Lucian Volume II

by Lucian of Samosata, A.M. Harmon (Translator)

Lucian (ca. 120-190 CE), the satirist from Samosata on the Euphrates, started as an apprentice sculptor, turned to rhetoric and visited Italy and Gaul as a successful travelling lecturer, before settling in Athens and developing his original brand of satire. Late in life he fell on hard times and accepted an official post in Egypt.

This volume contains: The Downward Journey or The Tyrant. Zeus Catechized. Zeus Rants. The Dream or The Cock. Prometheus. Icaromenippus or The Sky-man. Timon or The Misanthrope. Charon or The Inspectors. Philosophies for Sale

Although notable for the Attic purity and elegance of his Greek and his literary versatility, Lucian is chiefly famed for the lively, cynical wit of the humorous dialogues in which he satirises human folly, superstition and hypocrisy. His aim was to amuse rather than to instruct. Among his best works are "A True Story" (the tallest of tall stories about a voyage to the moon), "Dialogues of the Gods" (a 'reductio ad absurdum' of traditional mythology), "Dialogues of the Dead" (on the vanity of human wishes), "Philosophies for Sale" (great philosophers of the past are auctioned off as slaves), "The Fisherman" (the degeneracy of modern philosophers), "The Carousal" or "Symposium" (philosophers misbehave at a party), "Timon" (the problems of being rich), "Twice Accused" (Lucian's defence of his literary career) and (if by Lucian) "The Ass" (the amusing adventures of a man who is turned into an ass).

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Lucian is in eight volumes.

The downward journey or the tyrant. zeus catechized. zeus rants. the dream or the cock. prometheus. icaromenippus or the sky-man. timon or the misanthrope.

528 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 180

About the author

Lucian of Samosata was a Greek-educated Syrian rhetorician, and satirist who wrote in the Greek language. He is noted for his witty and scoffing nature.

Reviews

[jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucian is great stuff if you're enamored with all things Greco-roman and no less a slice of that second century CE world in which he lived and wrote. Yes, it's Lucian's version, to be sure, and often, not always, a satirical one, that nevertheless, intentionally and unintentionally, shows us the way things were. Since I'm particularly interested in the world of the New Testament and early church, I find Lucian's writings a precious peep-hole, spying up close, "artifacts" of life, custom, language, belief, the all important point of view, that adds texture and color, even an awareness of the wear and drape of my own understanding of such things previously thought familiar. Without such broader interests and concerns, Lucian has important, even timeless, topics to address; any reader will find that somethings never change. I am of the opinion that every volume of Lucian has five star merit. Others may have different criteria by which they would weigh the strengths of one writing or one volume against another. To me, every writing is a master tutorial and a delightful one at that.