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home:texts_and_library:essays:alexander [2021/01/21 21:22] – [34] 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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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, |
home/texts_and_library/essays/alexander.1611285725.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/01/21 21:22 by frank