LUCIAN DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD

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LUCIAN DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD DIALOGUE 3 CHAROS AND MENNIPUS A quarrel between Charon and Menlppus for the ferriage. (In Ancient Greek history Charos was the one who sailed the dead to the underworld-The dead had to have an obolum for the fare) Charos. Pay me the ferriage, thou miscreant. Mennipus. Clamor, Charon, if that suits you best. Charos- Pay me the ferriage,! say, for which I ferried you over. Mennipus. You cannot receive anything from him that has nothing. Charos. But who is there, that has not an obolum? Mennipus. I know not whether there be another one ; but I have not. Charos. But I will certainly choke you, by Pluto, you rascal, if you do not pay me. Mennipus. And I, having struck you with my wand, will break your skull. Charos. Will you, then, have sailed such a voyage gratuitously? Mennipus. Let Mercury pay you for me, who has given me to you. Mercury. By Jupiter, I should be the gainer, if I should also pay the ferriage for the dead. Charos. I will not let you go. Mennipus. For this then, having drawn your boat ashore — remain here; but how can you receive what I have not? Charos. But did you not know that you ought to bring something ? Mennipus. I knew it; but I had nothing;— -what then ? Ought I on this account not to have died ? , Charos. Will you alone boast to have sailed the Styx gratuitously? Mennipus. Not gratuitously, most generous sir; for I both worked the pump, and took the oar, and alone of all the passengers wept not. Charos. These are nothing towards the ferriage. You ought to pay the obolum, for it is not just to be otherwise. Mennipus. Then restore me again to life. Charos. You say a fine thing: as I for that should be beaten with stripes by Eacus. Mennipus. Trouble me not then. Charos. Show -what you have in your scrip. Mennipus: Lupines, if you wish, and the food of Hecate. Charos. Whence, Mercury, did you bring us this Cynic ?-and what ridicule did he utter upon the voyage— deriding and ridiculing; all the passengers: and alone singing, while they were weeping. Mennipus: Do you not know, Charon, what a, man you have ferried over ? that he is entirely unrestrained, and cares for nobody :This is Menippus. Charos: But if I ever catch you again— Mennipus: If you catch me, most generous sir; but you cannot catch me the second time. DIALOGUE 4. CROESUS, PLUTO, MENIPPUS, MIDAS AND SARDANAPALUS Croesus: We cannot, Pluto, suffer this Cynic Menippus to dwell with us; Wherefore, either remove him hence, or we will retire to another place. Pluto: What hurt can he do to you, being dead with you? Croesus When we weep and mourn at the remembrance of those pleasures in the upper regions — Midas for his gold, Sardanapalus for his abundant luxury, and I for my treasures, he ridicules and insults us, by calling us slaves and base villains; and in fine he is troublesome. Pluto: Why do they say these things Menippus. Mennipus: They are all true, Pluto; for I hate them as being ignoble and abandoned: For whom it was not sufficient to have lived wickedly; but also, having died, they still remember, and dwell upon the things above. I rejoice, therefore, to vex them. Pluto: But you ought not; for they grieve at being deprived of no small possessions. Mennipus: Are you mad too, Pluto, being an approver of their complaints? Pluto: By no means; but I would not excite a sedition among: you. Mennipus: Be assured of this, ye worst of Lydians, Phrygians, and Assynarians, that I will never leave you; for wherever you go I will follow, vexing you, and singing, and. laughing. Croesus Are not this things an insult? Mennipus: No — but those things were an insult which you practiced, seeking to be worshipped, and abusing free people, and being entirely unmindful of death; wherefore wail, having; lost all these things. Croesus: I have lost — O Heaven ! many rich possessions. Midas: And I how much gold ! Sardanapalus: And I how much luxury ! Mennipus: Very we!! — do thus — grieve on; but I continually chaunting - Know thyself, will make it my sang to you; for it becomes me to sing to such lamentations.

LUCIAN
DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD

DIALOGUE 3
CHAROS AND MENNIPUS

A quarrel between Charon and Menlppus for the ferriage. (In Ancient Greek history Charos was the one who sailed the dead to the underworld-The dead had to have an obolum for the fare)

Charos. Pay me the ferriage, thou miscreant.
Mennipus. Clamor, Charon, if that suits you best.
Charos- Pay me the ferriage,! say, for which I ferried you over.
Mennipus. You cannot receive anything from him that has nothing.
Charos. But who is there, that has not an obolum?
Mennipus. I know not whether there be another one ; but I have not.
Charos. But I will certainly choke you, by Pluto, you rascal, if you do not pay me.
Mennipus. And I, having struck you with my wand, will break your skull.
Charos. Will you, then, have sailed such a voyage gratuitously?
Mennipus. Let Mercury pay you for me, who has given me to you. Mercury. By Jupiter, I should be the gainer, if I should also pay the ferriage for the dead.
Charos. I will not let you go.
Mennipus. For this then, having drawn your boat ashore — remain here; but how can you receive what I have not?
Charos. But did you not know that you ought to bring something ?
Mennipus. I knew it; but I had nothing;— -what then ? Ought I on this account not to have died ? ,
Charos. Will you alone boast to have sailed the Styx gratuitously?
Mennipus. Not gratuitously, most generous sir; for I both worked the pump, and took the oar, and alone of all the passengers wept not.
Charos. These are nothing towards the ferriage. You ought to pay the obolum, for it is not just to be otherwise.
Mennipus. Then restore me again to life.
Charos. You say a fine thing: as I for that should be beaten with stripes by Eacus.
Mennipus. Trouble me not then.
Charos. Show -what you have in your scrip.
Mennipus: Lupines, if you wish, and the food of Hecate.
Charos. Whence, Mercury, did you bring us this Cynic ?-and what ridicule did he utter upon the voyage— deriding and ridiculing; all the passengers: and alone singing, while they were weeping.
Mennipus: Do you not know, Charon, what a, man you have ferried over ? that he is entirely unrestrained, and cares for nobody :This is Menippus.
Charos: But if I ever catch you again—
Mennipus: If you catch me, most generous sir; but you cannot catch me the second time.

DIALOGUE 4. CROESUS, PLUTO, MENIPPUS, MIDAS AND SARDANAPALUS

Croesus: We cannot, Pluto, suffer this Cynic Menippus to dwell with us; Wherefore, either remove him hence, or we will retire to another place.
Pluto: What hurt can he do to you, being dead with you?
Croesus When we weep and mourn at the remembrance of those pleasures in the upper regions — Midas for his gold, Sardanapalus for his abundant luxury, and I for my treasures, he ridicules and insults us, by calling us slaves and base villains; and in fine he is troublesome.
Pluto: Why do they say these things Menippus.
Mennipus: They are all true, Pluto; for I hate them as being ignoble and abandoned: For whom it was not sufficient to have lived wickedly; but also, having died, they still remember, and dwell upon the things above. I rejoice, therefore, to vex them.
Pluto: But you ought not; for they grieve at being deprived of no small possessions.
Mennipus: Are you mad too, Pluto, being an approver of their complaints?
Pluto: By no means; but I would not excite a sedition among: you.
Mennipus: Be assured of this, ye worst of Lydians, Phrygians, and Assynarians, that I will never leave you; for wherever you go I will follow, vexing you, and singing, and. laughing.
Croesus Are not this things an insult?
Mennipus: No — but those things were an insult which you practiced, seeking to be worshipped, and abusing free people, and being entirely unmindful of death; wherefore wail, having; lost all these things.
Croesus: I have lost — O Heaven ! many rich possessions.
Midas: And I how much gold !
Sardanapalus: And I how much luxury !
Mennipus: Very we!! — do thus — grieve on; but I continually chaunting - Know thyself, will make it my sang to you; for it becomes me to sing to such lamentations.