Delphi Complete Works of Dio Chrysostom

by Dio Chrysostom

  [9] But consider what the situation is. The Athenians, for example, being accustomed to hearing themselves abused, and, on my word, frequenting the theatre for the express purpose of hearing themselves abused, and, having established a contest with a prize for the most proficient in that sort of thing — not having hit upon the idea by themselves but acting upon the advice of the god — used to listen to Aristophanes and Cratinus and Plato and inflicted no punishment on them. But when Socrates without the protection of stage and benches undertook to carry out the instructions of his god, indulging in no vulgar dances or idiotic piping, they would not endure it.

  [10] ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ὑφορώμενοι καὶ δεδιότες τὸν δῆμον ὡς δεσπότην ἐθώπευον, ἠρέμα δάκνοντες καὶ μετὰ γέλωτος, ὥσπερ αἱ τίτθαι τοῖς παιδίοις, ὅταν δέῃ τιτῶν ἀηδεστέρων πιεῖν αὐτά, προσφέρουσι μέλιτι χρίσασαι τὴν κύλικα. τοιγαροῦν ἔβλαπτον οὐχ ἧττον ἤπερ ὠφέλουν, ἀγερωχίας καὶ σκωμμάτων καὶ βωμολοχίας ἀναπιμπλάντες τὴν πόλιν. ὁ δὲ φιλόσοφος ἤλεγχε καὶ ἐνουθέτει.

  [10] Those comic poets, you see, being distrustful and timid, flattered the assembled multitude as one flatters a master, tempering their mild snapping with a laugh, just as nurses, whenever it is necessary for their charges to drink something rather unpleasant, themselves smear the cup with honey before they hold it out to the children. So it happens that the comic poets did no less harm than good, by infecting the city with effrontery and gibes and ribald jests. On the other hand, the philosopher censured and rebuked his auditors.

  [11] καὶ μὴν ὅσῳ τὸ λοιδορεῖν καὶ τὴν ἀβελτερίαν τὴν ἑκάστου καὶ τὴν πονηρίαν φανερὰν ποιεῖν κρεῖττόν ἐστι τοῦ χαρίζεσθαι διὰ τῶν λόγων καὶ τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις θρύπτειν τοὺς ἀκούοντας, οὐχ ἥκιστα ἐκεῖθεν εἴσεσθε. δύο γὰρ ποιητῶν γεγονότων ἐξ ἅπαντος τοῦ αἰῶνος, οἷς οὐδένα τῶν ἄλλων ξυμβάλλειν ἄξιον, Ὁμήρου τε καὶ Ἀρχιλόχου, τούτων Ὅμηρος μὲν σχεδὸν πάντα ἐνεκωμίασε, καὶ θηρία καὶ φυτὰ καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ γῆνκαὶ ὅπλα καὶ ἵππους, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔσθ᾽ ὅτου μνησθεὶς χωρὶς ἐπαίνου τε καὶ τιμῆς, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, παρῆλθεν. ὃν γοῦν μόνον ἐξ ἁπάντων ἐβλασφήμησε Θερσίτην, καὶ τοῦτον λιγὺν εἶναί φησιν ἀγορητήν.

  [11] And, indeed, how much better it is to abuse the people and to hold up to the light each man’s stupidity and wickedness than to court favour by what is said and by compliments debauch one’s auditors, you will discover best from what I am about to tell you. For while there have been since the world began two poets with whom no other poet deserves to be compared, namely, Homer and Archilochus, one of them, Homer, praised practically everything — animals, plants, water, earth, armour, and horses; in fact it may be said that there is nothing which he failed to mention with praise and honour. At any rate, there is only one out of all the characters in his poems about whom he said harsh things, namely, Thersites, and even Thersites is called a ‘clear-voiced speaker.’

  [12] Ἀρχίλοχος δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐναντίαν ἧκε, τὸ ψέγειν, ὁρῶν οἶμαι τούτου μᾶλλον δεομένους τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ πρῶτοναὑτὸν ψέγει. τοιγαροῦν μόνος καὶ μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν καὶ πρὶν ἢ γενέσθαι τῆς μεγίστης ἔτυχε μαρτυρίας παρὰ τοῦ δαιμονίου. τὸν μέν γε ἀποκτείναντα αὐτὸν ὁ Ἀπόλλων ἐξελαύνων ἐκ τοῦ νεὼ Μουσῶν αὐτὸν ἀνεῖπε θεράποντα ἀνῃρηκέναι. καὶ τὸ δεύτερον, ὡς ἀπελογεῖτο ἐν πολέμῳ λέγων ἀποκτεῖναι, πάλιν Μουσῶν θεράπονταἔφη τὸν Ἀρχίλοχον. τῷ πατρὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ χρωμένῳ πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως ἀθάνατόν οἱ παῖδα γενήσεσθαι προεῖπεν.

  [12] But Archilochus went to the other extreme, toward censure — seeing, I imagine, that men have greater need of that — and first of all he censures himself. That is why he alone, not only after his death, but before his birth, obtained the highest tribute from the deity. Certainly Apollo drove his slayer from the temple, declaring that he had slain a servant of the Muses. And again, when the man stated in self-defence that he had slain him in war, once more Apollo called Archilochus a servant of the Muses. And when the father of Archilochus was consulting the oracle prior to the birth of his son, Apollo prophesied that he was destined to have a son who would be immortal.

  [13] ὥσθ᾽ ὁ λοιδορεῖν ἱκανὸς καὶ καθάπτεσθαι καὶ φανερὰ τῷ λόγῳ ποιεῖν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα δῆλον ὅτι κρείττων ἐστὶ καὶ προκέκριται τῶν ἐπαινούντων. εἰ δ᾽ ἄρα ὑμεῖς ἐπαινούμενοι μᾶλλον ἥδεσθε, ἐπ̓ἄλλους ὑμῖν ἰτέον. ὅταν οὖν πρῶτον αὑτόν τινα ἴδητε κολακεύοντα ἐν ἅπασιν οἷς ποιεῖ καὶ χαριζόμενον ἐν τροφαῖς, ἐν ἐσθῆσι, καὶ [p. 301] περιιόντα ἀκόλαστον, τοῦτον οἴεσθε κολακεύσειν καὶ ὑμᾶς καὶ παρὰ τούτου προσδοκᾶτε λόγον ἡδύν, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἔπαινον ὀνομάζετε, τρυφῶντα δὴ παρὰ τρυφῶντος.

  [13] So, you see, he who is good at rebuking and upbraiding, and at revealing by his words the sins of men, is evidently superior and preferred above those who praise. If, then, it is praise that gives you more delight, you must betake yourselves to other men than me. Therefore, whenever you see someone flattering himself first and foremost and in everything he does, and courting favour by his table and his dress, and moving about in licentious fashion, you may be sure that man will flatter you as well, and you may expect from him sweet words, which you call praise — dainty language from a dainty man.

  [14] ὅταν δὲ αὐχμηρόν τινα καὶ συνεσταλμένον ἴδητε καὶ μόνον βαδίζοντα, πρῶτον αὑτὸν ἐξετάζοντα καὶ λοιδοροῦντα, μὴ ζητεῖτε παρὰ τοῦ τοιούτου μηδεμίαν θωπείαν μηδὲ ἀπάτην, μηδὲ τὸν δεξιὸν ἐκεῖνον καὶ προσηνῆ λόγον, ὃς δὴ μάλιστα διατρίβει περὶ δήμους καὶ σατράπας καὶ τυράννους.

  οὔτοι τοιοίδ᾽ εἰσὶν ὑποδρηστῆρες ἐκείνων,

  ἀλλὰ νέοι, χλαίνας εὖ εἱμένοι ἠδὲ χιτῶνας,

  αἰεὶ δὲ λιπαροὶ κεφαλὰς καὶ καλὰ πρόσωπα.

  οἵδε μὲν γὰρ ὥσπερ ἐπίκωμοί τινες ἥκουσιν εἰς τὸν βίον αὐλούμενοι καὶ ᾀδόμενοι καὶ μεθύοντες εἰς ἑορτήν τινα καὶ πανήγυριν ἀσώτων εἰσβεβληκέναι νομίζοντες.

  [14] But whenever you see someone who is unkempt and wears his garments closely wrapped about him and has no companions on his walks, a man who makes himself the first target for examination and reproof, do not expect from such a man any flattery or deception, or that clever and seductive language which is most in use in dealing with democracies and satraps and dictators.

  Not so are they who wait upon such men,

  But rather youths with handsome cloaks and frocks,

  Whose l
ocks are ever sleek, whose faces fair.

  Aye, for these men enter upon life as if they were going to some revel, piping and singing and drinking on the supposition that it is a kind of festival or conclave of wastrels into which they have burst.

  [15] ἀλλ᾽ ὅστις ἰδὼν ὅσα δεινὰ καὶ δυσχερῆ καὶ ὅτι μεστὰ πάντα πολεμίων καὶ ἐχθρῶν, ὅπου τρυφὴ καὶ ἀπάτη δυναστεύουσιν,

  αὐτόν μιν πληγῇσιν ἀεικελίῃσι δαμάσσας,

  σπεῖρα κάκ᾽ ἀμφ᾽ ὤμοισι βαλών, οἰκῆι ἐοικώς,

  ἀνδρῶν θρυπτομένων κατέδυ πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν:

  ἐπ᾽ οὐδενὶ κακῷ τῶν πέλας, ὥσπερ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἐπὶ κακῷ τῶν μνηστήρων ἧκε τοιοῦτος, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ζητῶν ἂν ἄρα τι δύνηται λαθὼν ἀγαθὸν ἐργάσασθαι: τί δὴ κινεῖτε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἢ τί προκαλεῖσθε δύσκολόν τινα καὶ ἄγριον ὑμῖν φανούμενον δημηγόρον; οὐ γὰρ ὑμῶν παρεσκεύασται τὰ ὦτα δέξασθαι τραχεῖς τε καὶ στερεοὺς λόγους: ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἀσθενεῖς ὁπλαὶ κτηνῶν τῶν ἐν μαλακοῖς τε καὶ λείοις τραφέντων χωρίοις, ὁμοίως ὦτα τρυφερὰ ἐν κολακείᾳ τραφέντα καὶ λόγοις ψευδέσι.

  [15] But if a man, having seen how much there is that is dreadful and hateful in the world, and that everywhere are countless enemies, both public and private, with whom wantonness and deceit hold sway,

  Subdues his body with injurious blows,

  Casts round his shoulders sorry rags, in guise

  A slave, steals into the wide-wayed town of those

  Who hold debauch,

  meaning no harm to his neighbours — such as Odysseus meant to the suitors when he came in that guise — but on the contrary seeking if perchance he may unobtrusively do them some good — if, I say, such a man comes among you, why do you stir him up, or why do you call upon one who will appear to you to be a churlish and savage person as a speaker? For your ears have not been prepared for the reception of harsh and stubborn words; nay, as the hooves of cattle are tender when they are reared in soft, smooth country, so men’s ears are dainty when reared in the midst of flattery and lying speech.

  [16] τί οὖν προθυμεῖσθε ἀκούειν ὧν οὐκ ἀνέξεσθε; ἀλλὰ μὴν τοιοῦτον πεπόνθατε οἷον Αἴσωπος ἔφη τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς παθεῖν, ἐπειδὴ ἑαυτοὺς μὲν ἐνόμιζον πλείστου εἶναι ἀξίους, τὸ στόμα δὲ ἑώρων ἀπολαῦον τῶν τε ἄλλων καὶ δὴ τοῦ μέλιτος ἡδίστου ὄντος. οὐκοῦν ἠγανάκτουν τε καὶ ἐμέμφοντο τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ. ἐπεὶ δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐνῆκε τοῦ μέλιτος, [p. 302] οἱ δὲ ἐδάκνοντό τε καὶ ἐδάκρυον καὶ δριμὺ καὶ ἀηδὲς αὐτὸ ἡγοῦντο. μὴ οὖν καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπιζητεῖτε γεύσασθαι τῶν ἐκ φιλοσοφίας λόγων, ὥσπερ ὀφθαλμοὶ μέλιτος: ἔπειτα οἶμαι καὶ δακνόμενοι δυσχερανεῖτε καὶ φήσετε ἴσως οὐδαμῶς φιλοσοφίαν εἶναι τὸ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ λοιδορίαν καὶ βλάβην.

  [16] Why, then, are you eager to hear what you will not endure? Something must have happened to you like what Aesop says happened to the eyes. They believed themselves to be the most important organs of the body, and yet they observed that it was the mouth that got the benefit of most things and in particular of honey, the sweetest thing of all. So they were angry and even found fault with their owner. But when he placed in them some of the honey, they smarted and wept and thought it a stinging, unpleasant substance. Therefore, do not you yourselves seek to taste the words that philosophy has to offer, as the eyes tasted honey; if you do, methinks, not only will you be vexed when they cause a smart, but perhaps you will even say that such a thing cannot possibly be philosophy, but rather abuse and mischief.

  [17] ἡγεῖσθε μὲν γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες, εὐδαίμονας ἑαυτοὺς καὶ μακαρίους, ἐπειδὴ πόλιν τε μεγάλην οἰκεῖτε καὶ χώραν ἀγαθὴν νέμεσθε καὶ πλεῖστα δὴ καὶ ἀφθονώτατα παρ᾽ αὑτοῖς ὁρᾶτε τὰ ἐπιτήδεια, καὶ ποταμὸς ὑμῖν οὗτος διὰ μέσης διαρρεῖ τῆς πόλεως, πρὸς τούτοις δὲ μητρόπολις ἡ Ταρσὸς τῶν κατὰ Κιλικίαν. ὁ δὲἈρχίλοχος, ὅν φημι τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι ἀρέσαι, περὶ στρατηγοῦ λέγων οὕτω φησίν:

  οὐ φιλέω μέγαν στρατηγὸν οὐδὲ διαπεπλιγμένον

  οὐδὲ βοστρύχοισι γαῦρον οὐδ᾽ ὑπεξυρημένον:

  ἀλλά μοι, φησίν, εἴη ῥαιβός, ἀσφαλῶς βεβηκὼς καὶ ἐπὶ κνήμαισιν

  [17] The fact is, my friends, that you consider yourselves fortunate and blessed because your home is in a great city and you occupy a fertile land, because you find the needs of life supplied for you in greatest abundance and profusion, because you have this river flowing through the heart of your city, and because, moreover, Tarsus is the capital of all the people of Cilicia. But Archilochus, who, as I have said, found favour in the eyes of Apollo, in speaking of a general thus expresses his opinion:

  A general who is tall doth please me not,

  Who walks with legs apart, delights in curls,

  And shaves the hair that grows upon his calves.

  ‘Nay,’ says he, ‘let me rather have one who is bandy-legged, stands firmly, and has hairy shins.’

  [18] δασύς. μὴ οὖν αὐτὸν οἴεσθε στρατηγὸν μὲν μὴ ἀγαπᾶν οἷον εἴρηκε, μηδ᾽ ἐν σώματος μεγέθει καὶ κόμῃ τίθεσθαι τὸ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ ὄφελος, πόλιν δ᾽ ἂν ἐπαινέσαι ποτὲ εἰς ταῦτα ὁρῶντα, ποταμοὺς καὶ βαλανεῖα καὶ κρήνας καὶ στοὰς καὶ πλῆθος οἰκιῶν καὶ μέγεθος: κόμῃ γὰρ ἀτεχνῶς καὶ βοστρύχοις ταῦτα ἔοικεν: ἀλλ̓ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ μᾶλλον ἂν τούτων προκρῖναι σμικράν τε καὶ ὀλίγην σωφρόνως οἰκουμένην κἂν ἐπὶ πέτρας.

  [18] Therefore you must not think that if Archilochus had no love for the sort of general he has described and did not gauge the value of a general by his height or hair, he would ever have praised a city because he found in it such things as rivers and baths and fountains and porticoes and a multitude of houses and a wide extent of space, for such things are simply like hair and ringlets on a man; to me at least it appears that in place of these things he would have preferred a city that is both small and weak, even if perched upon a rock, provided it is wisely managed.

  [19] ἀλλὰ Ἀρχίλοχος μὲν οὕτως εἶπεν, Ὅμηρος δὲ πῶς; οὐχ ὁ μὲν Ὀδυσσεὺς νησιώτης ἦν οὐδὲ τῶν συμμέτρων νήσων: πόθεν; οὐδὲ τῶν ἐγκάρπων, ἀλλ᾽ ἣν μόνον ἐπαινέσαι θέλων αἰγίβοτον εἴρηκεν. ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως φησὶ τῇ τούτουβουλῇ τε καὶ γνώμῃ καὶ τὴν Τροίαν αἱρεθῆναι, τηλικαύτην πόλιν καὶ τοσούτων ἄρχουσαν,

  ὅσσον Λέσβος ἄνω μακάρων ἕδος ἐντὸς ἐέργει.

  καὶ Φρυγίη καθύπερθε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντος ἀπείρων:


  [19] Well, there you have what Archilochus has to say, but how about Homer? Did not Odysseus come from an island, and not even from one of medium size — of course not — nor yet from a fertile one, but rather from one of which the poet could only say by way of praise that it ‘pastured goats’? But still Homer says that it was by that man’s counsel and judgement that even Troy was taken, a city that was so great, and held sway over so many peoples,

  Seaward as far as Lesbos, the abode

  Of gods, and, landward, Phrygia and the stream

  Of boundless Hellespont;

  a city which he declares all men call ‘rich-in-gold, rich-in-copper’.

  [20] ἣν πάντας φησὶ μυθεῖσθαι πολύχρυσον, πολύχαλκον. μή τι οὖνὤνησεν αὐτοὺς ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τὸ μέγεθος ἢ τῶν ὑπηκόων ἢ τῶν [p. 303] συμμάχων τὸ πλῆθος ἢ τῶν πεδίων ἢ τῆς Ἴδης τὸ κάλλος ἢ τοῦ Σιμόεντος ἢ τοῦ Ξάνθου τοῦ δινήεντος, ὃν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς. καίτοι φησὶ καὶ πηγάς τινας πάνυ καλὰς ἐν τῷ προαστείῳ, τὴν μὲν ἀλεεινὴν καὶ σφόδρα προσηνοῦς ὕδατος, ὥστε καὶ καπνὸν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς ἐγείρεσθαι, τὴν δ᾽ ἐοικυῖαν τῇ ψυχρότητι κρυστάλλῳ τοῦ θέρους, ὥστε καὶ θέρους καὶ χειμῶνος μὴ δυσχερῶς πλύνειν τὰς καλὰς Τρώων θυγατέρας.

  [20] Did Troy receive any benefit from either the magnitude of its wealth, or the number of its subjects or allies, or the beauty of its fields, or of Mt. Ida or Simoïs or ‘eddying Xanthus’,