Pro imaginibus

Lucian of Samosata

Lucian, Vol. 4. Harmon, A. M., editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1925.

Furthermore, she enjoined it upon me to tell you this. “I hear many say (whether it is true or not, you men know[*](Women did not attend the Olympic games. )) that even at the Olympic games the victors are not allowed to set up statues greater than life-size, but the Hellanodicae take care that not one of them shall exceed the truth, and the scrutiny of the statues is more strict than the examination of the athletes. So be on your guard for fear we incur the imputation of falsifying in the matter of height, and then the Hellanodicae overturn our statue.”

That is what she said; and now it is for you, Lycinus, to see how you can refurbish the book

v.4.p.309

and do away with everything of that sort; do not offend against Heaven! Really, she took it very ill, shuddered as it was read, and besought the goddesses to be merciful to her. It is excusable, too, that she should feel as a woman naturally would. Indeed, if the truth must out, I myself had somewhat the same opinion. To be sure, when I heard it first I did not see a single fault in what you had written, but now that she has pointed them out, I myself begin to think as she does about it. My experience in this matter has been just about like that of us all when we look at things. If we see. them too close, under our very eyes, we can distinguish nothing accurately, but if we stand off and look at them from the right distance, all the points come out clearly, those that are good and also those that are not.