Delphi Complete Works of Dio Chrysostom

by Dio Chrysostom

  [15] And what is more, the courts are in session every other year in Celaenae, and they bring together an unnumbered throng of people — litigants, jurymen, orators, princes, attendants, slaves, pimps, muleteers, hucksters, harlots, and artisans. Consequently not only can those who have goods to sell obtain the highest prices, but also nothing in the city is out of work, neither the teams nor the houses nor the women.

  [16] ὅπου γὰρ ἂν πλεῖστος ὄχλος ἀνθρώπων ξυνίῃ, πλεῖστονἀργύριον ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐκεῖ γίγνεται, καὶ τὸν τόπον εἰκὸς εὐθηνεῖν: ὥσπερ οἶμαί φασι τὴν χώραν, οὗ ἂν πρόβατα πλεῖστα αὐλισθῇ, κρατίστην γίγνεσθαι τοῖς γεωργοῖς διὰ τὴν κόπρον, καὶ πολλοὶ δέονται τῶν ποιμένων παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς αὐλίζειν τὰ πρόβατα.

  [16] And this contributes not a little to prosperity; for wherever the greatest throng of people comes together, there necessarily we find money in greatest abundance, and it stands to reason that the place should thrive. For example, it is said, I believe, that the district in which the most flocks are quartered proves to be the best for the farmer because of the dung, and indeed many farmers entreat the shepherds to quarter their sheep on their land.

  [17] τοιγαροῦν μέγιστον νομίζεται πρὸς ἰσχὺν πόλεως τὸ τῶν δικῶνκαὶ πάντες ἐσπουδάκασιν ὑπὲρ οὐδενὸς οὕτω. μέτεστι δὲ αὐτοῦ ταῖς πρώταις πόλεσιν ἐν μέρει παρ᾽ ἔτος. φασὶ δὲ νῦν ἔσεσθαι διὰ πλείονος χρόνου. τοὺς γὰρ ἀνθρώπους οὐχ ὑπομένειν ξυνεχῶς ἐλαύνεσθαι πανταχοῦ. καὶ μὴν τῶν ἱερῶν τῆς Ἀσίας μέτεστιν ὑμῖν τῆς τε δαπάνης τοσοῦτον ὅσον ἐκείναις ταῖς πόλεσιν,ἐν αἷς ἐστι τὰ ἱερά. οὔκουν ἔγωγε ταύτης εὐποτμοτέραν ἐπίσταμαι πόλιν οὐδὲ ἀνθρώπους ἄμεινον ζῶντας, χωρὶς Ἰνδῶν.

  [17] So it is, you see, that the business of the courts is deemed of highest importance toward a city’s strength and all men are interested in that as in nothing else. And the foremost cities share this business each in its turn in alternate years. However, it is said that now the interval is going to be longer, for they claim that the people resent being constantly driven here and there. Yes, you share also in the sanctuaries of Asia and in the expenditures they entail, quite as much as do these cities in which with the sanctuaries are.

  Accordingly I know of no city that is more favoured by fortune than Celaenae and no people that leads a better existence — save only the people of India.

  [18] ἐκεῖ γάρ, ὥς φασι, ποταμοὶ ῥέουσιν οὐχ ὥσπερ παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ὕδατος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν γάλακτος, ὁ δὲ οἴνου διαυγοῦς, ἄλλος δὲ μέλιτος, ἄλλος δὲ ἐλαίου. ῥέουσι δ᾽ ἐγγύθεν ἐκ λόφων, ὥσπερ ἐκ μαστῶντῆς γῆς. πάντα δὲ ταῦτα τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἄπειρον διαφέρει πρός τε ἡδονὴν καὶ δύναμιν. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐνθάδε γλίσχρως καὶ μόλις ἀπὸ ζῴων τινῶν καὶ φυτῶν συλλέγομεν, καρποὺς ξύλων βρίζοντες καὶ τροφὴν ζῴων βδάλλοντες καὶ βλίττοντες, τὰ δὲ ἐκεῖ τῷ παντὶ καθαρώτερα, χωρὶς οἶμαι βίας καὶ πανουργίας. οἱ δὲ ποταμοὶ ῥέουσινἕνα μῆνα τῷ βασιλεῖ, καὶ φόρος οὗτός ἐστιν αὐτῷ, τὸν δὲ λοιπὸν χρόνον τοῖς δημόταις.

  [18] For in India, according to the report, there are rivers, not of water as in your land, but one of milk, one of translucent wine, another of honey, and another of olive oil. And these streams spring from hills near by, as if from the breasts of Mother Earth. And also these products are immeasurably superior to those we have both in flavour and in potency. For what we have in our country we gather in scanty measure and with difficulty from certain animals and plants, crushing the fruits of trees and plants and extracting the food of living creatures by milking and by robbing the hive; while the products of India are altogether purer, untainted, methinks, by violence and ruthlessness. Moreover, the rivers flow during one month for the king, and that constitutes his tribute, while for the rest of the year they flow for the people.

  [19] ξυνίασιν οὖν καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν μετὰ παίδων καὶ γυναικῶν εἴς τε τὰς πηγὰς καὶ πρὸς τὰ ῥεύματα τῶν ποταμῶν παίζοντες καὶ γελῶντες, ὡς ἂν ἐπ᾽ εὐωχίαν. φύεται δὲ παρὰ ταῖς ὄχθαις ὅ τε λωτὸς ἰσχυρὸς καὶ σχεδὸν ἁπάντων σιτίωνἥδιστος, οὐχ ὥσπερ ὁ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν τετράποσι τροφή, καὶ πολλὰ [p. 337] σήσαμα καὶ σέλινα, ὡς ἂν εἰκάσειέ τις ἐκ τῆς ὁμοιότητος: τὴν δὲ ἀρετὴν οὐκ ἄξιον συμβάλλειν. γίγνεται δὲ αὐτόθι ἕτερον σπέρμα, τῶν πυρῶν καὶ τῶν κριθῶν ἀμείνων τροφὴ καὶ μᾶλλον ξυμφέρουσα. φύεται δὲ ἐν κάλυξι μεγάλαις, οἷον ῥόδων, εὐοσμοτέραις δὲ καὶ μείζοσιν. ταύτας τὰς ῥίζας καὶ τὸν καρπὸν ἐσθίουσιν, οὐδὲν πονήσαντες.

  [19] So every day the Indians assemble with their children and their wives at the springs and river-banks, sporting and laughing as if in expectation of a feast. And by the banks there grows the lotus — a sturdy plant and, one might say, the sweetest of all foods, not, as the lotus in our land, mere fodder for quadrupeds — and also much sesame and parsley, at least as one might judge from the outward similarity of those plants, although for quality they are not to be compared. And that country produces also another seed, a better food than wheat and barley and more wholesome. And it grows in huge calyxes, like those of roses but more fragrant and larger. This plant they eat, both root and fruit, at no expense of labour.

  [20] εἰσὶ δὲ ὀχετοὶ πολλοὶ ῥέοντες ἐκ τῶν ναμάτων, οἱ μὲν μείζους, οἱ δὲ ἐλάττους, ξυμμιγνύντες ἀλλήλοις, τῶν ἀνθρώπων πεποιηκότων, ὅπως ἂν αὐτοῖς δοκῇ. μετοχετεύουσι δὲ ῥᾳδίως, ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς τὸ ἐν τοῖς κήποις ὕδωρ. ἔστι δὲ καὶ λουτρὰ πλησίον αὐτοῖς ὕδατος, τὸ μὲν θερμὸν λευκότερον ἀργύρου, τὸ δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ βάθους καὶ τῆς ψυχρότητος κυανοῦν. ἐνταῦθα νήχονται γυναῖκες ἅμα καὶ παῖδες, καλοὶ πάντες. ἔπειτα οἶμαι κατακλινέντες ἐν τοῖς λειμῶσιν ᾄδουσι καὶ μινυρίζουσιν.

  [20] And there are many canals which issue from the rivers, some large and some small, mingling with one another and made by man to suit his fancy. And by their aid the Indians convey with ease the fluids I have named, just as we convey the water of our gardens. And there are baths also close by at their disposal, the water of which in the one case is warm and whiter than silver and in the other it is blue from its depth and coldness. In these they swim, women and children together, all of them beautiful. And after the bath, I dare say, reclining in the meadows they sing and hum.

  [21] εἰσὶ δὲ λειμῶνες αὐτόθι πάγκαλοι καὶ φύσις ἀνθῶν τε καὶ δένδρων παρεχόντων τὴν μὲν σκιὰν ἄνωθεν ἐξ ὕψους, τὸν δὲ καρπὸν ἐν ἐφικτῷ τοῖς βουλ�
�μένοις λαβεῖν νευόντων τῶν κλάδων. οἵ τε ὄρνιθες κατᾴδουσιν, οἱ μὲν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν συγκαθήμενοι, πολύ τι πλῆθος, οἱ δὲ ἄνωθεν ἀπὸ ἀκρεμόνων, εὐφωνότεροι τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ὀργάνων. πνεῦμά τε ἀεὶ μέτριον διαρρεῖ, καὶ τῶν ἀέρων ἡ κρᾶσις ὁμοία διὰ παντός, μάλιστα δὲ ἔοικεν ἀρχομένῳ θέρει. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὅ τε οὐρανὸς ἐκεῖ καθαρώτερος καὶ τὰ ἄστρα πλείω καὶ λαμπρότερα. ζῶσι δὲ πλεῖον τετρακοσίων ἐτῶν, πάντα τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον ὡραῖοι καὶ νέοι καὶ οὔτε γῆράς ἐστι παρ᾽ ἐκείνοις οὔτε νόσος οὔτε πενία.

  [21] And there are in that land meadows of utter beauty and a variety of flowering trees that provide shade from high above, though they bring their fruit within reach of all who wish to pluck it as the branches nod. And the birds charm them by their song, some seated in the meadows, a great flock of them, and some high up among the topmost branches, their notes more tuneful than those of our musical instruments. And a gentle breeze is ever blowing, and the climate is nearly constant throughout the year, and it resembles most closely that of early summer. And what is more, not only is their sky clearer, but also the stars are more numerous and more brilliant. And these people live more than four hundred years, and during all that time they are beautiful and youthful and neither old age nor disease nor poverty is found among them.

  [22] τούτων δὲ τοιούτων ὄντων καὶ τοσούτων ὑπαρχόντων ἀγαθῶν, ὅμως εἰσὶν ἄνθρωποι καλούμενοι Βραχμᾶνες, οἳ χαίρειν ἐάσαντες τούς τε ποταμοὺς ἐκείνους καὶ τοὺς παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἐρριμμένους ἐκτραπέντες ἰδίᾳ τε ξυλλογίζονται καὶ φροντίζουσι, πόνους τε θαυμαστοὺς ἀναλαβόμενοι τοῖς σώμασιν οὐδενὸς ἀναγκάζοντος καὶ καρτερήσεις δεινὰς ὑπομένοντες. φασὶ δὲ ἐξαίρετον αὐτοῖς εἶναι μίαν πηγὴν τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας, πολὺ πασῶν ἀρίστην καὶ θειοτάτην, ἧς οὐδέποτε τοὺς γευσαμένους ἐμπίμπλασθαι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖθεν [p. 338] λόγος ἐστὶν ἀψευδής. ἤδη γάρ τινες τῶν ἀφικνουμένων ἔφασαν: ἀφικνοῦνται δὲ οὐ πολλοί τινες ἐμπορίας ἕνεκεν: οὗτοι δὲ ἐπιμίγνυνται τοῖς πρὸς θαλάττῃ. τοῦτο δὲ ἄτιμόν ἐστιν Ἰνδῶν τὸ γένος,

  [22] So wonderful and so numerous are these blessings, and yet there are people called Brachmanes who, abandoning those rivers and the people scattered along their banks, turn aside and devote themselves to private speculation and meditation, undertaking amazing physical labours without compulsion and enduring fearful tests of endurance. And it is said that they have one special fountain, the Fountain of Truth, by far the best and most godlike of all, and that those who drink their fill thereof have never been known to lie. Regarding conditions in that land, then, it is a true story that you have heard. For some of those who have been there have vouched for it; though only a few do go there, in pursuit of trade, and they mingle only with the people of the coast.

  [23] οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι φεύγουσιν αὐτούς. τούτους ἀνάγκη ὁμολογεῖν ὑμῶν εὐδαιμονεστέρους, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ὑμᾶς, πλὴν ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπων ἔτιγένους, τῶν πολυχρυσοτάτων. τὸ δὲ χρυσίον λαμβάνουσι παρὰ μυρμήκων. οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν ἀλωπέκων μείζονες, τἄλλα δὲ ὅμοιοι τοῖς παρ᾽ ἡμῖν. ὀρύττουσι δὲ κατὰ γῆς, ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ μύρμηκες. ὁ δὲ χοῦς αὐτοῖς ἐστι χρυσίον καθαρώτατον πάντων χρυσίων καὶ στιλπνότατον. εἰσὶν οὖν πλησίον ἐφεξῆς, ὥσπερ κολωνοὶ τοῦψήγματος, καὶ τὸ πεδίον ἅπαν ἀστράπτει. χαλεπὸν οὖν ἰδεῖν ἐστι πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐπιχειρούντων ἰδεῖν τὰς ὄψεις διεφθάρησαν.

  [23] And that branch of the Indian race is in low repute, and all the others say harsh things of them.

  It must be admitted that the people of India are more fortunate than you are, but that you are more fortunate than all the others — with the exception of just one more race of mortals, namely, those most rich in gold. And their gold is obtained from ants. These ants are larger than foxes, though in other respects similar to the ants we have. And they burrow in the earth, just as do all other ants. And that which is thrown out by their burrowing is gold, the purest of all gold and the most resplendent. Now there are close to one another a series of what might be called hills of gold dust, and the whole plain is agleam. Therefore it is difficult to look thereon in the sunlight, and many of those who have made the attempt have lost their sight.

  [24] οἱ δὲ προσοικοῦντες ἄνθρωποι τὴν μεταξὺ χώραν διελθόντες ἔρημον οὖσαν οὐ πολλὴν ἐφ᾽ ἁρμάτων, ὑποζεύξαντες ἵππους ταχίστους, ἀφικνοῦνται τῆς μεσημβρίας, ἡνίκα δεδύκασικατὰ γῆς: ἔπειτα φεύγουσι τὸν χοῦν ἁρπάσαντες. οἱ δὲ αἰσθανόμενοι διώκουσι καὶ μάχονται καταλαβόντες, ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνωσιν ἢ ἀποκτείνωσιν: ἀλκιμώτατοι γάρ εἰσι θηρίων ἁπάντων. ὥστε οὗτοί γε ἐπίστανται τὸ χρυσίον ὁπόσου ἐστὶν ἄξιον, καὶ οὐδὲ προΐενται πρότερον ἢ ἀποθανεῖν.

  [24] But the people who live near that land, having traversed the intervening territory (desert land of no great extent) in chariots drawn by horses of greatest speed, arrive at midday, at which time the ants have gone underground; and then these men seize the gold that has been cast forth and flee. And the ants, becoming aware of what has happened, give chase, and, having overtaken their quarry, fight until they either meet their death or kill the foe — for they are the most valiant of all creatures. And so these at any rate know what their gold is worth, and they even die sooner than give it up.

  [25] φέρε δή, τίνας ἄλλους τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶσεὐδαίμονας ἀκούομεν; Βυζαντίους, χώραν τε ἀρίστην νεμομένους καὶ θάλατταν εὐκαρποτάτην. τῆς δὲ γῆς ἠμελήκασι διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς θαλάττης. ἡ μὲν γὰρ διὰ μακροῦ φέρει τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῖς καὶ δεῖ λαβεῖν ἐργασαμένους, ἡ δὲ αὐτόθεν μηδὲν πονήσασιν.

  [25] Well then, what other people among the nations of our time are said to be fortunate? The people of Byzantium, who enjoy a most fertile land and a sea abounding in fruits. But they have neglected the land because of the excellence of the sea. For whereas the land produces its fruits for them only after a long interval of time and toil is required to secure them, the sea yields up its treasures at once without any labour on their part.

  THE THIRTY-SIXTH, OR BORYSTHENITIC, DISCOURSE WHICH DIO DELIVERED IN HIS NATIVE LAND

  ΒΟΡΥΣΘΕΝΙΤΙΚΟΣ ΟΝ ΑΝΕΓΝΩ ΕΝ ΤΗΙ ΠΑΤΡΙΔΙ.

  THE THIRTY-SIXTH, OR BORYSTHENITIC, DISCOURSE WHICH DIO DELIVERED IN HIS NATIVE LAND

  In this Discourse Dio recounts for the benefit of his fellow-townsmen a conversation which took place between himself and certain citizens of Borysthenes in Pontus. Bo
rysthenes was an ancient Greek trading-centre near the mouth of the Hypanis (Bug), and Dio states that he had gone there in the hope of pushing into the interior for the purpose of visiting the Getae, whose culture he was to describe in Τὰ Γετικά, a work no longer extant.

  Arnim holds that Dio was in Borysthenes in A.D. 95 and suggests that his failure to reach the land of the Getae at that time may have been due to trouble between Rome and Dacia. It is plain that he had met with disappointment and that people knew of his purpose to leave Borysthenes by ship. If Arnim’s date is correct, his destination could hardly have Prusa — despite the word οἴκαδε used by Hieroson in section 25 — for in A.D. 95 he was still an exile. However, he seems to have been at home as early as A.D. 97, and Arnim supplies arguments in favour of A.D. 101 as the year in which he made this report to the people of Prusa.

  The narrative opens in leisurely manner and with a natural charm somewhat reminiscent of the opening of Plato’s Phaedrus, to which, indeed, Dio may have owed also some of the ideas to which he gives expression, although for the most part he seems to be employing Stoic doctrine. In the course of his account he introduces a myth which he ascribes to the Zoroastrian lore of the Magi. That myth is responsible for not a little of the fame enjoyed by this Discourse. Dio, like Plato, was fond of myths and used them to good advantage. Some of them at least are believed to have been his own invention; what shall we say of this one?

  It would not be surprising if the Greek world of that day had some acquaintance with Zoroastrianism. The name Zoroaster occurs in Greek as early as the pseudo-Platonic Alcibiades, and Herodotus, Xenophon, Strabo, and other Greeks who antedate Dio have not a little to tell of the Magi, some of the information being demonstrably authentic. Hirzel (Der Dialog) is of the opinion that, whatever may be true of other myths in Dio, this one at least emanates from Zoroastrian sources, and Jackson (Zoroastrian Studies) shares that belief, though admitting that ‘the conception may have received some Greek colouring in its transmission.’ Whatever Dio’s indebtedness to the Magi, resemblances between their extant records and this myth are so slight as to warrant the belief that in its present form it is Dio’s own creation, in the formation of which he may have drawn upon more than one source of inspiration, among which it seems safe to suggest the Phaedrus and the Timaeus of Plato, as well as familiar Stoic concepts on related subjects.