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Minos And Sostratus ¹

MINOS

Let this pirate, Sostratus, be cast into Pyriphlegethon, the temple-robber be torn apart by Chimera, and the tyrant he stretched alongside Tityus, Hermes, and have his liver too torn by the vultures; but you good ones go off with all speed to the Elysian Fields, and live in the Isles of the Blest, as a reward for your just dealings in life.

SOSTRATUS

Listen, Minos, and see if what I say is just.

MINOS

Listen again now? Haven’t you already been found guilty of wickedness, Sostratus, and of committing all these murders?

SOSTRATUS

I admit I have, but consider whether it will be just for me to be punished.

MINOS

Of course it will, if it is just to pay the proper penalty.

SOSTRATUS

But answer me this, Minos. My question will be a short one.

MINOS

Speak on, then, only be brief, so that we can settle the other cases at once.

SOSTRATUS

Were my actions in life carried out by me of my own will, or already spun for me by Fate?

MINOS

Already spun by Fate, of course.

SOSTRATUS

Then all of us, whether we are thought good or bad, acted as we did as the servants of Fate?

MINOS

Yes, as servants of Clotho, who has ordained for each of us at birth what he must do.

SOSTRATUS

If, then, a man is forced by another man to kill, and is unable to gainsay the compulsion he brings to bear, if, for instance, he is a public executioner, or a mercenary, obeying, in one case, a judge, and, in the other, a tyrant, whom will you hold responsible for the killing?

MINOS

Clearly the judge or the tyrant, since the actual sword can’t be blamed; for it merely serves as a tool to serve the passion of the person who is responsible in the first instance.

SOSTRATUS

Many thanks, Minos, for your generous elaboration of my example. And, if some one brings with his own hands gold or silver sent by his master, whom must we thank and record as the benefactor?

MINOS

The sender, Sostratus; the bringer was merely a servant.

SOSTRATUS

Don’t you see then how wrong it is for you to punish us, who have been the servants of the commands of Clotho, and to have shown honour to those who ministered to the good deeds of others? No one can say that it was possible for us to gainsay ordinances that are all-compelling.

MINOS

These are not the only illogicalities you could find, Sostratus, by examining things carefully. However, you shall have your reward for your persistent questions, as I can see you’re not merely a pirate but also something of a master in the art of argument. Set him free, Hermes, and have his punishment stopped. But take care, fellow, that you don’t teach the other shades to ask questions like that.

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.) — 24 focus

Διογένης καὶ Μαύσωλος.

Διογένης

ὦ Κάρ, ἐπὶ τίνι μέγα φρονεῖς καὶ πάντων ἡμῶν προτιμᾶσθαι ἀξιοῖς;

Μαύσωλος

καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ βασιλείᾳ μέν, ὦ Σινωπεῦ, ὃς ἐβασίλευσα Καρίας μὲν ἁπάσης, ἦρξα δὲ καὶ Λυδῶν ἐνίων καὶ νήσους δέ τινας ὑπηγαγόμην καὶ ἄχρι Μιλήτου ἐπέβην τὰ πολλὰ τῆς Ἰωνίας καταστρεφόμενος· καὶ καλὸς ἦν καὶ μέγας καὶ ἐν πολέμοις καρτερός· τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, 430 ὅτι ἐν Ἁλικαρνασσῷ μνῆμα παμμέγεθες ἔχω ἐπικείμενον, ἡλίκον οὐκ ἄλλος νεκρός, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐς κάλλος ἐξησκημένον, ἵππων καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἐς τὸ ἀκριβέστατον εἰκασμένων λίθου τοῦ καλλίστου, οἷον οὐδὲ νεὼν εὕροι τις ἂν ῥᾳδίως. οὐ δοκῶ σοι δικαίως ἐπὶ τούτοις μέγα φρονεῖν;

Διογένης

ἐπὶ τῇ βασιλείᾳ φὴς καὶ τῷ κάλλει καὶ τῷ βάρει τοῦ τάφου;

Μαύσωλος

νὴ Δίʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις.

Διογένης

ἀλλʼ, ὦ καλὲ Μαύσωλε, οὔτε ἡ ἰσχὺς ἐκείνη ἔτι σοι οὔτε ἡ μορφὴ πάρεστιν· εἰ γοῦν τινα ἑλοίμεθα δικαστὴν εὐμορφίας πέρι, οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν, τίνος ἕνεκα τὸ σὸν κρανίον προτιμηθείη ἂν τοῦ ἐμοῦ· φαλακρὰ γὰρ ἄμφω καὶ γυμνά, καὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας ὁμοίως προφαίνομεν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀφῃρήμεθα καὶ τὰς ῥῖνας ἀποσεσιμώμεθα. ὁ δὲ τάφος καὶ οἱ πολυτελεῖς ἐκεῖνοι λίθοι Ἁλικαρνασσεῦσι μὲν ἴσως εἶεν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι καὶ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ξένους, ὡς δή τι μέγα οἰκοδόμημα αὐτοῖς ἐστι· σὺ δέ, ὦ βέλτιστε, οὐχ ὁρῶ ὅ τι ἀπολαύεις αὐτοῦ, πλὴν εἰ μὴ τοῦτο φης, ὅτι μᾶλλον ἡμῶν ἀχθοφορεῖς ὑπὸ τηλικούτοις λίθοις πιεζόμενος. 431

Μαύσωλος

ἀνόνητα οὖν μοι ἐκεῖνα πάντα καὶ ἰσότιμος ἔσται Μαύσωλος καὶ Διογένης;

Διογένης

οὐκ ἰσότιμος, ὦ γενναιότατε, οὐ γάρ· Μαύσωλος μὲν γὰρ οἰμώξεται μεμνημένος τῶν ὑπὲρ γῆς, ἐν οἷς εὐδαιμονεῖν ᾤετο, Διογένης δὲ καταγελάσεται αὐτοῦ. καὶ τάφον ὁ μὲν ἐν Ἁλικαρνασσῷ ἐρεῖ ἑαυτοῦ ὑπὸ Ἀρτεμισίας τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ ἀδελφῆς κατεσκευασμένον, ὁ Διογένης δὲ τοῦ μὲν σώματος εἰ καί τινα τάφον ἔχει οὐκ οἶδεν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔμελεν αὐτῷ τούτου· λόγον δὲ τοῖς ἀρίστοις περὶ αὑτοῦ καταλέλοιπεν ἀνδρὸς βίον βεβιωκὼς ὑψηλότερον, ὦ Καρῶν ἀνδραποδωδέστατε, τοῦ σοῦ μνήματος καὶ ἐν βεβαιοτέρῳ χωρίῳ κατεσκευασμένον.

Νεκρικοὶ διάλογοι Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).) — 24 focus

ΜΙΝΩΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Ὁ μὲν λῃστὴς οὑτοσὶ Σώστρατος εἰς τὸν Πυριφλεγέθοντα ἐμβεβλήσθω, ὁ δὲ ἱερόσυλος ὑπὸ τῆς Χιμαίρας διασπασθήτω, ὁ δὲ τύραννος, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, παρὰ τὸν Τιτυὸν ἀποταθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν γυπῶν καὶ αὐτὸς κειρέσθω τὸ ἧπαρ, ὑμεῖς δὲ οἱ ἀγαθοὶ ἄπιτε κατὰ τάχος εἰς τὸ Ἠλύσιον πεδίον καὶ τὰς μακάρων νήσους κατοικεῖτε, ἀνθ' ὧν δίκαια ἐποιεῖτε παρὰ τὸν βίον.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἄκουσον, ὦ Μίνως, εἴ σοι δίκαια δόξω λέγειν.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Νῦν ἀκούσω αὖθις; οὐ γὰρ ἐξελήλεγξαι, ὦ Σώστρατε, πονηρὸς ὢν καὶ τοσούτους ἀπεκτονώς;

451

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἐλήλεγμαι μέν, ἀλλ’ ὅρα, εἰ δικαίως κολασθήσομαι.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Καὶ πάνυ, εἴ γε ἀποτίνειν τὴν ἀξίαν δίκαιον.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ὅμως ἀπόκριναί μοι, ὦ Μίνως· βραχὺ γάρ τι ἐρήσομαί σε.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Λέγε, μὴ μακρὰ μόνον, ὡς ¹ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διακρίνωμεν ἤδη.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ὁπόσα ἔπραττον ἐν τῷ βίῳ, πότερα ἑκὼν ἔπραττον ἢ ἐπεκέκλωστό μοι ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας;

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας δηλαδή.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ χρηστοὶ ἅπαντες καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ δοκοῦντες ἡμεῖς ἐκείνῃ ὑπηρετοῦντες ταῦτα ἐδρῶμεν; ²

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Ναί, τῇ Κλωθοῖ, ἣ ἑκάστῳ ἐπέταξε γεννηθέντι τὰ πρακτέα.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Εἰ τοίνυν ἀναγκασθείς τις ὑπ' ἄλλου φονεύσειέν τινα οὐ δυνάμενος ἀντιλέγειν ἐκείνῳ βιαζομένῳ, ³ οἷον δήμιος ἢ δορυφόρος, ὁ μὲν δικαστῇ πεισθείς, ὁ δέ τυράννῳ, τίνα αἰτιάσῃ τοῦ φόνου;

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Δῆλον ὡς τὸν δικαστὴν ἢ τὸν τύραννον, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τὸ ξίφος αὐτό· ὑπηρετεῖ γὰρ ὄργανον ὂν τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν θυμὸν τῷ πρώτῳ παρασχόντι τὴν αἰτίαν.

452

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Εὖ γε, ὦ Μίνως, ὅτι καὶ ἐπιδαψιλεύῃ τῷ παραδείγματι. 453 ἢν δέ τις ἀποστείλαντος τοῦ δεσπότου ἥκῃ αὐτὸς χρυσὸν ἢ ἄργυρον κομίζων, τίνι τὴν χάριν ἰστέον ἢ τίνα εὐεργέτην ἀναγραπτέον;

454

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Τὸν πέμψαντα, ὦ Σώστρατε· διάκονος γὰρ ὁ κομίσας ⁴ ἦν.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν ὁρᾷς πῶς ἄδικα ποιεῖς κολάζων ἡμᾶς ὑπηρέτας γενομένους ὧν ἡ Κλωθὼ προσέταττεν, καὶ τούτους τιμήσας ⁵ τοὺς διακονησαμένους ⁶ ἀλλοτρίοις ἀγαθοῖς; οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἐκεῖνό γε εἰπεῖν ἔχοι τις ὡς ἀντιλέγειν δυνατὸν ἦν τοῖς μετὰ πάσης ἀνάγκης προστεταγμένοις.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Ὦ Σώστρατε, πολλὰ ἴδοις ἂν καὶ ἄλλα οὐ κατὰ λόγον γιγνόμενα, εἰ ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάζοις. πλὴν ἀλλὰ σὺ τοῦτο ἀπολαύσεις τῆς ἐπερωτήσεως, διότι οὐ λῃστὴς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σοφιστής τις εἶναι δοκεῖς. ἀπόλυσον αὐτόν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ μηκέτι κολαζέσθω. ὅρα δὲ μὴ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους νεκροὺς τὰ ὅμοια ἐρωτᾶν διδάξῃς.

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.) — 24 focus

XXIV

Diogenes

Mausolus

Diogenes

Why so proud, Carian? How are you better than the rest of us?

Mausolus

Sinopean, to begin with, I was a king; king of all Caria, ruler of many Lydians, subduer of islands, conqueror of well-nigh the whole of Ionia, even to the borders of Miletus. Further, I was comely, and of noble stature, and a mighty warrior. Finally, a vast tomb lies over me in Halicarnassus, of such dimensions, of such exquisite beauty as no other shade can boast. Thereon are the perfect semblances of man and horse, carved in the fairest marble; scarcely may a temple be found to match it. These are the grounds of my pride: are they inadequate?

Diogenes

Kingship—beauty—heavy tomb; is that it?

Mausolus

It is as you say.

Diogenes

But, my handsome Mausolus, the power and the beauty are no longer there. If we were to appoint an umpire now on the question of comeliness, I see no reason why he should prefer your skull to mine. Both are bald, and bare of flesh; our teeth are equally in evidence; each of us has lost his eyes, and each is snub-nosed. Then as to the tomb and the costly marbles, I dare say such a fine erection gives the Halicarnassians something to brag about and show off to strangers: but I don’t see, friend, that you are the better for it, unless it is that you claim to carry more weight than the rest of us, with all that marble on the top of you.

Mausolus

Then all is to go for nothing? Mausolus and Diogenes are to rank as equals?

Diogenes

Equals! My dear sir, no; I don’t say that. While Mausolus is groaning over the memories of earth, and the felicity which he supposed to be his, Diogenes will be chuckling. While Mausolus boasts of the tomb raised to him by Artemisia, his wife and sister, Diogenes knows not whether he has a tomb or no—the question never having occurred to him; he knows only that his name is on the tongues of the wise, as one who lived the life of a man; a higher monument than yours, vile Carian slave, and set on firmer foundations,

Francis George Fowler

Notes on the current edition

Dialogues of the Dead

1. Not the subject of Lucian’s lost work (cf. Demonax, init.), but probably the pirate who seized Halonnesus (cf. Letter of Philip, 13, Demosthenes, vol. 1, p. 373); Sostratus, the notorious villain of Alexander, 4, may be either this pirate or the man condemned for his misdeeds by Diodorus, XIX. 3 (cf. however, ibid. XIX. 71).

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Minos And Sostratus 1

SOSTRATUS Listen, Minos, and see if what I say is just.

MINOS Listen again now? Haven’t you already been found guilty of wickedness, Sostratus, and of committing all these murders?

SOSTRATUS I admit I have, but consider whether it will be just for me to be punished.

MINOS Of course it will, if it is just to pay the proper penalty.

SOSTRATUS But answer me this, Minos. My question will be a short one.

MINOS Speak on, then, only be brief, so that we can settle the other cases at once.

SOSTRATUS Were my actions in life carried out by me of my own will, or already spun for me by Fate?

MINOS Already spun by Fate, of course.

SOSTRATUS Then all of us, whether we are thought good or bad, acted as we did as the servants of Fate?

MINOS Yes, as servants of Clotho, who has ordained for each of us at birth what he must do.

SOSTRATUS If, then, a man is forced by another man to kill, and is unable to gainsay the compulsion he brings to bear, if, for instance, he is a public executioner, or a mercenary, obeying, in one case, a judge, and, in the other, a tyrant, whom will you hold responsible for the killing?

MINOS Clearly the judge or the tyrant, since the actual sword can’t be blamed; for it merely serves as a tool to serve the passion of the person who is responsible in the first instance.

SOSTRATUS Many thanks, Minos, for your generous elaboration of my example. And, if some one brings with his own hands gold or silver sent by his master, whom must we thank and record as the benefactor?

MINOS The sender, Sostratus; the bringer was merely a servant.

SOSTRATUS Don’t you see then how wrong it is for you to punish us, who have been the servants of the commands of Clotho, and to have shown honour to those who ministered to the good deeds of others? No one can say that it was possible for us to gainsay ordinances that are all-compelling.

Current edition Perseus

Διογένης καὶ Μαύσωλος.

Διογένης ὦ Κάρ, ἐπὶ τίνι μέγα φρονεῖς καὶ πάντων ἡμῶν προτιμᾶσθαι ἀξιοῖς;

Διογένης ἐπὶ τῇ βασιλείᾳ φὴς καὶ τῷ κάλλει καὶ τῷ βάρει τοῦ τάφου;

Μαύσωλος νὴ Δίʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις.

Μαύσωλος ἀνόνητα οὖν μοι ἐκεῖνα πάντα καὶ ἰσότιμος ἔσται Μαύσωλος καὶ Διογένης;

ΜΙΝΩΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ Ἄκουσον, ὦ Μίνως, εἴ σοι δίκαια δόξω λέγειν.

ΜΙΝΩΣ Νῦν ἀκούσω αὖθις; οὐ γὰρ ἐξελήλεγξαι, ὦ Σώστρατε, πονηρὸς ὢν καὶ τοσούτους ἀπεκτονώς;

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ Ἐλήλεγμαι μέν, ἀλλ’ ὅρα, εἰ δικαίως κολασθήσομαι.

ΜΙΝΩΣ Καὶ πάνυ, εἴ γε ἀποτίνειν τὴν ἀξίαν δίκαιον.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ Ὅμως ἀπόκριναί μοι, ὦ Μίνως· βραχὺ γάρ τι ἐρήσομαί σε.

ΜΙΝΩΣ Λέγε, μὴ μακρὰ μόνον, ὡς 1 καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διακρίνωμεν ἤδη.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ Ὁπόσα ἔπραττον ἐν τῷ βίῳ, πότερα ἑκὼν ἔπραττον ἢ ἐπεκέκλωστό μοι ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας;

ΜΙΝΩΣ Ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας δηλαδή.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ Οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ χρηστοὶ ἅπαντες καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ δοκοῦντες ἡμεῖς ἐκείνῃ ὑπηρετοῦντες ταῦτα ἐδρῶμεν; 2

ΜΙΝΩΣ Ναί, τῇ Κλωθοῖ, ἣ ἑκάστῳ ἐπέταξε γεννηθέντι τὰ πρακτέα.

ΜΙΝΩΣ Δῆλον ὡς τὸν δικαστὴν ἢ τὸν τύραννον, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τὸ ξίφος αὐτό· ὑπηρετεῖ γὰρ ὄργανον ὂν τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν θυμὸν τῷ πρώτῳ παρασχόντι τὴν αἰτίαν.

ΜΙΝΩΣ Τὸν πέμψαντα, ὦ Σώστρατε· διάκονος γὰρ ὁ κομίσας 4 ἦν.

XXIV

Diogenes

Mausolus

Diogenes Why so proud, Carian? How are you better than the rest of us?

Diogenes Kingship—beauty—heavy tomb; is that it?

Mausolus It is as you say.

Mausolus Then all is to go for nothing? Mausolus and Diogenes are to rank as equals?

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Minos And Sostratus ¹

SOSTRATUS

Listen, Minos, and see if what I say is just.

MINOS

Listen again now? Haven’t you already been found guilty of wickedness, Sostratus, and of committing all these murders?

SOSTRATUS

I admit I have, but consider whether it will be just for me to be punished.

MINOS

Of course it will, if it is just to pay the proper penalty.

SOSTRATUS

But answer me this, Minos. My question will be a short one.

MINOS

Speak on, then, only be brief, so that we can settle the other cases at once.

SOSTRATUS

Were my actions in life carried out by me of my own will, or already spun for me by Fate?

MINOS

Already spun by Fate, of course.

SOSTRATUS

Then all of us, whether we are thought good or bad, acted as we did as the servants of Fate?

MINOS

Yes, as servants of Clotho, who has ordained for each of us at birth what he must do.

SOSTRATUS

If, then, a man is forced by another man to kill, and is unable to gainsay the compulsion he brings to bear, if, for instance, he is a public executioner, or a mercenary, obeying, in one case, a judge, and, in the other, a tyrant, whom will you hold responsible for the killing?

MINOS

Clearly the judge or the tyrant, since the actual sword can’t be blamed; for it merely serves as a tool to serve the passion of the person who is responsible in the first instance.

SOSTRATUS

Many thanks, Minos, for your generous elaboration of my example. And, if some one brings with his own hands gold or silver sent by his master, whom must we thank and record as the benefactor?

MINOS

The sender, Sostratus; the bringer was merely a servant.

SOSTRATUS

Don’t you see then how wrong it is for you to punish us, who have been the servants of the commands of Clotho, and to have shown honour to those who ministered to the good deeds of others? No one can say that it was possible for us to gainsay ordinances that are all-compelling.

Διογένης

ὦ Κάρ, ἐπὶ τίνι μέγα φρονεῖς καὶ πάντων ἡμῶν προτιμᾶσθαι ἀξιοῖς;

Διογένης

ἐπὶ τῇ βασιλείᾳ φὴς καὶ τῷ κάλλει καὶ τῷ βάρει τοῦ τάφου;

Μαύσωλος

νὴ Δίʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις.

Μαύσωλος

ἀνόνητα οὖν μοι ἐκεῖνα πάντα καὶ ἰσότιμος ἔσται Μαύσωλος καὶ Διογένης;

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἄκουσον, ὦ Μίνως, εἴ σοι δίκαια δόξω λέγειν.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Νῦν ἀκούσω αὖθις; οὐ γὰρ ἐξελήλεγξαι, ὦ Σώστρατε, πονηρὸς ὢν καὶ τοσούτους ἀπεκτονώς;

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἐλήλεγμαι μέν, ἀλλ’ ὅρα, εἰ δικαίως κολασθήσομαι.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Καὶ πάνυ, εἴ γε ἀποτίνειν τὴν ἀξίαν δίκαιον.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ὅμως ἀπόκριναί μοι, ὦ Μίνως· βραχὺ γάρ τι ἐρήσομαί σε.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Λέγε, μὴ μακρὰ μόνον, ὡς ¹ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διακρίνωμεν ἤδη.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Ὁπόσα ἔπραττον ἐν τῷ βίῳ, πότερα ἑκὼν ἔπραττον ἢ ἐπεκέκλωστό μοι ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας;

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας δηλαδή.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

Οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ χρηστοὶ ἅπαντες καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ δοκοῦντες ἡμεῖς ἐκείνῃ ὑπηρετοῦντες ταῦτα ἐδρῶμεν; ²

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Ναί, τῇ Κλωθοῖ, ἣ ἑκάστῳ ἐπέταξε γεννηθέντι τὰ πρακτέα.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Δῆλον ὡς τὸν δικαστὴν ἢ τὸν τύραννον, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τὸ ξίφος αὐτό· ὑπηρετεῖ γὰρ ὄργανον ὂν τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν θυμὸν τῷ πρώτῳ παρασχόντι τὴν αἰτίαν.

ΜΙΝΩΣ

Τὸν πέμψαντα, ὦ Σώστρατε· διάκονος γὰρ ὁ κομίσας ⁴ ἦν.

Diogenes

Why so proud, Carian? How are you better than the rest of us?

Diogenes

Kingship—beauty—heavy tomb; is that it?

Mausolus

It is as you say.

Mausolus

Then all is to go for nothing? Mausolus and Diogenes are to rank as equals?