Adversus indoctum et libros multos ementem

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.

They say that when Dionysius took to tragedy-writing he made such sad stuff of it that Philoxenus was more than once thrown into the quarries because he could not control his laughter. Finding that his efforts only made him ridiculous, Dionysius was at some pains to procure the tablets on which Aeschylashad been wont to write. He looked to draw divine inspiration from them: as it turned out, however, he now wrote considerably worse rubbish than before, Among the contents of the tablets I may quote:

  • 'Twas Dionysius’ wife, Doridion.
    • Here is another:
  • Most serviceable woman! thou art gone!
    • Genuine tablet that, and the next:
  • Men that are fools are their own folly’s butt.
    • Taken with reference to yourself, by the way, nothing could
    v.3.p.273
    be more to the point than this last line; Dionysius’s tablets deserved gilding, if only for that.

    What is your idea, now, in all this rolling and unrolling of scrolls? To what end the gluing and the trimming, the cedar-oil and saffron, the leather cases and the bosses? Much good your purchases have been to you; one sees that already: why, your language—no, I am wrong there, you are as dumb as a fish—but your life, your unmentionable vices, make every one hate the sight of you; if that is what books do, one cannot keep too clear of them.