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Lucian's Modest Background
<blockquote>When my childhood was over, and I had just left school, my father called a council to decide upon my profession. Most of his friends considered that the life of culture was very exacting in toil, time, and money: a life only for fortune’s favourites; whereas our resources were quite narrow, and urgently called for relief. If I were to take up some ordinary handicraft, I should be making my own living straight off, instead of eating my father’s meat at my age; and before long my earnings would be a welcome contribution.</blockquote>
Often not heard in ancient writings are the concerns of the lower-middle classes. Here Lucian is using his family and upbringing to shed light on ancient family practices in that class bracket. Nothing unusual, just insightful.