Juppiter Tragoedus

Lucian of Samosata

The Works of Lucian of Samosata, complete, with exceptions specified in thepreface, Vol. 3. Fowler, H. W. and Fowlere, F.G., translators. Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1905.

Timocles Do you close your ears even to Zeus’s thunder, atheist? Da. I clearly cannot shut out the thunder; whether it is

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Zeus’s thunder, you know better than I perhaps 5 you may have interviewed the Gods. Travellers from Crete tell another story: there is a tomb there with an inscribed pillar, stating that Zeus is long dead, and not going to thunder any more.

Momus I could have told you that was coming long ago. What, Zeus? pale? and your teeth chattering?, What is the matter? You should cheer up, and treat such manikins with lofty contempt.

Zeus Contempt? See what a number of them there is— how set against us they are already—and he has them fast by the ears.

Momus Well, but you have only to choose, and you can let down your golden cord, and then every man of them With earth and sky and all thou canst draw up.