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home:texts_and_library:essays:alexander [2021/01/21 21:01] – [4] frank | home:texts_and_library:essays:alexander [2021/01/24 20:08] (current) – [Introductions] frank | ||
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Though this is not the most humorous or witty essay, it is perhaps one of the most entertaining pieces of Lucian. It contains an exact and probably true account of a most extraordinary character who figured in his time - the fraud Alexander. It makes one wonder what type of frauds and impostures Lucian was exposed to in the 2nd Century AD. Of all of Lucian' | Though this is not the most humorous or witty essay, it is perhaps one of the most entertaining pieces of Lucian. It contains an exact and probably true account of a most extraordinary character who figured in his time - the fraud Alexander. It makes one wonder what type of frauds and impostures Lucian was exposed to in the 2nd Century AD. Of all of Lucian' | ||
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This account of one of the most crafty, most audacious, and most successful theurgical imposters that ever was, is in certain regards the most important and instructive of all of Lucian' | This account of one of the most crafty, most audacious, and most successful theurgical imposters that ever was, is in certain regards the most important and instructive of all of Lucian' | ||
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> [4] Augean stable | The Fifth Labour of Heracles was to clean the Augean stables, which contained the single greatest number of cattle in the region and was never cleaned until Heracles finished the labour. One estimate was that the stables had not been cleaned for 30 years. | > [4] Augean stable | The Fifth Labour of Heracles was to clean the Augean stables, which contained the single greatest number of cattle in the region and was never cleaned until Heracles finished the labour. One estimate was that the stables had not been cleaned for 30 years. | ||
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While in the bloom of his youthful beauty, which we may assume to have been great both from its later remains and from the report of those who saw it, he traded quite shamelessly upon it. Among his other patrons was one of the charlatans who deal in magic and mystic incantations; | While in the bloom of his youthful beauty, which we may assume to have been great both from its later remains and from the report of those who saw it, he traded quite shamelessly upon it. Among his other patrons was one of the charlatans who deal in magic and mystic incantations; | ||
- | //Many drugs a virtuous | + | //Many drugs are virtuous |
to all which inheritance our friend succeeded. This teacher and lover of his was a native of Tyana, an associate of the great Apollonius[4], | to all which inheritance our friend succeeded. This teacher and lover of his was a native of Tyana, an associate of the great Apollonius[4], | ||
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- | By the time his beard had come, the Tyanean[1] was dead, and he found himself in straits; for the personal attractions which might once have been a resource were diminished. He now formed great designs, which he imparted to a Byzantine chronicler of the strolling competitive order[2], a man of still worse character than himself, called, I believe, Cocconas | + | By the time his beard had come, the Tyanean[1] was dead, and he found himself in straits; for the personal attractions which might once have been a resource were diminished. He now formed great designs, which he imparted to a Byzantine chronicler of the strolling competitive order[2], a man of still worse character than himself, called, I believe, Cocconas[3] . The pair went about living on occult pretensions, |
> [1] Tyanean | Referring to Apollonius of Tyana | > [1] Tyanean | Referring to Apollonius of Tyana | ||
> [2] chronicler of the strolling competitive order | Wieland translates this word, λογοποιὸς, | > [2] chronicler of the strolling competitive order | Wieland translates this word, λογοποιὸς, | ||
- | > [3] shearing ' | + | > [3] Cocconas | Pomegranate seeds. Perhaps alludes to male testicles. |
- | > [4] Bithynia to Macedonia | From the north coast of Anatolia to northern Greece, or east to west. | + | > [4] shearing ' |
- | > [5] Pella | A district in Macedonia, famous for being the birthplace of Philip, who enlarged it, and afterward Alexander the Great.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, | + | > [5] Bithynia to Macedonia | From the north coast of Anatolia to northern Greece, or east to west. |
+ | > [6] Pella | A district in Macedonia, famous for being the birthplace of Philip, who enlarged it, and afterward Alexander the Great.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, | ||
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And from this point, as Thucydides[1] might say, the war takes its beginning. These ambitious scoundrels were quite devoid of scruples, and they had now joined forces; it could not escape their penetration that human life is under the absolute dominion of two mighty principles, fear and hope and that anyone who can make these serve his ends may be sure of a rapid fortune. They realized that, whether a man is most swayed by the one or by the other, what he must most depend upon and desire is a knowledge of futurity. So were to be explained the ancient wealth and fame of Delphi, Delos, Clarus, Branchidae[2]; | And from this point, as Thucydides[1] might say, the war takes its beginning. These ambitious scoundrels were quite devoid of scruples, and they had now joined forces; it could not escape their penetration that human life is under the absolute dominion of two mighty principles, fear and hope and that anyone who can make these serve his ends may be sure of a rapid fortune. They realized that, whether a man is most swayed by the one or by the other, what he must most depend upon and desire is a knowledge of futurity. So were to be explained the ancient wealth and fame of Delphi, Delos, Clarus, Branchidae[2]; | ||
- | > [1] Thucydides | FIXME | + | > [1] Thucydides | Along with Herodotus, one of the pre-eminent Greek historians of the fifth century BC. |
> [2] Delphi, Delos, Clarus, Branchidae | Places all famous for the oracles established in them.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, | > [2] Delphi, Delos, Clarus, Branchidae | Places all famous for the oracles established in them.((Select Dialogues: Of Lucian, Translated from the Greek by Thomas Franklin, D.D. The Sungraphein, | ||
> [3] sanguine expectations | To render this scheme of the confederate imposters more comprehensible, | > [3] sanguine expectations | To render this scheme of the confederate imposters more comprehensible, | ||
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He had begun sending emissaries abroad to make the shrine known in foreign lands; his prophecies, discovery of runaways, the conviction of thieves and robbers, revelations of hidden treasure, cures of the sick, restoration of the dead to life — all these were to be advertised. This brought them running and crowding from all points of the compass; victims bled, gifts were presented, and the prophet and disciple came off better than the God; for had not the oracle spoken?— | He had begun sending emissaries abroad to make the shrine known in foreign lands; his prophecies, discovery of runaways, the conviction of thieves and robbers, revelations of hidden treasure, cures of the sick, restoration of the dead to life — all these were to be advertised. This brought them running and crowding from all points of the compass; victims bled, gifts were presented, and the prophet and disciple came off better than the God; for had not the oracle spoken?— | ||
- | //Give what ye give to my attendant priest;\\ | + | //Give what you give to my attendant priest;\\ |
My care is not for gifts, but for my priest.// | My care is not for gifts, but for my priest.// | ||
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It was an autophone which was given to Severian[1] regarding the invasion of Armenia. He encouraged him with these lines: | It was an autophone which was given to Severian[1] regarding the invasion of Armenia. He encouraged him with these lines: | ||
- | //Armenia and Parthia are beaten-down by thy fierce spear,\\ | + | //Armenia and Parthia are beaten-down by your fierce spear,\\ |
- | To Rome, and Tiber’s shining waves, | + | To Rome, and Tiber’s shining waves, |
- | Thy brow with leaves and radiant gold encircled.// | + | Your brow with leaves and radiant gold encircled.// |
Then when the foolish Gaul took his advice and invaded, to the total destruction of himself and his army by Othryades, the adviser expunged that oracle from his archives and substituted the following: | Then when the foolish Gaul took his advice and invaded, to the total destruction of himself and his army by Othryades, the adviser expunged that oracle from his archives and substituted the following: | ||
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it shall not thrive;\\ | it shall not thrive;\\ | ||
One in soft raiment clad shall from his bow\\ | One in soft raiment clad shall from his bow\\ | ||
- | Launch death, and cut thee off from life and light.// | + | Launch death, and cut you off from life and light.// |
- | > [1] Severian | FIXME | + | > [1] Severian | A Roman governor. |
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For it was one of his happy thoughts to issue prophecies after the event as antidotes to those premature utterances which had not gone right. Frequently he promised recovery to a sick man before his death, and after it was at no loss for second thoughts: | For it was one of his happy thoughts to issue prophecies after the event as antidotes to those premature utterances which had not gone right. Frequently he promised recovery to a sick man before his death, and after it was at no loss for second thoughts: | ||
- | //No longer seek to stop thy deadly disease; | + | //No longer seek to stop your deadly disease; |
- | Thy fate is manifest, inevitable.// | + | Your fate is manifest, inevitable.// |
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Knowing the fame of Clarus, Didymus, and Mallus[1] for sooth-saying much like his own, he struck up an alliance with them, sending on many of his clients to those places. So | Knowing the fame of Clarus, Didymus, and Mallus[1] for sooth-saying much like his own, he struck up an alliance with them, sending on many of his clients to those places. So | ||
- | //Hie thee to Clarus now, and hear my sire.// | + | //Hastily, go to Clarus now, and hear my master.// |
And again, | And again, | ||
- | //Draw near to Branchidae[3] and take their advice.// | + | //Draw near to Branchidae[2] and take their advice.// |
Or | Or | ||
- | //Seek Mallus; be Amphilochus[2] thy counsellor.// | + | //Seek Mallus; be Amphilochus[3] your counsellor.// |
+ | |||
+ | > [1] Clarus, Didymus, and Mallus | Locations of shrines to Apollo. | ||
+ | > [2] Branchidae | Another name for Didymus. | ||
+ | > [3] Amphilochus | The oracle of Amphilochus was one of the longest-lived religious shrines of antiquity. It was a flourishing site even as late as the reign of Constantius, | ||
- | > [1] Clarus, Didymus, and Mallus | FIXME | ||
- | > [2] Amphilochus | The oracle of Amphilochus was one of the longest-lived religious shrines of antiquity. It was a flourishing site even as late as the reign of Constantius, | ||
- | > [3] Branchidae | FIXME | ||
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Another of Rutilianus’s questions was, Whose soul he had succeeded to, and the answer: | Another of Rutilianus’s questions was, Whose soul he had succeeded to, and the answer: | ||
- | // | + | // |
- | Then thine own self; next, a sunbeam;\\ | + | Then your own self; next, a sunbeam;\\ |
- | And nine score annual rounds | + | And nine score annual rounds |
At seventy, he died of melancholy, not waiting for the God to pay in full. | At seventy, he died of melancholy, not waiting for the God to pay in full. | ||
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His finger once in the Italian pie, Alexander devoted himself to getting further. Sacred envoys were sent all over the Roman Empire, warning the various cities to be on their guard against pestilence and conflagrations, | His finger once in the Italian pie, Alexander devoted himself to getting further. Sacred envoys were sent all over the Roman Empire, warning the various cities to be on their guard against pestilence and conflagrations, | ||
- | //Phoebus long-tressed | + | //Phoebus, long-haired, |
This was everywhere to be seen written up on doors as a prophylactic. Its effect was generally disappointing; | This was everywhere to be seen written up on doors as a prophylactic. Its effect was generally disappointing; | ||
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Of Cybelean thralls, those mountain beasts,\\ | Of Cybelean thralls, those mountain beasts,\\ | ||
Fling you a pair; therewith all flowers and herbs\\ | Fling you a pair; therewith all flowers and herbs\\ | ||
- | Of savour sweet that Indian air doth breed. \\ | + | Of savour sweet that Indian air does breed. \\ |
Hence victory, and fame, and lovely peace.\\ | Hence victory, and fame, and lovely peace.\\ | ||
// | // | ||
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Sometimes he stirred the wonder of the silly by answers to persons who had neither brought nor sent questions and in fact did not exist. Here is a specimen: | Sometimes he stirred the wonder of the silly by answers to persons who had neither brought nor sent questions and in fact did not exist. Here is a specimen: | ||
- | //Who is’t, thou askst, that with Calligenia\\ | + | //Who is it, you ask, that with Calligenia\\ |
- | All secretly defiles | + | All secretly defiles |
- | The slave Protogenes, whom most thou trustest.\\ | + | The slave Protogenes, whom you most trust.\\ |
- | Him thou enjoyedst: he thy wife enjoys — \\ | + | Him you enjoyed: he your wife enjoys — \\ |
- | The fit return for that thine outrage done. \\ | + | The fit return for that your outrage done. \\ |
- | And know that baleful drugs for thee are brewed,\\ | + | And know that baleful drugs for you are brewed,\\ |
- | Lest thou or see or hear their evil deeds.\\ | + | Lest you see or hear their evil deeds.\\ |
- | Close by the wall, at thy bed’s head, make search.\\ | + | Close by the wall, at your bed’s head, make search.\\ |
- | Thy maid Calypso to their plot is privy.// | + | Your maid Calypso to their plot is privy.// |
The names and circumstantial details might stagger a Democritus, till a moment’s thought showed him the despicable trick. | The names and circumstantial details might stagger a Democritus, till a moment’s thought showed him the despicable trick. | ||
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Another time I did up the same question — What was Homer’s birthplace? | Another time I did up the same question — What was Homer’s birthplace? | ||
- | //With cytmis[3] I command | + | //With cytmis[3] I command |
And fair Latona' | And fair Latona' | ||
As for the other packet, he got the information that the sender was inquiring whether the land or the sea route to Italy was preferable. So he answered, without much reference to Homer: | As for the other packet, he got the information that the sender was inquiring whether the land or the sea route to Italy was preferable. So he answered, without much reference to Homer: | ||
- | //Fare not by sea; land-travel meets thy need.// | + | //Fare not by sea; land-travel meets your need.// |
> [1] Malach Attis was different from Sabardalachus | Here Lucian does not sufficiently explain the fact, so as to make it intelligible to his readers. Some servant sent to Alexander had probably posed this question to him, viz. Were Malach Attis and Sabardalachus, | > [1] Malach Attis was different from Sabardalachus | Here Lucian does not sufficiently explain the fact, so as to make it intelligible to his readers. Some servant sent to Alexander had probably posed this question to him, viz. Were Malach Attis and Sabardalachus, |
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