Hermotimus

Lucian of Samosata

The Works of Lucian of Samosata, complete, with exceptions specified in thepreface, Vol. 2. Fowler, H. W. and Fowlere, F.G., translators. Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1905.

Hermotimus It seems to me, Lycinus, you do not understand what I mean.

Lycinus Very well, put it plainer, if it is something different from that.

Hermotimus You will see in a minute. Let us suppose two people have gone into the temple of Asclepius or Dionysus, and subsequently one of the sacred cups is missing. Both of them will have to be searched, to see which has it about him.

Lycinus Clearly.

Hermotimus Of course one of them has it.

Lycinus Necessarily, if it is missing.

Hermotimus Then, if you find it on the first, you will not strip the other; it is clear he has not got it..

Lycinus Quite.

Hermotimus And if we fail to find it on the first, the other certainly has it; it is unnecessary to search him that way either.

Lycinus Yes, he has it.

Hermotimus So with us; if we find the cup in the possession of the Stoics, we shall not care to go on and search the others; we have what we were looking for; why trouble further?

Lycinus There is no why, if you really find it, and can be certain it is the missing article, the sacred object being unmistakable. But there are some differences in this case, friend; the

v.2.p.63

temple-visitors are not two, so that if one has not got the booty the other has, but many; and the identity of the missing object is also uncertain; it may be cup, or bowl, or garland; every priest gives a different description of it; they do not agree even about the material; bronze, say these, silver, say those—anything from gold to tin. So there is nothing for it but to strip the visitors, if you want to find it; even if you discover a gold cup on the first man, you must go on to the others.

Hermotimus What for?

Lycinus Because it is not certain that the thing was acup. And even if that is generally admitted, they do not all agree that it was gold; and if it is well known that a gold cup is missing, and you find a gold cup on your first man, even so you are not quit of searching the others; it is not clear that this is the sacred cup; do you suppose there is only one gold cup in the world?

Hermotimus No, indeed.

Lycinus So you will have to go the round, and then collect all your finds together and decide which of them is most likely to be divine property.