Delphi Complete Works of Dio Chrysostom

by Dio Chrysostom

  αἰτίζων ἀκόλους, οὐκ ἄορας οὐδὲ λέβητας.

  καὶ δή ποτε ἀφικόμενος εἰς Πελοπόννησον ταῖς μὲν πόλεσιν οὐ

  [50] Once when I chanced to be wandering in exile — and great is my gratitude to the gods that they thus prevented my becoming an eye-witness of many an act of injustice — I visited as many lands as possible, at one time going among the Greeks, at another among barbarians, assuming the guise and dress of a vagabond beggar,

  “Demanding crusts, not caldrons fine or swords.”

  [51] πάνυ προσῄειν, περὶ δὲ τὴν χώραν διέτριβον, ἅτε πολλὴν ἱστορίαν ἔχουσαν, νομεῦσι καὶ κυνηγέταις, γενναίοις τε καὶ ἁπλοῖς ἤθεσιν, [p. 10]

  [51] At last I arrived in the Peloponnesus, and keeping quite aloof from the cities, spent my time in the country, as being quite well worth study, mingling with herdsmen and hunters, an honest folk of simple habits.

  [52] ἐπιμιγνύμενος. καὶ δὴ βαδίζων ὡς ἀφ᾽ Ἡραίας εἰς Πῖσαν παρὰ τὸν Ἀλφειὸν μέχρι μέν τινος ἐπετύγχανον τῆς ὁδοῦ, μεταξὺ δὲ εἰς ὕλην τινὰ καὶ δυσχωρίαν ἐμπεσὼν καὶ πλείους ἀτραποὺς ἐπὶ βουκόλἰ ἄττα καὶ ποίμνας φερούσας, οὐδενὶ συναντῶν οὐδὲ δυνάμενος ἐρέσθαι, διαμαρτάνω τε καὶ ἐπλανώμην μεσημβρίᾳ σταθερᾷ. ἰδὼνοὖν ἐπὶ ὑψηλῷ τινι δρυῶν συστροφὴν οἷον ἄλσος, ᾠχόμην ὡς ἀποψόμενος ἐντεῦθεν ὁδόν τινα ἢ οἰκίαν.

  [52] As I walked along the Alpheus on my way from Heraea to Pisa, I succeeded in finding the road for some distance, but all at once I got into some wood land and rough country, where a number of trails led to sundry herds and flocks, without meeting anybody or being able to inquire my way. So I lost my direction, and at high noon was quite astray. But noticing on a high knoll a clump of oaks that looked like a sacred grove, I made my way thither in the hope of discovering from it some roadway or house.

  [53] καταλαμβάνω οὖν λίθους τέ τινας εἰκῇ ξυγκειμένους καὶ δέρματα ἱερείων κρεμάμενα καὶ ῥόπαλα καὶ βακτηρίας, νομέων τινῶν ἀναθήματα, ὡς ἐφαίνετο, ὀλίγον δὲ ἀπωτέρω καθημένην γυναῖκα ἰσχυρὰν καὶ μεγάλην, τῇδὲ ἡλικίᾳ πρεσβυτέραν, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἄγροικον στολὴν ἔχουσαν,

  [53] There I found blocks of stone set roughly together, hanging pelts of animals that had been sacrificed, and a number of clubs and staves — all evidently being dedications of herdsmen. At a little distance I saw a woman sitting, strong and tall though rather advanced in years, dressed like a rustic and with some braids of grey hair falling about her shoulders.

  [54] πλοκάμους δέ τινας πολιοὺς καθεῖτο. ταύτην ἕκαστα ἀνηρώτων. ἣ δὲ πάνυ πρᾴως καὶ φιλοφρόνως δωρίζουσα τῇ φωνῇ τόν τε τόπον ἔφραζεν ὡς Ἡρακλέους ἱερὸς εἴη, καὶ περὶ αὑτῆς, ὅτι παῖδα ἔχοι ποιμένα καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὴ νέμοι τὰ πρόβατα: ἔχειν δὲ μαντικὴνἐκ μητρὸς θεῶν δεδομένην, χρῆσθαι δὲ αὐτῇ τούς τε νομέας πάντας τοὺς πλησίον καὶ τοὺς γεωργοὺς ὑπὲρ καρπῶν καὶ βοσκημάτων γενέσεως καὶ σωτηρίας.

  [54] Of her I made full inquiry about the place, and she most graciously and kindly, speaking in the Dorian dialect, informed me that it was sacred to Heracles and, regarding herself, that she had a son, a shepherd, whose sheep she often tendered herself. She also said that the Mother of the Gods had given her the gift of divination and that all the herdsmen and farmers round about consulted her on the raising and preservation of their crops and cattle.

  [55] καὶ σὺ δὲ ἐλήλυθας, ἔφη, οὐκ ἄνευ θείας τύχης εἰς τόνδε τὸν τόπον: οὐ γὰρ ἐάσω σε ἀπελθεῖν μάτην. καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἤδη προέλεγεν ὅτι οὐ πολὺς χρόνος ἔσοιτόμοι τῆς ἄλης καὶ τῆς ταλαιπωρίας, οὔτε σοί, εἶπεν, οὔτε τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις.

  [55] “And you too,” she continued, “have come into this place by no mere human chance, for I shall not let you depart unblest.” Thereupon she at once began to prophesy, saying that the period of my wandering and tribulation would not be long, nay, nor that of mankind at large.

  [56] ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγεν, οὐχ ὥσπερ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν λεγομένων ἐνθέων ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν, ἀσθμαίνουσα καὶ περιδινοῦσα τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ πειρωμένη δεινὸν ἐμβλέπειν, ἀλλὰ πάνυ ἐγκρατῶς καὶ σωφρόνως. συμβαλεῖς δέ, ἔφη, ποτὲ ἀνδρὶ καρτερῷ,πλείστης ἄρχοντι χώρας καὶ ἀνθρώπων: τούτῳ μήποτε ὀκνήσῃς εἰπεῖν τόνδε τὸν μῦθον, εἰ καί σου καταφρονεῖν τινες μέλλοιεν ὡς ἀδολέσχου καὶ πλάνητος.

  [56] The manner of her prophesying was not that of most men and women who are said to be inspired; she did not gasp for breath, whirl her head about, or try to terrify with her glances, but spoke with entire self-control and moderation.

  “Some day,” she said, “you will meet a mighty man, the ruler of very many lands and peoples. Do not hesitate to tell him this tale of mine even if there be those who will ridicule you for a prating vagabond.

  [57] οἱ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων λόγοι καὶ τὰ πάντα σοφίσματα οὐδενὸς ἄξια πρὸς τὴν παρὰ τῶν θεῶν ἐπίπνοιαν καὶ [p. 11] φήμην. ὅσοι γάρ ποτε σοφοὶ καὶ ἀληθεῖς κατ᾽ ἀνθρώπους λόγοι περὶ θεῶν τε καὶ τοῦ σύμπαντος, οὐκ ἄνευ θείας ποτε βουλήσεως καὶ τύχης ἐν ψυχῇ ποτε ἀνθρώπων ἐγένοντο διὰ τῶν πρώτων μαντικῶν τε καὶ θείων ἀνδρῶν:

  [57] For the words of men and all their subtleties are as naught in comparison with the inspiration and speech due to the promptings of the gods. Indeed, of all the words of wisdom and truth current among men about the gods and the universe, none have ever found lodgment in the souls of men except by the will and ordering of heaven and through the lips of the prophets and holy men of old.

  [58] οἷον ἐν Θρᾴκῃ τινὰ λέγουσιν Ὀρφέα γενέσθαι Μούσης υἱόν, ἄλλον δὲ ποιμένα ἐν ὄρει τινὶ τῆς Βοιωτίας αὐτῶν ἀκοῦσαι τῶν Μουσῶν: ὅσοι δὲ ἄνευ δαιμονίου κατοχῆς καὶ ἐπιπνοίας λόγους τινὰς ὡς ἀληθεῖς παρ᾽ αὑτῶν ἐκόμισαν εἰς τὸν βίον ἀτόπους καὶ πονηρούς. ἄκουε δὴ τοῦδε τοῦ μύθου σφόδρα ἐγρηγορώς τε καὶ τὸν νοῦν προσέχων, ὅπως διαμνημονεύσας ἀπαγγείλῃς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, ᾧ φημί σε συμβαλεῖν. ἔστι δὲ περὶ τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ, παρ᾽ ᾧ νῦν ἐσμεν.

  [58] For instance, they say there once lived in Thrace a certain Orpheus, a Muse’s son; and on a certain mountain of Boeotia another, a shepherd who heard the voices of the Muses themselves. Those teachers, on the other hand, who without divine possession and inspiration have circulated as true stories born of their own imaginings are presumptuous and wicked.
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br />   “Hear, therefore, the following tale and listen with vigilance and attention that you may remember it clearly and pass it on to that man whom I say you will meet. It has to do with this god in whose presence we now are.

  [59] ἦν μὲν γάρ, ὡς πάντες λέγουσι, Διὸς υἱὸς ἐξ Ἀλκμήνης, βασιλεὺς δὲ οὐ μόνον Ἄργους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἁπάσης. τοῦτο δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ οὐκ ἴσασιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἀπεδήμει στρατευόμενος καὶ φυλάττων τὴν ἀρχήν, οἱ δ᾽ Εὐρυσθέα φασὶ βασιλεύειν τότε ὃς ἦν πάντων φιλοπονώτατος καὶ πολὺ κρείττων τῶν ἐκεῖ. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν λέγεται μάτην ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν.

  [59] Heracles was, as all men agree, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and he was king not only of Argos but of all Greece. (Most people, however, do not know that Heracles was continually absent from Argos because he was engaged in making expeditions and defending his kingdom, but they assert that Eurystheus was king at this time. These, however, are but their idle tales.)

  [60] ἐκεῖνος δὲ οὐ μόνον τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἦν βασιλεύς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπ᾽ ἀνίσχοντος ἡλίου μέχρι δυομένου πάσης ἦρχε γῆς καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων,

  [60] And he was not only king of Greece, but also held empire over every land from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof, aye, over all peoples where are found shrines of Heracles.

  [61] παρ᾽ οἷς ἱερά ἐστιν Ἡρακλέους. ἦν δὲ καὶ πεπαιδευμένος ἁπλῶς, πολυτρόπως οὐδὲ περιττῶς σοφίσμασι καὶ πανουργήμασιν ἀνθρώπων κακοδαιμόνων. λέγουσι δὲ καὶ ταῦτα περὶ Ἡρακλέους, ὡς γυμνὸς ᾔει μόνον ἔχων λεοντῆν καὶ ῥόπαλον.

  [61] He had a simple education too, with none of the elaboration and superfluity devised by the unscrupulous cleverness of contemptible men.

  “This, also, is told of Heracles: that he went unclothed and unarmed except for a lion’s skin and a club,

  [62] τοῦτο δὲ οὕτως λέγουσιν, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος οὔτε χρυσίον οὔτε ἀργύριον οὔτε ἐσθῆτα περὶ πολλοῦ ἐποιεῖτο, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ἐνόμιζε τοῦ μηδενὸς ἄξια, πλὴν ὅσον δοῦναι καὶ χαρίσασθαι. πολλοῖς γοῦν οὐ μόνον χρήματα ἄπειρα καὶ γῆν καὶ ἀγέλας ἵππων καὶ βοῶν, ἀλλὰ βασιλείας καὶ πόλεις ὅλας ἐδωρήσατο. ἐπίστευε γὰρ αὑτοῦ πάντα εἶναι καὶ οὐδὲν ἀλλότριον, προσγίγνεσθαι δὲ τοῖς δοθεῖσι τὴν εὔνοιαν τῶν λαβόντων.

  [62] and they add that he did not set great store by gold or silver or fine raiment, but considered all such things worth nothing save to be given away and bestowed upon others. At any rate he made presents to many men, not only of money without limit and lands and herds of horses and cattle, but also of whole kingdoms and cities. For he fully believed that everything belonged to him exclusively and that gifts bestowed would call out the good-will of the recipients.

  [63] οὐ τοίνυν οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο ἀληθές φασιν ὅτι [p. 12] δὴ περιῄει μόνος ἄνευ στρατιᾶς. οὐ γὰρ δυνατὸν πόλεις τε ἐξαιρεῖν καὶ τυράννους ἀνθρώπους καταλύειν καὶ πᾶσι πανταχοῦ προστάττειν χωρὶς δυνάμεως. δτι δὲ αὐτουργὸς ἦν καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ πρόθυμος καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἱκανὸς καὶ πάντων μάλιστα ἐπόνει, μόνον αὐτὸν ἔφασαν βαδίζειν καὶ πράττειν ἅπαντα ὅσα βούλοιτο.

  [63] Another story which men tell is untrue: that he actually went about alone without an army. For it is not possible to overturn cities, cast down tyrants, and to dictate to the whole world without armed forces. It is only because, being self-reliant, zealous of soul, and competent in body, he surpassed all men in labour, that the story arose that he travelled alone and accomplished single-handed whatsoever he desired.

  [64] καὶμὴν ὅ γε πατὴρ αὐτοῦ πολλὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἐποιεῖτο, ὁρμάς τε ἀγαθὰς ἐπιπέμπων καὶ εἰς ὁμιλίας ἀνθρώπων ἀγαθῶν ἄγων. ἐσήμαινε δὲ καὶ δι᾽ οἰωνῶν καὶ δι᾽ ἐμπύρων καὶ διὰ πάσης μαντικῆς ἕκαστα.

  [64] “Moreover, his father took great pains with him, implanting in him noble impulses and bringing him into the fellowship of good men. He would also give him guidance for each and every enterprise through birds and burnt offerings and every other kind of divination.

  [65] ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐώρα βουλόμενον ἄρχειν αὐτόν, οὐ τῶν ἡδονῶν οὐδὲ τῶν πλεονεξιῶν ἐπιθυμοῦντα, ὧν ἕνεκεν οἱ πολλοὶ τούτου ἐρῶσιν, ἀλλ̓ὡς ἂν δύνηται πλεῖστα καὶ πλείστους εὖ ποιεῖν, ἐπιστάμενος αὐτοῦ γενναίαν οὖσαν τὴν φύσιν, ὅμως δὲ ὑπονοῶν ὅσον ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ θνητόν, καὶ ὅτι πολλὰ παραδείγματα ἐν ἀνθρώποις πονηρὰ εἴη τρυφῆς καὶ ἀκολασίας καὶ πολλοὶ παρατρέπουσιν ἄκοντα τὸν πεφυκότα ὀρθῶς ἔξω τῆς αὑτοῦ φύσεώς τε καὶ γνώμης, ταῦτα

  [65] And when he saw that the lad wished to be a ruler, not through desire for pleasure and personal gain, which leads most men to love power, but that he might be able to do the greatest good to the greatest number, he recognized that his son was naturally of noble parts, and yet suspected how much in him was mortal and thought of the many baneful examples of luxurious and licentious living among mankind, and of the many men there were to entice a youth of fine natural qualities away from his true nature and his principles even against his will.

  [66] λογιζόμενος Ἑρμῆν ἔπεμψε, κελεύσας ἃ δεῖ ποιεῖν. ὁ δὲ ἀφικόμενος εἰς Θήβας, ἔνθα νέος ὢν ἐτρέφετο Ἡρακλῆς, ἔφραζέν τε ὃς εἴη καὶ παρ᾽ ὅτου πεμφθείς, καὶ ἄγει λαβὼν αὐτὸν ἄφραστον καὶ ἄβατον ἀνθρώποις ὁδόν, ἕως ἦλθεν ἐπί τινα ὑπεροχὴν ὄρους περιφανῆ καὶ σφόδρα ὑψηλήν, τὰ δὲ ἔξωθεν δεινῶς ἀπότομον κρημνοῖσὀρθίοις καὶ βαθείᾳ φάραγγι ποταμοῦ κύκλῳ περιρρέοντος, πολὺν ψόφον τε καὶ ἦχον ἀναδιδόντος, ὡς τοῖς κάτωθεν ἀναβλέπουσι μίαν ὁρᾶσθαι τὴν ἄνω κορυφήν, τὸ δὲ ἀληθὲς ἦν δίδυμος ἐκ μιᾶς ῥίζης, καὶ πολύ γε ἀλλήλων διεστήκεσαν.

  [66] So with these considerations in mind he despatched Hermes after instructing him as to what he should do. Hermes therefore came to Thebes, where the lad Heracles was being reared, and told him who he was and who had sent him. Then, taking him in charge, he led him over a secret path untrodden of man till he came to a conspicuous and very lofty mountain-peak whose sides were dreadfully steep with sheer precipices and with the deep gorge of a river that encompassed it, whence issued a mighty rumbling and roaring. Now to anyone looking up from below the crest above seemed single; but it was in fact double, rising from a single base; and the two peaks were far indeed from each other.

  [67] ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ αὐτῶν ἡ μὲν βασίλειος ἄκρα, ἱερὰ Διὸς βασιλέως, ἡ δὲ ἑτ�
�ρα τυραννική,Τυφῶνος ἐπώνυμος. δύο δὲ εἶχον ἔξωθεν ἐφόδους εἰς αὑτάς, ἑκατέρα ἡ μὲν βασίλειος ἀσφαλῆ καὶ πλατεῖαν, ὡς ἀκινδύνως τε καὶ ἀπταίστως δι᾽ αὐτῆς εἰσιέναι ἐφ᾽ ἅρματος ἐλαύνοντα, εἴ τῳ δεδομένον εἴη παρὰ τοῦ μεγίστου θεῶν: ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα [p. 13] στενήν τε καὶ σκολιὰν καὶ βίαιον, ὡς τοὺς πλείστους πειρωμένους αὐτῆς οἴχεσθαι κατὰ τῶν κρημνῶν καὶ τοῦ ῥεύματος, ἅτε οἶμαι παρὰ δίκην ἰόντας.

  [67] The one of them bore the name Peak Royal and was sacred to Zeus the King; the other, Peak Tyrannous, was named after the giant Typhon. There were two approaches to them from without, each having one. The path that led to Peak Royal was safe and broad, so that a person mounted on a car might enter thereby without peril or mishap, if he had the permission of the greatest of the gods. The other was narrow, crooked, and difficult, so that most of those who attempted it were lost over the cliffs and in the flood below, the reason being, methinks, that they transgressed justice in taking that path.

  [68] φαίνεται μὲν οὖν, ὅπερ ἔφην, τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἅτε ὁρῶσι μακρόθεν, ἄμφω μία τε καὶ ἐν ταὐτῷ σχεδόν, ὑπερέχει δὲ ἡ βασίλειος κορυφὴ τοσοῦτον ὥστ᾽ ἐκείνη μὲν ἐπάνω τῶν νεφῶν ἐστιν, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τε καθαρῷ καὶ αἰθρίῳ ἀέρι, ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα πολὺ κατωτέρω, περὶ αὐτὴν μάλιστα τὴν τῶν νεφῶν συστροφήν, σκοτεινὴ καὶ ἀχλυώδης.