ἀποδεικνύειν· οὐδὲν δὲ ἄτοπον εἰς τοῦτό μοι τοὺς λόγους λῆξαι. [305] ἐγώ
φημι τοὺς ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι βελτίστους καὶ μάλιστα μὲν φιλοθεωτάτους, ἔπειτα
φιλανθρωποτάτους, ἐάν τε πένητες ὦσιν ἐάν τε πλούσιοι· διάκρισις ἔστω πρὸς
τοῦτο μηδ᾽ ἡτισοῦν ἀφανοῦς καὶ ἐπιφανοῦς· ὁ γὰρ διὰ πρᾳότητα λεληθὼς οὐ
διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀξιώματος ἀφάνειαν δίκαιός ἐστι κωλύεσθαι. κἂν πένης οὖν ᾖ τις
δημότης ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ δύο ταῦτα, τό τε φιλόθεον καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον, ἱερεὺς
ἀποδεικνύσθω. [B] δεῖγμα δὲ τοῦ φιλοθέου μέν, εἰ τοὺς οἰκείους ἅπαντας εἰς
τὴν περὶ τοὺς θεοὺς εὐσέβειαν εἰσαγάγοι, τοῦ φιλανθρώπου δέ, εἰ καὶ ἐξ
ὀλίγων εὐκόλως κοινωνεῖ τοῖς δεομένοις καὶ μεταδέδωσι προθύμως, εὖ ποιεῖν
ἐπιχειρῶν ὅσους ἂν οἷός τε ᾖ.
(Now it would perhaps have been well to say earlier from what class of men
and by what method priests must be appointed; but it is quite appropriate
that my remarks should end with this. I say that the most upright men in
every city, by preference those who show most love for the gods, and next
those who show most love for their fellow men, must be appointed, whether
they be poor or rich. And in this matter let there be no distinction
whatever whether they are unknown or well known. For the man who by reason
of his gentleness has not won notice ought not to be barred by reason of
his want of fame. Even though he be poor and a man of the people, if he
possess within himself these two things, love for God and love for his
fellow men, let him be appointed priest. And a proof of his love for God
is his inducing his own people to show reverence to the gods; a proof of
his love for his fellows is his sharing cheerfully, even from a small
store, with those in need, and his giving willingly thereof, and trying to
do good to as many men as he is able.)
Προσεκτέον γὰρ μάλιστα τῷ μέρει τούτῳ, καὶ τὴν ἰατρείαν ἐντεῦθεν ποιητέον.
ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἶμαι συνέβη τοὺς πένητας ἀμελεῖσθαι παρορωμένους ὑπὸ τῶν
ἱερέων, [C] οἱ δυσσεβεῖς Γαλιλαῖοι κατανοήσαντες ἐπέθεντο ταύτῃ τῇ
φιλανθρωπίᾳ, καὶ τὸ χείριστον τῶν ἔργων διὰ τοῦ εὐδοκιμοῦντος(536) τῶν
ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἐκράτυναν. ὥσπερ γὰρ(537) οἱ τὰ παιδία διὰ τοῦ πλακοῦντος
ἐξαπατῶντες τῷ καὶ δὶς καὶ τρὶς προέσθαι πείθουσιν ἀκολουθεῖν ἑαυτοῖς,
εἶθ᾽, ὅταν ἀποστήσωσι πόρρω τῶν οἰκείων, ἐμβάλλοντες εἰς ναῦν ἀπέδοντο,
καὶ γέγονεν εἰς ἅπαντα τὸν ἑξῆς βίον πικρὸν τὸ δόξαν πρὸς ὀλίγον γλυκύ,
[D] τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ αὐτοὶ τρόπον ἀρξάμενοι διὰ τῆς λεγομένης παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς
ἀγάπης καὶ ὑποδοχῆς καὶ διακονίας τραπεζῶν· ἔστι γὰρ ὥσπερ τὸ ἔργον, οὕτω
δὲ καὶ τοὔνομα παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς πολύ· πλείστους ἐνήγαγον εἰς τὴν ἀθεότητα....
(We must pay especial attention to this point, and by this means effect a
cure. For when it came about that the poor were neglected and overlooked
by the priests, then I think the impious Galilaeans observed this fact and
devoted themselves to philanthropy. And they have gained ascendancy in the
worst of their deeds through the credit they win for such practices. For
just as those who entice children with a cake, and by throwing it to them
two or three times induce them to follow them, and then, when they are far
away from their friends cast them on board a ship and sell them as slaves,
and that which for the moment seemed sweet, proves to be bitter for all
the rest of their lives—by the same method, I say, the Galilaeans also
begin with their so‐called love‐feast, or hospitality, or service of
tables,—for they have many ways of carrying it out and hence call it by
many names,—the result is that they have led very many into
atheism....(538))
THE CAESARS
Introduction
The Caesars, otherwise entitled in the MSS. Symposium or Kronia (Latin
Saturnalia) was written at Constantinople in 361 and was probably
addressed to Sallust, to whom Julian had sent his lost work the
Kronia.(539) The interlocutor in the proœmium(540) is almost certainly
Sallust.
“Caesar” was in Julian’s time a Roman Emperor’s most splendid title, and
was regularly used by the barbarians when they referred to the Emperor.
The idea and the working out of the satire is Lucianic and there are
echoes here and there of Lucian’s _Dialogues of the Dead_, but Julian is
neither so witty nor so frivolous as Lucian. In speaking of the gods he
allows himself a licence which is appropriate to the festival, but would
otherwise seem inconsistent with the admonitions addressed to priests in
the _Fragment of a Letter_. His conception of the State and of the ideal
ruler is Greek rather than Roman.
ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ
(Julian, Emperor)
ΣΥΜΠΟΣΙΟΝ Η ΚΡΟΝΙΑ
(The Caesars)
Ἐπειδὴ δίδωσιν ὁ θεὸς παίζειν· ἔστι γὰρ Κρόνια· γελοῖον δὲ οὐδὲν οὐδὲ
τερπνὸν οἶδα ἐγώ, τὸ μὴ καταγέλαστα φράσαι φροντίδος ἔοικεν εἶναι ἄξιον, ὦ
φιλότης.
(“It is the season of the Kronia,(541) during which the god allows us to
make merry. But, my dear friend, as I have no talent for amusing or
entertaining I must methinks take pains not to talk mere nonsense.”)
Εἶτα τίς οὕτω παχύς ἐστι καὶ ἀρχαῖος, ὦ Καῖσαρ, ὥστε καὶ παίζειν
πεφροντισμένα; ἐγὼ ᾤμην τὴν παιδιὰν ἄνεσίν τε εἶναι ψυχῆς καὶ ἀπαλλαγὴν
τῶν φροντίδων.
(“But, Caesar, can there be anyone so dull and stupid as to take pains
over his jesting? I always thought that such pleasantries were a
relaxation of the mind and a relief from pains and cares.”)
[B] Ὀρθῶς γε σὺ τοῦτο ὑπολαμβάνων, ἐμοὶ δὲ οὐ ταύτῃ ἔοικεν ἀπαντᾶν τὸ
χρῆμα. πέφυκα γὰρ οὐδαμῶς ἐπιτήδειος οὔτε σκώπτειν οὔτε παρῳδεῖν οὔτε
γελοιάζειν. ἐπεὶ δὲ χρὴ τῷ νόμῳ πείθεσθαι τοῦ θεοῦ, βούλει σοι ἐν παιδιᾶς
μέρει μῦθον διεξέλθω πολλὰ ἴσως ἔχοντα ἀκονῆς ἄξια;
(“Yes, and no doubt your view is correct, but that is not how the matter
strikes me. For by nature I have no turn for raillery, or parody, or
raising a laugh. But since I must obey the ordinance of the god of the
festival, should you like me to relate to you by way of entertainment a
myth in which there is perhaps much that is worth hearing?”)
[C] Λέγοις ἂν καὶ μάλα ἀσμένῳ, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἀτιμάζω τοὺς μύθους οὐδὲ
παντάπασιν ἐξελαύνω τοὺς ὀρθῶς ἔχοντας, ἀκόλουθά σοί τε καὶ φίλῳ τῷ σῷ,
μᾶλλον δὲ τῷ κοινῷ, Πλάτωνι διανοούμενος, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτῷ πολλὰ ἐν μύθοις
ἐσπούδασται.
(“I shall listen with great pleasure, for I too am not one to despise
myths, and I am far from rejecting those that have the right tendency;
indeed I am of the same opinion as you and your admired, or rather the
universally admired, Plato. He also often conveyed a serious lesson in his
myths.”)
Λέγεις ναὶ μὰ Δία ταῦτα ἀληθῆ.
(“By Zeus, that is true indeed!”)
Τίς δὲ καὶ ποταπὸς ὁ μῦθος;
(“But what is your myth and of what type?”)
[307] Οὐ τῶν παλαιῶν τις, ὁποίους Αἴσωπος ἐποίησεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἴτε πλάσμα
λέγοις Ἐρμοῦ· πεπυσμένος γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθέν σοι φράσω· εἴτε καὶ τἀληθὲς
οὕτως ἔχει εἴτε μίξις τίς ἐστιν ἀμφοῖν, αὐτό, φασί,(542) δείξει τὸ πράγμα.
(“Not one of those old‐fashioned ones such as Aesop(543) wrote. But
whether you should call mine an invention of Hermes—for it was from him I
learned what I am going to tell you—or whether it is really true or a
mixture of truth and fiction, the upshot, as the saying is, will decide.”)
Τουτὶ μὲν οὖν ἤδη μυθικῶς ἅμα καὶ ῥητορικῶς ἐξείργασταί σοι τὸ προοίμιον·
ἀλλά μοι τὸν λόγον αὐτόν, ὁποῖός ποτέ ἐστιν, ἤδη διέξελθε.
(“This is indeed a fine preface that you have composed, just the thing for
a myth, not to say an oration! But now pray tell me the tale itself,
whatever its type may be.”)
Μανθάνοις ἄν.
(“Attend.”)
[B] Θύων ὁ Ῥωμύλος τὰ Κρόνια πάντας ἐκάλει τοὺς θεούς, καὶ δὴ καὶ
αὐτοὺς(544) τοὺς καίσαρας. κλῖναι δὲ ἐτύγχανον παρεσκευασμέναι τοῖς μὲν
θεοῖς ἄνω κατ᾽ αὐτό, φασίν, οὐρανοῦ τὸ μετέωρον,
(At the festival of the Kronia Romulus gave a banquet, and invited not
only all the gods, but the Emperors as well. For the gods couches had been
prepared on high, at the very apex, so to speak, of the sky,(545) on)
Οὔλυμπόνδ᾽, ὅθι φασὶ θεῶν ἕδος ἀσφαλὲς αἰεί.
(“Olympus where they say is the seat of the gods, unshaken for
ever.”(546))
λέγεται γὰρ μεθ᾽ Ἡρακλέα παρελθεῖν ἐκεῖσε καὶ ὁ Κυρῖνος, ᾧ δὴ χρὴ καλεῖν
αὐτὸν ὀνόματι, τῇ θείᾳ πειθομένους φήμῃ. τοῖς μὲν οὖν θεοῖς ἐκεῖσε
παρεσκεύαστο τὸ συμπόσιον· [C] ὑπ᾽ αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν σελήνην ἐπὶ μετεώρου τοῦ
ἀέρος ἐδέδοκτο τοὺς καίσαρας δειπνεῖν. ἀνεῖχε δὲ αὐτοὺς ἥ τε τῶν σωμάτων
κουφότης, ἅπερ ἐτύγχανον ἠμφιεσμένοι, καὶ ἡ περιφορὰ τῆς σελήνης. κλῖναι
μὲν οὖν ἔκειντο τέτταρες, εὐτρεπεῖς τοῖς μεγίστοις θεοῖς. ἐβένου μὲν ἦν ἡ
τοῦ Κρόνου στιλβούσης καὶ πολλὴν ἐν τῷ μέλανι καὶ θείαν αὐγὴν κρυπτούσης,
ὥστε οὐδεὶς οἷός τε ἦν ἀντιβλέπειν. ἔπασχε δὲ ταὐτὸ [D] πρὸς τὴν ἔβενον
ἐκείνην τὰ ὄμματα δι᾽ ὑπερβολὴν τῆς λαμπηδόνος, ὅπερ οἶμαι πρὸς ἥλιον,
ὅταν αὐτοῦ τῷ δίσκῳ τις ἀτενέστερον προσβλέπῃ. ἡ δὲ τοῦ Διὸς ἦν ἀργύρου
μὲν στιλπνοτέρα, χρυσίου δὲ λευκοτέρα. τοῦτο εἴτε ἤλεκτρον χρὴ καλεῖν εἴτε
ἄλλο τι λέγειν, οὐ σφόδρα εἶχέ μοι γνωρίμως ὁ Ἑρμῆς φράσαι. χρυσοθρόνω δὲ
παρ᾽ ἑκάτερον ἐκαθεζέσθην(547) ἥ τε μήτηρ καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ, [308] Ἥρα μὲν
παρὰ τὸν Δία, Ῥέα δὲ παρὰ τὸν Κρόνον. τὸ δὲ τῶν θεῶν κάλλος οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνος
ἐπεξῄει τῷ λόγῳ, μεῖζον εἶναι λέγων αὐτὸ καὶ νῷ θεατόν, ἀκοῇ δὲ καὶ
ῥήμασιν οὔτε προοισθῆναι ῥᾴδιον οὔτε παραδεχθῆναι δυνατόν. οὐχ οὕτω τις
ἔσται καὶ φανεῖται μεγαλόφωνος, ὥστε τὸ μέγεθος ἐκεῖνο φράσαι τοῦ κάλλους,
ὁπόσον ἐπιπρέπει τῇ τῶν θεῶν ὄψει.
(For we are told that after Heracles, Quirinus also ascended thither,
since we must give Romulus the name of Quirinus in obedience to the divine
will.(548) For the gods then the banquet had been made ready there. But
just below the moon in the upper air he had decided to entertain the
Emperors. The lightness of the bodies with which they had been invested,
and also the revolution of the moon sustained them. Four couches were
there made ready for the superior gods. That of Kronos was made of
gleaming ebony, which concealed in its blackness a lustre so intense and
divine that no one could endure to gaze thereon. For in looking at that
ebony, the eyes suffered as much, methinks, from its excess of radiance as
from the sun when one gazes too intently at his disc. The couch of Zeus
was more brilliant than silver, but paler than gold; whether however one
ought to call this “electron,”(549) or to give it some other name, Hermes
could not inform me precisely. On either side of these sat on golden
thrones the mother and daughter, Hera beside Zeus and Rhea beside Kronos.
As for the beauty of the gods, not even Hermes tried to describe it in his
tale; he said that it transcended description, and must be comprehended by
the eye of the mind; for in words it was hard to portray and impossible to
convey to mortal ears. Never indeed will there be or appear an orator so
gifted that he could describe such surpassing beauty as shines forth on
the countenances of the gods.)
[B] Παρεσκεύαστο δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις θεοῖς ἑκάστῳ θρόνος ἢ κλίνη κατὰ
πρεσβείαν. ἤριζε δὲ οὐδείς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπερ Ὅμηρος ὀρθῶς ποιῶν ἔφη, δοκεῖν μοι
παρὰ τῶν Μουσῶν αὐτῶν ἀκηκοώς, ἔχειν ἕκαστον τῶν θεῶν θρόνον, ἐφ᾽ οὗ
πάντως αὐτῷ θέμις καθῆσθαι στερεῶς καὶ ἀμετακινήτως· ἐπεὶ καὶ πρὸς τὴν
παρουσίαν τοῦ πατρὸς ἐξανιστάμενοι ταράττουσιν οὐδαμῶς τὰς καθέδρας οὐδὲ
μεταβαίνουσιν οὐδὲ ὑφαρπάζουσιν ἀλλήλων, [C] γνωρίζει δὲ ἕκαστος τὸ
προσῆκον αὑτῷ. πάντων οὖν κύκλῳ τῶν θεῶν καθημένων, ὁ Σειληνὸς ἐρωτικῶς
ἔχειν μοι δοκῶν τοῦ Διονύσου καλοῦ καὶ νέου καὶ τῷ πατρὶ τῷ Διὶ
παραπλησίου πλησίον αὐτοῦ, τροφεύς τις οἷα καὶ παιδαγωγός, [D] καθῆστο, τά
τε ἄλλα φιλοπαίγμονα καὶ φιλόγελων καὶ χαριτοδότην(550) ὄντα τὸν θεὸν
εὐφραίνων καὶ δὴ καὶ τῷ σκώπτειν τὰ πολλὰ καὶ γελοιάζειν.
(For the other gods had been prepared a throne or couch, for everyone
according to seniority. Nor did any dispute arise as to this, but as Homer
said,(551) and correctly, no doubt instructed by the Muses themselves,
every god has his seat on which it is irrevocably ordained that he shall
sit, firmly and immovably fixed; and though they rise on the entrance of
their father they never confound or change the order of their seats or
infringe on one another’s, since every one knows his appointed place. Now
when the gods were seated in a circle, Silenus, amorous, methinks, of
Dionysus ever fair and ever young, who sat close to Zeus his father, took
his seat next to him on the pretext that he had brought him up and was his
tutor. And since Dionysus loves jesting and laughter and is the giver of
the Graces, Silenus diverted the god with a continual flow of sarcasms and
jests, and in other ways besides.)
Ὡς δὲ καὶ τὸ τῶν καισάρων συνεκεκρότητο(552) συμπόσιον, εἰσῄει πρῶτος
Ἰούλιος Καῖσαρ, ὑπὸ φιλοτιμίας αὐτῷ βουλόμενος ἐρίσαι τῷ Διὶ περὶ τῆς
μοναρχίας, εἰς ὃν ὁ Σειληνὸς βλέψας, Ὅρα, εἶπεν, ὦ Ζεῦ, μή σε ὁ ἀνὴρ οὗτος
ὑπὸ φιλαρχίας ἀφελέσθαι καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν διανοηθῇ. καὶ γὰρ, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἐστὶ
μέγας καὶ καλός· ἐμοὶ γοῦν, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο, [309] τὰ γοῦν περὶ τὴν
κεφαλὴν ἐστι προσόμοιος. παίζοντος ἔτι τοιαῦτα τοῦ Σειληνοῦ καὶ τῶν θεῶν
οὐ σφόδρα προσεχόντων αὐτῷ, Ὀκταβιανὸς ἐπεισέρχεται πολλὰ ἀμείβων, ὥσπερ
οἱ χαμαιλέοντες, χρώματα καὶ νῦν μὲν ὠχριῶν, αὖθις δὲ ἐρυθρὸς γινόμενος,
εἶτα μέλας καὶ ζοφώδης καὶ συννεφής· [B] ἀνίετο δ᾽ αὖθις εἰς Ἀφροδίτην καὶ
Χάριτας, εἶναί τε ἤθελε τὰς βολὰς τῶν ὀμμάτων ὁποῖός ἐστιν ὁ μέγας Ἥλιος·
οὐδένα γάρ οἱ τῶν ἀπαντώντων(553) ἀντιβλέπειν ἠξίου. καὶ ὁ Σειληνός,
Βαβαί, ἔφη, τοῦ παντοδαποῦ τούτου θηρίου· τί ποτ᾽ ἄρα δεινὸν ἡμᾶς
ἐργάσεται; Παῦσαι, εἴπε, ληρῶν, ὁ Ἀπόλλων· ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτὸν τουτῳὶ Ζήνωνι
παραδοὺς αὐτίκα ὑμῖν ἀποφανῶ χρυσὸν ἀκήρατον. [C] ἀλλ᾽ ἴθι, εἶπεν, ὦ
Ζήνων, ἐπιμελήθητι τοὐμοῦ θρέμματος. ὁ δὲ ὑπακούσας, εἶτα ἐπᾴσας αὐτῷ
μικρὰ τῶν δογμάτων, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰς Ζαμόλξιδος ἐπῳδὰς θρυλοῦντες, ἀπέφηνεν
ἄνδρα ἔμφρονα καὶ σώφρονα.
(When the banquet had been arranged for the Emperors also, Julius Caesar
entered first, and such was his passion for glory that he seemed ready to
contend with Zeus himself for dominion. Whereupon Silenus observing him
said, “Take care, Zeus, lest this man in his lust for power be minded to
rob you of your empire. He is, as you see, tall and handsome, and if he
resembles me in nothing else, round about his head he is very like
me.”(554) While Silenus, to whom the gods paid very little attention, was
jesting thus, Octavian entered, changing colour continually, like a
chameleon, turning now pale now red; one moment his expression was gloomy,
sombre, and overcast, the next he unbent and showed all the charms of
Aphrodite and the Graces. Moreover in the glances of his eyes he was fain
to resemble mighty Helios, for he preferred that none who approached
should be able to meet his gaze.(555) “Good Heavens!” exclaimed Silenus,
“what a changeable monster is this! What mischief will he do us?” “Cease
trifling,” said Apollo, “after I have handed him over to Zeno(556) here, I
shall transform him for you straightway to gold without alloy. Come,
Zeno,” he cried, “take charge of my nursling.” Zeno obeyed, and thereupon,
by reciting over Octavian a few of his doctrines,(557) in the fashion of
those who mutter the incantations of Zamolxis,(558) he made him wise and
temperate.)
Τρίτος ἐπεισέδραμεν αὐτοῖς Τιβέριος σεμνὸς τὰ πρόσωπα καὶ βλοσυρός, σῶφρόν
τε ἅμα καὶ πολεμικὸν βλέπων. ἐπιστραφέντος δὲ πρὸς τὴν καθέδραν ὤφθησαν
ὠτειλαὶ κατὰ τὸν νῶτον μυρίαι, καυτῆρές τινες [D] καὶ ξέσματα καὶ πληγαὶ
χαλεπαὶ καὶ μώλωπες ὑπό τε ἀκολασίας καὶ ὠμότητος ψῶραί τινες καὶ λειχῆνες
οἷον ἐγκεκαυμέναι. εἶθ᾽ ὁ Σειληνός
(The third to hasten in was Tiberius, with countenance solemn and grim,
and an expression at once sober and martial. But as he turned to sit down
his back was seen to be covered with countless scars, burns, and sores,
painful welts and bruises, while ulcers and abscesses were as though
branded thereon, the result of his self‐indulgent and cruel life.(559)
Whereupon Silenus cried out,)
Ἀλλοῖός μοι, ξεῖνε, φάνης νέον ἢ τὸ πάροιθεν
(“Far different, friend, thou appearest now than before,”(560))
εἰπὼν ἔδοξεν αὑτοῦ φαίνεσθαι σπουδαιότερος. καὶ ὁ Διόνυσος πρὸς αὐτόν, Τί
δῆτα, εἶπεν, ὦ παππίδιον σπουδάζεις; καὶ ὅς, Ἐξέπληξέ με ὁ γέρων οὑτοσί, ὁ
Σάτυρος, ἔφη, καὶ πεποίηκεν ἐκλαθόμενον ἐμαυτοῦ τὰς Ὁμηρικὰς προβαλέσθαι
μούσας. [310] ἀλλά σε, εἶπεν, ἕλξει τῶν ὤτων· λέγεται γὰρ αὐτὸς καὶ
γραμματιστήν τινα τοῦτο ἐργάσασθαι. οἰμώζων μὲν οὖν, εἶπεν, ἐν τῷ
νησυδρίῳ· τὰς Καπρέας αἰνιττόμενος· τὸν ἄθλιον ἁλιέα ψηχέτω. ταῦτα ἔτι
παιζόντων αὐτῶν, ἐπεισέρχεται θηρίον πονηρόν. εἶτα οἱ θεοὶ πάντες
ἀπέστρεψαν τὰ ὄμματα, κᾆτα αὐτὸν δίδωσιν ἡ Δίκη ταῖς Ποιναῖς, [B] αἱ δὲ
ἔρριψαν εἰς Τάρταρον. οὐδὲν οὖν ἔσχεν ὁ Σειληνὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ φράσαι. τοῦ
Κλαυδίου δὲ ἐπεισελθόντος, ὁ Σειληνὸς ἄρχεται τοὺς Ἀριστοφάνους Ἱππέας
ᾄδειν, ἀντὶ τοῦ Δήμου(561) κολακεύων δῆθεν τὸν Κλαύδιον. εἶτα πρὸς τὸν
Κυρῖνον ἀπιδών, Ἀδικεῖς, εἶπεν, ὦ Κυρῖνε, τὸν ἀπόγονον ἄγων εἰς τὸ
συμπόσιον δίχα τῶν ἀπελευθέρων Ναρκίσσου καὶ Πάλλαντος. ἀλλ᾽ ἴθι, εἶπε,
πέμψον ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνους, εἰ βούλει δέ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν γαμετὴν Μεσσαλίναν. ἔστι
γὰρ ἐκείνων [C] δίχα τουτὶ τῆς τραγωιδίας τὸ δορυφόρημα, μικροῦ δέω φάναι,
καὶ ἄψυχον. ἐπεισέρχεται λέγοντι τῷ Σειληνῷ Νέρων μετὰ τῆς κιθάρας καὶ τῆς
δάφνης. εἶτα ἀποβλέψας ἐκεῖνος πρὸς τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα, Οὗτος, εἶπεν, ἐπὶ σὲ
παρασκευάζεται. καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀπόλλων, Ἀλλ᾽ ἔγωγε αὐτόν, εἶπεν,
ἀποστεφανώσω, ὅτι με μὴ πάντα μιμεῖται μηδὲ ἐν οἷς με μιμεῖται γίγνεται
μου μιμητὴς δίκαιος. ἀποστεφανωθέντα δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Κωκυτὸς εὐθέως ἥρπασεν.
(and seemed more serious than was his wont. “Pray, why so solemn, little
father?” said Dionysus. “It was this old satyr,” he replied, “he shocked
me and made me forget myself and introduce Homer’s Muse.” “Take care,”
said Dionysus, “he will pull your ear, as he is said to have done to a
certain grammarian.”(562) “Plague take him,” said Silenus, “in his little
island”—he was alluding to Capri—“let him scratch the face of that
wretched fisherman.”(563) While they were still joking together, there
came in a fierce monster.(564) Thereupon all the gods turned away their
eyes from the sight, and next moment Justice handed him over to the
Avengers who hurled him into Tartarus. So Silenus had no chance to say
anything about him. But when Claudius came in Silenus began to sing some
verses from the _Knights_ of Aristophanes,(565) toadying Claudius, as it
seemed, instead of Demos. Then he looked at Quirinus and said, “Quirinus,
it is not kind of you to invite your descendant to a banquet without his
freedmen Narcissus and Pallas.(566) Come,” he went on, “send and fetch
them, and please send too for his spouse Messalina, for without them this
fellow is like a lay‐figure in a tragedy, I might almost say
lifeless.”(567) While Silenus was speaking Nero entered, lyre in hand and
wearing a wreath of laurel. Whereupon Silenus turned to Apollo and said,
“You see he models himself on you.” “I will soon take off that wreath,”
replied Apollo, “for he does not imitate me in all things, and even when
he does he does it badly.” Then his wreath was taken off and Cocytus
instantly swept him away.)
[D] Ἐπὶ τούτῳ πολλοὶ καὶ παντοδαποὶ συνέτρεχον, Βίνδικες, Γάλβαι, Ὄθωνες,
Βιτέλλιοι. καὶ ὁ Σειληνός, Τούτων, εἶπε, τῶν μονάρχων τὸ σμῆνος(568) πόθεν
ἐξηυρήκατε, ὦ θεοί; τυφόμεθα γοῦν ὑπὸ τοῦ καπνοῦ· φείδεται γὰρ οὐδὲ τῶν
ἀνακτόρων ταυτὶ τὰ θηρία. καὶ ὁ Ζεὺς ἀπιδὼν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὑτοῦ [311]
Σάραπιν καὶ τὸν Οὐεσπασιανὸν δείξας, Πέμπε, εἶπε, τὸν σμικρίνην· τοῦτον
ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου ταχέως, ἵνα τὴν φλόγα ταύτην κατασβέσῃ· τῶν παίδων δὲ τὸν
πρεσβύτερον μὲν παίζειν κέλευε μετὰ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης τῆς πανδήμου, τὸν
νεώτερον δὲ τῷ Σικελικῷ θηρίῳ παραπλησίως κλοιῷ δῆσον. παρῆλθεν ἐπὶ
τούτοις γέρων ὀφθῆναι καλός· λάμπει γὰρ ἔστιν ὅτε καὶ ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ τὸ
κάλλος· ἐντυχεῖν πρᾳότατος, χρηματίσαι δικαιότατος. [B] ᾐδέσθη τοῦτον ὁ
Σειληνὸς καὶ ἀπεσιώπησεν. εἶτα ὁ Ἑρμῆς, Ὕπὲρ δὲ τούτου, εἶπεν, οὐδὲν ἡμῖν
λέγεις; Ναὶ μὰ Δί᾽, ἔφη, μέμφομαί γε ὑμῖν τῆς ἀνισότητος. τῷ γὰρ φονικῷ
θηρίῳ τρὶς πέντε νείμαντες ἐνιαυτοὺς ἕνα μόλις ἐδώκατε τούτῳ βασιλεῦσαι.
Ἀλλὰ μὴ μέμφου, εἶπεν ὁ Ζεύς· [C] εἰσάξω γὰρ ἐπὶ τούτῳ πολλοὺς κἈγαθούς.
εὐθέως οὖν ὁ Τραïανὸς εἰσήρχετο φέρων ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων τὰ τρόπαια, τό τε
Γετικὸν καὶ τὸ Παρθικόν. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Σειληνὸς ἔφη, λανθάνειν τε ἅμα
καὶ ἀκούεσθαι βουλόμενος. Ὥρα νῦν τῷ δεσπότῃ Διὶ σκοπεῖν, ὅπως ὁ Γανυμήδης
αὐτῷ φρουρήσεται.
(After Nero many Emperors of all sorts came crowding in together, Vindex,
Galba, Otho, Vitellius, so that Silenus exclaimed, “Where, ye gods, have
ye found such a swarm of monarchs? We are being suffocated with their
smoke; for brutes of this sort spare not even the temple of the
gods.”(569) Then Zeus turned to his brother Serapis, and pointing to
Vespasian said, “Send this niggard from Egypt forthwith to extinguish the
flames. As for his sons, bid the eldest(570) sport with Aphrodite Pandemos
and chain the younger(571) in the stocks like the Sicilian monster.”(572)
Next entered an old man,(573) beautiful to behold; for even old age can be
radiantly beautiful. Very mild were his manners, most just his dealings.
In Silenus he inspired such awe that he fell silent. “What!” said Hermes,
“have you nothing to say to us about this man?” “Yes, by Zeus,” he
replied, “I blame you gods for your unfairness in allowing that blood‐
thirsty monster to rule for fifteen years, while you granted this man
scarce one whole year.” “Nay,” said Zeus, “do not blame us. For I will
bring in many virtuous princes to succeed him.” Accordingly Trajan entered
forthwith, carrying on his shoulders the trophies of his wars with the
Getae and the Parthians. Silenus, when he saw him, said in a whisper which
he meant to be heard, “Now is the time for Zeus our master to look out, if
he wants to keep Ganymede for himself.”)
Μετὰ τοῦτον ἐπεισέρχεται βαθεῖαν ἔχων τὴν ὑπήνην ἀνὴρ σοβαρὸς τά τε ἄλλα
[D] καὶ δὴ καὶ μουσικὴν ἐργαζόμενος, εἴς τε τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀφορῶν πολλάκις
καὶ πολυπραγμονῶν τὰ ἀπόρρητα. τοῦτον δὲ ἰδὼν ὁ Σειληνὸς ἔφη, Τί δὲ ὑμῖν
οὗτος ὁ σοφιστὴς δοκεῖ; μῶν Ἀντίνοον τῇδε περισκοπεῖ; φρασάτω τις αὐτῷ μὴ
παρεῖναι τὸ μειράκιον ἐνθαδὶ καὶ παυσάτω τοῦ λήρου καὶ τῆς φλυαρίας αὐτόν.
[312] ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀνὴρ εἰσέρχεται σώφρων, οὐ τὰ ἐς Ἀφροδίτην, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐς
τὴν πολιτείαν. ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ὁ Σειληνὸς ἔφη, Βαβαὶ τῆς σμικρολογίας· εἷς
εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ τῶν διαπριόντων τὸ κύμινον ὁ πρεσβύτης οὗτος.
ἐπεισελθούσης δὲ αὐτῷ τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ξυνωρίδος, Βήρου καὶ Λουκίου, δεινῶς
ὁ Σειληνὸς συνεστάλη, παίζειν γὰρ οὐκ εἶχεν οὐδ᾽ ἐπισκώπτειν, μάλιστα τὸν
Βῆρον, καίτοι καὶ τούτου τὰ περὶ τὸν οἱὸν καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα πολυπραγμονῶν
ἁμαρτήματα, [B] τὴν μὲν ὅτι πλέον ἢ προσῆκεν ἐπένθησεν, ἄλλως τε οὐδὲ
κοσμίαν οὖσαν, τῷ δὲ ὅτι τὴν ἀρχὴν συναπολλυμένην περιεῖδεν, ἔχων καὶ
ταῦτα σπουδαῖον κηδεστήν, ὃς τῶν τε κοινῶν ἂν προύστη κρεῖττον καὶ δὴ καὶ
τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ βέλτιον ἂν ἐπεμελήθη ἢ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ. καίπερ οὖν ταῦτα
πολυπραγμονῶν ᾐδεῖτο τὸ μέγεθος αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρετῆς· τόν γε μὴν υἱέα οὐδὲ [C]
τοῦ σκωφθῆναι νομίσας ἄξιον ἀφῆκεν· ἔπιπτε γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς γῆν οὐ
δυνάμενος ἵστασθαι(574) καὶ παρομαρτεῖν τοῖς ἥρωσιν.
(Next entered an austere‐looking man(575) with a long beard, an adept in
all the arts, but especially music, one who was always gazing at the
heavens and prying into hidden things. Silenus when he saw him said, “What
think ye of this sophist? Can he be looking here for Antinous? One of you
should tell him that the youth is not here, and make him cease from his
madness and folly.” Thereupon entered a man(576) of temperate character, I
do not say in love affairs but in affairs of state. When Silenus caught
sight of him he exclaimed, “Bah! Such fussing about trifles! This old man
seems to me the sort of person who would split cumin seed.”(577) Next
entered the pair of brothers, Verus(578) and Lucius.(579) Silenus scowled
horribly because he could not jeer or scoff at them, especially not at
Verus; but he would not ignore his errors of judgment in the case of his
son(580) and his wife,(581) in that he mourned the latter beyond what was
becoming, especially considering that she was not even a virtuous woman;
and he failed to see that his son was ruining the empire as well as
himself, and that though Verus had an excellent son‐in‐law who would have
administered the state better, and besides would have managed the youth
better than he could manage himself. But though he refused to ignore these
errors he reverenced the exalted virtue of Verus. His son however he
considered not worth even ridicule and so let him pass. Indeed he fell to
earth of his own accord because he could not keep on his feet or accompany
the heroes.)