Demonax

Lucian of Samosata

Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, A. M., editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.

The Cynic who pursued his philosophical studies clad in a bearskin he would not call Honoratus, which was his name, but Ursinus. When a man asked him what he thought was the definition of happiness, he replied that none but a free man is happy; and when the other said that free men were numerous, he rejoined:

“But I have

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in mind the man who neither hopes nor fears anything.” But how can one achieve this? For the most part we are all slaves of hope and fear.” «Why, if you observe human affairs you will find that they do not afford justification either for hope or for fear, since, whatever you may say, pains and pleasures are alike destined to end.”

When Peregrinus Proteus rebuked him for laughing a great deal and making sport of mankind saying: “Demonax, you're not at all doggish!” he answered, “Peregrinus, you are not at all human!” [*](Peregrinus Proteus, of whose death and translation to a higher sphere Lucian has written in "The Passing of Peregrinus,” carried his ‘doggishness’ (Cynicism) to extremes.)

When a scientist was talking of the Topsy-turvy people (Antipodes), he made him get up, took him to a well, showed him their own reflection in the water and asked: “Is that the sort of topsy-turvy people you mean?”

When a fellow claimed to be a sorcerer and to have spells so potent that by their agency he could prevail on everybody to give him whatever he wanted, Demonax said: “Nothing strange in that! I am in the same business: follow me to the breadwoman’s, if you like, and you shall see me persuade her to give me bread with a single spell and a tiny charm”’—implying that a coin is as good as a spell. When Herodes,[*](Herodes Atticus. “Bolydeuces was a favourite slave.) the superlative, was mourning the premature death of Polydeuces and wanted a chariot regularly made ready and horses put to it just. as if the boy were going for a drive, and dinner regularly served for him, Demonax went to him and said: “Iam bringing you a message from Polydeuces.”

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Herodes was pleased and thought that Demonax, like everyone else, was falling in with his humour; so he said: Well, what does Polydeuces want, Demonax?” “He finds fault with you,” said he, “for not going to join him at once!’

He went to a man who was mourning the death of a son and had shut himself up in the dark, and told him that he was a sorcerer and could raise the boy’s shade for him if only he would name three men who had never mourned for anyone. When the man hesitated long arfd was perplexed—I suppose he could not name a single one—Demonax said: “You ridiculous fellow, do you think, then, that you alone suffer beyond endurance, when you see that nobody is unacquainted with mourning?”

He also liked to poke fun at those who use obsolete and unusual. words in conversation. For instance, to a man who had been asked a certain question by him and had answered in far-fetched book-language, he said: “I asked you now, but you answer me as if I had asked in Agamemnon’s day.”