The Many Lives and the Many Genders of Pythagoras: Lucian, Gallus 19-20

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:  The Rooster 19-20

 In his satire on Pythagorean philosophy, the author Lucian explores how Pythagoras' soul (now living as a rooster) has experienced a vast spectrum of existence--living as man and woman, Greek and Persian, person and animal, etc. It is important to note that despite the interviewer Mikyllos' cynical and mocking tone, he still follows proper etiquette:  using a person's appropriate pronouns, as well as being sure to not use the Rooster's dead name. 

M: Once you changed out of Pythagoras, what form did you take next?

Rooster: I was Aspasia, the Courtesan from Miletus.

M: Lol wut? You, Pythagoras, were a woman in your previous lives? Like, at one time, you, a noble rooster, were an egg-laying chicken? And you were Aspasia, who dated Pericles, and got pregnant by him? And you spun wool and then wove it into things? And then you put on makeup to go on dates?

Rooster: Of course I did. But I’m not the only one who did so; there’s also Tiresias before me, and Elatus’ kid* Caeneus. Don’t give me a hard time for it, if you’re cool with them.

M: So, like, which life did you like better? When you were a man, or when you were married to Pericles?

Rooster: Watch out what kind of question you’re asking me—that’s the question that got Tiresias in trouble**.

M: Well, if you don’t say it, Euripides explained it in one of his tragedies. He said that he would prefer to go into battle three times than to give birth once.

Rooster: May I remind you, o Mikyllos, that one day you will be a woman who gives birth; it’ll happen often enough as time goes on.

M: Watch your neck, bird! Do you think that everyone comes from Miletus or Samos?   So, like, they often say that Pythagoras looked good, and Aspasia was good looking in the eyes of her tyrant lover. After Aspasia, were you a man or a woman next?

Rooster: I was the Cynic philosopher Crates.

M: OMG, what a difference! From a hot courtesan to a philosopher***!

Rooster: Then I was a king, then a beggar, then a Persian Satrap, then a horse, then a bird, then a frog, then a bunch of other things, too many to remember, but most recently, a rooster. I like being a rooster the most. I’ve been all these things, and now that I live with you, I think it’s laughable that you admire the rich and worry about poverty—you have no idea what you’re talking about. If you only knew the struggle the wealthy had, you wouldn’t think you’d instantly be happy if you were rich.

M: So, Pythagoras—or what do you wish to be called? So I won’t get mixed up calling you one thing after another.

Rooster: It doesn’t matter. Whether you call me Euphorbus or Pythagoras, or Aspasia, or Crates, I am all of them.  But it might be easier if you just call me “Rooster,” but don’t think that this “paltry poultry” doesn’t contain many souls.

 

 

* Lucian uses the gender neutral term παῖς [“kid / child,” instead of “son” or “daughter”], respecting Caeneus’ gender change by deliberately not using a gendered word.

 

** According to myth, Tiresias was blinded when Zeus and Hera asked him to decide whether men or women enjoyed physical romance more

 

*** Cynic rejected society’s obsession with appearance and beauty, and dressed plainly

19] πατῶν ἀπολιμπάνοις. ἀποδυσάμενος δὲ τὸν Πυθαγόραν τίνα μετημφιέσω μετ᾽ αὐτόν;

Ἀλεκτρυών

Ἀσπασίαν τὴν ἐκ Μιλήτου ἑταίραν

 

Μίκυλλος

φεῦ τοῦ λόγου, καὶ γυνὴ γὰρ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁ Πυθαγόρας ἐγένετο, καὶ ἦν ποτε χρόνος ὅτε καὶ σὺ ᾠοτόκεις, ὦ ἀλεκτρυόνων γενναιότατε, καὶ συνῆσθα Περικλεῖ Ἀσπασία οὖσα καὶ ἐκύεις ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρια ἔξαινες καὶ κρόκην κατῆγες καὶ ἐγυναικίζου ἐς τὸ ἑταιρικόν;

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

πάντα ταῦτα ἐποίουν οὐ μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ Τειρεσίας πρὸ ἐμοῦ καὶ ὁ Ἐλάτου παῖς ὁ Καινεύς, ὥστε ὁπόσα ἂν ἀποσκώψῃς εἰς ἐμὲ, καὶ εἰς ἐκείνους ἀποσκώψας ἔσῃ.

 

Μίκυλλος

τί οὖν; πότερος ἡδίων ὁ βίος σοι ἦν, ὅτε ἀνὴρ ἦσθα ἢ ὅτε σε ὁ Περικλῆς ὤπυιεν;

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

ὁρᾷς οἷον τοῦτο ἠρώτησας, οὐδὲ τῷ Τειρεσίᾳ συνενεγκοῦσαν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν;

 

Μίκυλλος

ἀλλὰ κἂν σὺ μὴ εἴπῃς, ἱκανῶς ὁ Εὐριπίδης διέκρινε τὸ τοιοῦτον, εἰπὼν ὡς τρὶς ἂν ἐθέλοι παρ᾽ ἀσπίδα στῆναι ἢ ἅπαξ τεκεῖν.

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

καὶ μὴν ἀναμνήσω σε, ὦ Μίκυλλε, οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ὠδίνουσαν ἔσῃ γὰρ γυνὴ καὶ σὺ ἐν πολλῇ τῇ περιόδῳ πολλάκις.

 

Μίκυλλος

οὐκ ἀπάγξῃ, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών, ἅπαντας οἰόμενος Μιλησίους ἢ Σαμίους εἶναι; σὲ γοῦν φασι καὶ Πυθαγόραν ὄντα τὴν ὥραν λαμπρὸν πολλάκις 20] Ἀσπασίαν γενέσθαι τῷ τυράννῳ. — τίς δὲ δὴ μετὰ τὴν Ἀσπασίαν ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνὴ αὖθις ἀνεφάνης;

Ἀλεκτρυών

ὁ κυνικὸς Κράτης.

 

Μίκυλλος

' Ὢ Διοσκόρω τῆς ἀνομοιότητος, ἐξ ἑταίρας φιλόσοφος.

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

εἶτα βασιλεύς, εἶτα πένης, καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον σατράπης, εἶτα ἵππος καὶ κολοιὸς καὶ βάτραχος καὶ ἄλλα μυρία μακρὸν ἂν γένοιτο καταριθμήσασθαι ἕκαστα: τὰ τελευταῖα δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν πολλάκις, ἥσθην γὰρ τῷ τοιούτῳ βίῳ. καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς [p. 214] ἄλλοις δουλεύσας καὶ πένησι ^ καὶ πλουσίοις, τὰ τελευταῖα καὶ σοὶ νῦν σύνειμι καταγελῶν ὁσημέραι ποτνιωμένου καὶ οἰμώζοντος ἐπὶ τῇ πενίᾳ καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους θαυμάζοντος ὑπ᾽ ἀγνοίας τῶν ἐκείνοις προσόντων κακῶν. εἰ γοῦν ᾔδεις τὰς φροντίδας ἃς ἔχουσιν, ἐγέλας ἂν ἐπὶ σαυτῷ πρῶτον οἰηθέντι ὑπερευδαίμονα εἶναι τὸν πλοῦτον.

 

Μίκυλλος

οὐκοῦν, ὦ Πυθαγόρα — καίτοι τί μάλιστα χαίρεις καλούμενος, ὡς μὴ ἐπιταράττοιμι τὸν λόγον ἄλλοτε ἄλλον καλῶν;

 

Ἀλεκτρυών

διοίσει μὲν οὐδὲν ἤν τε Εὔφορβον ἢ ^ Πυθαγόραν, ἤν τε Ἀσπασίαν καλῇς ἢ Κράτητα: πάντα γὰρ ἐγὼ ταῦτά εἰμι. πλὴν τὸ νῦν ὁρώμενον τοῦτο ἀλεκτρυόνα ὀνομάζων ἄμεινον ἂν ποιοῖς, ὡς μὴ ἀτιμάζοις εὐτελὲς εἶναι δοκοῦν τὸ ὄρνεον, καὶ ταῦτα τοσαύτας ἐν αὑτῷ ψυχὰς ἔχον.

MICYLLUS: Verum ubi Pythagoram exueras, quem post eum induisti?

GALLUS: Aspasiam Miletensem illam meretricem.

MICYLLUS: Papae! Quid ego audio? Siquidem inter alia mulier quoque fuit Pythagoras. Itane fuit aliquando tempus, quo tu Galle generosissime ova pariebas, cumque Pericle rem habebas, iam Aspasia videlicet, atque ex illo gravida facta es? Praeterea lanam tondebas, tramamque ducebas? Postremo meretricum in morem gestiebas, vultumque componebas?

GALLUS: Ista quidem omnia feci, tametsi non ego solus: verum & ante me tum Tiresias, tum Elati proles Caeneus. Proinde quicquid in me convitii dixeris, tantumdem et in illos dixeris.

MICYLLUS: Age igitur, utra tibi vita erat suavior, quum vir esses, an quum Pericles tecum haberet consuetudinem?

GALLUS: Vides cuiusmodi isthuc est quod percontaris? nempe cui ne Tiresiae quidem expedierit respondere.

MICYLLUS: Atqui si minus fateare tu, tamen isthuc Euripides fatis explicuit, quum ait se malle ter sub clipeo consistere, quam parere semel.

GALLUS: Immo praemoneo te paulo post puerperam fore: siquidem & tu mulier es olim futurus, idque; saepius, longo nimirum saeculorum orbe atque recursu.

MICYLLUS: Non tu pendebis O Galle, qui quidem omneis mortales Milesios aut Samios esse ducas? Nam aiunt te etiam tum quum Pythagoras esses, venusta forma decorum, saepius Aspasiam fuisse tyrano. Verum age, secundum Aspasiam in quem virum aut mulierem denuo renatus es?

GALLUS: In Cratetem Cynicum.

MICYLLUS: O Castor, O Pollux, quam dissimile! ex scorto philosophus?

GALLUS: Deinde rex: deinde pauper: paulo post satrapes: dehinc equus, graculus, rana, aliaque innumerabilia, perlongum enim fuerit singula recensere. Postremo gallus, atque id saepius, nam hoc vitae genere sum delectatus. Interea & aliis diversis mortalibus servivi, regibus, pauperibus, divitibus; postremo nun tecum vivo, rideoque quotidie, quum video te pauperitatis taedio complorantem, eiulantemque, ac divitum admirantem fortunas, propterea quod ignores quantum illis adsit malorum. Alioqui si curas noris quibus illi distringuntur teipsum profecto riseris, qui antea credideris, eum qui sit opulentus, statim felicissimum esse omnium.

MICYLLUS: Ergo Pythagora, aut quod maxime gaudeas appellari, ne confundam orationem, si te nunc hoc, nunc illo nomine compellem.

GALLUS: Nihil intererit, sive Euphorbum, sive Pythagoram, sive vocaris Aspasia, sive Craterem, quandoquidem ista omnium sum unus: nisi quod rectius feceris, si id quod impraesentiarum esse video. Gallum me voces, ne avem hanc parui ducere contenereque videare, praesertim quum tam multas contineat animas.

Translated into Latin by Erasmus of Rotterdam

 Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.

Two Bodies, One Mind United In Love and Friendship: Lucian, Toxaris 62

 

Two Bodies, One Mind United in Love and Friendship

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:  Toxaris, or Friendship 62

Lucian uses imagery from the myth of soulmates in Plato's Symposium in his dialogue Toxaris.  In this dialogue, the Scythian Toxaris and the Greek Mnesippus discuss their own culture's perspectives and beliefs on friendship. The dialogue ends with the following speech, which unites the two in a bond of love and friendship.  

 

You know how you seem to think that friendship is great?

Well, I too think that there is nothing else better or more beautiful than friendship!

So why not unite ourselves together as friends?

We can both be winners!

From this day forward, we can love one another forever, and both of us can receive the greatest benefits from it. 

Instead of one tongue and one right hand, we can now have two!

We now can have four eyes and four feet and everything else is doubled, too!

You know how authors depicted Geryon, a person with six hands and three heads? Well, that’s how it goes when two (or even three!) friends come together, doing everything together synchronously, divinely united in friendship! 

ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ σὺ φιλίαν ἐπαινεῖν ἔδοξας, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἡγοῦμαι ἀνθρώποις εἶναι τούτου κτῆμα ἄμεινον ἢ κάλλιον, τί οὐχὶ καὶ ἡμεῖς συνθέμενοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς φίλοι τε αὐτόθεν εἶναι καὶ εἰσαεὶ ἔσεσθαι ἀγαπῶμεν ἄμφω νικήσαντες, τὰ μέγιστα ἆθλα προσλαβόντες, ἀντὶ μιᾶς γλώττης καὶ μιᾶς δεξιᾶς δύο ἑκάτερος ἐπικτησάμενοι καὶ προσέτι γε καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς τέτταρας καὶ πόδας τέτταρας καὶ ὅλως διπλᾶ πάντα ;

Aut si hoc crudele, quando tu amicitiam admirari visus es: ego nihilo secius puto, nullam esse mortalibus possessionem hac praestantiorem neque pulchriorem: quin ipsi quoque; in unum copulati, illud approbamus: ut ex hoc die in totam usque vitam simus amici, utrique, victores, utrique maximis potiti praemiis: videlicet pro unica lingua, unaque dextra, binas uterque habituri, atque insuper oculos quoque quaternos, pedesque quaternos,

τοιοῦτόν τι γάρ ἐστι συνελθόντες δύο ἢ τρεῖς φίλοι, ὁποῖον τὸν Γηρυόνην οἱ γραφεῖς ἐνδείκνυνται, ἄνθρωπον ἑξάχειρα καὶ τρικέφαλον ἐμοὶ γὰρ δοκεῖν, τρεῖς ἐκεῖνοι ἦσαν ἅμα πράττοντες πάντα, ὥσπερ ἐστὶ δίκαιον φίλους γε ὄντας.

in summa, duplicia omnia eiusmodi namque quiddam est: cum duo tresque copulantur amici, qualem Geryonem scriptores depingunt, senis manibus, ternisque capitibus hominem. Siquidem (ut mea fert opinio) tres illi fuerunt, qui communiter omnia gererent: ut dignum est his, qui amicitia coniuncti sunt.  Translated into Latin by Desiderius Erasmus

Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.

What NOT To Ask A Trans Person: Menippus and Tiresias, Lucian, dialogi mortuorum 28

What NOT To Ask A Trans Person: An Interview with Tiresias

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:  Dialogues of the Dead 28.1.-2

Menippus and Tiresias meet in the Underworld:

MENIPPUS: Tiresias, are you still blind? I can’t tell anymore. [As skeletons,] none of us have eyes, only empty eye sockets. Here, you can’t tell whether this guy’s Phineas, or that guy’s Lynceus. I remember hearing from the epic poets that you were the only prophet who was both a man and a woman. By the gods, please tell me which lifestyle was better, being a man or being a woman?

TIRESIAS: Being a woman was less stressful by far. Women control men, but they don’t have to go to war, and they don’t have to defend their country, and they don’t have to take part in government or participate in court.

MENIPPUS: But didn’t you hear about Euripides’ Medea, where she complains about the troubles of being a woman, and how hard it was to give birth? OOOH! But speaking of Medea—when you were a woman, were you barren?

TIRESIAS: WHAT ARE YOU ASKING, MENIPPUS?

MENIPPUS: Oh, it’s not a hard question, Tiresias, so answer me. It’s easy.

TIRESIAS: I didn’t give birth, but I wasn’t barren.

MENIPPUS: Cool, cool. I just wanted to know if you had lady parts...

TIRESIAS: I don’t understand how that’s any of your business.

Μένιππος καὶ Τειρεσίας. Μένιππος: ὦ Τειρεσία, εἰ μὲν καὶ τυφλὸς εἶ, οὐκέτι διαγνῶναι ῥᾴδιον: ἅπασι γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁμοίως τὰ ὄμματα κενά, μόνον δὲ αἱ χῶραι αὐτῶν: τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα οὐκέτ᾽ ἂν εἰπεῖν ἔχοις, τίς ὁ Φινεὺς ἦν ἢ τίς ὁ Λυγκεύς. ὅτι μέντοι μάντις ἦσθα καὶ ὅτι ἀμφότερα ἐγένου μόνος καὶ ἀνὴρ καὶ γυνή, τῶν ποιητῶν ἀκούσας οἶδα. πρὸς τῶν θεῶν τοιγαροῦν εἰπέ μοι, ὁποτέρου ἐπειράθης ἡδίονος τῶν βίων, ὁπότε ἀνὴρ ἦσθα, ἢ ὁ γυναικεῖος ἀμείνων ἦν; Τειρεσίας: παρὰ πολύ, ὦ Μένιππε, ὁ γυναικεῖος: ἀπραγμονέστερος γὰρ. καὶ δεσπόζουσι τῶν ἀνδρῶν αι γυναῖκες, καὶ οὔτε πολεμεῖν ἀνάγκη αὐταῖς οὔτε παρ᾽ ἔπαλξιν ἑστάναι οὔτ᾽ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ διαφέρεσθαι οὔτ᾽ ἐν δικαστηρίοις ἐξετάζεσθαι.

MENIPPUS: Tiresia, caecusne sis, non amplius dignoscere facile: cunctis enim nobis perinde oculi sunt vacui: solum restant oculorum cava loca. Ceterum dicere nequeas, uter Phineus sit, an Lynceus. Iam vatem fuisse, & utrumque te solum, marem ac feminam, ex poetis audivisse memini. Per Deos itaque te obtestor, expone mihi, utrum expertus fueris suavius vitae genus, cum mas fores, an femina? TIRESIAS: Potior erat magno intervallo, Menippe, vita feminini sexus, quippe magis negotiorum expers: tum dominantur in viros mulieres, neque eas bello vacare necesse est, neque ad murorum pinnas stantes excubare, neque in contionibus altercari, neque in iudiciis versari.

Μ: οὐ γὰρ ἀκήκοας, ὦ Τειρεσία, τῆς Εὐριπίδου Μηδείας, οἷα εἶπεν οἰκτείρουσα τὸ γυναικεῖον, ὡς ἀθλίας οὔσας καὶ ἀφόρητόν τινα τὸν ἐκ τῶν ὠδίνων πόνον ὑφισταμένας; ἀτὰρ εἰπέ μοι, — ὑπέμνησε γάρ με τὰ τῆς Μηδείας ἰαμβεῖα — καὶ ἔτεκές ποτε, ὁπότε γυνὴ ἦσθα, ἢ στεῖρα καὶ ἄγονος διετέλεσας ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ βίῳ; Τ: τί τοῦτο, Μένιππε, ἐρωτᾷς; Μ: οὐδὲν χαλεπόν, ὦ Τειρεσία: πλὴν ἀπόκρίναι, εἴ σοι ῥᾴδιον. Τ: οὐ στεῖρα μὲν ἤμην, οὐκ ἔτεκον δ᾽ ὅλως. Μ: ἱκανὸν τοῦτο: εἰ γὰρ καὶ μήτραν εἶχες, ἐβουλόμην εἰδέναι...[1] Τ: οὐχ ὁρῶ τί σοι βούλεται τὸ ἐρώτημα...

M: Non tu audivisti, Tiresia, Euripidae Medeam, qualia dixerit deplorans muliebrem secus, tanquam miseras, atque intolerandum ex puerperiis dolorem sustinentes. Verum dic mihi (nam admonuerunt me isti Medeae iambi) peperistine aliquando, cum mulier eras, an sterilis & partus expers digisti in illo vitae statu? T: Quid illud, Menippe, rogitas? M: Nihil explicatu difficile, Tiresia: quin responde, si tibi promptum. T: Haud sterilis eram, neque tamen peperi. M: Satis est: nimirum an matricem habuisses, volebam scire... T: Non video, quid tibi velit quaesitum illud:  Translated into Latin by Tiberius Hemsterhuis and  Johan Frederik Reitz

---

[1] In the text, Menippus continues with even more graphic questions, which Tiresias continues to ignore

Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.

The Birth of Dionysus: Lucian, Dialogi Deorum 9

The Birth of Bacchus

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:   Dialogue of the Gods 9 [1]

Mercury: Neptune, Jupiter just gave birth.

Neptune: Really? He gave birth? How? ...But he didn’t look pregnant!

Mercury: You’re right: he didn’t have a pregnant belly.

Neptune: Oh—I get it! He gave birth out of his head again, like he did to Minerva! His *head* was pregnant!

Mercury: Nope! He gave birth to Semele’s child from his thigh.

Neptune: Good for him! His whole body is a womb! But who is this Semele gal?

Mercury: She’s from Thebes. She’s one of Cadmus’ daughters. He got her pregnant.

Neptune: So he gave birth to the kid instead of her?

Mercury: Yes, although the story isn’t worth your time. Juno attacked Semele (she knew her rival was pregnant), and convinced her to ask Jupiter to come to her with his thunderstorm power. When he approached her in all his godly power, the whole house burned down, and Semele perished in the fire. And then Jupiter ordered me to cut the womb out of her, and to bring it to him (it wasn’t quite seven months old—not yet old enough to live). After that I cut him open and put the child inside his thigh, so it could finish growing there. And now, three months later, he gave birth—and now he’s recovering.

Neptune: Where is the infant now?

Mercury: I took Dionysus (oh, by the way, that’s the kid’s name) to Nysa, and handed him over to the Nymphs so they can raise him.

Neptune: So Jupiter is both the infant’s father and mother?

Mercury: I guess so. Well, I’ve got to go and give him some water to wash the wound, and help him take care of the afterbirth.

---

[1] This excerpt begins at line 12

Ἑρμῆς: τέτοκεν ἀρτίως, ὦ Πόσειδον. Ποσειδῶν: ἄπαγε, τέτοκεν ἐκεῖνος; ἐκ τίνος; ...; ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ ἐπεσήμανεν ἡ γαστὴρ αὐτῷ ὄγκον τινά. Ἑ: εὖ λέγεις: οὐ γὰρ ἐκείνη εἶχε τὸ ἔμβρυον. Π: οἶδα: ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔτεκεν αὖθις ὥσπερ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν: τοκάδα γὰρ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἔχει. Ἑ: οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ μηρῷ ἐκύει τὸ ἐκ τῆς Σεμέλης βρέφος. Π: εὖ γε ὁ γενναῖος, ὡς ὅλος ἡμῖν κυοφορεῖ καὶ πανταχόθι τοῦ σώματος. ἀλλὰ τίς ἡ Σεμέλη ἐστί; Ἑ: Θηβαία, τῶν Κάδμου θυγατέρων μία. ταύτῃ συνελθὼν ἐγκύμονα ἐποίησεν. Π: εἶτα ἔτεκεν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνης;

Mercurius: Peperit iam modo, Neptune. Neptunus: Apage: illene peperit? ex quo? ...: sed nec indicium fecit eius uterus tumoris ullius. M: Recte ais: neque enim ille habebat foetum. N: Teneo: ex capite peperit iterum, ut Minervam: puerperum enim habet caput. M: Neutiquam: sed in femore ferebat ex Semele infantem. N: Euge, ut bonus ille totus nobis uterum gestat & in omni parte corporis! At quaenam est Semele? M: Thebana, Cadmi filiarum una: illam congressus gravidam fecit. N: Tum peperit, Mercuri, eius vice?

Ἑ: καὶ μάλα, εἰ καὶ παράδοξον εἶναί σοι δοκεῖ: τὴν μὲν γὰρ Σεμέλην ὑπελθοῦσα ἡ Ἥρα — οἶσθα ὡς ζηλότυπός ἐστι — πείθει αἰτῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ Διὸς μετὰ βροντῶν καὶ ἀστραπῶν ἥκειν παρ᾽ αὐτήν: ὡς δὲ ἐπείσθη καὶ ἧκεν ἔχων καὶ τὸν κεραυνόν, ἀνεφλέγη ὁ ὄροφος, καὶ ἡ Σεμέλη μὲν διαφθείρεται ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός, ἐμὲ δὲ κελεύει ἀνατεμόντα τὴν γαστέρα τῆς γυναικὸς ἀνακομίσαι ἀτελὲς ἔτι αὐτῷ τὸ ἔμβρυον ἑπτάμηνον: καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐποίησα, διελὼν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ μηρὸν ἐντίθησιν, ὡς ἀποτελεσθείη ἐνταῦθα, καὶ νῦν τρίτῳ ἤδη μηνὶ ἐξέτεκεν αὐτὸ καὶ μαλακῶς ἀπὸ τῶν ὠδίνων ἔχει. Π: νῦν οὖν ποῦ τὸ βρέφος ἐστίν; Ἑ: ἐς τὴν Νῦσαν ἀποκομίσας ἔδωκα ταῖς Νυμφαις ἀνατρέφειν Διόνυσον ἐπονομασθέντα. Π: οὐκοῦν ἀμφότερα τοῦ Διονύσου τούτου καὶ μήτηρ καὶ πατὴρ ὁ ἀδελφός ἐστιν; Ἑ: ἔοικεν. ἄπειμι δ᾽ οὖν ὕδωρ αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ τραῦμα οἴσων καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ποιήσων ἃ νομίζεται ὥσπερ λεχοῖ.

M: Ita plane, tametsi fidem mereri res tibi non videatur: Semelen enim dolis aggressa Juno (nosti gravem eius aemulationem) inducit ad petendum a Jove, cum tonitrubus ac fulminibus ut veniat ad se. Cum morigeratus accessit fulmen habens, succensum est tectum, ipsaque Semele perit ab igne: tum me iubet, exsecto utero mulieris, deferre nondum maturum ad se foetum septimestrem: postquam feci, perscisso femori suo indit, ut maturaretur ibi. Nunc tertio iam mense partum edidit, atque imbecillius ex laboribus habet.  N: Ubinam nunc infans est? M: In Nysam ablatum tradidi Nymphis educandum, imposito Dionysi nomine. N: Ergo utrumque Dionysi istius & mater & pater est hicce? M: Ergo quidem videtur. At abeo, aquam ipsi ad vulnus laturus, ceteraque curaturus, quae solent, tanquam puerperae. Translated into Latin by Tiberius Hemsterhuis and  Johan Frederik Reitz

Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.

Apollo, Unlucky in Love: Lucian, Dial. Deorum. 17.2

Apollo, Unlucky In Love

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:  Dialogues of the Gods 15.2

I, Apollo, am unlucky in love. I have loved two people more than anyone: Daphne and Hyacinthus. But Daphne ran away from me, and hated me to the point that she would rather become a tree than love me; and Hyacinthus was killed by a discus, and now all I have left of them are crowns.

ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ ἄλλως ἀναφρόδιτός εἰμι ἐς τὰ ἐρωτικά: δύο γοῦν, οὓς μάλιστα ἠγάπησα, τὴν Δάφνην καὶ τὸν Ὑάκινθον, ἡ μὲν Δάφνη οὕτως ἐμίσησέ με, ὥστε εἵλετο ξύλον γενέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ ἐμοὶ ξυνεῖναι, τὸν Ὑάκινθον δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ δίσκου ἀπώλεσα, καὶ νῦν ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνων στεφάνους ἔχω.

Apollo: Ego vero alias quoque habeo Venerem minus propitiam ad res amatorias; quippe etiam quos duos maxime praeter ceteros amavi, Daphne & Hyacinthum, illa quidem aufugit, atque odit me, adeo ut in lignum converti maluerit, quam mecum rem habere: hic autem a disco interfectus est, et nunc pro illis coronas habeo. Translated into Latin by Jacob Micyllus

Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.