Delphi Complete Works of Dio Chrysostom

by Dio Chrysostom

  Dio. Very good; I tell you that the whole misconception connected with the myth is the matter of the Centaur’s attempt to violate Deïaneira.

  Int. What, did he not attempt it?

  [3] — Δ. Οὔ. ἢ σοὶ δοκεῖ πιθανὸν εἶναι, ἐν ὄψει Ἡρακλέους τόξα ἔχοντος καὶ πεπειραμένον αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρετῆς πρότερον, ἡνίκα μόνος τῶν Κενταύρων αὐτὸς διέφυγε παρὰ τοῦ Φόλου μηδὲν ἐκείνων τοιοῦτον ἀδικησάντων αὐτόν, ἐπιχειρεῖν συγγενέσθαι αὐτοῦ τῇ γυναικί; — Ἔχει μέν τινα ἀπορίαν τὸ τοιοῦτο: ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῦτο κινοῦντες καθόλου τὸν μῦθον ἀναιρῶμεν. — Δ. Οὐδαμῶς, ἄνπερ λογιζώμεθα ὡς ἐγένετο καὶ εἰκὸς ἦν γενέσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα. — Οὕτω

  [3] Dio. No. Or does it seem to you plausible that in full view of Heracles, who was carrying his bow, and after having previously had experience of Heracles’ valour — the time when he alone of the Centaurs escaped from the cave of Pholus, though they had done no such injury as that to Heracles — Nessus should attempt to violate the hero’s wife?

  Int. Yes, there is a certain difficulty in a matter of that sort; however, if we raise this question, perhaps we may destroy the myth altogether.

  Dio. By no means, provided we consider first how the affair occurred, and how it was likely to have occurred.

  Int. Very good; I wish you would tell me.

  [4] δὴ λέγοις. — Δ. Ὁ Νέσσος τὴν Δηιάνειραν εὐθὺς διακομίζων καὶ ἐν τῷ περᾶν ἐπεχείρει διαφθείρειν τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον, οὐχ ὅν φασι βιαζόμενος, ἀλλὰ λόγους ἐπιτηδείους λέγων πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ διδάσκων ὅπως κρατήσει τοῦ Ἡρακλέους, λέγων ὅτι νῦν μὲν ἄγριός ἐστι καὶ χαλεπὸς καὶ ὀλίγον τινὰ χρόνον αὐτῇ συνέσται καὶ τοῦτον δυσκόλως διὰ τοὺς ἄθλους καὶ τὰς ἀποδημίας καὶ τὸν βίον, ὃν προῄρηται. ἐὰν δ̓, ἔφη, σὺ πείσῃς αὐτὸν τὰ μὲν θεραπείᾳ, τὰ δὲ λόγοις, τῆς μὲν ταλαιπωρίας ταύτης καὶ τῶν πόνων ἐπανεῖναι, ζῆν δὲ ῥᾳθύμως καὶ ἡδέως, σοί τε πολὺ πρᾳότερος ἔσται καὶ ἄμεινον βιώσεται καί σοι τὸν λοιπὸν ἤδη συνέσται χρόνον οἴκοι μένων.

  [4] Dio. Nessus attempted to corrupt Deïaneira the moment he began to carry her across the stream, as well as in the crossing, as I shall explain — not through violence, as men say, but by speaking to her words suited to his purpose and showing how she might obtain mastery over Heracles, saying: “Now he is fierce and stern and will stay with you only a short while, and that too in fretful temper, because of his labours and his expeditions abroad and the life he has chosen. But if,” said he, “you win him over, partly by solicitude for his welfare and partly by argument, urging him to give up this life of hardship and his labours and to live a life of ease and pleasure, he will not only be far kinder toward you, but will also live a better life and remain at home and keep you company from then on.”

  [5] ταῦτα δὲ διελέγετο ὁ Κένταυρος ἐπιβουλεύων τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ, εἴ πως δύναιτο αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τρυφὴν ἀγαγεῖν καὶ ῥᾳθυμίαν: ᾔδει γὰρ ὅτι ἅμα τῷ μεταβαλεῖν τὸν βίον καὶ τὴν ἄσκησιν εὐχείρωτος ἔσται καὶ ἀσθενής. ἡ δὲ Δηιάνειρα ἀκούουσα οὐ παρέργως τοῖς λόγοις προσεῖχεν, ἀλλὰ ἐνεθυμεῖτο ὡς ὀρθῶς λέγοι ὁ Κένταυρος, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς ἦν βουλομένην τὸν ἄνδρα ὑφ̓ ἑαυτῇ ἔχειν. ὁ δὲ Ἡρακλῆς ὑπονοήσας μηδὲν ὑγιὲς τὸν Κένταυρον λέγειν ἐκ τοῦ διαλέγεσθαι πρὸς τὴν Δηιάνειραν ἐπιμελῶς καὶ ὅτι ἐκείνη προσεῖχεν αὐτῷ,

  [5] Now the Centaur went into these details with designs on Heracles, in the hope that he might somehow turn him in the direction of indulgence and indolence, for he knew that as soon as he changed his mode of living and his occupation he would be easy to manage and weak. But Deïaneira, as she heard him, paid no casual attention to his words, but rather considered that the Centaur was correct in what he said, as indeed might have been expected, since she wished to have her husband under her control. Heracles, on the other hand, suspecting that the Centaur was saying nothing honourable, judging from the earnestness with which he was talking to Deïaneira, and because she gave him her attention, therefore shot him with his bow.

  [6] οὕτως δὴ ἐτόξευσεν αὐτόν. ὁ δὲ ἀποθνῄσκων οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐκέλευσε τὴν Δηιάνειραν ἀναμνησθῆναι ὧν εἶπε καὶ ποιεῖν ὡς αὐτὸς παρῄνεσεν. [p. 136] ὕστερον δὲ ἡ Δηιάνειρα μεμνημένη τῶν λόγων τοῦ Κενταύρου καὶ ἅμα τοῦ Ἡρακλέους οὐδὲν ἀνιέντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ μακροτέραν ἀποδημίαν ἀποδημήσαντος, τὴν τελευταίαν ὅτε ἐξεῖλε τὴν Οἰχαλίαν, καὶ λεγομένου δὴ ὡς ἐρασθείη τῆς Ἰόλης, ἡγησαμένη βέλτιον εἶναι

  [6] But, though dying, nevertheless the Centaur bade Deïaneira to remember what he had said and to act as he had advised.

  Later on, when Deïaneira recalled the words of the Centaur, and when also Heracles did not relax at all but made an even lengthier journey away from home — his final journey, during which he captured Oechalia — and when in fact he was reported to have become enamoured of Iolê, thinking it better that what the Centaur had advised should be accomplished, she set to work upon Heracles and —

  [7] ἃ παρῄνεσεν ἀνύεσθαι, ἐπιτίθεται αὐτῷ καὶ, οἷον δὴ πέφυκε τὸ τῶν γυναικῶν αἱμύλον καὶ πανοῦργον, οὐ πρότερον ἀνῆκε πρὶν ἢ ἔπεισεν αὐτὸν τὰ μὲν παραμυθουμένη καὶ φάσκουσα ἐκείνου κήδεσθαι ὅπως μὴ κακοπαθῇ γυμνὸς τοῦ χειμῶνος καὶ τοῦ θέρους ὁμοίως ὑπομένων ἐν τῷ δέρματι τοῦ λέοντος, τὸ μὲν δέρμα ἀποθέσθαι, στολὴν δὲ ἀναλαβεῖν ὁμοίαν τοῖς ἄλλοις. καὶ τοῦτο δὴ

  [7] such is the nature of female wile and cunning — she did not desist until, partly by coaxing and saying that she was anxious about him, lest he come to grief by persisting winter and summer alike in going unclothed, wearing only his lion’s skin, she at last persuaded him to doff the skin and put on dress like that of other men. And this, of course, was what is called the shirt of Deïaneira, which Heracles put on.

  [8] ἦν ὁ λεγόμενος τῆς Δηιανείρας χιτών, ὃν ἐνέδυ ὁ Ἡρακλῆς. ἅμα δὲ τῇ στολῇ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην δίαιταν ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν μεταβαλεῖν, ἐπί τε στρωμάτων καθεύδοντα καὶ μὴ θυραυλοῦντα τὰ πολλά, ὥσπερ εἰώθει πρότερον, μηδὲ αὐτουργοῦντα μηδὲ τροφῇ ὁμοίᾳ χρώμενον, ἀλλὰ σίτῳ τε ἐκπεπονημένῳ καὶ ὄψῳ καὶ οἴνῳ ἡδεῖ καὶ ὅσα δὴ τούτοις ἑπόμενά ἐστιν. ἐκ δὲ τῆς μεταβολῆς ταύτης, ὥσπερ ἦν οἶμαι ἀναγκαῖον, εἰς ἀσθένειαν καὶ μαλακίαν ἐμπεσὼν τοῦ σώματος καὶ ἡγησάμε
νος μηκέτ̓ εἶναι ῥᾴδιον ἁψάμενον τρυφῆς ἀποθέσθαι αὐτήν, οὕτως δὴ ἐνέπρησεν αὑτόν, ἅμα μὲν κρεῖττον οἰόμενος ἀπηλλάχθαι τοῦ τοιούτου βίου, ἅμα δὲ δυσχεραίνων, ὅτι ἠνέσχετο τρυφῆς ἅψασθαι. ἔχεις δὴ τὸν παῤ ἐμοῦ λόγον, ὁποῖον

  [8] But along with his dress, she made him change his mode of living in general, now sleeping on bedding and not camping in the open for the most part, as was his former custom, nor labouring with his own hands, nor using the same food as formerly, but rather eating grain most carefully prepared and fish and sweet wine and in fact whatever goes with these things. But as an outcome of this change, as was inevitable methinks, falling into weakness and flabbiness of body, and thinking that, having once adopted self-indulgence, it was no longer easy to lay it aside, he therefore set himself on fire, not only because he believed it better to be freed from such a life as that, but also because he was distressed that he had allowed himself to take up a life of luxury.

  So there you have my reasoning, such as I have been able to express it, regarding the myth.

  [9] ἐγὼ ἠδυνάμην ὑπὲρ τοῦ μύθου εἰπεῖν. — Καὶ μὰ τὸν Δία οὐδαμῶς φαῦλος οὐδὲ ἀπίθανος δοκεῖ μοι εἶναι. καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ὅπως δοκεῖ μοι προσεοικέναι τὸ τῶν φιλοσόφων ἐνίων περὶ τοὺς λόγους ἁμῃγέπῃ τῷ τῶν κοροπλάθων. καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τύπον τινὰ παρέχοντες, ὁποῖον ἂν πηλὸν εἰς τοῦτον ἐμβάλωσιν, ὅμοιον τῷ τύπῳ τὸ εἶδος ἀποτελοῦσιν: καὶ τῶν φιλοσόφων ἤδη τινὲς τοιοῦτοι γεγόνασιν, ὥστε ὁποῖον ἂν μῦθον ἢ λόγον λάβωσιν ἕλκοντες καὶ πλάττοντες κατὰ τὴν αὑτῶν διάνοιαν ὠφέλιμον καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ πρέποντα

  [9] Int. And, by Heaven, it seems to me not at all a bad one or unconvincing either. And somehow or other I have the feeling that the method of some philosophers in dealing with their arguments resembles in a way that of the makers of figurines. For those craftsmen produce a mould, and whatever clay they put into this they render like to the mould in form; and some of the philosophers ere now have proved like that, with the result that, whatever myth or story they take in hand, by tearing it to pieces and moulding it to suit their fancy they render it beneficial and suited to philosophy, the sort of philosopher in fact that Socrates in particular proved to be, as we are told.

  [10] ἀπέδειξαν: οἷον δὴ μάλιστα ἀκούομεν Σωκράτην γενέσθαι. ἐκεῖνος γὰρ εἰς ἅπαντας δὴ λόγους καὶ πάσας διατριβὰς καθίει, [p. 137] καὶ πρὸς ῥήτορας καὶ πρὸς σοφιστὰς καὶ πρὸς γεωμέτρας καὶ μουσικοὺς καὶ παιδοτρίβας καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους δημιουργούς, καὶ ἐν παλαίστραις καὶ ἐν συμποσίοις καὶ ἐν ἀγορᾶ οὐκ ἐκωλύετο ἐξ ἅπαντος τρόπου φιλοσοφεῖν καὶ προτρέπειν ἐπ̓ ἀρετὴν τοὺς συνόντας, οὐκ ἰδίαν εἰσφέρων ὑπόθεσιν οὐδὲ πρόβλημα ἐσκεμμένον, ἀλλ̓ ἀεὶ τῇ παρούσῃ χρώμενος καὶ ταύτην προσάγων πρὸς φιλοσοφίαν.

  [10] For Socrates indeed entered the lists in all kinds of arguments and all sorts of lectures — against orators, sophists, geometricians, musicians, athletic trainers, and all the other craftsmen — and, whether in palaestra or symposium or market-place, he was not prevented in any way at all from plying his calling as philosopher or from impelling toward virtue those who were with him, not by introducing any topic of his own or any preconceived problem, but rather by consistently employing the topic at hand and applying it to philosophy.

  THE SIXTY-FIRST DISCOURSE: CHRYSEÏS

  ΧΡΥΣΗΙΣ.

  THE SIXTY-FIRST DISCOURSE: CHRYSEÏS

  In this little dialogue it would seem that Dio had chosen for discussion the most unpromising of topics. Little as is known about Briseïs, Homer at least tells us that when Agamemnon’s messengers came to fetch her she followed them unwillingly, but Chryseïs, the involuntary cause of the quarrel out of which grew the Iliad, is restored to the arms of her father without giving the slightest clue to her emotions or desires. Apart from the epithet “fair-cheeked” which she shares with Briseïs, our only testimony regarding her personality is the tribute paid her by Agamemnon when he compares her with Clytemnestra to the disadvantage of the latter, a tribute, it may be, inspired as much by arrogant pride as by passion.

  So far as is known, none of the Greek playwrights found in her story material suitable for dramatic treatment; yet Dio here undertakes the task of endowing this lay figure with life. His partner in the discussion is not a colourless individual, as is often the case, merely providing the cues for further argumentation and meekly assenting to the conclusions reached, but a woman with a mind of her own, repeatedly raising logical objections and asking pertinent questions. Her final utterance shows that, despite the dexterity of Dio, she has some lingering doubts about the true character of Chryseïs. It is of course peculiarly fitting that in treating such a topic as Chryseïs the interlocutor should be a woman, but that Dio should have cast a woman for such a rôle is of itself noteworthy, and there is such an atmosphere of verisimilitude surrounding the dialogue as to suggest that it may actually have taken place.

  [1] Δ. Ἐπεὶ τυγχάνεις οὐ φαύλως ἐπαινοῦσα Ὅμηρον οὐδὲ ὥσπερ οἱ πολλοὶ πιστεύουσα τῇ δόξῃ προσποιῇ θαυμάζειν: ὃ δὲ δεινότατός ἐστιν, ᾔσθησαι τοῦ ποιητοῦ, τὴν περὶ τὰ πάθη τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐμπειρίαν: τἄλλα μὲν ἐάσωμεν, εἰ ἐθέλεις, τὰ νῦν, τὰ τῶν βασιλέων καὶ στρατηγῶν, περὶ δὲ μιᾶς γυναικὸς σκεψώμεθα τῶν αἰχμαλώτων, ὁποίαν τινὰ πεποίηκε τὴν θυγατέρα τοῦ ἱερέως, ἧς εὐθὺς ἐμνήσθη κατ̓ ἀρχὰς τῆς ποιήσεως. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἀγαμέμνων οὐ μόνον τὸ εἶδος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν τρόπον ἐπαινεῖν ἔοικε τῆς παιδίσκης. λέγει γὰρ ὡς οὐδὲν εἴη τὰς φρένας χείρων τῆς αὐτοῦ

  The Sixty-first Discourse: Chryseïs

  Dio. Since, as it happens, you praise Homer in no ordinary manner and you do not, like most persons, merely pretend to admire him, trusting to his reputation, but instead have discerned that quality in the poet in which he is most effective, his acquaintance with the passions of mankind, let us, if you please, pass by all else for the moment, the fortunes of kings and generals, and turn our attention to discover how the poet has depicted the daughter of the priest whom he has mentioned at the very beginning of his poem. For Agamemnon seems to praise not only the beauty but also the character of the young woman, for he says that she is in no wise inferior in mind to his own wife — clearly believing that Clytemnestra has intelligence.

  [2] γυναικός: δῆλον δὲ ὡς ἐκείνην οἰόμενος νοῦν ἔχειν. — Τί δὲ; οὐκ ἄλλως τοῦτο εἴρηκε διὰ τὸν ἔρωτα ἀπατώμενος; — Δ. Ἰδεῖν ἄξιον: καίτοι χαλεπώτατον πείθειν τοὺς ἐρῶντας. καὶ γὰρ ὑπονοοῦσιν οἱ πολλοὶ καὶ ὀργίζονται ῥᾳδίως, καὶ οὐδέποτέ φασιν ἀγαπᾶσθαι κατ̓ ἀξίαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐρωμένων, ἄλλως τε ὅταν ὦσι κρείττους τοσοῦτον καὶ συνόντες μετ̓ ἐξουσίας.
— Ταῦτα δέ φημι συμβαίνειν τοῖς φαύλοις ἐρασταῖς. — Δ. Εἴτε οὖν σπουδαῖος ἦν ὁ Ἀγαμέμνων, ὀρθῶς ἐγίγνωσκε περὶ αὐτῆς, εἴτε τοῖς πολλοῖς ὅμοιος, οὐ ῥᾴδιον φαύλην οὖσαν ἀρέσαι τὸν τοιοῦτον, ὥστε ἀγαθὴν ὑπολαβεῖν.

  [2] Interlocutor. What of it? Has he not said this thoughtlessly, beguiled by his infatuation?

  Dio. That is worth looking into; and yet it is very difficult to convince men who are in love, for most of them are suspicious and easily angered, and they never admit that they are loved as they deserve by their beloved, especially when they are so superior in station to the objects of their passion and associate with them by virtue of authority.

  Int. That kind of thing, in my opinion, happens with lovers of the low sort.

  Dio. Well then, if Agamemnon was of the superior kind, he was right in his appraisal of the girl; but if he was no better than most men, it is not easy for a woman of low degree to please a man like him to the point of taking her to be noble. Well now, let us examine also the other points.

  [3] φέρε δὴ καὶ τἄλλα ἴδωμεν. — Καὶ τίνα ἄλλην ἀπόδειξιν ἔχεις παρά γε Ὁμήρῳ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς γυναικός; οὐδὲν γοῦν πεποίηκεν αὐτὴν πράττουσαν ἢ λέγουσαν, ἀλλὰ σιγῇ τῷ πατρὶ διδομένην. [p. 138] — Δ. Τί γάρ; ἐκ τῶν γενομένων περὶ αὐτὴν οὐκ ἄν τις συμβάλοι τὴν διάνοιαν μὴ πάνυ ἁπλῶς μηδὲ εὐήθως σκοπῶν; — Ἴσως. — πότερον οὖν οἰώμεθα τὸν Χρύσην ἀκούσης τῆς θυγατρὸς εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἐλθεῖν μετὰ λύτρων ἅμα τὰ στέμματα κομίζοντα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἱκετεύειν καὶ τοὺς βασιλέας ἀφιέναι αὐτήν, ἢ τοὐναντίον ἐκείνης δεομένης τοῦ πατρός, εἴ τι