖκεν ¹ καὶ ἀποδυσάμενος ἀνέρχεται, ὥσπερ φασὶ τὸν Ἡρακλέα ἐν τῇ Οἴτῃ κατακαυθέντα θεὸν γενέσθαι· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἀποβαλὼν ὁπόσον ἀνθρώπειον εἶχε παρὰ τῆς μητρὸς καὶ καθαρόν τε καὶ ἀκήρατον φέρων τὸ θεῖον ἀνέπτατο ἐς τοὺς θεοὺς διευκρινηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός. καὶ οὗτοι δὴ ὑπὸ φιλοσοφίας ὥσπερ ὑπό τινος πυρὸς ἅπαντα ταῦτα περιαιρεθέντες ἃ τοῖς ἄλλοις θαυμαστὰ εἶναι δοκεῖ οὐκ ὀρθῶς δοξάζουσιν, ἀνελθόντες ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον εὐδαιμονοῦσι πλούτου καὶ δόξης καὶ ἡδονῶν ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ μεμνημένοι ἔτι, καταγελῶντες δὲ τῶν οἰομένων ταῦτα εἶναι.

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).) — 7 focus

LYCINUS

How can you know that up there there is a happiness and the like worth enduring everything to attain? You yourself have not yet been up there, I suppose?

HERMOTIMUS

I believe what my teacher says. He is already right at the top and knows very well.

LYCINUS

What in Heaven’s name did he say about conditions there? What did he say this happiness there was? Some sort of riches, I suppose, and glory, and pleasures beyond compare?

HERMOTIMUS

Hush, friend! These have nothing to do with the life in Virtue.

LYCINUS

If not these then, what does he say are the good things which those who complete their training will get?

HERMOTIMUS

Wisdom, courage, beauty itself, justice itself, the sure certainty of knowing everything as it really is. Riches and glories and pleasures and bodily things are all stripped off the climber and left down below before he makes his ascent. Think of the story of Heracles when he was burned and deified on Mount Oeta: he threw off the mortal part of him that came from his mother and flew up to heaven, taking the pure and unpolluted divine part with him, the part that the fire had separated off. So philosophy like a fire strips our climbers of all these things that the rest of mankind wrongly admires; they climb to the top and are happy; they never even remember wealth and glory and pleasures any more, and they laugh at those who believe them to be real.

Lucian Hermotimus 7

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

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Current edition Perseus

Λυκῖνος

τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι διʼ αὐτά, πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι· ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

Λυκῖνος

ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

Ἑρμότιμος

εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε· οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα, ἕξειν προς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι δι’ αὐτά πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι. ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε. οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἕξειν πρὸς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

LYCINUS

How can you know that up there there is a happiness and the like worth enduring everything to attain? You yourself have not yet been up there, I suppose?

HERMOTIMUS

I believe what my teacher says. He is already right at the top and knows very well.

LYCINUS

What in Heaven’s name did he say about conditions there? What did he say this happiness there was? Some sort of riches, I suppose, and glory, and pleasures beyond compare?

HERMOTIMUS

Hush, friend! These have nothing to do with the life in Virtue.

LYCINUS

If not these then, what does he say are the good things which those who complete their training will get?

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Hermotimus

Lycinus

Current edition Perseus

Λυκῖνος τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι διʼ αὐτά, πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

Ἑρμότιμος ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι· ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

Λυκῖνος ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

Ἑρμότιμος εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε· οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

Λυκῖνος ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα, ἕξειν προς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι δι’ αὐτά πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι. ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ Εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε. οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ Ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἕξειν πρὸς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

LYCINUS How can you know that up there there is a happiness and the like worth enduring everything to attain? You yourself have not yet been up there, I suppose?

HERMOTIMUS I believe what my teacher says. He is already right at the top and knows very well.

LYCINUS What in Heaven’s name did he say about conditions there? What did he say this happiness there was? Some sort of riches, I suppose, and glory, and pleasures beyond compare?

HERMOTIMUS Hush, friend! These have nothing to do with the life in Virtue.

LYCINUS If not these then, what does he say are the good things which those who complete their training will get?

Stable identifiers

Λυκῖνος

τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι διʼ αὐτά, πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

Ἑρμότιμος

ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι· ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

Λυκῖνος

ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

Ἑρμότιμος

εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε· οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

Λυκῖνος

ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα, ἕξειν προς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄνω ὅτι εὐδαίμονα καὶ τοιαῦτα ὡς πάντα χρῆν ὑπομεῖναι δι’ αὐτά πόθεν ἔχεις εἰδέναι; οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτός πω ἀνελήλυθας.

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ πιστεύω λέγοντι. ὁ δὲ πάνυ οἶδεν ἅτε ἀκρότατος ἤδη ὤν.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς θεῶν ποῖα τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ τίνα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐκεῖ; ἦ που τινὰ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ ἡδονὰς ἀνυπερβλήτους;

ΕΡΜΟΤΙΜΟΣ

Εὐφήμει, ὦ ἑταῖρε. οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ βίον.

ΛΥΚΙΝΟΣ

Ἀλλὰ τίνα φησὶ τἀγαθά εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἕξειν πρὸς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐλθόντας;

LYCINUS

How can you know that up there there is a happiness and the like worth enduring everything to attain? You yourself have not yet been up there, I suppose?

HERMOTIMUS

I believe what my teacher says. He is already right at the top and knows very well.

LYCINUS

What in Heaven’s name did he say about conditions there? What did he say this happiness there was? Some sort of riches, I suppose, and glory, and pleasures beyond compare?

HERMOTIMUS

Hush, friend! These have nothing to do with the life in Virtue.

LYCINUS

If not these then, what does he say are the good things which those who complete their training will get?