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Pluto And Hermes

PLUTO

Do you know the old man—I mean that veritable greybeard, EuCrates the rich—the man with no sons, but with fifty thousand men hunting his estate?

HERMES

Yes, you mean the man from Sicyon. Well, what?

PLUTO

Let him go on living, Hermes, and, over and above the ninety years he’s had already, measure out as many more for him, if possible, or even more; but as for his toadies, young Charinus and Damon and the rest, drag them all down here one after the other.

HERMES

That would look queer.

PLUTO

No; it would be perfectly just. What possesses them that they pray for his death, or aspire to his fortune, although not related? But what’s most disgusting of all is the way they shower attentions on him in public in spite of such prayers, and make their plans obvious to everyone when he’s sick, but, in spite of it all, they promise sacrifices if he recovers; in fact there’s no little versatility in their flattery. So, I’d like him to be immortal, and them, thwarted in their open-mouthed greed, to depart the scene before him.

HERMES

That will be an amusing fate for the rascals to suffer.

PLUTO

He himself often leads them up the garden path with great skill, and has hopes of his own. In fact, though he always looks “close to death’s dark vale”, ¹ he’s a lot healthier than the young men. But they’ve already divided up his property amongst themselves and batten on it, thinking a life of bliss is already theirs. So, let him cast off his old age like Iolaus, ² and grow young again, and let them leave behind the wealth they dreamed of, and in the midst of their hopes come here forthwith, dying the sorry death they deserve.

HERMES

Don’t worry, Pluto. I’ll start fetching them for you now, one after the other. There are seven of them, I think.

PLUTO

Drag them down, and he’ll change from old age to the prime of youth, and attend each of the funerals.

Dialogi mortuorum. Lucian of Samosata. Matthew Donald Macleod (Translator). Medford, MA. Perseus 5.0.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Dialogues of the Dead (English) (Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).)

Editions (2)

Νεκρικοὶ Διάλογοι Perseus (Lucian. Luciani Samosatensis Opera, Vol. 1. Jacobitz, Karl, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1909.) — 15 focus

Ἀχιλλεὺς καὶ Ἀντίλοχος.

399

Ἀντίλοχος

οἷα πρῴην, Ἀχιλλεῦ, πρὸς τὸν Ὀδυσσέα σοι εἴρηται περὶ τοῦ θανάτου, ὡς ἀγεννῆ καὶ ἀνάξια τοῖν διδασκάλοιν ἀμφοῖν, Χείρωνός τε καὶ Φοίνικος. ἠκροώμην γάρ, ὁπότε ἔφης βούλεσθαι ἐπάρουρος ὢν θητεύειν παρά τινι τῶν ἀκλήρων, ᾧ μὴ βίοτος πολὺς εἴη, μᾶλλον ἢ πάντων ἀνάσσειν τῶν νεκρῶν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἀγεννῆ τινα Φρύγα δειλὸν καὶ πέρα τοῦ καλῶς ἔχοντος φιλόζῳον ἴσως ἐχρῆν λέγειν, τὸν Πηλέως δὲ υἱόν, τὸν φιλοκινδυνότατον ἡρώων ἁπάντων, ταπεινὰ οὕτω περὶ κὑτοῦ διανοεῖσθαι πολλὴ αἰσχύνη καὶ ἐναντιότης πρὸς τὰ πεπραγμένα σοι ἐν τῷ βίῳ, ὃς ἐξὸν ἀκλεῶς ἐν τῇ Φθιώτιδι πολυχρόνιον βασιλεύειν, ἑκὼν προείλου τὸν 400 μετὰ τῆς ἀγαθῆς δόξης θάνατον.

Ἀχιλλεύς

ὦ παῖ Νέστορος, ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν ἄπειρος ἔτι τῶν ἐνταῦθα ὢν καὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἐκείνων ὁπότερον ἦν ἀγνοῶν τὸ δύστηνον ἐκεῖνο δοξάριον προετίμων τοῦ βίου, νῦν δὲ συνίημι ἤδη ὡς ἐκείνη μὲν ἀνωφελής, εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα οἱ ἄνω ῥαψῳδήσουσι· μετὰ νεκρῶν δὲ ὁμοτιμία, καὶ οὔτε τὸ κάλλος ἐκεῖνο, ὦ Ἀντίλοχε, οὔτε ἡ ἰσχὺς πάρεστιν, ἀλλὰ κείμεθα ἅπαντες ὑπὸ τῷ αὐτῷ ζόφῳ ὅμοιοι καὶ κατʼ οὐδὲν ἀλλήλων διαφέροντες, καὶ οὔτε οἱ τῶν Τρώων νεκροὶ δεδίασί με οὔτε οἱ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν θεραπεύουσιν, ἰσηγορία δὲ ἀκριβὴς καὶ νεκρὸς ὅμοιος ἠμὲν κακὸς ἠδὲ καὶ ἐσθλός. ταῦτά με ἀνιᾷ καὶ ἄχθομαι, ὅτι μὴ θητεύω ζῶν.

Ἀντίλοχος

ὅμως τί οὖν ἄν τις πάθοι, ὦ Ἀχιλλεῦ; ταῦτα γὰρ ἔδοξε τῇ φύσει, πάντως ἀποθνήσκειν ἅπαντας, ὥστε χρὴ ἐμμένειν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ μὴ ἀνιᾶσθαι τοῖς διατεταγμένοις. ἄλλως τε ὁρᾷς τῶν ἑταίρων ὅσοι περὶ 401 σέ ἐσμεν ὧδε· μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ καὶ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἀφίξεται πάντως. φέρει δὲ παραμυθίαν καὶ ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ πράγματος καὶ τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν πεπονθέναι. ὁρᾷς τὸν Ηρακλέα καὶ τὸν Μελέαγρον καὶ ἄλλους θαυμαστοὺς ἄνδρας, οἳ οὐκ ἂν οἶμαι δέξαιντο ἀνελθεῖν, εἴ τις αὐτοὺς ἀναπέμψειε θητεύσοντας ἀκλήροις καὶ ἀβίοις ἀνδράσιν.

Ἀχιλλεύς

ἑταιρικὴ μὲν ἡ παραίνεσις, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ἡ μνήμη τῶν παρὰ τὸν βίον ἀνιᾷ, οἶμαι δὲ καὶ ὑμῶν ἕκαστον· εἰ δὲ μὴ ὁμολογεῖτε, ταύτῃ χείρους ἐστὲ καθʼ ἡσυχίαν αὐτὸ πάσχοντες.

Ἀντίλοχος

οὔκ, ἀλλʼ ἀμείνους, ὦ Ἀχιλλεῦ· τὸ γὰρ ἀνωφελὲς τοῦ λέγειν ὁρῶμεν· σιωπᾶν γὰρ καὶ φέρειν και ἀνέχεσθαι δέδοκται ἡμῖν, μὴ καὶ γέλωτα ὄφλωμεν ὥσπερ καὶ σὺ τοιαῦτα εὐχόμενοι.

Νεκρικοὶ διάλογοι Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).) — 15 focus

ΠΔΟΥΤΩΝΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΜΟΥ

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Τὸν γέροντα οἶσθα, τὸν πάνυ γεγηρακότα 344 λέγω, τὸν πλούσιον Εὐκράτην, ᾧ παῖδες μὲν οὐκ εἰσίν, οἱ τὸν κλῆρον δὲ θηρῶντες πεντακισμύριοι;

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ναί, τὸν Σικυώνιον φῄς. τί οὖν;

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Ἐκεῖνον μέν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, ζῆν ἔασον ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐνενήκοντα ἔτεσιν, ἃ βεβίωκεν, ἐπιμετρήσας ἄλλα τοσαῦτα, εἴ γε οἷόν τε ἦν, καὶ ἔτι πλείω, τοὺς δὲ κόλακας αὐτοῦ Χαρῖνον τὸν νέον καὶ Δάμωνα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους κατάσπασον ἐφεξῆς ἅπαντας.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ἄτοπον ἂν δόξειε τὸ τοιοῦτον.

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Οὐ μὲν οὖν, ἀλλὰ δικαιότατον· τί γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι παθόντες εὔχονται ἀποθανεῖν ἐκεῖνον ἢ τῶν χρημάτων ἀντιποιοῦνται οὐδὲν προσήκοντες; 345 ὃ δὲ πάντων ἐστὶ μιαρώτατον, ὅτι καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα εὐχόμενοι ὅμως θεραπεύουσιν ἔν γε τῷ φανερῷ, καὶ νοσοῦντος ἃ μὲν βουλεύονται πᾶσι πρόδηλα, θύσειν δὲ ὅμως ὑπισχνοῦνται, ἢν ῥαΐσῃ, καὶ ὅλως ποικίλη τις ἡ κολακεία τῶν ἀνδρῶν. διὰ ταῦτα ὁ μὲν ἔστω ἀθάνατος, οἱ δὲ προαπίτωσαν αὐτοῦ μάτην ἐπιχ ανόντες.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Γελοῖα πείσονται, πανοῦργοι ὄντες.

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Πολλὰ κἀκεῖνος εὖ μάλα διαβουκολεῖ αὐτοὺς καὶ 346 ἐλπίζει, ¹ καὶ ὅλως “αἰεὶ ² θανέοντι ³ ἐοικὼς” ἔρρωται πολὺ μᾶλλον τῶν νέων. οἱ δὲ ἤδη τὸν κλῆρον ἐν σφίσι διῃρημένοι βόσκονται ζωὴν μακαρίαν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τιθέντες. Οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν ἀποδυσάμενος τὸ γῆρας ὥσπερ Ἰόλεως ⁴ ἀνηβησάτω, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ μέσων τῶν ἐλπίδων τὸν ὀνειροποληθέντα πλοῦτον ἀπολιπόντες ἡκέτωσαν ἤδη κακοὶ κακῶς ἀποθανόντες.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ἀμέλησον, ὦ Πλούτων· μετελεύσομαι γάρ σοι ἤδη αὐτοὺς καθ' ἕνα ἑξῆς· ἑπτὰ δέ, οἶμαι, εἰσί.

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Κατάσπα, ὁ δὲ παραπέμψει ἕκαστον ἀντὶ γέροντος αὖθις πρωθήβης γενόμενος.

Translations (1)

Dialogues of the Dead Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 15 focus

XV

Antilochus

Achilles

Antilochus

Achilles, what you were saying to Odysseus the other day about death was very poor-spirited; I should have expected better things from a pupil of Chiron and Phoenix. I was listening; you said you would rather be a servant on earth to some poor hind ‘of scanty livelihood possessed,’ than king of all the dead. Such sentiments might have been very well in the mouth of a poor-spirited cowardly Phrygian, dishonourably in love with life: for the son of Peleus, boldest of all Heroes, so to vilify himself, is a disgrace; it gives the lie to all your life; you might have had a long inglorious reign in Phthia, and your own choice was death and glory.

Achilles

In those days, son of Nestor, I knew not this place; ignorant whether of those two was the better, I esteemed that flicker of fame more than life; now I see that it is worthless, let folk up there make what verses of it they will. 'Tis dead level among the dead, Antilochus; strength and beauty are no more; we welter all in the same gloom, one no better than another; the shades of Trojans fear me not, Achaeans pay me no reverence; each may say what he will; a man is a ghost, ‘or be he churl, or be he peer.’ It irks me; I would fain be a servant, and alive.

Antilochus

But what help, Achilles? ’tis Nature’s decree that by all means all die. We must abide by her law, and not fret at her commands. Consider too how many of us are with you here; Odysseus comes ere long; how else? Is there not comfort in the common fate? ’tis something not to suffer alone. See Heracles, Meleager, and many another great one; they, methinks, would not choose return, if one would send them up to serve poor destitute men.

Achilles

Ay, your intent is friendly; but I know not, the thought of the past life irks me—and each of you too, ifI mistake not. And if you confess it not, the worse for you, smothering your pain;

Antilochus

Not the worse, Achilles; the better; for we see that speech is unavailing. Be silent, bear, endure—that is our resolve, lest such longings bring mockery on us, as on you.

Notes on the current edition

Dialogues of the Dead

1. Editors have emended to θανόντι, having failed to see that this is a parody of Odyssey, XI, 608. Cf. following dialogue, c. 4. ἀεὶ τεθνήξεσθαι δοκῶν.

2. Cf. Euripides, Heraclidae, 850 ff.

Lucian of Samosata Dialogi mortuorum 15

Matthew Donald Macleod (Translator)

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Pluto And Hermes

PLUTO

Do you know the old man—I mean that veritable greybeard, EuCrates the rich—the man with no sons, but with fifty thousand men hunting his estate?

HERMES

Yes, you mean the man from Sicyon. Well, what?

PLUTO

Let him go on living, Hermes, and, over and above the ninety years he’s had already, measure out as many more for him, if possible, or even more; but as for his toadies, young Charinus and Damon and the rest, drag them all down here one after the other.

HERMES

That would look queer.

HERMES

That will be an amusing fate for the rascals to suffer.

HERMES

Don’t worry, Pluto. I’ll start fetching them for you now, one after the other. There are seven of them, I think.

PLUTO

Drag them down, and he’ll change from old age to the prime of youth, and attend each of the funerals.

Current edition Perseus

Ἀχιλλεὺς καὶ Ἀντίλοχος.

ΠΔΟΥΤΩΝΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΜΟΥ

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Τὸν γέροντα οἶσθα, τὸν πάνυ γεγηρακότα 344 λέγω, τὸν πλούσιον Εὐκράτην, ᾧ παῖδες μὲν οὐκ εἰσίν, οἱ τὸν κλῆρον δὲ θηρῶντες πεντακισμύριοι;

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ναί, τὸν Σικυώνιον φῄς. τί οὖν;

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ἄτοπον ἂν δόξειε τὸ τοιοῦτον.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Γελοῖα πείσονται, πανοῦργοι ὄντες.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ἀμέλησον, ὦ Πλούτων· μετελεύσομαι γάρ σοι ἤδη αὐτοὺς καθ' ἕνα ἑξῆς· ἑπτὰ δέ, οἶμαι, εἰσί.

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Κατάσπα, ὁ δὲ παραπέμψει ἕκαστον ἀντὶ γέροντος αὖθις πρωθήβης γενόμενος.

XV

Antilochus

Achilles

Achilles

Ay, your intent is friendly; but I know not, the thought of the past life irks me—and each of you too, ifI mistake not. And if you confess it not, the worse for you, smothering your pain;

Antilochus

Not the worse, Achilles; the better; for we see that speech is unavailing. Be silent, bear, endure—that is our resolve, lest such longings bring mockery on us, as on you.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Pluto And Hermes

PLUTO Do you know the old man—I mean that veritable greybeard, EuCrates the rich—the man with no sons, but with fifty thousand men hunting his estate?

HERMES Yes, you mean the man from Sicyon. Well, what?

PLUTO Let him go on living, Hermes, and, over and above the ninety years he’s had already, measure out as many more for him, if possible, or even more; but as for his toadies, young Charinus and Damon and the rest, drag them all down here one after the other.

HERMES That would look queer.

HERMES That will be an amusing fate for the rascals to suffer.

HERMES Don’t worry, Pluto. I’ll start fetching them for you now, one after the other. There are seven of them, I think.

PLUTO Drag them down, and he’ll change from old age to the prime of youth, and attend each of the funerals.

Current edition Perseus

Ἀχιλλεὺς καὶ Ἀντίλοχος.

ΠΔΟΥΤΩΝΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΜΟΥ

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ Τὸν γέροντα οἶσθα, τὸν πάνυ γεγηρακότα 344 λέγω, τὸν πλούσιον Εὐκράτην, ᾧ παῖδες μὲν οὐκ εἰσίν, οἱ τὸν κλῆρον δὲ θηρῶντες πεντακισμύριοι;

ΕΡΜΗΣ Ναί, τὸν Σικυώνιον φῄς. τί οὖν;

ΕΡΜΗΣ Ἄτοπον ἂν δόξειε τὸ τοιοῦτον.

ΕΡΜΗΣ Γελοῖα πείσονται, πανοῦργοι ὄντες.

ΕΡΜΗΣ Ἀμέλησον, ὦ Πλούτων· μετελεύσομαι γάρ σοι ἤδη αὐτοὺς καθ' ἕνα ἑξῆς· ἑπτὰ δέ, οἶμαι, εἰσί.

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ Κατάσπα, ὁ δὲ παραπέμψει ἕκαστον ἀντὶ γέροντος αὖθις πρωθήβης γενόμενος.

XV

Antilochus

Achilles

Achilles Ay, your intent is friendly; but I know not, the thought of the past life irks me—and each of you too, ifI mistake not. And if you confess it not, the worse for you, smothering your pain;

Antilochus Not the worse, Achilles; the better; for we see that speech is unavailing. Be silent, bear, endure—that is our resolve, lest such longings bring mockery on us, as on you.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

PLUTO

Do you know the old man—I mean that veritable greybeard, EuCrates the rich—the man with no sons, but with fifty thousand men hunting his estate?

HERMES

Yes, you mean the man from Sicyon. Well, what?

PLUTO

Let him go on living, Hermes, and, over and above the ninety years he’s had already, measure out as many more for him, if possible, or even more; but as for his toadies, young Charinus and Damon and the rest, drag them all down here one after the other.

HERMES

That would look queer.

HERMES

That will be an amusing fate for the rascals to suffer.

HERMES

Don’t worry, Pluto. I’ll start fetching them for you now, one after the other. There are seven of them, I think.

PLUTO

Drag them down, and he’ll change from old age to the prime of youth, and attend each of the funerals.

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Τὸν γέροντα οἶσθα, τὸν πάνυ γεγηρακότα 344 λέγω, τὸν πλούσιον Εὐκράτην, ᾧ παῖδες μὲν οὐκ εἰσίν, οἱ τὸν κλῆρον δὲ θηρῶντες πεντακισμύριοι;

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ναί, τὸν Σικυώνιον φῄς. τί οὖν;

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ἄτοπον ἂν δόξειε τὸ τοιοῦτον.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Γελοῖα πείσονται, πανοῦργοι ὄντες.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Ἀμέλησον, ὦ Πλούτων· μετελεύσομαι γάρ σοι ἤδη αὐτοὺς καθ' ἕνα ἑξῆς· ἑπτὰ δέ, οἶμαι, εἰσί.

ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ

Κατάσπα, ὁ δὲ παραπέμψει ἕκαστον ἀντὶ γέροντος αὖθις πρωθήβης γενόμενος.

Achilles

Ay, your intent is friendly; but I know not, the thought of the past life irks me—and each of you too, ifI mistake not. And if you confess it not, the worse for you, smothering your pain;

Antilochus

Not the worse, Achilles; the better; for we see that speech is unavailing. Be silent, bear, endure—that is our resolve, lest such longings bring mockery on us, as on you.