κατελεήσασα, Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ χαιρήσουσιν, εἶπεν, οἱ τούτων αἴτιοι· καὶ σὺ δέ, ὦ
Περτίναξ, ἠδίκεις κοινωνῶν τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς, ὅσον ἐπὶ τοῖς σκέμμασιν, ἣν ὁ
Μάρκου παῖς ἐπεβουλεύθη. [D] μετὰ τοῦτον ὁ Σεβῆρος, ἀνὴρ πικρίας γέμων
καὶ(582) κολαστικός. Ὑπὲρ τούτου δέ, εἶπεν ὁ Σειληνός, οὐδὲν λέγω·
φοβοῦμαι γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸ λίαν ἀπηνὲς καὶ ἀπαραίτητον. ὡς δὲ ἔμελλεν αὐτῷ καὶ
τὰ παιδάρια(583) συνεισιέναι, πόρρωθεν αὐτὰ διεκώλυσεν ὁ Μίνως. ἐπιγνοὺς
δὲ σαφῶς τὸν μὲν νεώτερον ἀφῆκε, τὸν δὲ πρεσβύτερον τιμωρίαν ἔπεμψε
τίσοντα. [313] Μακρῖνος ἐνταῦθα φυγὰς μιαιφόνος· εἶτα τὸ ἐκ τῆς Ἐμέσης
παιδάριον πόρρω που τῶν ἱερῶν ἀπηλαύνετο περιβόλων. ὅ γε μὴν Σύρος
Ἀλέξανδρος ἐν ἐσχάτοις που καθῆστο τὴν αὑτοῦ συμφορὰν ποτνιώμενος. καὶ ὁ
Σειληνὸς ἐπισκώπτων αὐτὸν εἶπεν(584) Ὦ μῶρε καὶ μέγα νήπιε, τηλικοῦτος ὢν
οὐκ αὐτὸς ἦρχες τῶν σεαυτοῦ, τὰ χρήματα δὲ ἐδίδους τῇ μητρὶ [B] καὶ οὐκ
ἐπείσθης, ὅσῳ κρεῖττον ἀναλίσκειν ἦν αὐτὰ τοῖς φίλοις ἢ θησαυρίζειν. Ἀλλ᾽
ἔγωγε, εἶπεν ἡ Δίκη, πάντας αὐτούς, ὅσοι μεταίτιοι γεγόνασι τούτων,
κολασθησομένους παραδώσω. καὶ οὕτως ἀνείθη τὸ μειράκιον. ἐπὶ τούτῳ
παρῆλθεν εἴσω Γαλλιῆνος μετὰ τοῦ πατρός, ὁ μὲν τὰ δεσμὰ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας
ἔχων, ὁ δὲ στολῇ τε [C] καὶ κινήσει χρώμενος μαλακωτέρᾳ ὥσπερ αἱ γυναῖκες.
καὶ ὁ Σειληνὸς πρὸς μὲν ἐκεῖνον,
(Then Pertinax came in to the banquet still bewailing his violent end. But
Justice took pity on him and said, “Nay, the authors of this deed shall
not long exult. But Pertinax, you too were guilty, since at least so far
as conjecture went you were privy to the plot that was aimed at the son of
Marcus.” Next came Severus, a man of excessively harsh temper and
delighting to punish. “Of him,” said Silenus, “I have nothing to say, for
I am terrified by his forbidding and implacable looks.” When his sons
would have entered with him, Minos kept them at a distance. However, when
he had clearly discerned their characters, he let the younger(585) pass,
but sent away the elder(586) to atone for his crimes. Next Macrinus,
assassin and fugitive, and after him the pretty boy from Emesa(587) were
driven far away from the sacred enclosure. But Alexander the Syrian sat
down somewhere in the lowest ranks and loudly lamented his fate.(588)
Silenus made fun of him and exclaimed, “O fool and madman! Exalted as you
were you could not govern your own family, but gave your revenues to your
mother:(589) nor could you be persuaded how much better it was to bestow
them on your friends than to hoard them.” “I however,” said Justice, “will
consign to torment all who were accessory to his death.” And then the
youth was left in peace. Next entered Gallienus and his father,(590) the
latter still dragging the chains of his captivity, the other with the
dress and languishing gait of a woman. Seeing Valerian, Silenus cried,)
Τίς οὗτος ὁ λευκολόφας,
Πρόπαρ ὃς ἡγεῖται στρατοῦ;
(“Who is this with the white plume that leads the army’s
van?”(591))
ἔφη, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Γαλλιῆνον,
(Then he greeted Gallienus with,)
Ὃς καὶ χρυσὸν ἔχων πάντη τρυφᾷ ἠύτε κούρη·
(“He who is all decked with gold and dainty as a maiden.”(592))
τούτω δὲ ὁ Ζεὺς εἶπε τῆς ἐκεῖσε θοίνης ἐκβῆναι.
(But Zeus ordered the pair to depart from the feast.)
[D] Τούτοις ἐπεισέρχεται Κλαύδιος, εἰς ὃν ἀπιδόντες οἱ θεοὶ πάντες
ἠγάσθησάν τε αὐτὸν τῆς μεγαλοψυχίας καὶ ἐπένευσαν αὐτοῦ τῷ γένει τὴν
ἀρχήν, δίκαιον εἶναι νομίσαντες οὕτω φιλοπάτριδος ἀνδρὸς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον
εἶναι τὸ γένος ἐν ἡγεμονίᾳ. τούτοις ἐπεισέδραμεν Αὐρηλιανὸς ὥσπερ
ἀποδιδράσκων τοὺς εἴργοντας αὐτὸν παρὰ τῷ Μίνωι· πολλαὶ γὰρ αὐτῷ
συνίσταντο δίκαι τῶν ἀδίκων φόνων, καὶ ἔφευγε τὰς γραφὰς κακῶς
ἀπολογούμενας. [314] Ἥλιος δὲ οὑμὸς δεσπότης αὐτῷ πρὸς τε τὰ ἄλλα βοηθῶν,
οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο αὐτὸ συνήρατο, φράσας ἐν τοῖς θεοῖς, Ἀλλ᾽
ἀπέτισε τὴν δίκην, ἢ λέληθεν ἡ δοθεῖσα Δελφοῖς μαντεία
(Next came Claudius,(593) at whom all the gods gazed, and admiring his
greatness of soul granted the empire to his descendants, since they
thought it just that the posterity of such a lover of his country should
rule as long as possible. Then Aurelian came rushing in as though trying
to escape from those who would detain him before the judgment seat of
Minos. For many charges of unjustifiable murders were brought against him,
and he was in flight because he could ill defend himself against the
indictments. But my lord Helios(594) who had assisted him on other
occasions, now too came to his aid and declared before the gods,)
Αἴκε πάθῃ τά τ᾽ ἔρεξε, δίκη κ᾽ ἰθεῖα γένοιτο;
(“He has paid the penalty, or have you forgotten the oracle
uttered at Delphi, ‘If his punishment match his crime justice has
been done’?”(595))
Τούτῳ συνεισέρχεται Πρόβος, ὃς ἑβδομήκοντα πόλεις ἀναστήσας [B] ἐν οὐδὲ
ὅλοις ἐνιαυτοῖς ἑπτὰ καὶ πολλὰ πάνυ σωφρόνως οἰκονομήσας, ἄδικα δὲ
πεπονθὼς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀθέων, ἐτιμᾶτο τά τε ἄλλα καὶ τῷ τοὺς φονέας αὐτῷ τὴν
δίκην ἐκτῖσαι. σκώπτειν δὲ αὐτὸν ὅμως ὁ Σειληνὸς ἐπειρᾶτο, καίτοι πολλῶν
αὐτῷ σιωπᾶν παρακελευομένων· ἀλλ᾽, Ἐᾶτε, ἔφη, νῦν γοῦν δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἑξῆς
φρενωθῆναι. [C] οὐκ οἶσθα, ὦ Πρόβε, ὅτι τὰ πικρὰ φάρμακα μιγνύντες οἱ
ἰατροὶ τῷ μελικράτῳ προσφέρουσι; σὺ δὲ αὐστηρὸς ἦσθα λίαν καὶ τραχὺς ἀεὶ
εἴκων τε οὐδαμοῦ· πέπονθας οὖν ἄδικα μέν, εἰκότα δὲ ὅμως. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν
οὔτε ἵππων οὔτε βοῶν ἄρχειν οὔτε ἡμιόνων, ἥκιστα δὲ ἀνθρώπων, μή τι καὶ
τῶν κεχαρισμένων αὐτοῖς ξυγχωροῦντα, ὥσπερ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν οἱ
ἰατροὶ μικρὰ ἐνδιδόασιν, [D] ἵν᾽ ἐν τοῖς μείζοσιν ἔχωσιν αὐτοὺς
πειθομένους. Τί τοῦτο, εἶπεν ὁ Διόνυσος, ὦ παππία; φιλόσοφος ἡμῖν
ἀνεφάνης; οὐ γάρ, ὦ παῖ, ἔφη, καὶ σὺ φιλόσοφος ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ γέγονας; οὐκ
οἶσθα, ὅτι καὶ ὁ Σωκράτης, ἐοικὼς ἐμοί, τὰ πρωτεῖα κατὰ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν
ἀπηνέγκατο τῶν καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἀνθρώπων, εἰ τἀδελφῷ πιστεύεις ὅτι ἐστὶν
ἀψευδής; ἔα τοίνυν ἡμᾶς μὴ πάντα γελοῖα λέγειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σπουδαῖα.
(With Aurelian entered Probus, who in less than seven years restored
seventy cities and was in many ways a wise administrator. Since he had
been unjustly treated by impious men the gods paid him honours, and
moreover exacted the penalty from his assassins. For all that, Silenus
tried to jest at his expense, though many of the gods urged him to be
silent. In spite of them he called out, “Now let those that follow him
learn wisdom from his example. Probus, do you not know that when
physicians give bitter medicines they mix them with honey?(596) But you
were always too austere and harsh and never displayed toleration. And so
your fate, though unjust, was natural enough. For no one can govern horses
or cattle or mules, still less men, unless he sometimes yields to them and
gratifies their wishes; just as physicians humour their patients in
trifles so that they may make them obey in things more essential.” “What
now, little father,” exclaimed Dionysus, “have you turned up as our
philosopher?” “Why, my son,” he replied, “did I not make a philosopher of
you? Do you not know that Socrates also, who was so like me,(597) carried
off the prize for philosophy from his contemporaries, at least if you
believe that your brother(598) tells the truth? So you must allow me to be
serious on occasion and not always jocose.”)
[315] Ἔτι διαλεγομένων αὐτῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ὄ τε Κᾶρος ἅμα τοῖς παισὶν
εἰσφρῆσαι βουληθεὶς εἰς τὸ συμπόσιον ἀπελήλατο παρὰ τῆς Δίκης, καὶ ὁ
Διοκλητιανός, ἄγων μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ Μαξιμιανώ τε τὼ δύο καὶ τὸν ἐμὸν πάππον
Κωνστάντιον, ἐν κόσμῳ προῆγεν. εἴχοντο δὲ ἀλλήλων τὼ χεῖρε, καὶ ἐβάδιζον
οὐκ ἐξ ἴσης, ἀλλ᾽ οἷα χορός τις ἦν περὶ αὐτόν, [B] τῶν μὲν ὥσπερ
δορυφορούντων καὶ προθεῖν αὐτοῦ βουλομένων, τοῦ δὲ εἴργοντος· οὐδὲν γὰρ
ἠξίου πλεονεκτεῖν. ὡς δὲ ξυνίει κάμνοντος ἑαυτοῦ, δοὺς αὐτοῖς ἅπαντα, ὅσα
ἔφερεν ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων, αὐτὸς εὔλυτος ἐβάδιζεν. ἠγάσθησαν οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν
τὴν ὁμόνοιαν, καὶ ἐπέτρεψαν αὐτοῖς πρὸ πολλῶν πάνυ καθῆσθαι. δεινῶς δὲ
ὄντα τὸν Μαξιμιανὸν ἀκόλαστον ὁ Σειληνὸς ἐπισκώπτειν μὲν οὐκ ἠξίου, [C] τὸ
δὲ τῶν βασιλέων οὐκ εἰσεδέχετο συσσίτιον. οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὰ εἰς Ἀφροδίτην ἦν
παντοίαν ἀσέλγειαν ἀσελγής, ἀλλὰ καὶ φιλοπράγμων καὶ ἄπιστος καὶ οὐ τὰ
πάντα τῷ τετραχόρδῳ συνῳδῶν. ἐξήλασεν οὖν αὐτὸν ἡ Δίκη ταχέως. εἶτα
ἀπῆλθεν οὐκ οἶδα ὅποι γῆς· ἐπελαθόμην γὰρ αὐτὸ παρὰ τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ
πολυπραγμονῆσαι. τούτῳ δὲ τῷ παναρμονίῳ τετραχόρδῳ παραφύεται δεινὸν καὶ
τραχὺ καὶ ταραχῶδες σύστημα. [D] τοὺς μὲν οὖν δύο οὐδὲ τῶν προθύρων
ἅψασθαι τῆς τῶν ἡρώων ἀγορᾶς ἡ Δίκη συνεχώρησε, Λικίνιον δὲ μέχρι τῶν
προθύρων ἐλθόντα, πολλὰ καὶ ἅτοπα πλημμελοῦντα ταχέως ὁ Μίνως ἐξήλασεν. ὁ
Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ παρῆλθεν εἴσω καὶ πολὺν ἐκαθέσθη χρόνον, εἶτα μετ᾽ αὐτὸν
τὰ παιδία. Μαγνεντίῳ γὰρ οὐκ ἦν εἴσοδος, [316] ὅτι μηδὲν ὑγιὲς ἐπεπράχει,
καίτοι πολλὰ ἐδόκει πεπρᾶχθαι τῷ ἀνδρὶ καλά· οἱ θεοὶ δὲ ὁρῶντες, ὅτι μὴ
ταῦτα ἐκ καλῆς αὐτῷ πεποίηται διαθέσεως, εἴων αὐτὸν οἰμώζειν ἀποτρέχοντα.
(While they were talking, Carus and his sons tried to slip into the
banquet, but Justice drove them away. Next Diocletian advanced in pomp,
bringing with him the two Maximians and my grandfather Constantius.(599)
These latter held one another by the hand and did not walk alongside of
Diocletian, but formed a sort of chorus round him. And when they wished to
run before him as a bodyguard he prevented them, since he did not think
himself entitled to more privileges than they. But when he realised that
he was growing weary he gave over to them all the burdens that he carried
on his shoulders, and thereafter walked with greater ease. The gods
admired their unanimity and permitted them to sit far in front of many of
their predecessors. Maximian was so grossly intemperate that Silenus
wasted no jests on him, and he was not allowed to join the emperors at
their feast. For not only did he indulge in vicious passions of all sorts,
but proved meddlesome and disloyal and often introduced discord into that
harmonious quartette. Justice therefore banished him without more ado. So
he went I know not whither, for I forgot to interrogate Hermes on this
point. However into that harmonious symphony of four there crept a
terribly harsh and discordant strain. For this reason Justice would not
suffer the two(600) so much as to approach the door of that assembly of
heroes. As for Licinius, he came as far as the door, but as his misdeeds
were many and monstrous Minos forthwith drove him away. Constantine
however entered and sat some time, and then came his sons.(601)
Magnentius(602) was refused admission because he had never done anything
really laudable, though much that he achieved had the appearance of merit.
So the gods, who perceived that these achievements were not based on any
virtuous principle, sent him packing, to his deep chagrin.)
Οὔσης δὴ τοιαύτης τῆς ἀμφὶ τὸ δεῖπνον παρασκευῆς, ἐπόθουν μὲν οὐδὲν οἱ
θεοί, πάντα γὰρ ἔχουσιν, αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν ἡρώων ἐδόκει τῷ Ἑρμῇ διαπειρᾶσθαι,
καὶ τῷ Διὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπὸ γνώμης ἦν. ἐδεῖτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Κυρῖνος ἤδη τινὰ
μετάγειν ἐκεῖθεν παρ᾽ ἑαυτόν. Ἡρακλῆς δὲ εἶπεν, [B] Οὐκ ἀνέξομαι, ὦ
Κυρῖνε· διὰ τί γὰρ οὐχὶ καὶ τὸν ἐμὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον παρεκάλεις;
σοῦ τοίνυν, εἶπεν, ὦ Ζεῦ, δέομαι, εἴ τινα τούτων ἔγνωκας ἄγειν πρὸς ἡμᾶς,
ἥκειν τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον κέλευε. τί γὰρ οὐχὶ κοινῇ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀποπειρώμενοι τῷ
βελτίονι τιθέμεθα; δίκαια λέγειν ὁ τῆς Ἀλκμήνης ἐδόκει τῷ Διί. [C] καὶ
ἐπεισελθόντος αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἥρωσιν οὔτε ὁ Καῖσαρ οὔτε ἄλλος τις ὑπανίστατο·
καταλαβὼν δὲ σχολάζουσαν καθέδραν, ἣν ὁ τοῦ Σεβήρου παῖς ἐπεποίητο ἑαυτῷ,
ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἀπελήλατο διὰ τὴν ἀδελφοκτονίαν, ἐνεκάθισε, καὶ ὁ Σειληνὸς
ἐπισκώπτων τὸν Κυρῖνον, Ὅρα, εἶπε, μή ποτε οὗτοι ἑνὸς εἰσιν(603) ἀντάξιοι
τουτουὶ τοῦ Γραικοῦ. Μὰ Δία, εἶπεν ὁ Κυρῖνος, οἶμαι πολλοὺς εἶναι μὴ
χείρονας. οὕτω δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ ἐμοὶ τεθαυμάκασιν ἔγγονοι, [D] ὥστε μόνον αὐτὸν
ἐκ πάντων, ὅσοι γεγόνασιν ἡγεμόνες ξένοι, ὀνομάζουσι καὶ νομίζουσι μέγαν.
οὐ μὴν ἔτι καὶ τῶν παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς γεγονότων οἴονται μείζονα τοῦτον, ἴσως μὲν
ὑπὸ φιλαυτίας τι παθόντες, ἴσως δὲ καὶ οὕτως ἔχον· εἰσόμεθα δὲ αὐτίκα μάλα
τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀποπειρώμενοι. ταῦτα μάλιστα λέγων ὁ Κυρῖνος ἠρυθρία, καὶ δῆλος
ἦν ἀγωνιῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀπογόνων τῶν ἑαυτοῦ, μή του τὰ δευτερεῖα λαβόντες
οἴχωνται.
(When the feast had been prepared as I have described, the gods lacked
nothing, since all things are theirs. Then Hermes proposed to examine the
heroes personally and Zeus was of the same mind. Quirinus thereupon begged
that he might summon one of their number to his side. “Quirinus,” said
Heracles, “I will not have it. For why did you not invite to the feast my
beloved Alexander also? Zeus, if you are minded to introduce into our
presence any of these Emperors, send, I beg of you, for Alexander. For if
we are to examine into the merits of men generally, why do we not throw
open the competition to the better man?” Zeus considered that what the son
of Alcmena said was only just. So Alexander joined the company of heroes,
but neither Caesar nor anyone else yielded his place to him. However he
found and took a vacant seat which the son(604) of Severus had taken for
himself—he had been expelled for fratricide. Then Silenus began to rally
Quirinus and said, “See now whether all these Romans can match this one
Greek.”(605) “By Zeus,” retorted Quirinus, “I consider that many of them
are as good as he! It is true that my descendants have admired him so much
that they hold that he alone of all foreign generals is worthy to be
styled ‘the Great.’ But it does not follow that they think him greater
than their own heroes; which may be due to national prejudice, but again
they may be right. However, that we shall very soon find out by examining
these men.” Even as he spoke Quirinus was blushing, and was evidently
extremely anxious on behalf of his descendants and feared that they might
come off with the second prize.)
[317] Μετὰ τοῦτο ὁ Ζεὺς ἤρετο τοὺς θεούς, πότερον χρὴ πάντας ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα
καλεῖν ἤ, καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσι γίνεται, ὁ τοῦ πολλὰς ἀνελομένου
νίκας κρατήσας, ἑνὸς περιγενόμενος, οὐδὲν ἔλαττον δοκεῖ κἀκείνων γεγονέναι
κρείσσων, οἳ προσεπάλαισαν μὲν οὐδαμῶς αὐτῷ, τοῦ κρατηθέντος δὲ ἥττους
ἐγένοντο. καὶ ἐδόκει πᾶσιν ἡ τοιαύτη σφόδρα ἐμμελῶς ἔχειν ἐξέτασις. [B]
ἐκήρυττεν οὖν ὁ Ἑρμῆς παριέναι Καίσαρα καὶ τὸν Ὀκταβιανὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ,
Τραϊανὸν δὲ ἐκ τρίτων, ὡς πολεμικωτάτους. εἶτα γενομένης σιωπῆς ὁ βασιλεὺς
Κρόνος βλέψας εἰς τὸν Δία θαυμάζειν ἔφη, πολεμικοὺς μὲν αὐτοκράτορας ὁρῶν
ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τουτονὶ καλουμένους, οὐδένα μέντοι πιλόσοφον. Ἐμοὶ δέ,
εἶπεν, οὐχ ἧττόν εἰσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι φίλοι. [C] καλεῖτε οὖν εἴσω καὶ τὸν
Μάρκον. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ὁ Μάρκος κληθεὶς παρῆλθε, σεμνὸς ἄγαν, ὑπὸ τῶν πόνων
ἔχων τά τε ὄμματα καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον ὑπό τι συνεσταλμένον, κάλλος δὲ ἀμήχανον
ἐν αὐτῷ τούτῳ δεικνύων, ἐν ᾧ παρεῖχεν ἑαυτὸν ἄκομψον καὶ ἀκαλλώπιστον· ἥ
τε γὰρ ὑπήνη βαθεῖα παντάπασιν ἦν αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια λιτὰ καὶ σώφρονα, καὶ
ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας τῶν τροφῶν ἦν αὐτῷ [D] τὸ σῶμα διαυγέστατον καὶ
διαφανέστατον ὥσπερ αὐτὸ οἶμαι τὸ καθαρώτατον καὶ εἰλικρινέστατον φῶς·
ἐπεὶ καὶ οὗτος ἦν εἴσω τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων, ὁ Διόνυσος εἶπεν, Ὦ βασιλεῦ
Κρόνε καὶ Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἆρα ἄξιον ἐν θεοῖς ἀτελὲς εἶναί τι; τῶν δὲ οὐ
φαμένων, Εἰσάγωμεν οὖν τινα καὶ ἀπολαύσεως ἐραστὴν ἐνθαδί. καὶ ὁ Ζεύς,
Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ θεμιτὸν εἴσω φοιτᾶν, εἶπεν, ἀνδρὶ μὴ τὰ ἡμέτερα ζηλοῦντι. Γιγνέσθω
τοίνυν, εἶπεν, ἐπὶ τῶν προθύρων, ὁ Διόνυσος, αὐτοῖς ἡ κρίσις. ἀλλ᾽, [318]
εἰ τοῦτο δοκεῖ ταύτῃ, καλῶμεν ἄνδρα οὐκ ἀπόλεμον μέν, ἡδονῇ δὲ καὶ
ἀπολαύσει χειροηθέστερον. ἡκέτω οὖν ἄχρι τῶν προθύρων ὁ Κωνσταντίνος. ἐπεὶ
δὲ ἐδέδοκτο καὶ τοῦτο, τίνα χρὴ τρόπον αὐτοὺς ἁμιλλᾶσθαι, γνώμη προυτέθη.
καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἑρμῆς ἠξίου λέγειν ἕκαστον ἐν μέρει περὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ, τίθεσθαι δὲ
τοὺς θεοὺς τὴν ψῆφον. οὐ μὴν ἐδόκει ταῦτα τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι καλῶς ἔχειν·
ἀληθείας γὰρ εἶναι, [B] καὶ οὐ πιθανότητος οὐδ᾽ αἱμυλίας ἐν θεοῖς ἔλεγχον
καὶ ἐξέτασιν. βουλόμενος δὲ ὁ Ζεὺς ἀμφοτέροις χαρίζεσθαι καὶ ἅμα προάγειν
ἐπὶ πλέον αὐτοῖς τὴν συνουσίαν, Οὐδέν, εἶπε, κωλύει λέγειν μὲν αὐτοῖς
ἐπιτρέψαι, μικρὰ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπιμετρήσαντασ, εἶτα ὕστερον ἀνερωτᾶν [C] καὶ
ἀποπειρᾶσθαι τῆς ἑκάστου διανοίας. καὶ ὁ Σειληνὸς ἐπισκώπτων, Ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως
μή, νομίσαντες αὐτὸ νέκταρ εἶναι, Τραïανός τε καὶ Ἀλέξανδρος ἅπαν
ἐκροφήσουσι(606) τὸ ὕδωρ, εἶτα ἀφελοῦνται(607) τοὺς ἄλλους. καὶ ὁ
Ποσειδῶν, Οὐ τοὐμοῦ ὕδατος, εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ὑμετέρου πώματος ἐρασταὶ τὼ
ἄνδρε ἐγενέσθην. [D] ὑπὲρ τῶν σεαυτοῦ τοιγαροῦν ἀμπέλων μᾶλλον ἢ τῶν ἐμῶν
πηγῶν ἄξιόν ἐστί σοι δεδιέναι. καὶ ὁ Σειληνὸς δηχθεὶς ἐσιώπα, καὶ τοῖς
ἀγωνιζομένοις ἐκ τούτου τὸν νοῦν προσεῖχεν. Ἑρμῆς δὲ ἐκήρυττεν·
(Then Zeus asked the gods whether it would be better to summon all the
Emperors to enter the lists, or whether they should follow the custom of
athletic contests, which is that he who defeats the winner of many
victories, though he overcome only that one competitor is held thereby to
have proved himself superior to all who have been previously defeated, and
that too though they have not wrestled with the winner, but only shown
themselves inferior to an antagonist who has been defeated. All the gods
agreed that this was a very suitable sort of test. Hermes then summoned
Caesar to appear before them, then Octavian, and thirdly Trajan, as being
the greatest warriors. In the silence that followed, Kronos turned to Zeus
and said that he was astonished to see that only martial Emperors were
summoned to the competition, and not a single philosopher. “For my part,”
he added, “I like philosophers just as well. So tell Marcus(608) to come
in too.” Accordingly Marcus was summoned and came in looking excessively
dignified and showing the effect of his studies in the expression of his
eyes and his lined brows. His aspect was unutterably beautiful from the
very fact that he was careless of his appearance and unadorned by art; for
he wore a very long beard, his dress was plain and sober, and from lack of
nourishment his body was very shining and transparent, like light most
pure and stainless. When he too had entered the sacred enclosure, Dionysus
said, “King Kronos and Father Zeus, can any incompleteness exist among the
gods?” And when they replied that it could not, “Then,” said he, “let us
bring in here some votary of pleasure as well.” “Nay,” answered Zeus, “it
is not permitted that any man should enter here who does not model himself
on us.” “In that case,” said Dionysus, “let them be tried at the entrance.
Let us summon by your leave a man not unwarlike but a slave to pleasure
and enjoyment. Let Constantine come as far as the door.” When this had
been agreed upon, opinions were offered as to the manner in which they
were to compete. Hermes thought that everyone ought to speak for himself
in turn, and then the gods should vote. But Apollo did not approve of this
plan, because he said the gods ought to test and examine the truth and not
plausible rhetoric and the devices of the orator. Zeus wished to please
them both and at the same time to prolong the assembly, so he said, “There
is no harm in letting them speak if we measure them a small allowance of
water,(609) and then later on we can cross‐examine them and test the
disposition of each one.” Whereupon Silenus said sardonically, “Take care,
or Trajan and Alexander will think it is nectar and drink up all the water
and leave none for the others.” “It was not my water,” retorted Poseidon,
“but your vines that these two were fond of. So you had better tremble for
your vines rather than for my springs.” Silenus was greatly piqued and had
no answer ready, but thereafter turned his attention to the disputants.
Then Hermes made this proclamation:)
Ἄρχει μὲν ἀγὼν
τῶν καλλίστων
ἄθλων ταμίας,
καιρὸς δὲ καλεῖ
μηκέτι μέλλειν.
ἀλλὰ κλύοντες
τὰν ἁμετέραν
[319] κήρυκα βοὰν
οἱ πρὶν βασιλῆς,
ἔθνεα πολλὰ
δουλωσάμενοι
καὶ πολέμοισι
δάιον ἔγχος
θήξαντες, ὁμοῦ
γνώμης τε μέγαν
πινυτόφρονα νοῦν,
ἴτ᾽, ἐς ἀντίπαλον
[B] ἵστασθε κρίσιν,
οἷς τε φρόνησιν
τέλος ὀλβίστης
θέσθαι βιοτῆς,
οἷς τ᾽ ἀντιβίους
κακὰ πόλλ᾽ ἔρχαι
καὶ χρηστὰ φίλους
τέκμαρ βιότου
νενόμιστο καλοῦ,
οἷς θ᾽ ἡδίστην
ἀπόλαυσιν ἔχειν
[C] τέρματα μόχθων
δαῖτας τε γάμους τ᾽,
ὄμμασι τερπνά,
μαλακάς τε φέρειν
ἐσθῆτας ὁμοῦ
λιθοκολλήτοις
περὶ χεῖρας ἄκρας
ψελίοισι φάνη
μακαριστότατον.
νίκης δὲ τέλος
Ζηνὶ μελήσει.
(“The trial that begins
Awards to him who wins
The fairest prize to‐day.
And lo, the hour is here
And summons you. Appear!
Ye may no more delay.
Come hear the herald’s call
Ye princes one and all.
Many the tribes of men
Submissive to you then!
How keen in war your swords!
But now ’tis wisdom’s turn;
Now let your rivals learn
How keen can be your words.
Wisdom, thought some, is bliss
Most sure in life’s short span;
Others did hold no less
That power to ban or bless
Is happiness for man.
But some set Pleasure high,
Idleness, feasting, love,
All that delights the eye;
Their raiment soft and fine,
Their hands with jewels shine,
Such bliss did they approve.
But whose the victory won
Shall Zeus decide alone.”(610))
[D] Τοιαῦτα τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ κηρύττοντος ἐκληροῦντο· καί πως συνέδραμε τῇ τοῦ
Καίσαρος ὁ κλῆρος φιλοπρωτίᾳ. τοῦτο ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἐποίησε γαῦρον καὶ
σοβαρώτερον· ἐδέησε δὲ διὰ τοῦτο μικροῦ καὶ φεύγειν τὴν κρίσιν ὁ
Ἀλέξανδρος· ἀλλὰ παραθαρρύνων αὐτὸν ὁ μέγας Ἡρακλῆς ἐπέσχε. δεύτερος δὲ
ἐπ᾽ ἐκεΊνῳ λέγειν ἔλαχεν Ἀλέξανδρος· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἑξῆς [320] οἱ κλῆροι τοῖς
ἑκάστου χρόνοις συμπροῆλθον. ἤρξατο οὖν ὁ Καῖσαρ ὡδί· Ἐμοὶ μέν, ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ
θεοί, γενέσθαι ἐν τηλικαύτῃ συνέβη πόλει μετὰ τοσούτους ἄνδρας, ὥστε τὴν
μὲν ὅσων οὐ πώποτε ἄλλη πόλις ἐβασίλευσε βασιλεύειν, ταῖς δὲ ἀγαπητὸν τὸ
καὶ τὰ δεύτερα κομίσασθαι. τίς γὰρ πόλις ἀπὸ τρισχιλίων ἀνδρῶν ἀρξαμένη
[B] ἐν οὐδὲ ὅλοις ἔτεσιν ἑξακοσίοις ἐπὶ γῆς ἦλθε πέρατα τοῖς ὄπλοις; ποῖα
δὲ ἔθνη τοσούτους ἄνδρας ἀγαθούς τε καὶ πολεμικοὺς παρέσχετο καὶ
νομοθετικούς; θεοὺς δὲ ἐτίμησαν οὕτω τίνες; ἐν δὴ τοσαύτῃ καὶ τηλικαύτῃ
πόλει γενόμενος οὐ τοὺς κατ᾽ ἐμαυτὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς πώποτε παρῆλθον
τοῖς ἔργοις. καὶ τῶν ἐμῶν μὲν πολιτῶν εὖ οἶδα ὡς οὐδεὶς ἀντιποιήσεταί μοι
τῶν πρωτείων· [C] εἰ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος οὑτοσὶ τολμᾷ, τίνα τῶν ἔργων τῶν ἑαυτοῦ
τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀξιοῖ παραβαλεῖν; ἴσως τὰ Περσικά, ὥσπερ οὐχ ἑορακὼς ἐγηγερμένα
μοι τοσαῦτα κατὰ Πομπηίου τρόπαια; καίτοι τίς δεινότερος στρατηγὸς γέγονε,
Δαρεῖος ἢ Πομπήιος; ποτέρῳ δὲ ἀνδρειότερον ἠκολούθει στρατόπεδον; τὰ μὲν
οὖν μαχιμώτατα τῶν Δαρείῳ πρότερον [D] ὑπακουόντων ἐθνῶν ἐν τῇ Καρῶν μοίρᾳ
Πομπήιος εἶχεν ἑπόμενα, τοὺς δὲ ἐκ τῆς Εὐρώπης, οἳ τὴν Ἀσίαν πολλάκις
πόλεμον ἐπάγουσαν ἐτρέψαντο, καὶ τούτων αὐτῶν τοὺς ἀνδρειοτάτους, Ἰταλούς,
Ἰλλυριούς, Κελτούς. ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τῶν Κελτῶν ὑπεμνήσθην, ἆρα τοῖς Γετικοῖς
ἔργοις Ἀλεξάνδρου τὴν τῆς Κελτικῆς ἀντιτάττομεν καθαίρεσιν; οὗτος ἅπαξ
ἐπεραιώθη τὸν Ἴστρον, ἐγὼ δεύτερον τὸν Ῥῆνον· Γερμανικὸν αὖ τοῦτο τὸ ἐμὸν
ἔργον. τούτῳ δὲ ἀντέστη μὲν οὐδὲ εἷς, [321] ἐγὼ πρὸς Ἀριόβιστον ἠγωνισάμην
πρῶτος ἐτόλμησα Ῥωμαίων ἐπιβὴναι τῆς ἐκτὸς θαλάσσης. καὶ τοῦτο ἦν ἴσως τὸ
ἔργον οὐ θαυμαστόν. καίτοι τὴν τόλμαν καὶ ταύτην ἄξιον θαυμάσαι· ἀλλὰ τὸ
μεῖζόν μου, τὸ ἀποβῆναι τῆς νεὼς πρῶτον· καὶ τοὺς Ἑλβετίους σιωπῶ καὶ τὸ
τῶν Ἰβήρων ἔθνος. οὐδενὸς ἔτι τῶν Γαλατικῶν ἐπεμνήσθην, πλεῖν(611) ἢ
τριακοσίας ὑπαγαγόμενος πόλεις, ἀνδρῶν δὲ οὐκ ἐλάσσους ἢ διακοσίας
μυριάδας. ὄντων δὲ τούτων μοι τοιούτων ἔργων, ἐκεῖνο μεῖζον ἦν καὶ
τολμηρότερον. [B] ἐχρῆν γάρ με καὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαγωνίζεσθαι τοὺς πολίτας
καὶ κρατεῖν τῶν ἀμάχων καὶ ἀνικήτων Ῥωμαίων. εἴτε οὖν πλήθει τις κρίνει
παρατάξεων, τρὶς τοσαυτάκις παρεταξάμην, ὁσάκις ὑπὲρ Ἀλεξάνδρου
κομπάζουσιν οἱ τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ σεμνοποιοῦντες, εἴτε πλήθει πόλεων
αἰχμαλώτων, οὐ τῆς Ἀσίας μόνον, [C] ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς Εὐρώπης τὰ πλεῖστα
κατεστρεψάμην. Ἀλέξανδρος Αἴγυπτον ἐπῆλθε(612) θεωρῶν, ἐγὼ δὲ συμπόσια
συγκροτῶν κατεπολέμησα. τὴν δὲ μετὰ τὸ κρατῆσαι πρᾳότητα βούλεσθε ἐξετάσαι
τὴν παρ᾽ ἑκατέρῳ; ἐγὼ καὶ τοῖς πολεμίοις συνέγνων· ἔπαθον γοῦν ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν
ὅσα ἐμέλησε τῇ Δίκῃ· ὁ δὲ πρὸς τοῖς πολεμίοις οὐδὲ τῶν φίλων ἀπέσχετο. [D]
ἔτι οὖν μοι περὶ τῶν πρωτείων ἀμφισβητεῖν οἷός τε ἔσῃ; καὶ οὐκ αὐτόθεν καὶ
σὺ παραχωρήσεις μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ἀλλὰ ἀναγκάσεις με λέγειν, ὅπως σὺ μὲν
ἐχρήσω πικρῶς Θηβαίοις, ἐγὼ δὲ τοῖς Ἑλβετίοις φιλανθρώπως; σὺ μὲν γὰρ
ἐκείνων κατέκαυσας τὰς πόλεις, ἐγὼ δὲ τὰς ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκείων πολιτῶν
κεκαυμένας πόλεις ἀνέστησα. καίτοι οὔτι ταὐτὸν(613) ἦν μυρίων Γραικῶν
κρατῆσαι καὶ πεντεκαίδεκα μυριάδας ἐπιφερομένας ὑποστῆναι. [322] πολλὰ
εἰπεῖν ἔχων ἔτι περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦδε, τῷ μὴ σχολὴν ἄγειν ἥκιστα τὸ
λέγειν ἐξεμελέτησα. διόπερ χρὴ συγγνώμην ὑμᾶς ἔχειν, ἐκ δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων
καὶ περὶ τῶν μὴ ῥηθέντων τὴν ἴσην καὶ δικαίαν ἐξέτασιν ποιουμένους
ἀποδιδόναι μοι τὸ πρωτεῖον.