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Μίνως καὶ Σώστρατος.

Μίνως

ὁ μὲν λῃστὴς οὑτοσὶ Σώστρατος ἐς 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 κατα τάχος ἐς τὸ Ἠλύσιον πεδίον καὶ τὰς μακάρων νήσους κατοικεῖτε, ἀνθʼ ὧν δίκαια ἐποιεῖτε παρὰ τὸν βίον.

Σώστρατος

ἄκουσον, ὦ Μίνως, εἴ σοι δίκαια δόξω λέγειν.

Μίνως

νῦν ἀκούσω αὖθις; οὐ γὰρ ἐξελήλεγξαι, ὦ Σώστρατε, πονηρὸς ὢν καὶ τοσούτους ἀπεκτονώς; 451

Σώστρατος

Ἐλήλεγμαι μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅρα, εἰ καὶ δικαίως κολασθήσομαι.

Μίνως

καὶ πάνυ, εἴ γε ἀποτίνειν τὴν ἀξίαν δίκαιον.

Σώστρατος

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

Μίνως

λέγε, μὴ μακρὰ μόνον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διακρίνωμεν ἤδη.

Σώστρατος

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

Μίνως

ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας δηλαδή.

Σώστρατος

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

Μίνως

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

Σώστρατος

εἰ τοίνυν ἀναγκασθείς τις ὑπʼ ἄλλου φονεύσειέ τινα οὐ δυνάμενος ἀντιλέγειν ἐκείνῳ βιαζομένῳ, οἷον δήμιος ἢ δορυφόρος, ὁ μὲν δικαστῇ πεισθείς, ὁ δὲ τυράννῳ, τίνα αἰτιάσῃ τοῦ φονου;

Μίνως

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

Σώστρατος

εὖ γε, ὦ Μίνως, ὅτι καὶ ἐπιδαψιλεύει τῷ 453 παραδείγματι. ἢν δέ τις ἀποστείλαντος τοῦ δεσπότου ἥκῃ 454 αὐτὸς χρυσὸν ἢ ἄργυρον κομίζων, τίνι τὴν χάριν ἰστέον ἢ τίνα εὐεργέτην ἀναγραπτέον;

Μίνως

τὸν πέμψαντα, ὦ Σώστρατε· διάκονος γὰρ ὁ κομίσας ἦν.

Σώστρατος

οὐκοῦν ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἄδικα ποιεῖς κολάζων ἡμᾶς ὑπηρέτας γενομένους ὧν ἡ Κλωθὼ προσέταττε, καὶ τούτους τιμῶν τοὺς διακονησαμένους ἀλλοτρίοις ἀγαθοῖς; οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἐκεῖνό γε εἰπεῖν ἔχοι τις ἄν, ὡς τὸ ἀντιλέγειν δυνατὸν ἦν τοῖς μετὰ πάσης ἀνάγκης προστεταγμένοις.

Μίνως

ὦ Σώστρατε, πολλὰ ἴδοις ἂν καὶ ἄλλα οὐ κατὰ λόγον γιγνόμενα, εἰ ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάζοις. πλὴν ἀλλὰ σὺ τοῦτο ἀπολαύσεις τῆς ἐρωτήσεως, 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.

Dialogi mortuorum. Lucian. ed. Karl Jacobitz. Leipzig. 1909.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Google Digital Humanities Awards Program.

Current edition Perseus

Νεκρικοὶ Διάλογοι (Greek) (Lucian. Luciani Samosatensis Opera, Vol. 1. Jacobitz, Karl, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1909.)

Editions (1)

Νεκρικοὶ διάλογοι Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).) — 30 focus

ΝΙΡΕΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΡΣΙΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΥ

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Ἰδοὺ δή, Μένιππος οὑτοσὶ δικάσει, πότερος εὐμορφότερός ἐστιν. 432 εἰπέ, ὦ Μένιππε, οὐ καλλίων σοι δοκῶ;

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Τίνες δὲ καὶ ἔστε; πρότερον, οἶμαι, χρὴ γὰρ τοῦτο εἰδέναι.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Νιρεὺς καὶ Θερσίτης.

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Πότερος οὖν ὁ Νιρεὺς καὶ πότερος ὁ Θερσίτης; οὐδέπω γὰρ τοῦτο δῆλον.

ΘΕΡΣΙΤΗΣ

Ἓν μὲν ἤδη τοῦτο ἔχω, ὅτι ὅμοιός εἰμί σοι καὶ οὐδὲν τηλικοῦτον διαφέρεις ἡλίκον σε Ὅμηρος ἐκεῖνος ὁ τυφλὸς ἐπῄνεσεν ἁπάντων εὐμορφότερον προσειπών, ἀλλ’ ὁ φοξὸς ἐγὼ καὶ ψεδνὸς οὐδὲν χείρων ἐφάνην τῷ δικαστῇ. ὅρα δὲ σύ, ὦ Μένιππε, ὅντινα καὶ εὐμορφότερον ἡγῇ.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Ἐμέ γε τὸν Ἀγλαΐας καὶ Χάροπος, “ὃς κάλλιστος ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον.”

433

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ ὑπὸ γῆν, ὡς οἶμαι, κάλλιστος ἦλθες, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ὀστᾶ ὅμοια, τὸ δὲ κρανίον ταύτῃ μόνον ἄρα διακρίνοιτο ἀπὸ τοῦ Θερσίτου κρανίου, ὅτι εὔθρυπτον τὸ σόν· ἀλαπαδνὸν γὰρ αὐτὸ καὶ οὐκ ἀνδρῶδες ἔχεις.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Καὶ μὴν ἐροῦ Ὅμηρον, ὁποῖος ἦν, ὁπότε συνεστράτευον τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς.

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Ὀνείρατά μοι λέγεις· ἐγὼ δὲ ἃ βλέπω ¹ καὶ νῦν ἔχεις, ἐκεῖνα δέ οἱ τότε ἴσασιν.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Οὔκουν ἐγὼ ἐνταῦθα εὐμορφότερός εἰμι, ὦ Μένιππε;

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Οὔτε σὺ οὔτε ἄλλος εὔμορφος· ἰσοτιμία γὰρ ἐν ᾅδου καὶ ὅμοιοι ἅπαντες.

ΘΕΡΣΙΤΗΣ

Ἐμοὶ μὲν καὶ τοῦτο ἱκανόν.

Translations (2)

Dialogues of the Dead Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).) — 30 focus

Nireus. Thersites. Menippus

NIREUS

Look, here’s Menippus, who will decide which of us is more handsome. Tell us, Menippus, don’t you think I am?

MENIPPUS

Whoever are you both? I ought to know that first, I suppose.

NIREUS

NIreus and Thersites.

MENIPPUS

Well, which is NIreus, and which Thersites? That’s still not clear.

THERSITES

That’s already one point in my favour, if I’m like you, and you don’t have the great superiority for which Homer the blind praised you, when he called you the most handsome of them all; I, with my sugarloaf head, and thin hair, ¹ seemed just as good-looking as you to Minos; but you, Menippus, take a good look to see which you think more handsome.

IREUS

Me, son of Charops and Aglaea, “handsomest man of all who came to Troy”. ²

MENIPPUS

But not, methinks, the handsomest that has come to the lower world; your bones are no different here, and your skull can only be told from that of Thersites, by its brittleness. Your skull is fragile and unmanly.

NIREUS

But just ask Homer what I was like when I was fighting in the Greek army.

MENIPPUS

You talk of dreams; I of what I see, and of your present state; your past is only known to the men of that time.

NIREUS

Then, Menippus, I’m not handsomer here than he is?

MENIPPUS

Neither you nor anyone else is handsome here. In Hades all are equal, and all alike.

THERSITES

That’s good enough for me.

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.) — 30 focus

XXX

Minos

Sostratus

Minos

Sostratus, the pirate here, can be dropped into Pyriphlegethon, Hermes; the temple-robber shall be clawed by the Chimera; and lay out the tyrant alongside of Tityus, there to have his liver torn by the vultures. And you honest fellows can make the best of your way to Elysium and the Isles of the Blest; this it is to lead righteous lives.

Sostratus

A word with you, Minos. See if there is not some justice in my plea.

Minos

What, more pleadings? Have you not been convicted of villany and murder without end?

Sostratus

I have. Yet consider whether my sentence is just.

Minos

Is it just that you should have your deserts? If so, the sentence is just.

Sostratus

Well, answer my questions; I will not detain you long.

Minos

Say on, but be brief; I have other cases waiting for me.

Sostratus

The deeds of my life—were they in my own choice, or were they decreed by Fate?

Minos

Decreed, of course.

Sostratus

Then all of us, whether we passed for honest men or rogues, were the instruments of Fate in all that we did?

Minos

Certainly; Clotho prescribes the conduct of every man at his birth.

Sostratus

Now suppose a man commits a murder under compulsion of a power which he cannot resist, an executioner, for instance, at the bidding of a judge, or a bodyguard at that of a tyrant. Who is the murderer, according to you?

Minos

The judge, of course, or the tyrant. As well ask whether the sword is guilty, which is but the tool of his anger who is prime mover in the affair.

Sostratus

I am indebted to you for a further illustration of my argument. Again: a slave, sent by his master, brings me gold or silver; to whom am I to be grateful? who goes down on my tablets as a benefactor?

Minos

The sender; the bringer is but his minister.

Sostratus

Observe then your injustice! You punish us who are but the slaves of Clotho’s bidding, and reward these, who do but minister to another’s beneficence. For it will never be said that it was in our power to gainsay the irresistible ordinances of Fate?

Minos

Ah, Sostratus; look closely enough, and you will find plenty of inconsistencies besides these. However, I see you are no common pirate, but a philosopher in your way; so much you have gained by your questions. Let him go, Hermes; he shall not be punished after that. But mind, Sostratus, you must not put it into other people’s heads to ask questions of this kind.

Francis George Fowler

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Μίνως καὶ Σώστρατος.

Σώστρατος ἄκουσον, ὦ Μίνως, εἴ σοι δίκαια δόξω λέγειν.

Μίνως νῦν ἀκούσω αὖθις; οὐ γὰρ ἐξελήλεγξαι, ὦ Σώστρατε, πονηρὸς ὢν καὶ τοσούτους ἀπεκτονώς; 451

Σώστρατος Ἐλήλεγμαι μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅρα, εἰ καὶ δικαίως κολασθήσομαι.

Μίνως καὶ πάνυ, εἴ γε ἀποτίνειν τὴν ἀξίαν δίκαιον.

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

Μίνως λέγε, μὴ μακρὰ μόνον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διακρίνωμεν ἤδη.

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

Μίνως ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας δηλαδή.

Σώστρατος οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ χρηστοὶ ἅπαντες καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ δοκοῦντες ἡμεῖς ἐκείνῃ ὑπηρετοῦντες ταῦτα ἐδρῶμεν;

Μίνως ναί, τῇ Κλωθοῖ, ἣ ἑκάστῳ ἐπέταξε γεννηθέντι τὰ πρακτέα.

Μίνως 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

Μίνως τὸν πέμψαντα, ὦ Σώστρατε· διάκονος γὰρ ὁ κομίσας ἦν.

Current edition Perseus

ΝΙΡΕΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΡΣΙΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΥ

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ Ἰδοὺ δή, Μένιππος οὑτοσὶ δικάσει, πότερος εὐμορφότερός ἐστιν. 432 εἰπέ, ὦ Μένιππε, οὐ καλλίων σοι δοκῶ;

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ Τίνες δὲ καὶ ἔστε; πρότερον, οἶμαι, χρὴ γὰρ τοῦτο εἰδέναι.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ Νιρεὺς καὶ Θερσίτης.

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ Πότερος οὖν ὁ Νιρεὺς καὶ πότερος ὁ Θερσίτης; οὐδέπω γὰρ τοῦτο δῆλον.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ Ἐμέ γε τὸν Ἀγλαΐας καὶ Χάροπος, “ὃς κάλλιστος ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον.”

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ Καὶ μὴν ἐροῦ Ὅμηρον, ὁποῖος ἦν, ὁπότε συνεστράτευον τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς.

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ Ὀνείρατά μοι λέγεις· ἐγὼ δὲ ἃ βλέπω 1 καὶ νῦν ἔχεις, ἐκεῖνα δέ οἱ τότε ἴσασιν.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ Οὔκουν ἐγὼ ἐνταῦθα εὐμορφότερός εἰμι, ὦ Μένιππε;

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ Οὔτε σὺ οὔτε ἄλλος εὔμορφος· ἰσοτιμία γὰρ ἐν ᾅδου καὶ ὅμοιοι ἅπαντες.

ΘΕΡΣΙΤΗΣ Ἐμοὶ μὲν καὶ τοῦτο ἱκανόν.

Nireus. Thersites. Menippus

NIREUS Look, here’s Menippus, who will decide which of us is more handsome. Tell us, Menippus, don’t you think I am?

MENIPPUS Whoever are you both? I ought to know that first, I suppose.

NIREUS NIreus and Thersites.

MENIPPUS Well, which is NIreus, and which Thersites? That’s still not clear.

IREUS Me, son of Charops and Aglaea, “handsomest man of all who came to Troy”. 2

MENIPPUS But not, methinks, the handsomest that has come to the lower world; your bones are no different here, and your skull can only be told from that of Thersites, by its brittleness. Your skull is fragile and unmanly.

NIREUS But just ask Homer what I was like when I was fighting in the Greek army.

MENIPPUS You talk of dreams; I of what I see, and of your present state; your past is only known to the men of that time.

NIREUS Then, Menippus, I’m not handsomer here than he is?

MENIPPUS Neither you nor anyone else is handsome here. In Hades all are equal, and all alike.

THERSITES That’s good enough for me.

XXX

Minos

Sostratus

Sostratus A word with you, Minos. See if there is not some justice in my plea.

Minos What, more pleadings? Have you not been convicted of villany and murder without end?

Sostratus I have. Yet consider whether my sentence is just.

Minos Is it just that you should have your deserts? If so, the sentence is just.

Sostratus Well, answer my questions; I will not detain you long.

Minos Say on, but be brief; I have other cases waiting for me.

Sostratus The deeds of my life—were they in my own choice, or were they decreed by Fate?

Minos Decreed, of course.

Sostratus Then all of us, whether we passed for honest men or rogues, were the instruments of Fate in all that we did?

Minos Certainly; Clotho prescribes the conduct of every man at his birth.

Sostratus Now suppose a man commits a murder under compulsion of a power which he cannot resist, an executioner, for instance, at the bidding of a judge, or a bodyguard at that of a tyrant. Who is the murderer, according to you?

Minos The judge, of course, or the tyrant. As well ask whether the sword is guilty, which is but the tool of his anger who is prime mover in the affair.

Sostratus I am indebted to you for a further illustration of my argument. Again: a slave, sent by his master, brings me gold or silver; to whom am I to be grateful? who goes down on my tablets as a benefactor?

Minos The sender; the bringer is but his minister.

Sostratus Observe then your injustice! You punish us who are but the slaves of Clotho’s bidding, and reward these, who do but minister to another’s beneficence. For it will never be said that it was in our power to gainsay the irresistible ordinances of Fate?

Stable identifiers

Σώστρατος

ἄκουσον, ὦ Μίνως, εἴ σοι δίκαια δόξω λέγειν.

Μίνως

νῦν ἀκούσω αὖθις; οὐ γὰρ ἐξελήλεγξαι, ὦ Σώστρατε, πονηρὸς ὢν καὶ τοσούτους ἀπεκτονώς; 451

Σώστρατος

Ἐλήλεγμαι μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅρα, εἰ καὶ δικαίως κολασθήσομαι.

Μίνως

καὶ πάνυ, εἴ γε ἀποτίνειν τὴν ἀξίαν δίκαιον.

Σώστρατος

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

Μίνως

λέγε, μὴ μακρὰ μόνον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διακρίνωμεν ἤδη.

Σώστρατος

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

Μίνως

ὑπὸ τῆς Μοίρας δηλαδή.

Σώστρατος

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

Μίνως

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

Μίνως

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

Μίνως

τὸν πέμψαντα, ὦ Σώστρατε· διάκονος γὰρ ὁ κομίσας ἦν.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Ἰδοὺ δή, Μένιππος οὑτοσὶ δικάσει, πότερος εὐμορφότερός ἐστιν. 432 εἰπέ, ὦ Μένιππε, οὐ καλλίων σοι δοκῶ;

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Τίνες δὲ καὶ ἔστε; πρότερον, οἶμαι, χρὴ γὰρ τοῦτο εἰδέναι.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Νιρεὺς καὶ Θερσίτης.

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Πότερος οὖν ὁ Νιρεὺς καὶ πότερος ὁ Θερσίτης; οὐδέπω γὰρ τοῦτο δῆλον.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Ἐμέ γε τὸν Ἀγλαΐας καὶ Χάροπος, “ὃς κάλλιστος ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον.”

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Καὶ μὴν ἐροῦ Ὅμηρον, ὁποῖος ἦν, ὁπότε συνεστράτευον τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς.

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Ὀνείρατά μοι λέγεις· ἐγὼ δὲ ἃ βλέπω ¹ καὶ νῦν ἔχεις, ἐκεῖνα δέ οἱ τότε ἴσασιν.

ΝΙΡΕΥΣ

Οὔκουν ἐγὼ ἐνταῦθα εὐμορφότερός εἰμι, ὦ Μένιππε;

ΜΕΝΙΠΠΟΣ

Οὔτε σὺ οὔτε ἄλλος εὔμορφος· ἰσοτιμία γὰρ ἐν ᾅδου καὶ ὅμοιοι ἅπαντες.

ΘΕΡΣΙΤΗΣ

Ἐμοὶ μὲν καὶ τοῦτο ἱκανόν.

NIREUS

Look, here’s Menippus, who will decide which of us is more handsome. Tell us, Menippus, don’t you think I am?

MENIPPUS

Whoever are you both? I ought to know that first, I suppose.

NIREUS

NIreus and Thersites.

MENIPPUS

Well, which is NIreus, and which Thersites? That’s still not clear.

IREUS

Me, son of Charops and Aglaea, “handsomest man of all who came to Troy”. ²

MENIPPUS

But not, methinks, the handsomest that has come to the lower world; your bones are no different here, and your skull can only be told from that of Thersites, by its brittleness. Your skull is fragile and unmanly.

NIREUS

But just ask Homer what I was like when I was fighting in the Greek army.

MENIPPUS

You talk of dreams; I of what I see, and of your present state; your past is only known to the men of that time.

NIREUS

Then, Menippus, I’m not handsomer here than he is?

MENIPPUS

Neither you nor anyone else is handsome here. In Hades all are equal, and all alike.

THERSITES

That’s good enough for me.

Sostratus

A word with you, Minos. See if there is not some justice in my plea.

Minos

What, more pleadings? Have you not been convicted of villany and murder without end?

Sostratus

I have. Yet consider whether my sentence is just.

Minos

Is it just that you should have your deserts? If so, the sentence is just.

Sostratus

Well, answer my questions; I will not detain you long.

Minos

Say on, but be brief; I have other cases waiting for me.

Sostratus

The deeds of my life—were they in my own choice, or were they decreed by Fate?

Minos

Decreed, of course.

Sostratus

Then all of us, whether we passed for honest men or rogues, were the instruments of Fate in all that we did?

Minos

Certainly; Clotho prescribes the conduct of every man at his birth.

Sostratus

Now suppose a man commits a murder under compulsion of a power which he cannot resist, an executioner, for instance, at the bidding of a judge, or a bodyguard at that of a tyrant. Who is the murderer, according to you?

Minos

The judge, of course, or the tyrant. As well ask whether the sword is guilty, which is but the tool of his anger who is prime mover in the affair.

Sostratus

I am indebted to you for a further illustration of my argument. Again: a slave, sent by his master, brings me gold or silver; to whom am I to be grateful? who goes down on my tablets as a benefactor?

Minos

The sender; the bringer is but his minister.

Sostratus

Observe then your injustice! You punish us who are but the slaves of Clotho’s bidding, and reward these, who do but minister to another’s beneficence. For it will never be said that it was in our power to gainsay the irresistible ordinances of Fate?