Dion, or On Living according to His Own Principles 239–271
Greek text: Krabinger 1.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 239
239Krabinger 1:239
(ιλόερατο, μὲν ὁ “φμνιοι, ἀναγράφων τοὺ, Ἶ βίους Α τῶν μέχρις αὐτοῦ σοφιτῶν, ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ λόγου δύο μερίδας ποιεῖ τῶν τε αὐτὸ τ οὗτο σοφιτῶν, καὶ τῶν Β ὅσοι Φιλοσοφήσαντες διὰ τὴν εὐτομίαν ὑπὸ τῇς φήμῃ, ὅ ἐς ὅ τούς σοφιτὰς ἀπηνέχθησαν" καὶ τάττει τὸν Δίωνα. μετὰ τούτων, ἐν οἱ, Ἐαρνιάδην τε καταλέγει τὸν ᾿Αθηναῖον, καὶ ΛΜίοντα τὸν Βυδάντιον, καὶ συχνοὺς ἄλλους, καταβιώσαντα; μὲν ἐπὶ φιλοσόφου προαιρίσεως, λόγου δὲ ἰδέαν σοφιεικὴν ἢ) ἡρμοσμένους, ἐν οἷν ἀριθμεῖ καὶ τὸν Ἀνίδιον Εὔδοξον, ἄνδρα τὰ πρῶτα
(iloerato, men ho “phmnioi, anagraphōn tou, I bious A tōn mechris autou sophitōn, en archę̄ tou logou dyo meridas poiei tōn te auto t houto sophitōn, kai tōn B hosoi Philosophēsantes dia tēn eutomian hypo tę̄s phēmę̄, ho es ho tous sophitas apēnechthēsan" kai tattei ton Diōna. meta toutōn, en hoi, Earniadēn te katalegei ton ᾿Athēnaion, kai LMionta ton Bydantion, kai sychnous allous, katabiōsanta? men epi philosophou proairiseōs, logou de idean sophieikēn ē) hērmosmenous, en hoin arithmei kai ton Anidion Eudoxon, andra ta prōta
Philostratus of Lemnos, writing up the lives of the sophists down to his own time, at the beginning of the work makes two classes: those who were sophists in the proper sense, and those who practised philosophy but, because of their fluency, were classed by report among the sophists. He places Dio with these, among whom he lists Carneades the Athenian, Leon of Byzantium, and many others who spent their lives in the philosophic way but were fitted with a sophistic style of speech; and among these he counts Eudoxus of Cnidus too, a man foremost
Notes and citation
Summary: Synesius begins from Philostratus, who in the Lives of the Sophists classed Dio among philosophers with a sophist's eloquence.
- Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists 1.484–487. Synesius writes to his son (named at the end of the work) about Dio Chrysostom and his own way of life.
- Krabinger's pages begin and end mid-sentence; each page is translated as far as its Greek runs. The OCR is rough: obvious misreadings are translated by sense; only larger slips and leaked notes are corrected.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 239 (Krabinger 1:239; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/239). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/239
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 240
240Krabinger 1:240
τῶν ᾿Αριεοτέλου! ὁμιλητῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀερονομίας εὖ ἥκοντα, ὁπόσην ὁ τότε χρόνος ἐπρίσβευεν. Ἡμῖν δὲ ὁ “ίων τῇ μὲν περιβολῇ τῆς γλώττης, ἣν χρυσὴν εἶχεν, ὥπερ καὶ λέγεται, σοφιτὴς ἔσω διὰ πάντων τῶν πέαυτοῦ, εἴ τις ἀξιοῖ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῆς φωνῇς σοφιεικὸν ἀγώνισμα οἴεσθαι" καίτοι καὶ τοῦτο μετὰ μικρὸν, ὁποῖόν ἐειν, ἐξετάσομεν" τὴν δὲ) προαίρεσιν οὐχ εἶς ὁ “ων, οὐδὲ μετὰ τούτων τακτέο;, ἀλλὰ μετ᾽ "Δριξοκλίους ἀπ᾿ ἐναντίας μέντοι κἀκείνῳρρ "ἄμφω τθμέν γε μεταπεπτώκασιν" ἀλλ᾽ ὁ- μὲν ἐκ φιλοσόφου Ὁ) καὶ μάλα ἐμβριθοῦς καὶ πρόσω καθεικότος τὸ ἐπισκύνιον ἐτέλεσεν εἰς σοφιεὰς καὶ 'τρυφῇς ἁπάσης οὐχ ἥψατο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς ἄκρον ἐλήλακεν" ἐννεάσας δὲ, τῇ 'προεασίᾳ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πέριπάτου δογμάτων, καὶ συγγράμματα ἐξενῃνοχών. ἐρ τοὺ Ἕλληνας ἄξεα ἵ φιλοσόφου, σπουδῇς, οὕτω τὶ ἥττων ἐγένετο" δόξης“σοφιοικῆν» τώρ. μεταμέλειν μὲν αὐτῷ: γυρῶνέι τῆς ἐν ετὐλικίᾳ σεμνότητος» κόψαι δὲ τὰ ᾿Ιταλιωτικά τε καὶ ᾿Ασι-“ὃ ανὰ. θέατρα» μελέεαιρ ἰἐμαγωνίξὀμεμον" ἁλλιὰ καὶ κοττι
tōn ᾿Arieotelou! homilētōn, alla kai aeronomias eu hēkonta, hoposēn ho tote chronos eprisbeuen. Hēmin de ho “iōn tę̄ men peribolę̄ tēs glōttēs, hēn chrysēn eichen, hōper kai legetai, sophitēs esō dia pantōn tōn peautou, ei tis axioi tēn epimeleian tēs phōnę̄s sophieikon agōnisma oiesthai" kaitoi kai touto meta mikron, hopoion eein, exetasomen" tēn de) proairesin ouch eis ho “ōn, oude meta toutōn takteo?, alla met᾽ "Drixoklious ap᾿ enantias mentoi kakeinǭrr "amphō tthmen ge metapeptōkasin" all᾽ ho- men ek philosophou Ho) kai mala embrithous kai prosō katheikotos to episkynion etelesen eis sophieas kai 'tryphę̄s hapasēs ouch hēpsato monon, alla kai eis akron elēlaken" enneasas de, tę̄ 'proeasią tōn ek tou peripatou dogmatōn, kai syngrammata exenę̄nochōn. er tou Hellēnas axea hi philosophou, spoudę̄s, houtō ti hēttōn egeneto" doxēs“sophioikēn» tōr. metamelein men autǭ: gyrōnei tēs en etylikią semnotētos» kopsai de ta ᾿Italiōtika te kai ᾿Asi-“ho ana. theatra» meleeair iemagōnixomemon" hallia kai kotti
among the hearers of Plato, and well advanced in astronomy as far as the science of that time went. For us, Dio, by the dress of his tongue — which was golden, as indeed he is called — will be a sophist in all his works, if one thinks care for diction a sophistic accomplishment (we shall examine a little later what that is); but by his choice of life Dio is not one, nor to be ranked with these, but with Aristocles — though in the opposite direction from him. For both changed. Aristocles, from a philosopher very weighty, with his brow drawn far down, ended among the sophists, and not only touched every luxury but went to its extreme. Having grown old as head of the Peripatetic school and published writings worthy of philosophic seriousness among the Greeks, he was so overcome by sophistic fame that in old age he repented of the solemnity of his prime and wore out the theatres of Italy and Asia competing in declamations; he even gave himself to the game of
Notes and citation
Summary: Dio was a sophist in style but not in life; he changed in the opposite direction from Aristocles, a Peripatetic who became a pleasure-loving sophist.
- "Hearers of Plato": the OCR reads "Aristotle", but Eudoxus was Plato's associate; translated by sense. Aristocles of Pergamum: Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists 2.3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): ΤΡ μὶν ἃ Μαῖς. Β. Μοχ ΑΘ. 'νἱπά. ἍΝ: ΜῊΝ ΝΜ Βεμά. εοτῖ ὶι διαπάνξων. Οαδὰ κ6- Ἰοβίτ ᾿. 8.Ὁ. 518. μετα ἄρις. Οοάά, Δαϊιαξ τῶν ἐπ πον, φεδοσῤάθαίδ᾽ τοὶ]. ο. οἀἀ, Τ᾿ ατα ρτὸ νοΐε. εἶπὲτοσοῦ δρβεουρίυτα εβὶ,... ς ναντίας εχ Ῥασ..- ἘῈ. τερορὶ ἀπ᾿ → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 240 (Krabinger 1:240; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/240). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/240
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 241
241Krabinger 1:241
τάβοις ἐδεδώκει, καὶ αὐλητρίδα, ἐνόμιδε, καὶ ἐπήγγελλεν ἐπὶ τούτοις συσσίτια' ὁ δὲ “]ίων ἐξ ἀγνώμονος σοφιςοῦ φιλόσοβοι ἀπετελέσθη τύχῃ δὲ μᾶλλον ᾽ γνώμῃ χρησάμενος, τὴν τύχυν αὐτὸς διηγήσατο, ἮΝν δὲ Ὁ δὴ καὶ τοῦ γράφοντος βίον διηγήσασθαι τὴν περὶ τὸν ἄνδρα διπλόην, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἁπλῶς οὕτως Ὁ συγκαταριθμῆσαι τοῖς ἀμφὶ, αρνεάδην καὶ Εὔδοξον" ὧν ἥντινα ἂν λάβῃ, ὑπόθεσιν, φιλόσοφός ἔτι, μετακεχειρισμένῃ σοφιεικῶ,, τοῦτ᾽ ἔσι, λαμυρῶ; ἀπηγγελμένη
tabois ededōkei, kai aulētrida, enomide, kai epēngellen epi toutois syssitia' ho de “]iōn ex agnōmonos sophisou philosoboi apetelesthē tychę̄ de mallon ᾽ gnōmę̄ chrēsamenos, tēn tychyn autos diēgēsato, ĒNn de Ho dē kai tou graphontos bion diēgēsasthai tēn peri ton andra diploēn, alla mē haplōs houtōs Ho synkatarithmēsai tois amphi, arneadēn kai Eudoxon" hōn hēntina an labę̄, hypothesin, philosophos eti, metakecheirismenę̄ sophieikō,, tout᾽ esi, lamyrō? apēngelmenē
cottabus, kept flute-girls, and announced dinners for them. Dio, on the other hand, from a heartless sophist became a philosopher in the end — by fortune rather than by judgment — and he told the story of that fortune himself. It was the task of one writing his life to relate the man's double character, and not simply to count him with Carneades and Eudoxus, any of whose subjects you take is philosophic, only handled in a sophistic way, that is, set out with flourish.
Notes and citation
Summary: Dio, unlike Aristocles, turned from sophist to philosopher; Philostratus should have described his double career instead of grouping him with Carneades.
- Dio's own account of his conversion in exile: Oration 13.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): αὶ ἴδιαι ἰδυδοῖαπι ἃ » γίϊεπδαςλῖο δὰ ἁοϊοῖα εδἰ, οὔλ. τεῖΐ. οπιπεβ, δχ- Ἑσηδρ. Τ. 11. Ρ. 220. ὁἀ Βοΐε. ᾿., τε τεβοτῖρεῖ οχ Οοάά, Ῥατίες. Ἰοηδοο, “6Ρι}5 Ἀδὰ, εἰ Μοη. Ε. τύχῃ μᾶλ- ΒαιΡ. Μάτζος, Υἱηδ,. ρεο νῃῇξ. λον ἀδι ἴδυτ. Μοχ αὐτὸν Μοταϊ!. ᾿Καλικὰ, φυοὰ δρηοεεῖϊ απ ά, ς. διγγύσομαι Ράτ. Ἐ. ο. Νῖοπ. Ὁ, ’ Μεετπν., ἀπογαπι ροβιοτίον ἃ1}6- διηγήσατο (ὁχ οοττ.) Ῥατ. Ὦ, τὰπι ἰεοι! πεῖ ἃ το τὰ. ἴθ πιρ. 4». ΠΠ. 1. δὲ οἴ. Νίοη. Α. ΠαΡοῖ. Θέλει Γατς. Βατίῖο τὲ ἀροὶ Τυπι βίν φονῖδῖς Ῥδς, Ἑ. « Μου. Ἃ τε καὶ οἵη. Ρασ. ἃ. 2. ἴϊδ 1,Δυτ. Ῥασ, ΒΟΏ. Νίοη. Τυπι ἀπιο ᾿Ασιανὰ Μδεται, τρο- ΒΏΕ. Β4ι». Νῖατο. ἃ. Βεδά. εἶς δειϊουϊαπν, φυο ποῦ εδὶ οριβ. Νίθετηι. Οὕτως δηὶθ οοηθοηδα- Ῥεΐπ ἐναγωνιδομένων Υἱπὰ, ὦνα- ἴεπι ἐμφατικῶς ροηΐ πιοπυετυηΐ γωνιδάμενον Μοη. Ἐ. ἤεῖικ. αὰ Ἰιοπρὶνν. Ρ. 347. 1. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 241 (Krabinger 1:241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/241). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/241
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 242
242Krabinger 1:242
φὰαύθὴ κὰὶ Ἰαρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὗς λέγοντες ἐκήλοὺν ἐῷ κάλλει τῶν ὀνομάτων, ἠξιοῦντο τῇς προφηγορίας τοῦ σοφίξοῦ" αὐἱοὶ δ᾽ ἂν ἀπαξιῶσαί μοι δοκοῦσι καὶ ὡς οὐ διδόμενον δέξασθαι, φιλοσοφίας ἣν ὀνείδει τὸ τοιοῦτο τιθείσῃης, ἄρτι τοὺ Πλάτωνος ἐπαναςάντο; τῷ ὀνόματι. Ὃ δὲ προῦὔξτῃ τε λαμπρῶς τοῖν βίοιν ἑκατέρου χωρὶς, καὶ ταῖς ὑποθέσεσι μάχεται ταῖς αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ 7, λόγους ἐξενεγκὼν’ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων ἰνεάσειων. Χρὴ) δήπου καὶ δι᾽ αὐτὴν οὐχ ὕκιερα τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις διαφορὰν μὴ σεσιγῆσθαι τὰ ὃ) περὶ τὸν ἄνδρα. "Ὅπερ γὰρ ἷἱν τοῖς μιτὰ ταῦτα φησιν, ἀπολύων αὐτὸν ᾽ αἰτίαι, συνθέντα ἔπαινον ἐπὶ ψιτταπίῳ τῷ ὀρνιθι" σὸφιςοῦ γὰρ εἶναι μηδὲ τούτων ὑπερ
phaauthē kai Iara tōn anthrōpōn, hous legontes ekēloun eǭ kallei tōn onomatōn, ēxiounto tę̄s prophēgorias tou sophixou" auioi d᾽ an apaxiōsai moi dokousi kai hōs ou didomenon dexasthai, philosophias hēn oneidei to toiouto titheisę̄ēs, arti tou Platōnos epanasanto? tǭ onomati. Ho de prouyxtę̄ te lamprōs toin bioin hekaterou chōris, kai tais hypothesesi machetai tais autos heautou 7, logous exenenkōn’ apo tōn enantiōn ineaseiōn. Chrē) dēpou kai di᾽ autēn ouch hykiera tēn en tois logois diaphoran mē sesigēsthai ta ho) peri ton andra. "Hoper gar hiin tois mita tauta phēsin, apolyōn auton ᾽ aitiai, synthenta epainon epi psittapiǭ tǭ ornithi" sophisou gar einai mēde toutōn hyper
And these men were made famous by the people whom they charmed with the beauty of their words, and were thought worthy of the title of sophist; but they themselves, I think, would have refused it and not accepted it as given, since philosophy counted such a thing a reproach, Plato having lately risen up against the name. But Dio stood out brilliantly in each of the two lives separately, and he fights against his own theses, having produced speeches from opposite positions. For this reason not least — the difference in his speeches — the facts about the man must not be passed over in silence. For what Philostratus says later, excusing him for having composed a praise of the parrot — that it is a sophist's way not to disdain even such things —
Notes and citation
Summary: Carneades and the like would have refused the name of sophist; Dio really lived two lives and argued against himself.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): ἄι. κερὶ τῶν ἄνθρ. Βατῦ. οὔ, Ῥασ, Β. οἱ Βδαιρ. τῷ τοιούτῳ μὴν βοτὶ δῖ Νίατο. Α. τὸ τοιοῦτον ἀδωὶ → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 242 (Krabinger 1:242; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/242). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/242
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 243
243Krabinger 1:243
ἐδεῖν. ἀὐτοῦ μὲν ἂν ἔλεγχος εἶναι δόξειε, “προειπόντος, ὅτι τῶν συκοφαντουμένων ἐεὶν ὁ ἀνὴρ, διτί; φιλόσοφο, ὧν, εἰς τὸν σοφιεὴν ἕλκεται. Αίγει γαὰῤ' οὕτω" Σοφιςὰ; δὲ οἱ παλαιοὶ ἑπωνόμαξον οὐ μόνον ὅ τῶν ῥητόρων τοὺ, ὑπερφωνοῦντά, τε καὶ λαμπροὺ,, Β ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν φιλοσόφων τοὺς ᾽ σὺν εὐροίᾳ ἐρμηνεύφντα;, ὑπὶρ ὧν ἀνάγκῃ πρύτερον εἰπεῖν, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ὄντες σοφιταὶ, δόξαντες δὲ παρῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἐπωνὸυ. Αἰαν ταύτην " εἶτα σαφῶς φιλοσόφους ἄνδρας ἐξαριθμεῖ. ται, μεθ᾽ ὧν δὴ καὶ τὸν “ίωνα, καὶ μετὰ “ίωνα : ἄλλου, ὧν περὶ τοῦ τελευταίου 'παυόμενος" τοσαῦτα, φησὶ, περὶ τῶν φιλοσοφησάντων ἐν δόξῃ τοῦ σοφισεῦσαι" ταὐτὸν ἑτέρως εἰπὼν, ὅτι μὴ ὄντες. σοφιταὶ Η τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐπεβάτευσαν. Ἑαίτοι μεταξύ πού φη- 1Ιὅσιν ἀπορεῖν, οἷ χοροῦ τάξει τὸν ἄνδρα, περιδέξιον.. : δή τινα ὄντα. Τί οὖν προεῖπα;; τί δὲ ἐπεῖπας, ὅτι τοῦτο μὲν ἔξιν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ φαίνεται; ἜΣ ᾿Αλλ' ἔγωγε οὐ μικρολογοῦμαι πρὸς τὰς ἐναντιολογίας.)}" συγχωρῶ δὲ τὸν “]ίωνα φιλόσοφον ὄντα
edein. autou men an elenchos einai doxeie, “proeipontos, hoti tōn sykophantoumenōn eein ho anēr, diti? philosopho, hōn, eis ton sophieēn helketai. Aigei gaar' houtō" Sophisa? de hoi palaioi hepōnomaxon ou monon ho tōn rhētorōn tou, hyperphōnounta, te kai lamprou,, B alla kai tōn philosophōn tous ᾽ syn euroią ermēneuphnta?, hypir hōn anankę̄ pryteron eipein, epeidē ouk ontes sophitai, doxantes de parēlthon eis tēn epōnou. Aian tautēn " eita saphōs philosophous andras exarithmei. tai, meth᾽ hōn dē kai ton “iōna, kai meta “iōna : allou, hōn peri tou teleutaiou 'pauomenos" tosauta, phēsi, peri tōn philosophēsantōn en doxę̄ tou sophiseusai" tauton heterōs eipōn, hoti mē ontes. sophitai Ē tou onomatos epebateusan. Heaitoi metaxy pou phē- 1Hiosin aporein, hoi chorou taxei ton andra, peridexion.. : dē tina onta. Ti oun proeipa?? ti de epeipas, hoti touto men exin, ekeino de phainetai? ES ᾿All' egōge ou mikrologoumai pros tas enantiologias.)}" synchōrō de ton “]iōna philosophon onta
would seem a refutation of his own words, since he had said before that the man is one of those falsely accused, a philosopher dragged in among the sophists. For he says this: "The ancients called sophists not only those orators who were loud-voiced and brilliant, but also those philosophers who expounded with fluency, about whom it is necessary to speak first, since, not being sophists but seeming to be, they came into this title." Then he plainly enumerates philosophic men, among them Dio, and others after Dio, and when he finishes with the last of them he says, "So much about those who philosophized with the reputation of being sophists" — saying the same thing in other words, that, not being sophists, they rode upon the name. And yet somewhere in between he says he is at a loss in which chorus to place the man, since he was something of an all-rounder. Why, then, did you say the one thing first and the other after — that the one is so and the other only appears so? But I do not quibble over the contradictions; I grant that Dio, being a philosopher,
Notes and citation
Summary: Philostratus contradicts himself, calling Dio a philosopher mistaken for a sophist and yet excusing his trivial speeches as a sophist's.
- The quotation is Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists 1.484.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): ΑΒ. ἴμδωτ. δῖωπ. ΒΓᾺ σἱ πιβ. προεῖπε -- ἐπεῖπες Μοη. ΑἘ, ὁ. Μεεται. Μοχ γὰρ 6θοεὶ ἃ ἔτ. Ββ. γιρά, θεὰ ἴὰ οη. Α. ὑϊταπνεἰ Βεγ". Ὠεΐηάε τοῦτον Μίατς. Β, ᾿ τ ἃ τ. πι. ὑγοίδοϊαπι. προεῖ- → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 243 (Krabinger 1:243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/243). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/243
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-synesius-dion-243) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 244
244Krabinger 1:244
παῖξαι τὰ σοφιτῶν, εἰ μόνον πρᾶός ἔστι καὶ ἵλεως φιλοσοφίᾳ, καὶ μηδαμοῦ μηδὲν ἐπηρέακεν αὐτῇ, μηδ᾽ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν ὅ ξυντέθεικε λόγους ἑταμούς τε καὶ κακοἦθειρ,. ᾿4λλ᾽ οὗτός γε) πλεῖστα δὴ καὶ μάλιτα σοφιτῶν ἰδ εἰς φιλοσόφου, τε καὶ φιλοσοφίαν ἀπηναισχύντηκεν. Γ4τπει γὰρ, οἶμαι, φύσεως λαχὼν ἐχούσῃς ἰσχὺν, καὶ τὸ ὅδ) ῥητορεύειν αὐτὸ ἠλήθευεν, ἄμεινον ἀναπεπεισμένος “) εἶναι τοῦ δὴν κατὰ φιλοσοφίαν τὸ δὴν κατὰ ἢ τὰς κοινὰς ὑπολήψεις" ὅθεν ὅ τε δ) κατὰ τῶν φιλοσό- 10φῶὼν αὐτῷ. λόγος ἐσπουδάσθη, σφόδρα ἀπεικονισμένος καὶ οὐδὲν σχῆμα ὀκνήσας" καὶ ὁ πρὸς Μουσώνιον ἕτερος τοιοῦτος, οὐ προιγυμναδμένου τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ ᾿ ΖΊέωνος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ διαθέσεω; γράφοντορ" ὠς; ἐγὼ σφόδρα διϊσχυρίδομαι" πείσαιμι δ᾽ ἂν "}) καὶ ἄλλον, ὅρτις εὔτοχος ἤθου, εἰρωνείαν τε καὶ ἀλήθειαν ἐκ παντοδαποῦ λόγου φωρᾶσαι" ἐπειδή τε ἰφιλοσόφησεν, ἐνταῦθα δὴ καὶ μάλιτα ἡ ῥώμῃ τῇς φύσεω;! αὐτοῦ διε-
paixai ta sophitōn, ei monon praos esti kai hileōs philosophią, kai mēdamou mēden epēreaken autę̄, mēd᾽ ep᾿ autēn ho xyntetheike logous hetamous te kai kakoētheir,. ᾿4ll᾽ houtos ge) pleista dē kai malita sophitōn id eis philosophou, te kai philosophian apēnaischyntēken. G4tpei gar, oimai, physeōs lachōn echousę̄s ischyn, kai to hod) rhētoreuein auto ēlētheuen, ameinon anapepeismenos “) einai tou dēn kata philosophian to dēn kata ē tas koinas hypolēpseis" hothen ho te d) kata tōn philoso- 10phōōn autǭ. logos espoudasthē, sphodra apeikonismenos kai ouden schēma oknēsas" kai ho pros Mousōnion heteros toioutos, ou proigymnadmenou tǭ topǭ tou ᾿ ZIeōnos, all᾽ ek diatheseō? graphontor" ōs? egō sphodra diïschyridomai" peisaimi d᾽ an "}) kai allon, hortis eutochos ēthou, eirōneian te kai alētheian ek pantodapou logou phōrasai" epeidē te iphilosophēsen, entautha dē kai malita hē rhōmę̄ tę̄s physeō?! autou die-
played at the sophists' games — provided only that he is gentle and kindly toward philosophy, has never insulted her anywhere, and has not composed bold and malicious speeches against her. But this man, more than any sophist, behaved shamelessly toward philosophers and philosophy. For, I think, having been given a strong nature, when he was a rhetor he was sincere in his rhetoric, persuaded that it was better to live by common opinions than by philosophy. Hence his speech against the philosophers was written in earnest, very vividly drawn and shrinking from no figure; and another of the same kind against Musonius, not as Dio practising on a set theme but writing from conviction, as I strongly maintain — and I could persuade anyone else who is skilled at detecting irony and sincerity in every kind of speech. And when he took up philosophy, then above all the strength of his nature was
Notes and citation
Summary: Before his conversion Dio sincerely attacked philosophers, including Musonius; after it his strong nature showed itself in philosophy.
- Dio's speeches Against the Philosophers and Against Musonius are lost.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 244 (Krabinger 1:244; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/244). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/244
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 245
245Krabinger 1:245
δείχθη.: Ὥιπερ γάῤ, ἐπιγνούσῃ, ὀψὲ τῷς φύσεως τὸ οἱκεῖον ἔργον, οὐ κατὰ μικρὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅλοις τοῖς ᾽ ἰδίοις ἀπηνέχθη τὴς σοφιεικῇ; προαιρέσεως" ὅς γε") καὶ τὰς ῥητορικὰς τῶν ὑποθέσεων οὐκέτι ῥητορικῶς, ἀλλὰ πολιτικῶς μετεχειρίσατο. Εἴ τις ἀγνοεῖ τὴν ἐν ταὐτῷ προβλήματι ᾽ διαφορὰν τοῦ πολιτικοῦ καὶ τοῦ ῥήτορο!, ἐπελθέτω μετὰ ναῦ τὸν ᾿Ασπασίας τε καὶ Περικλέου, ἢ ἐπιτάφιον Θουκυδίδου καὶ Πλάτωνος, ὧν ἑκάτερος θατέρου παρὰ πολὺ καλλίων ἐεὶ, τοῖς οἰκείοις κανόσι κρινόμενος. Ὁ δ᾽. οὖν “)ἐίων ἔοικε θεωρήμλιασι μὲν τεχνικοῖς ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ μὴ προςταλαιπωρῇσαι, μηδὲ προιίανασχεῖν φυσικοῖς δόγμασιν, ἅτε ὀψὲ τοῦ καιροῦ μετατεθειμένος" ὄνασθαι δὲ τῇς τοὰς ἐς ἦθος τείνει, καὶ ἠῤῥενῶσθαι παρ᾽ ὁντινοῦν τῶν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ" ἐπιθέσθαι δὲ τῷ νουθετεῖν ἀνθρώπους, καὶ μονάρχου;, καὶ ἰδιώτας, καὶ καθ᾽ ἕνα, καὶ άθρόουι, εἰς ὃ χρήσα-
deichthē.: Hōiper gar, epignousę̄, opse tǭs physeōs to hoikeion ergon, ou kata mikron, all᾽ holois tois ᾽ idiois apēnechthē tēs sophieikę̄? proaireseōs" hos ge") kai tas rhētorikas tōn hypotheseōn ouketi rhētorikōs, alla politikōs metecheirisato. Ei tis agnoei tēn en tautǭ problēmati ᾽ diaphoran tou politikou kai tou rhētoro!, epelthetō meta nau ton ᾿Aspasias te kai Perikleou, ē epitaphion Thoukydidou kai Platōnos, hōn hekateros thaterou para poly kalliōn eei, tois oikeiois kanosi krinomenos. Ho d᾽. oun “)eiōn eoike theōrēmliasi men technikois en philosophią mē prostalaipōrę̄sai, mēde proiianaschein physikois dogmasin, hate opse tou kairou metatetheimenos" onasthai de tę̄s toas es ēthos teinei, kai ērrhenōsthai par᾽ hontinoun tōn eph᾽ heautou" epithesthai de tǭ nouthetein anthrōpous, kai monarchou?, kai idiōtas, kai kath᾽ hena, kai athrooui, eis ho chrēsa-
shown. For as if his nature had at last recognized its own proper work, he was carried away, not little by little but entirely, from his sophistic choice; and even his rhetorical subjects he handled no longer rhetorically but as a statesman. If anyone does not know the difference between the statesman and the rhetor treating the same problem, let him go through the Menexenus of Aspasia and Pericles, or the funeral speeches of Thucydides and Plato, each of which is far finer than the other when judged by its own rules. Dio, then, seems not to have toiled over technical theorems in philosophy nor to have given his mind to the doctrines of physics, since he changed late; but to have profited from the part that bears on character, and to have become as manly as anyone of his time; and to have set about admonishing people, monarchs and private persons, one by one and in crowds, for which he used
Notes and citation
Summary: After his conversion Dio treated even rhetorical themes as a statesman; he neglected technical philosophy but excelled in moral exhortation.
- Plato's Menexenus (Aspasia's funeral speech) and Pericles' funeral oration in Thucydides 2.35–46.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): Μου. Β. γρ. γνώσιω: ἴα οτᾶ δοοοηῖυθ αρτα παρα ετᾶθι8, ἰ)οΐα β γ᾽ Δ, καλλίων; ΜΈεοταν. φύσεως ἐδείχθη αὐτοῦ ᾿αλλισον Νίοη. Ε. Μθδιο. Β. ἐδείχθην Υνἱηά. Ροοὶ “5, φύσιως διιϊὰ. ν. ἱσίον σαπρὸν ας 17. δοῦν Μοα. Ε΄, θιδιϊπι ἔοικε αἱϊ αὐτῦ. μὲν θειωρήμασι 1,δυτ. μὲν οτῶ. δι, Ἑ. δοίη τεχνικῶς ἀδηὶ → .
Extrabiblical texts: Thucydides, 2.35-46 (Thucydides, History; allusion); Plato, Menex. (Plato (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 245 (Krabinger 1:245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/245). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/245
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 246
246Krabinger 1:246
ὅθαι προαποκειμένῃ τῇ παρασκεινῇ. τῇς, γλώττῃ. “1ι:ό μοι δοκεῖ καλῶς ἔχειν, ἐπιγράφειν ἅπασι τοῖς “1|ὠνος λόγοις, ὅτι πρὸ τῆι φυγῇ), ὁ μετὰ τὴν φυγὴν, οὐχ οἷς ἐμφαίνεται μόνοις ἡ φυγὴ, καθάπερ ἐπέγραψαν δ ἤδη τινὲς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπαξάπασιν. Οὕτως γὰρ ἀν εἴημεν τούς τε φιλοσόφους καὶ τοὺς αὐτὸ τοῦτο σοφιεικοὺ; λόγους διειληφότες ἑκατέρους χωρὶς, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ὥςπερ ἐν νυκτομαχίᾳ περιτευξόμεθα αὐτῷ, νὺν μὲν βάλλοντι Σωκράτη καὶ Ζῴύνωνα τοῖς. ἐκ “Ιιονυσίων σκώ,- Β μασι, καὶ τοὺς ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀξιοῦντι πάσῃς ἐλαύνεαθαι γῦ: καὶ θαλάττης, εἰς ὄντας Ζῆρας πόλεων τε καὶ πολιτείαρ" νῦν δὲ ἐεφανοῦντί τε αὐτοὺς, καὶ παράδειμα τιθεμένῳ γενναίου βίου καὶ σώφρονος.
hothai proapokeimenę̄ tę̄ paraskeinę̄. tę̄s, glōttę̄. “1i:o moi dokei kalōs echein, epigraphein hapasi tois “1|ōnos logois, hoti pro tēi phygę̄), ho meta tēn phygēn, ouch hois emphainetai monois hē phygē, kathaper epegrapsan d ēdē tines, all᾽ apaxapasin. Houtōs gar an eiēmen tous te philosophous kai tous auto touto sophieikou? logous dieilēphotes hekaterous chōris, all᾽ ouch hōsper en nyktomachią periteuxometha autǭ, nyn men ballonti Sōkratē kai Zǭynōna tois. ek “Iionysiōn skō,- B masi, kai tous ap᾿ autōn axiounti pasę̄s elauneathai gy: kai thalattēs, eis ontas Zēras poleōn te kai politeiar" nyn de eephanounti te autous, kai paradeima tithemenǭ gennaiou biou kai sōphronos.
the store of eloquence already laid up. So it seems to me right to label all of Dio's speeches either "before the exile" or "after the exile" — not only those in which the exile appears, as some have already labelled them, but all of them. For so we should have separated the philosophic speeches and the properly sophistic ones, each apart, and should not meet him as in a battle by night, now pelting Socrates and Zeno with jests from the Dionysia and demanding that their followers be driven from all land and sea as plagues of cities and states, now crowning them and setting them up as an example of a noble and temperate life.
Notes and citation
Summary: Dio's speeches should be sorted into those before and after his exile, so that his attacks on and praises of the philosophers are not confused.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): Ἑ. δὴ το]]. Μοιδος. αν. ΑΟΙ). ν. βάλλων Σωκράτῃ. ἘΕ]]. 1ϊδιῖ Νίατο. Β. ἔτο τῇ, φυοὰ ἴῃ δεῖ βθοτῖριϊ εἰ εἀϊιὶ Σωκράτην. Ῥατ. Α. εἰ Γ,δυτ. ἀφοῦ, Μαγο ἰθείη ἀν Ζήνονα Μῶοη. Ε. Ζή- Β. τιαὶς βογδὶι τό. Τυπὶ προα- νωνι Νίατο, Β. Νῖοχ γρ. καὶ ποκείμένους Υἱπά. τὸ τοὺς ἄπ' αὐτῶν Ἄυτα. [Γ,εοίῖ. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 246 (Krabinger 1:246; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/246). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/246
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 247
247Krabinger 1:247
“ Φιλόφτρατος δὲ καὶ τοῦτό ἱπεριμερίμνως τὸν ἔπαινὸν τοῦ ψιττακοῦ καὶ τὸν υβοία τῆι αὐτῇς προασιρέσεω; οἴεται, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀμφοῖν ') ὁμοίως εἷς ἀπολογίαν καθίξαται τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ “]ἴωνος, ὡς μὴ ἐπὶ τοῖς τυχοῦσιν ἱσπουδακέναι δοκεῖν. Τοῦτο δ᾽ ἤδη πλέον ἐεὶ ποιἦσασθαι θάτερον. Ὃ γὰρ ἀναγορεύδας αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς δι ὁλοΐνλήρου Ἷ τοῦ βίου φιλοσοφήσασι, προϊὼν οὐ μόνον ἐνδέδωκε πρὸς τὸ καὶ σοφιεικόν τι ἔργον εἰργάσθαι τὸν (ὶ “Ιίωνα, ἀλλὰ προταποτερεὶ τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ τῶν ὄντων ἐκ τῇς φιλοσόφου μερίδος, προινέμων αὐτὰ "τοῖς σὸ- ᾿φισικοῖ. Εἰ γὰρ τὸν Εὐβοέα τις ἀφαιρήσεται τοῦ σπουδαῖον εἶναι" καὶ ὑπὲρ σπουδαίων συγκεῖσθαι, οὔ μοι δοκεῖ ῥᾳς᾽ ἄν ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐγκρῖναί τινα λόγον τῶν “Ιίωνος, ὦιτε καὶ φιλόσοφον ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ προρφειρῇσθαι.: 1ὅ... οὗτός γε ὁ λόγος ὑποτύπωσίς ἐξιν᾽ εὐδαίμονος βίου πένητι καὶ πλουσίῳ τοῦ παντὸς ἀνάγνωσμα ἀδι-
“ Philophtratos de kai touto hiperimerimnōs ton epainon tou psittakou kai ton yboia tēi autę̄s proasireseō? oietai, kai hyper amphoin ') homoiōs heis apologian kathixatai tēn hyper tou “]iōnos, hōs mē epi tois tychousin hispoudakenai dokein. Touto d᾽ ēdē pleon eei poiēsasthai thateron. Ho gar anagoreudas auton en tois di holoïnlērou Hi tou biou philosophēsasi, proïōn ou monon endedōke pros to kai sophieikon ti ergon eirgasthai ton (i “Iiōna, alla protapoterei ton andra kai tōn ontōn ek tę̄s philosophou meridos, proinemōn auta "tois so- ᾿phisikoi. Ei gar ton Euboea tis aphairēsetai tou spoudaion einai" kai hyper spoudaiōn synkeisthai, ou moi dokei rhąs᾽ an ho toioutos enkrinai tina logon tōn “Iiōnos, ōite kai philosophon hyp᾽ autou prorpheirę̄sthai.: 1ho... houtos ge ho logos hypotypōsis exin᾽ eudaimonos biou penēti kai plousiǭ tou pantos anagnōsma adi-
Philostratus, quite carelessly, thinks the praise of the parrot and the Euboean Speech belong to the same choice, and sits down to defend Dio for both alike, lest he seem to have spent effort on trivial things. But this is to make the one more than it is. For he who proclaimed him among those who philosophized all their lives goes on not only to concede that Dio produced a sophistic work, but to rob the man in advance of what belongs to the philosophic portion, assigning it to the sophistic. If anyone takes from the Euboean Speech its being serious and composed about serious things, it seems to me such a man would not easily admit any speech of Dio's for which he could be called a philosopher. This speech, at least, is a sketch of the happy life, for poor and rich alike, a reading most worthy
Notes and citation
Summary: Philostratus wrongly treats Dio's Euboean Speech, a serious portrait of the happy life, as being of a piece with his trivial praise of a parrot.
- The Euboean Speech is Dio Chrysostom, Oration 7.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): 6.». ἸΥ͂. ι. γεῖθα ὑπὲρ ἀμ- δρ. Μοτεῖ!. εἱ ἵπ μίτθατρ Ῥὸφοῖν οπι.. ίηάδ, ἴῃ δεη4ᾳ. ἐπὶ ἴαν. Μοχ τὸ σπουδαῖον εἶναι Ἠᾶτοῖ" Βε! δῖατο. Β. Υἱὰ. ἀε Ῥεονΐά. ἢ. τυχοῦσιν ᾿δ'»εῖ Μου. Ο. 93: Β. εἰ 116.., ἰϊοπι Ἐρ. 8. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 247 (Krabinger 1:247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/247). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/247
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 248
248Krabinger 1:248
ὥτατον. ᾿Ωιδηκός τε γὰρ ἦθο, ὑπὸ πλούτου κατατέλλει, τὸ εὔδαιμον ἑτέρωθι δείξας, καὶ τὸ καταπε- ἢ πτωκὸς ὑπὸ πενίας ἐγείρει, καὶ ἀταπείνωτον εἶναι παρασκευάξδει" τοῦτο μὲν τῷ καταμελιτοῦντι τὰς ἀπάνὅ των ἀκοὰς διηγύματι, ὑφ᾽ οὐ κἀν Ξέρξῃ; ἀνεπείσθῃ, Ξέρξης ἐκεῖνος, ὁ τὴν μεγάλην τρατείαν ἐλάσας ἐπὶ τοὺς “Ἔλληναι,, μακαριώτερον ἑαυτοῦ γεγονέναι κυνῃγέτην ἄνδρα ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ τὴι Ἑυὐβοίας κέγχρους ἐσθίοντα" τοῦτο δὲ ταῖς ἀρίεταις ὑποθήκαις,, αἷς χρώἱενος, οὐδεὶς αἰσχύνεται 1.) πενίαν, εἰ μή γε καὶ φεύίξεται. “Ἰιὼὸ βελτίους οἱ τάττοντες αὐτὸν μετὰ τὸν ἔσχατον περὶ βασιλείας, ἐν ᾧ τέτταρας ὑποθέμενος βίους καὶ δαίμονα,, τὸν φιλοχρήματόν τε καὶ τὸν ἀπολαυεσικὸν, καὶ τρίτον τὸν φιλότιμον, τελευταῖον δὲ Ἶὅ) καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τὸν εὔφρονα καὶ σπουδαῖον, ἐκείνους μὲν τοὺς κατὰ τὴν ἀλογίαν ᾽) ἅπαντας γράφει τε καὶ σχῃματίξει" παύεται δὲ τοῦ βιβλίου, τὸν λοιπὸν ἐπαγγεῖιλάμενος αὐτίκα ἀποδώσειν, ὅτῳ “ποτὲ πεπρώμενος ἐκ θεῶν ἐγένετο. ᾿ :
hōtaton. ᾿Ōidēkos te gar ētho, hypo ploutou katatellei, to eudaimon heterōthi deixas, kai to katape- ē ptōkos hypo penias egeirei, kai atapeinōton einai paraskeuaxdei" touto men tǭ katamelitounti tas apano tōn akoas diēgymati, hyph᾽ ou kan Xerxę̄? anepeisthę̄, Xerxēs ekeinos, ho tēn megalēn trateian elasas epi tous “Ellēnai,, makariōteron heautou gegonenai kynę̄getēn andra en tę̄ oreinę̄ tēi Heuyboias kenchrous esthionta" touto de tais arietais hypothēkais,, hais chrōienos, oudeis aischynetai 1.) penian, ei mē ge kai pheuixetai. “Iiōo beltious hoi tattontes auton meta ton eschaton peri basileias, en hǭ tettaras hypothemenos bious kai daimona,, ton philochrēmaton te kai ton apolauesikon, kai triton ton philotimon, teleutaion de Hio) kai epi pasi ton euphrona kai spoudaion, ekeinous men tous kata tēn alogian ᾽) hapantas graphei te kai schę̄matixei" pauetai de tou bibliou, ton loipon epangeiilamenos autika apodōsein, hotǭ “pote peprōmenos ek theōn egeneto. ᾿ :
of everyone. It brings down a character swollen with wealth by showing happiness elsewhere, and raises up one cast down by poverty and makes it unbowed: the one by a story that pours honey into everyone's ears, by which even Xerxes would have been persuaded — that Xerxes who drove the great expedition against the Greeks — that a hunter in the hills of Euboea eating millet had been more blessed than he; the other by the best of precepts, using which no one is ashamed of poverty, if he does not even avoid it. So those are better who place it after the last speech on kingship, in which, positing four lives and daemons — the money-loving, the pleasure-loving, third the honour-loving, and last of all the sensible and serious — he describes and depicts all the irrational ones, and ends the book promising to render the remaining one at once, to whomever it was destined from the gods.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Euboean Speech humbles the rich and comforts the poor; it rightly follows Dio's fourth speech on kingship, which promised a portrait of the good life.
- The fourth speech on kingship is Dio, Oration 4 (on the four daemons or lives).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): “β Υἱὰ. Πίοπ. ΟἨγγεοεὶ, ἀο Βορα. δ ἀξιώτ. ἀνάγν. Μοη. Ε. ἀξιώτ. Οὐ, 1Ὁ. ». 165. ὁἀ. Βεἶεϊ. ἁνάγν. ΛΕΓΕ ἀγώνισμα, ἱ ἴῃ πλβ. 35. ὕσραι νεῖ τελευταῖον δὶ »ρν ἀνάγν. Ραι. 6.β ἰη Ματο. Β. δὴ) φοεὶρεὶι αγε. Ῥ. ηκωὼΐ δ ἴτας, ἡ " τὰ εἐδυνὸι (6: Μοη, Ε΄ 14. {τ ρεὸ κατοὶ τὴν ἀναλογίαν Ῥατ. ΑΌῈΕ. εἰ Μίδσιοο. ρεορδηίθ 8: καταμελισούντι Μοη. Ἐ. κα- Καγε. Ῥ. 177. γρ. κατὰ τ. ἀλογ. ταμιλιττοῦντι αι. ΑὮ. καῖ. ἰπίες νοτθ. ἤδθεῖ οη. Β., ἔπ Μου. Α. τη. Μοετπι. εἰ 2. Ἑά. Ρεῖδν. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 248 (Krabinger 1:248; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/248). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/248
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 249
249Krabinger 1:249
Χωρὶ, οὖν τιθέντι δ τοὺ, ἐν τοῖς συχνοῖ! λόγοις “Πιογένας τε καὶ Σωκράται, οἵ καὶ περιττοὶ τὴν φύσιν ἔδοξαν" καὶ οὐχ ἅπαντός σιν ἢ ὁ τοῖν ἀνδροῖν Β τούτοιν δῆλοι, ἀλλ᾽ διεὶς εὐθὺς αἵρεσίν τινα τῶν κατὰ᾿ φιλοσοφίαν ὑπίσχετο τὸν δὲ κατὰ τὴν κοινὴν φύσιν δητοῦντι καὶ τὸν ἅπασιν ἐγχωροῦντα, δίκαιον, ὅσιον, αὐτουργὸν, ἀπὸ τῶν ὄντων φιλάνθρωπον, οὐκ ἂν ἔτερος ἀντὶ τοῦ Εὐβοέω; ἀποδεδόμενο; εἴ βίος εὐδαιμονικός. "Ἔτι καὶ τοὺς ᾿Εσσηνοὺς ἱπαινεῖ που, πό- ἢ λιν ὅλην εὐδαίμονᾶ τὴν παρὰ τὸ νεκρὸν ὕδωρ ἐν τῇ μεσογείᾳ Παλαιείνη, κειμένην παρ᾽ αὐτά που τὰ Σό.
Chōri, oun tithenti d tou, en tois sychnoi! logois “Piogenas te kai Sōkratai, hoi kai perittoi tēn physin edoxan" kai ouch hapantos sin ē ho toin androin B toutoin dēloi, all᾽ dieis euthys hairesin tina tōn kata᾿ philosophian hypischeto ton de kata tēn koinēn physin dētounti kai ton hapasin enchōrounta, dikaion, hosion, autourgon, apo tōn ontōn philanthrōpon, ouk an eteros anti tou Euboeō? apodedomeno? ei bios eudaimonikos. "Eti kai tous ᾿Essēnous hipainei pou, po- ē lin holēn eudaimona tēn para to nekron hydōr en tę̄ mesogeią Palaieinē, keimenēn par᾽ auta pou ta So.
If one sets aside, then, the Diogeneses and Socrateses in his many speeches, who were thought extraordinary in nature — and the life of these two men is not open to everyone, but only to one who has at once committed himself to some school of philosophy — and seeks the life according to our common nature, open to all — just, holy, working with one's own hands, kind to others from what one has — no other happy life could be rendered than the Euboean's. He also praises the Essenes somewhere, a whole happy city by the Dead Water in the interior of Palestine, lying near Sodom itself …
Notes and citation
Summary: Apart from the heroic lives of Diogenes and Socrates, the Euboean hunter's simple, just life is the happy life open to all; Dio also praised the Essenes.
- Dio's praise of the Essenes by the Dead Sea is known only from this sentence of Synesius. The page ends mid-sentence and the next page does not continue it; lines are probably lost in the OCR.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): θιῶν κατ. Μοη. ΑΒΌ. εἰ Υπά., ὦ. δητοῦντα Ῥατ, ΑΒΕ, Γ(δυτ, διβεοοιίΐοαϊο ἤαγεεγο 1. ς. Ατιΐοα- Βδιρ. λίρα. ΒΏΌ. Βειά. Ματσο. Β. ἴθ, ᾳφυθτα δ᾽ δἱ. πη. ἱπ οσδ δδ- ι : Βεὶ Μοοση)., ἱπ δτο. Α. ετα- ΝΝίδοτπθ. δητοῦντα Ῥατ. Ὦ. δηεδἴ, π60 ἱπητηθείίο, ααμτη. ἃ, ὁρῶθ που δἰ! Υἱά. δελαείετ. τοῦντι Βαθεὶ Υ᾽ηὰ, Πείπάς ἐγ- Μεϊοϊοα. οτἶμτ, Ρ. 4. χωροῦντα εκ ἴ(δυτ. εἰ Ῥατ. ὨῈ.͵ δαν οοτγεχίξ αγιεγι 1. ο., 6.». Υ. 1. Τῷ χωρὶς οὖν τιθ, πεὸ ἀϊθοτορδηὶ Ῥασ. ΑΒ. Βδι}. ἀθ δυὸ θοτί ρεῖς Σἴαγ.. Ρ. ο. Τυπὶ ὠ β α Νίου. 6. ἐγχειροῦντα οχξϊλόγοις συχνοῖς Νίθοττα. “ιογένας “Ὅοοι Μοη, Β. οἱ Μίατο. Α. ἐγ- -- Σωκράτας Ρτο νυ]ρ, “ηιογένεις χωροῦντι Τύτη. Τ 6οῖ!. νατν. ἐγ- - Σωκράτει: τεοθρὶ ὁχ Ρατ. ΒΏΕ. χειροῦτα Μοη. ΑὮὨΕ. Ρατ. "0. ει ει ΒἈεομά. Νίασο. Β. Μίοεεω. οἱ 2. οἱ ΒΑΡ. “ηιογένας --- Σωκράτας α Ἑὰ. Ρεῖαν. ἐγχειροῦντι Τύτη. οἱ μοθαὶ δυτ, Ζιογένεις --- Σωκρά- Ρεῖαν, 1. ἐγχειροῦν τι ΝΙοτοϊ!. α γρ. 5. ἀντ᾽ εὐβοίως Ἰΐουι.. Α. ο. γἱηὰ. τες Μοα. ΒΓ). “ιογενείας --- Σὼω- ἀπὸ τῷ εὐβοίως οι, Ο. εὐβόεως κρατείας (εἶ.)" Μοοτ. ἴα πῦρ. οη, ΒΏ. Τυπὶ βίος εἴη Ματοο. ΟΥ. Απηοῖδι. δὰ Οδὶν. Ἐπο. ὕδρ. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 249 (Krabinger 1:249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/249). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/249
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 250
250Krabinger 1:250
ἀπήρξατο, καὶ εἰς τὸ νουθετεῖν ἀνθρώπου! ἀπέαλινεν, Οἱ οὐδένα λόγον ἄκαρπον ὅ) ἐξενήνοχε. Τῷ δὲ χα.πα- Ἐ ρέργως ἐντυγχάνοντι δήλῃ καὶ ἡ τῇς ἑρμηνείας ἰδέα διἢ αλλάττουσα, καὶ οὐκ οὖσα μιία τῷ “]ίωνι κατὰ τε τὰς σοφιεικάς ὑποθέσεις ᾽) καὶ κατά τάς πολιτικάς, Ἔν ἑκεί-, ναις μὲν γὰρ ὑπτιάδει καὶ ὡραϊδεται, καθάπερ ὁ ταὼς περιαθρῶν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ οἷρν γαννύμενος ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀγλαῖαι; τοῦ λόγου, ἅτε πρὸς ἦν τοῦτο ὁρῶν, καὶ τέλος τὴν εὐφωνίαν τιθέμενο. Ἔτω παράδειγμα ἡ τῶν Τιμπῶν φράσις καὶ ὁ Μιέμνωψ. Ἔν τούτῳ μὲν γε καὶ ὑπότυφός ") ἔσιν ἡ ἑρμηνεία" τὰ δὲ τοῦ δευτέρον χρόνου βιβλία, ὕκιτ᾽ ἂν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἴδοις χαῦνόν τι
apērxato, kai eis to nouthetein anthrōpou! apealinen, Hoi oudena logon akarpon ho) exenēnoche. Tǭ de cha.pa- E rergōs entynchanonti dēlę̄ kai hē tę̄s hermēneias idea diē allattousa, kai ouk ousa miia tǭ “]iōni kata te tas sophieikas hypotheseis ᾽) kai kata tas politikas, En hekei-, nais men gar hyptiadei kai hōraïdetai, kathaper ho taōs periathrōn heauton, kai hoirn gannymenos epi tais aglaiai? tou logou, hate pros ēn touto horōn, kai telos tēn euphōnian tithemeno. Etō paradeigma hē tōn Timpōn phrasis kai ho Miemnōps. En toutǭ men ge kai hypotyphos ") esin hē hermēneia" ta de tou deuteron chronou biblia, hykit᾽ an en autois idois chaunon ti
… he began, and turned to admonishing people; so he has produced no speech without fruit. To one who reads him with care, the form of expression is also plainly different, and not one and the same for Dio in his sophistic subjects and in his political ones. In the former he leans back and preens himself, like the peacock looking himself over and, as it were, exulting in the splendours of speech, as one who looks to this and makes euphony his end. Let the description of Tempe and the Memnon serve as examples; in these the expression is somewhat puffed up. But in the books of his second period you would least of all see anything conceited
Notes and citation
Summary: Dio's style differs between his sophistic showpieces, which preen like a peacock, and the plain, purposeful works of his later life.
- Dio's Tempe and Memnon are lost sophistic pieces.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): στε Ῥτο που ἰὰ, ψίηᾶ, δῇ που Ῥατ. πολιτικάς Ἑὰ. Ῥεῖαν. 1. 3. εἰ Β. «ς. Βα. ετθα βε4η. πόλιν ἸΝέοτε!!. πιδῖθ οὐσίτϊὴϊ δτιϊΐϊσυδλ. εὐδ. ἀοευηι ἴα Ὑίηὰ. περὶ το ἔπι, ἀα τοθεϊϊυσπάο ἵδῆι παρά εοτίδυοι Νίου, Α. θδτ, Ο. τοοηυΐε δομαεζεγιι. αἃ Ὁίοηγθ. περὶ ᾿ ᾿ϊῖο. ἀ6 οοπιροεὶϊ. νου. Ὁ. 57.» Ὑιπά, παρα Μοη. Ἑ. τὸ ἴῃ ΒδιΡ. ευπιᾷυς βῆ θβηοτουηῖ Οοὰά. Βεμὰ. εἰ Μίοη. Ἐ. εοτευρίυπι πα θμη685 ΘΧΟρΡίΟ ΒΔ}. τὸν, Δηΐο μεσογείᾳ Ατιϊουλι πὶ οὐ. Ὁ,; Νουα. ΒΏ. γερὰ τὰ Σόδομα --- 10. αὐτὸν εχ οοττ. Μίου, Δ. -ι φιλοσοφεῖν ἰπ ἰρχία πεξίαοια οὐτὸν Ι(αἰτ. ὕατ, Β. Μίοη, ΒΌ. Οοὰ, Υἱηά, α. 4. τ. ἰπι πῦρ. ΠΑΡ6.. Ἡζχγος, αὐτὸν Ῥατ, ΑΌῈΕ. ο. ΒαΙν. “. Αθεοὶ ἀνὴρ Βα. Τυνο ὅλοι οχὶιίθεηι [δον Μοη. ΒΡ. Τυπι. γανύμενοι 4τ. Α. ρἱ δῖοη. ὅλως Ἑ. Πό ἴιοο ἴοοο νἱά, Υ'΄. ΟἹ. Βοὶ9- Μοτος Α., ὅλος δι, Ἐ, ἰλοίηὰθ ωοπαά. δὰ Ὀλἰ]οεῖταῖ, Ἡ ες. Β. 578. ἐπεὶ ρτο ἐπειδὴ Νομ. ΔΕ, οἱ ἃ ἘΠ κ- -; οοτσ, τὶ. Νίθετν, Νευίγταται ἃ-'ὅ.ἔ͵Ο 37" καὶ καὶ τῶν Τιμκῶν φράσις Βεὶ ΝΜίοι. 0, Μοχ ἀπήρξατο δῖοι. Ο. Ἰδυάδιυτι ἃ Βοϊεεοπαάϊο δὰ Ρῃϊ- Ἢ Ἰοβίγαι, Ἐρίθι. ρ.- 102. Ρτὸ ἦρ- 12. απότυφος Νίοπ. Κὶ, ὑπύτῳξατο τεοορὶ εχ Ῥαγσ. ΑΌ. Νίοη. ":;, Α. εἱ νίηά, γενρα οὐδένα λόγον φος Μοη. Ο. Ῥεῖη νου, βιβλία. Αι. πος νοσβθ. ιδθοὶ Ρασ. Ὁ. Μοχ -τμὴ ἴω πονίβείπηο ᾿ἶδτο 6. τὰ. ἢ ὙΠ ἥἔᾷκα ἂν ἸΝΝίατο. Β. Τυπὶ ἴδῃς δὰ τ. δυρρίενί, ἄδηι Νίοη, Α. εἰ Υἱπὰ. Ῥεὸ δια- → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 250 (Krabinger 1:250; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/250). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/250
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 251
251Krabinger 1:251
καὶ ἡ διαπεφορημένον. ᾿Ἐξελαύνει γάρ τοι φιλοσο-" φία καὶ ἀπὸ τῇς γλώττῃς τρυφὴν, τὸ ἐμβριθές τε καὶ κόσμιον -κάλλος ἀγαπῶσα, ὁποῖόν ἔτι τὸ ἀρχαῖον, [καὶ] κατὰ φύσιν ἔχον καὶ τοῖς. ὑποκειεμιένοὶς οἰκεῖον» οὗ μετὰ τοὺς λίαν ἀρχαίου, καὶ Ζίων ἐπιτυγχάνεε, διὰ τῶν πραττομένων ἰὼν, κἂν λέγῃ, κἂν διαλέ-. γηται. "Ἔτω «παράδειγμα τῇς ἀσφαλῶς " καὶ κυρίως ἐχούσης ἑρμηνείας ὁ. ἐκκλησιαεικός τε καὶ ὁ βουλευτικός. Εἰ δὲ βούλει, καὶ ὁντινοῦν τῶν πρὸς τὰς 10᾽σπόλειρ εἰρημένων τε καὶ ἐγνωσμένων προκεχειρισμένος, ἴδοις ἂν ἑκατέραν ἰδέαν ἀρχαϊκὴν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῇς νεωτέρας χοῦς τῆς ἐπιποιούσῃς τῷ κάλλει τὴς φύσεω:, ὁποῖαι διαλέξεις, ὧν πρόσθεν ἐμνημονεύσαμεν, ὁ Μέμνων τε καὶ τὰ Τέμπη" λόγος δὲ οὗτος ὁ κατὰ τῶν φιλοσόφων. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀποπροϊποιῇται πάνυ τοῦ θεάτρου γίνεται "καὶ τῇ, χάριτος" καὶ οὐκ ἂν εὕροις 3.) ῥητορείαν
kai hē diapephorēmenon. ᾿Exelaunei gar toi philoso-" phia kai apo tę̄s glōttę̄s tryphēn, to embrithes te kai kosmion -kallos agapōsa, hopoion eti to archaion, [kai] kata physin echon kai tois. hypokeiemienois oikeion» hou meta tous lian archaiou, kai Ziōn epitynchanee, dia tōn prattomenōn iōn, kan legę̄, kan diale-. gētai. "Etō «paradeigma tę̄s asphalōs " kai kyriōs echousēs hermēneias ho. ekklēsiaeikos te kai ho bouleutikos. Ei de boulei, kai hontinoun tōn pros tas 10᾽spoleir eirēmenōn te kai egnōsmenōn prokecheirismenos, idois an hekateran idean archaïkēn, all᾽ ou tę̄s neōteras chous tēs epipoiousę̄s tǭ kallei tēs physeō:, hopoiai dialexeis, hōn prosthen emnēmoneusamen, ho Memnōn te kai ta Tempē" logos de houtos ho kata tōn philosophōn. Ean gar apoproïpoię̄tai pany tou theatrou ginetai "kai tę̄, charitos" kai ouk an heurois 3.) rhētoreian
or dissipated. For philosophy drives luxury even from the tongue, loving a weighty and orderly beauty such as the ancient style has, natural and suited to its subjects; and after the very ancient writers Dio too attains it as he goes through affairs, whether he is making a speech or conversing. Let the Assembly speech and the Council speech serve as examples of a secure and proper style. Or, if you like, take up any of the speeches he delivered and made known before the cities, and you would see each kind ancient, not of the newer stamp that adds to the beauty of nature, like the discourses we mentioned earlier, the Memnon and the Tempe — and this speech against the philosophers. For this one plainly makes for the theatre and for charm, and you would not find a rhetoric
Notes and citation
Summary: Dio's mature style is ancient, weighty and natural, as in his civic speeches, unlike his showpieces and his early speech against the philosophers.
- The Assembly and Council speeches are Dio, Orations 47–48. Krabinger prints a bracketed καὶ as a word to be deleted; it is left out.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 251 (Krabinger 1:251; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/251). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/251
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 252
252Krabinger 1:252
ἐπαφροδιτοτίραν παρὰ τῷ “]ίωνι" ὃ καὶ θαυμάσας Β ἔχω τὴν τύχην φιλοσοφίας, εἰ μήτε κωμῳδία τῶν γεφελῶν μᾶλλον εὐδοκιμεῖ. Οὐδὲ γάρ ἔστιν ἥντινα. μετὰ τῇς ἴσης δυνάμεως ᾿Αριτοφάνυ; ἀπήγγελκε. Τεκμήριον ὅ ποιοῦ τοῦ σρογγύλω;. καὶ σὺν ἐὐροίᾳ προενηνέχθαι Ἀηρὸν. διατήξα,, εἶτα τὴν ψύλλαν λαβὼν, ᾿Ενέβαψεν εἰς τὸν κηρὸν αὐτῇς τὼ πόδε,, κάτα ψυγείσῃ περιέφυσαν Περσικαί, Ταύτας ὑπολίσα;, ἀνεμέτρει τὸ χωρίον.
epaphroditotiran para tǭ “]iōni" ho kai thaumasas B echō tēn tychēn philosophias, ei mēte kōmǭdia tōn gephelōn mallon eudokimei. Oude gar estin hēntina. meta tę̄s isēs dynameōs ᾿Aritophany? apēngelke. Tekmērion ho poiou tou srongylō?. kai syn euroią proenēnechthai Aēron. diatēxa,, eita tēn psyllan labōn, ᾿Enebapsen eis ton kēron autę̄s tō pode,, kata psygeisę̄ periephysan Persikai, Tautas hypolisa?, anemetrei to chōrion.
more charming in Dio. Admiring it, I think philosophy's fortune remarkable, if not even the comedy of the Clouds is more admired. For there is no comedy that Aristophanes produced with equal power. Take as proof that it is delivered roundly and fluently: "melting wax, then taking the flea, he dipped its two feet in the wax; and then, when it had cooled, Persian slippers grew round them; loosening these, he measured the distance."
Notes and citation
Summary: Dio's speech against the philosophers was as brilliant as Aristophanes' Clouds, whose fluency Synesius illustrates with a quotation.
- The quotation is Aristophanes, Clouds 149–152. The connection with the next page is lost in the OCR.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 252 (Krabinger 1:252; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/252). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/252
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 253
253Krabinger 1:253
τῶν νόμων τῇς τέχνη᾽ συγκείμενος δ᾽ οὖν ἀποῤῥήτῷ κάλλει καὶ θαυμαεῇ τινὶ χάριτι, εἰκῇ πως ἐπιτερπούσῃ τοῖς ὀνόμασι καὶ τοῖς ῥήμασιν. Οὗτός τε ὁ “Ἰίων ὕκμασε μάλιτα ἐν τῷ κατὰ τῶν φιλοσόφων, ἧντινα ὅ καὶ καλοῦσιν ἀκμὴν οἱ νεώτεροι" τοῦτ᾽ ἔςσιν ἡρμό- ᾿ σατο πανηγυρικώτερον ἀνδρὸς ἀσφαλοῦ;" καὶ μέντοιγε ἢ εἶς τὴν τοιαύτην ἰδίαν αὐτὸς αὐτοῦ ταύτῃ κράτιςο; ἔδοἕεν. Οὐ μέντοι τοσοῦτον ὁ “]ίων ἐξωρχύήσατο τὴν ἀρχαίαν ῥητορικὴν ἐν οἷς καὶ δοκεὶ σαφῶς ἀναχωρεῖν τῶν οἰκείων ἠθῶν, ὡς ἄν καὶ λαθεῖν, ὅτι “ων ἕεὶ, παρακινήσας ἐς τὸ νεώτερον' ἀλλ᾽ εὐλαβῶς ἅπτεται τῆς παρανομίας καὶ αἱσχυνομένῳ γε ἔοικεν, ὅταν τι παῤακεκινδυνευμένον καὶ νεανικὸν προενέγκηται" ὥρτε κἂν αἰτίαν φύγοι δειλίας, εἰ πρὸς τὴν ὕξτερον ἐπιπολάσασαν τῶν ῥητόρων τόλμαν αὐτὸν ἐξετάδοιμεν" τοῖς πλείςοις δὲ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ παρὰ βραχὺ τοῖς ἅπασι μετ᾽ ἐκείνων ταττέσθω τῶν͵ ἀρχαίων τε καὶ ςασίμῶν
tōn nomōn tę̄s technē᾽ synkeimenos d᾽ oun aporrhētǭ kallei kai thaumaeę̄ tini chariti, eikę̄ pōs epiterpousę̄ tois onomasi kai tois rhēmasin. Houtos te ho “Iiōn hykmase malita en tǭ kata tōn philosophōn, hēntina ho kai kalousin akmēn hoi neōteroi" tout᾽ essin hērmo- ᾿ sato panēgyrikōteron andros asphalou?" kai mentoige ē eis tēn toiautēn idian autos autou tautę̄ kratiso? edoeen. Ou mentoi tosouton ho “]iōn exōrchyēsato tēn archaian rhētorikēn en hois kai dokei saphōs anachōrein tōn oikeiōn ēthōn, hōs an kai lathein, hoti “ōn heei, parakinēsas es to neōteron' all᾽ eulabōs haptetai tēs paranomias kai haischynomenǭ ge eoiken, hotan ti parakekindyneumenon kai neanikon proenenkētai" hōrte kan aitian phygoi deilias, ei pros tēn hyxteron epipolasasan tōn rhētorōn tolman auton exetadoimen" tois pleisois de tōn heautou, kai para brachy tois hapasi met᾽ ekeinōn tattesthō tōn͵ archaiōn te kai sasimōn
… the laws of the art; but composed with an ineffable beauty and a marvellous grace, which somehow delights at random in the words and phrases. Dio was at his peak above all in the speech against the philosophers — what the moderns call "acme": that is, he composed it more for display than a sober man would; and indeed in this kind he seemed best of all his own work. Yet even where he seems plainly to depart from his own manner, Dio did not dance so far out of the ancient rhetoric that one would fail to notice it is Dio straying into the newer style; he touches the transgression cautiously and seems ashamed whenever he puts forth something venturesome and youthful, so that he would even escape a charge of timidity if we measured him against the daring that later spread among the rhetors. In most of his works, and almost in all, let him be ranked with the ancient and steady
Notes and citation
Summary: Even at his most showy, Dio stayed close to the ancient rhetoric; in most of his works he belongs with the sober classical orators.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 253 (Krabinger 1:253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/253). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/253
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 254
254Krabinger 1:254
ῥητόρων. παρ᾽ ὁντινοῦν καὶ δήμῳ διαλέχθῆναι καὶ ἰδιώτῃ τοῦ παντὸς ἄξιοι. Οἵ τε γὰρ ῥυθμοὶ τοῦ λόγου κεκολασμένοι, καὶ τὸ βάθο; τοῦ ἤθουϊ, οἷον σωφρονιςῇ τινὶ καὶ παϊδαγωγῷ πρέπον πόλεως; ὅλης ἀνὸὅ ὕτως διακειμένης. “Ὥιπερ δὲ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν οὔτε μίαν ἔφαμεν πάντως, οὐδὲ ἀνεπίγνωτον, ὅτι “]ἰωνός ἐξιν ἑκὰπέρα, νὺν μὲν ῥήτορος ἀνδρὸς, νῦν δὲ πολιτικοῦ" οὕτω καὶ τὰς διανοίας, ὅςτις οὐκ αὐτὸς δίχα. διανοίας ἐπιβάλλει τὰς ὄψεις ὅτῳ δὴ τῶν βιβλίων αὐτοῦ, ἐπιγνώσεται ““΄ωνοΐ οὖσας ἐν ταῖν δυεῖν ἰδέαιν τῶν ὑποθέσεων᾽" κἂν τὸ φαυλότατον προχειρίσῃ, τὸν “Ἰίωνα ὄψει τὸν ποριμώταᾶκον τῇ ῥητορείᾳ παντὸς ἐξευρεῖν λόγον μακρῷ γὰρ δὴ σοφιτῶν κατὰ τὸ ἐπιχειρῆσαι διήνεγκεν. Εἰ δὲ τις καὶ ἕτερος σοφιςὴς ἦν εὔπορος, ἀλλὰ πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεὶ παραβάλλεσθαι πρὸς τὴν τοῦδὲ πυκνότητα" ἅμα “δὲ καὶ θαυματή τις ἰδιότῃς
rhētorōn. par᾽ hontinoun kai dēmǭ dialechthēnai kai idiōtę̄ tou pantos axioi. Hoi te gar rhythmoi tou logou kekolasmenoi, kai to batho? tou ēthouï, hoion sōphronisę̄ tini kai païdagōgǭ prepon poleōs? holēs anoo hytōs diakeimenēs. “Hōiper de tēn hermēneian oute mian ephamen pantōs, oude anepignōton, hoti “]iōnos exin hekapera, nyn men rhētoros andros, nyn de politikou" houtō kai tas dianoias, hostis ouk autos dicha. dianoias epiballei tas opseis hotǭ dē tōn bibliōn autou, epignōsetai ““΄ōnoï ousas en tain dyein ideain tōn hypotheseōn᾽" kan to phaulotaton procheirisę̄, ton “Iiōna opsei ton porimōtaakon tę̄ rhētoreią pantos exeurein logon makrǭ gar dē sophitōn kata to epicheirēsai diēnenken. Ei de tis kai heteros sophisēs ēn euporos, alla pollou ge kai dei paraballesthai pros tēn toude pyknotēta" hama “de kai thaumatē tis idiotę̄s
orators, worthy above all to address a people or a private person, as well as anyone. For the rhythms of his speech are restrained, and the depth of his character befits a corrector and tutor of a whole city in need of one. And just as we said that his style is not wholly one, and yet not unrecognizable — each kind is Dio's, now a rhetor's, now a statesman's — so too with his thoughts: anyone who does not cast his eyes thoughtlessly on any of his books will recognize them as Dio's in both kinds of subject. Even if you take up the most trivial, you will see Dio, most resourceful in rhetoric at finding every argument; for he far surpassed the sophists in argumentation. If any other sophist was resourceful, he still falls far short of comparison with this man's density; and at the same time a marvellous peculiarity
Notes and citation
Summary: Dio's style is restrained and his arguments dense and inventive; his hand is recognizable in both his rhetorical and his political works.
- The sentence breaks off; the next page begins elsewhere, so lines are probably lost in the OCR.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 254 (Krabinger 1:254; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/254). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/254
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 255
255Krabinger 1:255
ἄνδρα ὁ ῬῬοδιακό; τὲ καὶ ὁ Τρωϊκὸς" εἰ δὲ βόλει, καὶ ὁ “ὴ τοῦ κώνωπος ἔπαινος. ᾿Εσπουδάσθη γὰρ τῷ “ίωνι καὶ τὰ παίγνια, πανταχοῦ τῇ φύσει χρωμένῳ" καὶ 5. οὐκ ἀν ἀπιτήσαις αὐτὰ τῇς αὐτῆς εἶναι παρασκευῆς τε καὶ δυνάμεως. Ταῦτά μοι περὶ “]ίωνος ἢ εἰπεῖν ἐπῆλθε πρὸς τὸν ὕσερόν ποτε παῖδα ἐσόμενον, εἰπεί μοι καὶ διεξιόντι τοὺ παντοδαποὺς αὐτοῦ λόγους μεταξὺ τὸ μιάντευμα γέγονε, Πατρικὸν δὴ “) πέπονθα, καὶ ἤδη συνεῖναι τῷ παιδὶ Ὁ βούλομαι καὶ διδάσκειν, ἅττα ὃ) 'μοι φρονεῖν ἔπεισι περὶ κάτου συγγραφέως τε καὶ συγγράμματος, 'συνιτὰς αὐτῷ φίλους ἄνδρας μετὰ τῇς προϊηκούσῃς ἕκαφον κρὶσεως" ἷν οἷς ἔτω καὶ “ων ὁ Προυσαεὺς, περιττὸς ἀνὴρ εἰπεῖν τε καὶ γνῶναι. αὶ τοῦτον οὖν ἐπαινέσας, αὐτῷ παραδίδωμι, ἵνα μοι μετὰ τὸς τῇς γενναΐας φιλοσοφίας προτάτας ἀπάρχοιτό ποτε καὶ τοῖς πολιτικοῖς τοῦ “]ἰωνος γράμμασι, μεθόριον αὐτὰ ἡγούμενος τῶν προπαιδευμάτων τε δ) καὶ τῇς ἀληθινωτάτη; παιδεία.
andra ho RhRhodiako? te kai ho Trōïkos" ei de bolei, kai ho “ē tou kōnōpos epainos. ᾿Espoudasthē gar tǭ “iōni kai ta paignia, pantachou tę̄ physei chrōmenǭ" kai 5. ouk an apitēsais auta tę̄s autēs einai paraskeuēs te kai dynameōs. Tauta moi peri “]iōnos ē eipein epēlthe pros ton hyseron pote paida esomenon, eipei moi kai diexionti tou pantodapous autou logous metaxy to mianteuma gegone, Patrikon dē “) pepontha, kai ēdē syneinai tǭ paidi Ho boulomai kai didaskein, hatta ho) 'moi phronein epeisi peri katou syngrapheōs te kai syngrammatos, 'synitas autǭ philous andras meta tę̄s proïēkousę̄s hekaphon kriseōs" hin hois etō kai “ōn ho Prousaeus, perittos anēr eipein te kai gnōnai. ai touton oun epainesas, autǭ paradidōmi, hina moi meta tos tę̄s gennaïas philosophias protatas aparchoito pote kai tois politikois tou “]iōnos grammasi, methorion auta hēgoumenos tōn propaideumatōn te d) kai tę̄s alēthinōtatē? paideia.
… the man, the Rhodian and the Trojan speeches; and, if you like, the praise of the gnat. For Dio took pains even over trifles, using his nature everywhere, and you would not doubt that they come from the same equipment and power. These things it occurred to me to say about Dio for the son who is one day to be mine, since, while I was going through his various speeches, the prophecy came. I feel a father's feeling, and wish already to be with the child and teach him what I think about each writer and each writing, introducing him to friendly men with the judgment proper to each; and among them let Dio of Prusa be, an extraordinary man at speaking and knowing. So, having praised him, I hand him over to the boy, so that after the champions of noble philosophy he may some day make a beginning of Dio's political writings too, regarding them as a borderland between the preparatory studies and the truest education.
Notes and citation
Summary: Synesius writes this assessment of Dio for the son whose birth had just been foretold, intending Dio's political works as a bridge to philosophy.
- The Rhodian and Trojan speeches are Dio, Orations 31 and 11; the praise of the gnat is lost. Synesius learned by a dream or oracle that a son would be born to him.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 255 (Krabinger 1:255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/255). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/255
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 256
256Krabinger 1:256
προιταλαιπωρήσαντα Ἶ), ᾿ καὶ καταπεπυκνώμενον τὴν γνώμην, ἢ δόγμασι βάρος ἔχουσιν ἑξοιβασμένῃς τῷς διανοίας, εἶτα ἀποκλῖναι ὅ) δεῆσαν, μὴ εὐθὺς ἐπὶ κωὅ μῳδίαν, καὶ ψιλήν τινὰ ῥητορείαν ἀϊξαι" τοῦτο γάρ ἔςιν οὐκ ἐν τάξει" καὶ ταχὺ πρόσω τοῦ μετρίου ῥᾳεωνεῦσαι" ἀλλὰ κατὰ μικρὸν ἑκλυτέος ὁ τόνος, μέχρις ἄν, εἰ δοκεῖ, δόξειε δὲ, κἂν εἰς τὸ ἀντικείμενον ἤκῃ:, ἱπεξιὼν ἅπασιν, ὅσα Μουσῶν ἑταίροις ἀνδράσιν ἐῤῥᾳθύμηταί τε καὶ πέκαικται" πάλιν δὲ τὴν σπουδὴν ἐπιτείνων, ἀναβασμῷ χρύῴσῃ τοῖςδέ τε καὶ ἀδελφοῖς
proitalaipōrēsanta I), ᾿ kai katapepyknōmenon tēn gnōmēn, ē dogmasi baros echousin hexoibasmenę̄s tǭs dianoias, eita apoklinai ho) deēsan, mē euthys epi kōo mǭdian, kai psilēn tina rhētoreian aïxai" touto gar esin ouk en taxei" kai tachy prosō tou metriou rhąeōneusai" alla kata mikron heklyteos ho tonos, mechris an, ei dokei, doxeie de, kan eis to antikeimenon ēkę̄:, hipexiōn hapasin, hosa Mousōn hetairois andrasin errhąthymētai te kai pekaiktai" palin de tēn spoudēn epiteinōn, anabasmǭ chryǭsę̄ toisde te kai adelphois
… one who has toiled beforehand and has condensed his mind, his understanding worn by weighty doctrines, when he needs to turn aside, should not rush straight to comedy and some bare rhetoric — for that is out of order — and quickly grow slack beyond measure. The tension must be relaxed little by little, until, if it seems good — and it may — he comes even to the opposite, going through all the things in which the companions of the Muses have relaxed and played; and then, tightening his seriousness again, he will use these and some kindred readings as a ladder.
Notes and citation
Summary: After weighty philosophy one should relax by stages through lighter literature and then climb back to seriousness.
- The beginning of the sentence is lost in the OCR.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 256 (Krabinger 1:256; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/256). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/256
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 257
257Krabinger 1:257
τισὶ τούτων 'ἀναγνώσμασιν" οὕτως") ἂν ᾿ἀριτα 'δρῴῃς, διατρέχων τὸν κάλλιστον δίαυλον, παρὰ μέρος ἐν: "βώ βλίοις ἀεὶ παίδων τε καὶ σπουδάξων..᾿Αξιῶ γὰρ ἐγὼ τὸν φιλόσοφον μηδ᾽ ἄλλο τι κακὸν, ᾿μηδ᾽'" ἄγροικον.) δεῖναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐκ Χαρίτων μυεῖσθαι καὶ ἀλρι βῶ; Ἕλληνα εἶναι, τοῦτ᾽ ἔσι δύνασθαι τοῖν" ἀνθρώποις ἐξομιλῆσαι, τῷ μηδενὸς ἀπείρως ἔχειν ἐλλογίμου συγγράμματο!. "Ἔοικε γὰρ οὐδ' ἄλλο τι γεγονέναι προοίμιον φιλοσοφίας, καὶ πολυπραγμοσύνῃ γνώσεωρ" καὶ 10ἐν παισὶν ἡ φιλόμυθος φύσι. ὑπόσχεσίς ἔτι φιλοσό.Ο᾽ φου τέλους. αὶ δῆτα τίνος ἂν εἴ) τέχνη καὶ ἐπισήύμη τέχνης ἢ ἐπιστήμης, ἡ, ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ εἶναι τὸ πάσαις ἐποχεῖσθαι παραλαμβάνεται, εἰ μὴ φιλοκρινοΐῃ τε αὐτὰς, καὶ τὴν μὲν ἐκ περιωπὴς ἀποσκο
tisi toutōn 'anagnōsmasin" houtōs") an ᾿arita 'drǭę̄s, diatrechōn ton kalliston diaulon, para meros en: "bō bliois aei paidōn te kai spoudaxōn..᾿Axiō gar egō ton philosophon mēd᾽ allo ti kakon, ᾿mēd᾽'" agroikon.) deinai, alla kai ta ek Charitōn myeisthai kai alri bō? Hellēna einai, tout᾽ esi dynasthai toin" anthrōpois exomilēsai, tǭ mēdenos apeirōs echein ellogimou syngrammato!. "Eoike gar oud' allo ti gegonenai prooimion philosophias, kai polypragmosynę̄ gnōseōr" kai 10en paisin hē philomythos physi. hyposchesis eti philoso.O᾽ phou telous. ai dēta tinos an ei) technē kai episēumē technēs ē epistēmēs, hē, en tǭ logǭ tou einai to pasais epocheisthai paralambanetai, ei mē philokrinoïę̄ te autas, kai tēn men ek periōpēs aposko
In this way you would do best, running the finest double course, playing and being serious in books by turns. For I think the philosopher should be neither anything else bad nor boorish, but should be initiated also into the rites of the Graces and be exactly a Greek — that is, able to associate with people, being unacquainted with no notable writing. For there seems to have been no other prelude to philosophy than a curiosity for knowledge, and in children a story-loving nature is a promise of the philosophic end. And of what art or science would it be the task — the one which reason takes as riding upon all the others — unless to judge them and to look out over them from a watchtower, being escorted
Notes and citation
Summary: The philosopher should be cultured and widely read, a true Greek; curiosity is the prelude to philosophy, which judges all the arts.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): σετὸ Ομάεπάογρίιϊις δὰ ὙΠοσι. Ρ. ἴα Ραδσ. ὮὨ. τουτίγι βοτίδαηι Βατδ. ἦτ. εἰ Ογοιχεγις δὰ ῬΙοιΐπ, ἀὲ Νουη. ΑΒΌΕ. Πεμὰ. Μδοτσω. Ῥαυϊοτίίπὰ, Ρ. 143. Ὠεΐῖι γε ρτὸ τε Ἰΐδετιην. Ρτοχΐίτηο τούτοις ἐνα- 17. προοίμιον Ὑεγ. φ. Ῥατίει. γνώσμασιν Ῥατ. Α. ἀναγνώσμασι ΒαιΡ. Νοη. ΑΟΕ, εἰ εχ εοσσ. Ματο. Β. ᾿ Νίθοτγη. θείη ἡ ῥτοὸ καὶ Μοη. Ἐ, - ΓΩ ἐν παισὶν → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 257 (Krabinger 1:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/257). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/257
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 258
258Krabinger 1:258
δάρυφοροϊφο δ᾽. ὑφ᾽ ἀπασῶν, ὥιπερ ἴοικε τῇ βασιλίδι; Τὰς δὲ, Νίούσα; οὐχ ὁμοῦ τε..οὖσαι ἐμφαίνει τὸ ὄνομα... θεῶν “καλεσάντων, ἦ᾽ ἀνθῥώπων γε- θεῶν ἡ φήμῃ χρωμένων»). Χορόι τέ εἰσι δι᾽ αὐτὴν δήπου. τὴΜ σύνοδον.:.Αἰα δὲ αὐτῶν. οὐδεμιᾶς χωρὶς οὔτε ἐν. συμιποσίῳ θεῶν ἐπιδείκνυται τὸ οἰκεῖον ἔργον, οὔτε τυγχά- Ὠ νει παρά. ἀνθρώποι; βωμοῦ καὶ νεώ. Ἑαΐτοι τινὲς ἤδη φύσεως ἐνδείᾳ κατακερματίξουσιν αὐτῶν τὸ χω- 1θρίξεσαθαι μὴ δυνάμενον, καὶ ἕτερο! ἑτέρας ἐπήβολο; γέγονεν. ἀλλὰ φιλοσοφία τὸ ἐπὶ πάσαις ἐεί. ἸΚαί-
daryphoroïpho d᾽. hyph᾽ apasōn, hōiper ioike tę̄ basilidi? Tas de, Niousa? ouch homou te..ousai emphainei to onoma... theōn “kalesantōn, ē᾽ anthrhōpōn ge- theōn hē phēmę̄ chrōmenōn»). Choroi te eisi di᾽ autēn dēpou. tēM synodon.:.Aia de autōn. oudemias chōris oute en. symiposiǭ theōn epideiknytai to oikeion ergon, oute tyncha- Ō nei para. anthrōpoi? bōmou kai neō. Heaïtoi tines ēdē physeōs endeią katakermatixousin autōn to chō- 1thrixesathai mē dynamenon, kai hetero! heteras epēbolo? gegonen. alla philosophia to epi pasais eei. IKai-
by all of them, as befits the queen? As for the Muses, does not the name show that they belong together — whether the gods named them so or people use the report of the gods? And they are a chorus surely because of their gathering; and none of them, apart from the others, either shows her proper work at the banquet of the gods or receives altar and temple among men. Yet some, through deficiency of nature, chop up what cannot be separated, and one man has become master of one, another of another; but philosophy stands over them all.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Muses form one chorus and cannot be separated; specialists master only one, but philosophy presides over all.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 258 (Krabinger 1:258; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/258). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/258
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 259
259Krabinger 1:259
τοι τοῦτο αἰνίττεται τὸ τῇ συμφωνίᾳ τῶν Μουσῶν εὐθὺ, τὸν ᾿Δπόλλω. παρεῖναι. Ὃ δὲ λόγος οὗτος τεχνίτην μὲν καὶ ἐπιεήμονα καλεῖ τὸν ἀποτεμνόμενον Ἶ) ἡντινοῦν εἴδησιν, ἄλλον αὶ ἄλλῃ προήκοντα δαίμονι" φιλόσοφον δὲ τὸν ἡρμοσμένον ἐκ τῇς ἁπασῶν συμφωνίας καὶ ἕν τὸ πλῆθος ποιήσαντα ἢ τοῦτον μὲν͵ οὕπω, προρεῖναι δὲ δεῖ τὸ καὶ ἔχειν αὐτὸν ἴδιον ἔργον ὑπερκείμενον τοῦ χοροῦ" ὥςπερ τὸν ᾿Απόλλω λόγος ἔχει νῦν μὲν ταῖς ἡηούσαι; συνάδειν, αὐτὸν ἐξάρχοντα καὶ ἐνδιδόντα ῥυθμὸν τῷ συτήματι " νῦν δὲ αὐτὸν κατὰ μόνας ἄδειν' ἐκεῖνο δ᾽ ἂν εἴν τὸ μέλος τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον. Ἑαὶ ὁ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς φιλόσοφος δ) συνέται μὲν ἑαυτῷ τε καὶ τῷ θεῷῴ διὰ φιλοσοφία," συνέξαι δὲ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις διὰ τῶν ὑφειμέ- Β Ἰδνων τοῦ λόγου δυνάμεων. ᾿Επιεήσεται μὲν οὖν ὡς φιλόλογος ), κρινεῖ δὲ ὡς φιλόσοφος ἕκατόν τε καὶ πάντα. Οἱ δὲ ἀξεμφεῖς οὗτοι καὶ ὑπερόπται ῥητορικῇς
toi touto ainittetai to tę̄ symphōnią tōn Mousōn euthy, ton ᾿Dpollō. pareinai. Ho de logos houtos technitēn men kai epieēmona kalei ton apotemnomenon I) hēntinoun eidēsin, allon ai allę̄ proēkonta daimoni" philosophon de ton hērmosmenon ek tę̄s hapasōn symphōnias kai hen to plēthos poiēsanta ē touton men͵ houpō, proreinai de dei to kai echein auton idion ergon hyperkeimenon tou chorou" hōsper ton ᾿Apollō logos echei nyn men tais hēēousai? synadein, auton exarchonta kai endidonta rhythmon tǭ sytēmati " nyn de auton kata monas adein' ekeino d᾽ an ein to melos to hieron kai aporrhēton. Heai ho kath᾽ hēmas philosophos d) synetai men heautǭ te kai tǭ theǭǭ dia philosophia," synexai de tois anthrōpois dia tōn hypheime- B Idnōn tou logou dynameōn. ᾿Epieēsetai men oun hōs philologos ), krinei de hōs philosophos hekaton te kai panta. Hoi de axempheis houtoi kai hyperoptai rhētorikę̄s
And this is hinted by Apollo's being present at once with the concord of the Muses. This account calls craftsman and expert the one who cuts off for himself any single knowledge, each devoted to a different deity, but calls philosopher the one tuned from the concord of all, who has made the many one — or rather, not yet him; he must also have a work of his own above the chorus, as the story is that Apollo now sings with the Muses, himself leading and giving the rhythm to the ensemble, and now sings alone; and that would be the sacred and ineffable song. So the philosopher, as we understand him, will be with himself and God through philosophy, and with people through the lower powers of speech. He will know as a lover of letters, and judge each thing and all as a philosopher. But these stiff despisers of rhetoric
Notes and citation
Summary: Like Apollo leading the Muses and singing alone, the philosopher unites all learning, communing with God and also speaking to men.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): εχρυηοίΐυ. Οὐ, Ἐρίδι. 103. Ρ. ὅ. τοῦτο Υἱπὰ.; ἰίοπι Μοη. Α., → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 259 (Krabinger 1:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/259). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/259
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 260
260Krabinger 1:260
καὶ ποιήσεως οὔ μοι δοκοῦσιν οὐδὲ ὅδ) ἑκόντες; εἶναι τοιοῦτοι, πενίᾳ δὲ φύσεως μηδὲ τὰ σμικρὰ ἱκανοὶ, ὧν θάττον ἂν ἴδοις τὴν καρδίαν, ἢ τὰ ἶν τῇ καρδίᾳ, ἀδυνατούσῃς τῇς: γλώττῃς ἑξερμηνεῦσαι τὴν γνώμην. ᾿Εγὼ μὲν ὅ οὖν καὶ ἀπιτεῖν αὐτοῖς βούλομαι, καὶ οὐδ᾽ ἂν φαίην Ὁ ͵ ἀπόῤῥητον τι. κρύπτειν αὐτούς, ὥςπερ τὰς ᾿Εειάδας 1} τὸ πῦρ, πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι μηδὲ ὅσιόν ἐστι τὰ μεγάλα σοφὸν γενέσθαι τὸν τὰ μικρὰ μὴ δυνάμενον. ἔπειτα ὥιπερ ὁ θεὸς. τῶν ἀφανῶν ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεων εἰκόνας μφανεῖ; ὑπεστήσατο, τῶν ἰδεῶν τὰ σώματα, οὕτως ἔχουσα κάλλος ψυχῇ καὶ γόνιμος οὖσα τῶν ἀρίτων διαδόσιμον ἔχει μέχρι τῶν ἔξω τὴν δύναμιν" οὐδὲν γὰρ ἰθέλει τῶν θείων ἔσχατον εἶναι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ κρύπτειν ἐπιτηδειότερος τὰ αἀβέβηλα ὁ παντοδαπῶς 1ὅ ἔχων τοῦ λόγου, καὶ περιβαλλόμενος; δύναμιν τοῦ διατί- ἢ θέσθαι τὰς συνουσίας ᾧ βούλεται, καὶ οὕτω μειονεκτεῖν ἀνάγκῃ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον, δι οὐ προετελέσθῃ τῷ
kai poiēseōs ou moi dokousin oude hod) hekontes? einai toioutoi, penią de physeōs mēde ta smikra hikanoi, hōn thatton an idois tēn kardian, ē ta in tę̄ kardią, adynatousę̄s tę̄s: glōttę̄s hexermēneusai tēn gnōmēn. ᾿Egō men ho oun kai apitein autois boulomai, kai oud᾽ an phaiēn Ho ͵ aporrhēton ti. kryptein autous, hōsper tas ᾿Eeiadas 1} to pyr, prōton men, hoti mēde hosion esti ta megala sophon genesthai ton ta mikra mē dynamenon. epeita hōiper ho theos. tōn aphanōn heautou dynameōn eikonas mphanei? hypestēsato, tōn ideōn ta sōmata, houtōs echousa kallos psychę̄ kai gonimos ousa tōn aritōn diadosimon echei mechri tōn exō tēn dynamin" ouden gar ithelei tōn theiōn eschaton einai. Ei de kai kryptein epitēdeioteros ta aabebēla ho pantodapōs 1ho echōn tou logou, kai periballomenos? dynamin tou diati- ē thesthai tas synousias hǭ bouletai, kai houtō meionektein anankę̄ ton andra ekeinon, di ou proetelesthę̄ tǭ
and poetry seem to me not to be such by choice, but through poverty of nature incapable even of small things; you would sooner see their heart than what is in their heart, since their tongue cannot express their thought. For my part I wish to distrust them, and I would not say that they hide something ineffable, as the Vestals hide the fire: first, because it is not even holy that one unable to do small things should become wise in great ones; then, just as God set up visible images of his invisible powers — the bodies of the forms — so a soul that has beauty and is productive of the best has a power that can be distributed even to outward things; for nothing divine wishes to be last. And if the one who has every kind of speech at his command, and is clothed with the power to arrange his conversations as he wishes, is better fitted to hide what must not be profaned, then that man must necessarily be at a disadvantage who has not been initiated
Notes and citation
Summary: Those who scorn rhetoric are simply incapable of it; a beautiful soul expresses itself outwardly, and eloquence even helps to guard sacred truths.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): οἱ εχ. ῬΙδι. οὶ. 111. Ρ. 403. τὰς ἱερείας δἄϊοοϊαπι εθὲ τρδτρίηϊ δελιποίάετ. δὰ Ῥίαι. Οἰνίται, Υο]. Οοἀϊοὶς Νίδοτηι. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 260 (Krabinger 1:260; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/260). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/260
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 261
261Krabinger 1:261
κύκλῳ καὶ τὰ Μουσῶν οὐκ ώργίακε... Ζυοὶν γὰρ αὐ. τὸν καταλὰμβάνει τὸ ἕτερον, τοι σιγᾷν, ᾿) λέγειν, ὅσα νόμος σιγᾶσθαι. Ἢ γὰρ δ τὰς τῶν ἐν ἄτει τύχας διαλέξεων ὑπαθέσεις ποιήσεται, καὶ φορτικῶς 3} τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνέται, ὃ μηδεὶς ἄν ἐλεύθερος. ἀξιώσειεν, ᾽ βιώσει ἐν' σχολῇ γε ὁ τὴν΄ σοφίαν πόρυφαῖος εἶναι ποιούμενο. Τυχὸν μὲν γὰρ ὑδ᾽ ἄν, εἰ βούλοιτο, δύναιτο" 'πάντως δὲ οὐδ᾽ ἄν, ᾿ εἰ" δύναιτο, Α' βούλοιτο. "ἄγαμαι δὲ ἐγὼ καὶ τὸν Πρωτέα τὸν Φά.- 1θριον, εἰ σοφὸς ὧν τὰ μεγάλα, σοφιςικήν τινα θαυ- ᾿ατολογίαν προυὐβέβλητο, καὶ παντοδαπῶς τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι συνεμίγνυτο " ῴχοντο γὰρ ἄν τὴν, περὶ
kyklǭ kai ta Mousōn ouk ōrgiake... Zyoin gar au. ton katalambanei to heteron, toi sigąn, ᾿) legein, hosa nomos sigasthai. Ē gar d tas tōn en atei tychas dialexeōn hypatheseis poiēsetai, kai phortikōs 3} tois anthrōpois synetai, ho mēdeis an eleutheros. axiōseien, ᾽ biōsei en' scholę̄ ge ho tēn΄ sophian poryphaios einai poioumeno. Tychon men gar hyd᾽ an, ei bouloito, dynaito" 'pantōs de oud᾽ an, ᾿ ei" dynaito, A' bouloito. "agamai de egō kai ton Prōtea ton Pha.- 1thrion, ei sophos hōn ta megala, sophisikēn tina thau- ᾿atologian prouybeblēto, kai pantodapōs tois entynchanousi synemignyto " ǭchonto gar an tēn, peri
into the circle and has not celebrated the rites of the Muses. For one of two things overtakes him: either to keep silent, or to say what the law requires to be kept silent. Either he will make the doings of people in the city the subjects of his discourses and consort with people vulgarly — which no free man would think fit, at least one who lives in leisure and makes himself a leader in wisdom; perhaps he could not even if he wished, and certainly, if he could, he would not wish. I admire Proteus of Pharos, who, wise in great things, put forward a sophistic wonder-show and mingled in every way with those who met him; for they would go away
Notes and citation
Summary: An unlettered sage must either be silent or blurt out secrets; Proteus, by contrast, showed visitors a dazzling show.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): αὐγίακε Ῥατὶδ. Μοη. ΑΒΟΏΌ. Πεπὰ. τὴς οὐδ᾽ ὧν, εἰ δόνοιτα, βού- Ματο. Β. οὐχ ὠργίακεν Μετο. Α. λοιτο δυεοιοτῖδυς Ἰἰδεῖν Ῥωτῖδς. ΓῚ ἐν. ᾿ » ἀργθανο Νέους Ἐ- οὐχ ὡρ: Ὥνμε Βειρ. τας.ΟὙἱοἄ. Μάδτοο γίακεν ΒδιΡ. γ᾽η, εἰ βούλοιτα, δύναιτο ΒαΡοῖ Βομὰ, → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 261 (Krabinger 1:261; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/261). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/261
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 262
262Krabinger 1:262
τὸν τραγῳδίαν τεθαυμακότει, ὡς; μὴ ἐπιδητῇσαιτὴν ἂλύθειαν περὶ ὧν πραγματεύοιτο. “"Ἔτω δή τι τοῦ ψεὼ προτεμένισμα τοῖς ἀτελέςοι " ὁ 7. δὲ καθάκαξ ἀπο-: σεμνυνόμενος, οὐκρύπτει: μᾶλλον, γ᾽ ἐρεθίξεϊ καὶ ἀναῤὅ ῥιπίδει τὴν ἐν τῇ φύσέι. λιχνείαν, ὑφ᾽ ἡ, ἑκαεός ἐσι Εὶ πολυπράγμων τοῦ ἀποῤῥήτου. Εἰ δὲ' μιὴ 'ὁ ᾿Ιξίων. ἀνπὶ τῆς Ἥρας τὴν νερξλῃ» ὑῥρήκει, καὶ ᾿ἡγαπήπει συνὼν; τῷ εἰδώλῳ, οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἑκὼν ἐἶναι μεθεῖτο᾽ τῆς ἀτόπου διώξεω... εκ τῆνος " ΜΙαρασκευαεέον οὖν ἀντὶ λόγου. λόγον," ἀντὶ τοῦ μείδονος ὃ τὸν ἐλάττω᾽ καλὸν μέντοι τινὰ καὶ τοῖτον, ᾧ προεντυχόντες, ὁ μὲν, πολὺς. ἐνσχεθήσεται, καὶ τοῦτον ἀσπάσεται, καὶ οὐδ᾽ εἶναι πρεσβύτερον ἄλλον οἰήσεται ἦ᾽ ὁ δὲ λαχὼν φύσεως θείας, ἐντεῦθεν ἀρθεὶς, 1ῦ περινοήσει κἀκεῖνον. Ὃν ὃ) δὲ ὁ θεὸρ. κινεῖ, τούτῳ καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀνεῴξεται τὰ ἀνάκτορα" οὐδὲ ὁ. ΜΜενέλεωΟ ἠγνόγσε τὸν ὄντως Πρωτία" "Ἕλλην γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἦν, καὶ
ton tragǭdian tethaumakotei, hōs? mē epidētę̄saitēn alytheian peri hōn pragmateuoito. “"Etō dē ti tou pseō protemenisma tois atelesoi " ho 7. de kathakax apo-: semnynomenos, oukryptei: mallon, g᾽ erethixeï kai anaro rhipidei tēn en tę̄ physei. lichneian, hyph᾽ hē, hekaeos esi Ei polypragmōn tou aporrhētou. Ei de' miē 'ho ᾿Ixiōn. anpi tēs Hēras tēn nerxlę̄» hyrhrēkei, kai ᾿hēgapēpei synōn? tǭ eidōlǭ, ouk an pote hekōn einai metheito᾽ tēs atopou diōxeō... ek tēnos " MIaraskeuaeeon oun anti logou. logon," anti tou meidonos ho ton elattō᾽ kalon mentoi tina kai toiton, hǭ proentychontes, ho men, polys. enschethēsetai, kai touton aspasetai, kai oud᾽ einai presbyteron allon oiēsetai ē᾽ ho de lachōn physeōs theias, enteuthen artheis, 1y perinoēsei kakeinon. Hon ho) de ho theor. kinei, toutǭ kai par᾽ hēmōn aneǭxetai ta anaktora" oude ho. MMeneleōO ēgnogse ton ontōs Prōtia" "Hellēn gar anēr ēn, kai
admiring the tragic show around him, so as not to seek the truth about what he was dealing with. Let this be a forecourt of the temple for the uninitiated. But the one who is solemn through and through does not hide the secret; rather he provokes and fans the greed in our nature by which everyone is curious about the ineffable. If Ixion had not found the cloud instead of Hera and been content to be with the image, he would never willingly have given up his absurd pursuit. So one must prepare a speech in place of a speech, a lesser in place of the greater; yet a fine one, on meeting which the many will be held fast, embrace it, and not think there is another more venerable; while the one who has been given a divine nature will be raised from there and come to understand the other as well. And for one whom God moves, the shrine will be opened by us too. Menelaus did not fail to recognize the real Proteus; for he was a Greek, and
Notes and citation
Summary: Like Proteus's shows or Ixion's cloud, eloquent discourse satisfies the many and guards the inner truth, which God opens to the worthy.
- Proteus and Menelaus: Homer, Odyssey 4.351–570. Ixion embraced a cloud in the form of Hera.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): εἰϊοποσα γρϊξαίοιι, αυατο σπουδηὶ 51. [αὐΐϊιδιυ8 εθὶ θγηεεῖος ᾿.}. 6θφ6 εαηδοὶ οἰΐδπι γἱν ἀοοιϊεείαυθ Πίοπ. Οἠγγεοοὶ. Οἵ. ἹΝ. Ρ. 80. Ὁ. βοὶμοβόδϊωε οὰ ΤΠ βΑσ λεῖ: Ῥ- πιοπεηὶο "» γι(επδαο)ιίο ἘρΡ. εεἶ!. → .
Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Od. 4.351-570 (Homer, Odyssey; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 262 (Krabinger 1:262; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/262). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/262
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 263
263Krabinger 1:263
τοῦ “ὸς κηδεεὴς ἄξιος), ᾧ μηδὲ τὴν πρώκῳῃν. ἐπὶ φαύλοις συνῆν. Τὸ γὰρ πῦρ, καὶ τὸ δένδρον, καὶ. τὸ θυρίον λόγοι τινὲς ἦσαν περὶ ξώων τε παὶ φυτῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν, πρώτων τοιχείων, ὧν -σύγκειται τὰ γινόμενα, Ὃ δὲ οὐδὲ ταῦτα ἠγάπησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνδοτίέρῳ ἢ: φύσεως, ἠξίου χωρεῖν.. Θεῖον οὖν ἀτεχνῷς τὸ πᾶσιν «ἀρκεῖν, ὧι ἕκατοι ἀπολαύειν αὐτοῦ δύναται" ὁ᾽ δὲ γες νόμενος τῶν ἄκρων ἐπιτυχὴ;, μεμνήσθω τκαὶ ιἄνθρῳ. Ὁ πος ὧν), καὶ δυνάσθω συνεῖναι ᾽. πρὸς μέερον΄ ἐπάφῳ, Τί οὖν ἄν τις ἀποκηρύεττοι.1}) τὰς ἹΠούσας, διὶ ὧν, ἔξε... καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπου, ἀρέσκειν, καὶ τὰ. θεῖα τηρεῖν, ἀκῃλίδωτα, χρωμένους ἐπικαλύμματι;. Ἐῤ᾿ δὲ τπαὶ ποι: κίλον ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν, καμεῖται. δύπου πρὸς ντὴν. ἐν θεωρέᾳ. ἀωήν' ὥιτε ὑφήσει τοῦ μεγέθυγρ καὶ, καταβήφε- Ι5ται" οὐ γάρ ἐσμὲν ὁ ἀκήρατος νοῦς, ἀλλὰ νοῦς ἐν δώου ψυχῇ. Καὶ ἡμῶν οὖν αὐτῶν εἶα μεριτέον τοὺς ἀνθρωπινωτίρουν τῶν λόγων. ὑποδοχήν. τινα, μι Α
tou “os kēdeeēs axios), hǭ mēde tēn prōkǭę̄n. epi phaulois synēn. To gar pyr, kai to dendron, kai. to thyrion logoi tines ēsan peri xōōn te pai phytōn, alla kai peri tōn, prōtōn toicheiōn, hōn -synkeitai ta ginomena, Ho de oude tauta ēgapēsen, all᾽ endotierǭ ē: physeōs, ēxiou chōrein.. Theion oun atechnǭs to pasin «arkein, hōi hekatoi apolauein autou dynatai" ho᾽ de ges nomenos tōn akrōn epitychē?, memnēsthō tkai ianthrǭ. Ho pos hōn), kai dynasthō syneinai ᾽. pros meeron΄ epaphǭ, Ti oun an tis apokēryettoi.1}) tas HiPousas, dii hōn, exe... kai tous anthrōpou, areskein, kai ta. theia tērein, akę̄lidōta, chrōmenous epikalymmati?. Er᾿ de tpai poi: kilon hē physis hēmōn, kameitai. dypou pros ntēn. en theōreą. aōēn' hōite hyphēsei tou megethygr kai, katabēphe- I5tai" ou gar esmen ho akēratos nous, alla nous en dōou psychę̄. Kai hēmōn oun autōn eia meriteon tous anthrōpinōtiroun tōn logōn. hypodochēn. tina, mi A
a worthy son-in-law of Zeus, with whom Proteus did not consort from the first on trivial matters. For the fire, the tree and the beast were certain accounts of animals and plants, and also of the first elements of which things that come to be are composed; yet he was not content even with these, but thought fit to go into the inner part of nature. It is divine, then, to suffice for all, so that each can enjoy it as he is able; but whoever has reached the summits, let him remember that he is a man, and be able to be with people in due measure. Why then should one renounce the Muses, through whom we can please people and keep divine things unsullied, using coverings? And if our nature is manifold, it will surely grow weary of the life of contemplation, so that it will come down from its height and descend; for we are not pure mind, but mind in the soul of a living being. So we must set apart for ourselves the more human kinds of discourse, a kind of resting-place
Notes and citation
Summary: Proteus's transformations hid lessons in natural philosophy; the philosopher, being human, needs literature both to reach people and to rest from contemplation.
- Proteus becomes fire, tree and beast in Odyssey 4.456–458; Menelaus is Zeus's son-in-law (4.569).
Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Od. 4.456-458 (Homer, Odyssey; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 263 (Krabinger 1:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/263). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/263
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-synesius-dion-263) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 264
264Krabinger 1:264
'χανωμένους κατιούσῃ τῇ φύσει" ἀγαπητὸν γὰρ ἔχοντά που πλησίον ἀπονεῦσαι ᾽), καὶ ἀφοσιώσασθαι τῇ ψυχικῇ 'συτάσει δεομένῃ γλυκυθυμίας, ἡ πόῤῥω πεσεῖν, μηδὲ: κατὰ πᾶσαν δῆσαι τὴν ποικιλίαν τῇ, φύσεωρ" γὰρ θεὸς τὴν ἡδονὴν περόνην ἐποίησε τῇ ψυχῇ ᾽), δι᾿ ἦ, ἀνέχεται τὴν προςεδρείαν τοῦ σώματος. ’Τοιοῦτον οὖν τὸ ἐν λόγοις κάλλοι" οὐ βαθύνεται πρὸς ὕλην, οὐδὲ Ψμβαπτίδει τὸν νοῦν ταῖς ἐσχάταις; δυνάμεσιν » ἀλλὰ δίδωσιν. ἀνανεῦσαι δι᾽ ἐλαχίστου, “καὶ. εἰς ᾿{τὴν}Β οὐσίαν : ἀναδραμεῖν. ἄνω γὰρ ἔσι καὶ τὸ κἀτὼ " τῇ! τοιαύτης ' ἔωῦ.. ἴθῶι δὲ μὴ ἔειν ἡσθῆναι καθα: ρὰν ἡδονὴν"" δεῖ. δὲ τοῦ μειλιχίου τῇ φύσει" τί "καὶ ποιήσεις "ποῦ ' καὶ τρέψεται; “ρα οὐ πρὸς ἃ μὴδὲ εἰπεῖν. ἄξιονς; Οὐγὰρ δὴ. τὴν φύσιν ὑπερφρονύήσουσι,
'chanōmenous katiousę̄ tę̄ physei" agapēton gar echonta pou plēsion aponeusai ᾽), kai aphosiōsasthai tę̄ psychikę̄ 'sytasei deomenę̄ glykythymias, hē porrhō pesein, mēde: kata pasan dēsai tēn poikilian tę̄, physeōr" gar theos tēn hēdonēn peronēn epoiēse tę̄ psychę̄ ᾽), di᾿ ē, anechetai tēn prosedreian tou sōmatos. ’Toiouton oun to en logois kalloi" ou bathynetai pros hylēn, oude Psmbaptidei ton noun tais eschatais? dynamesin » alla didōsin. ananeusai di᾽ elachistou, “kai. eis ᾿{tēn}B ousian : anadramein. anō gar esi kai to katō " tę̄! toiautēs ' eōy.. ithōi de mē eein hēsthēnai katha: ran hēdonēn"" dei. de tou meilichiou tę̄ physei" ti "kai poiēseis "pou ' kai trepsetai? “ra ou pros ha mēde eipein. axions? Ougar dē. tēn physin hyperphronyēsousi,
for our nature on its way down. For it is something to be content with, to turn aside somewhere nearby and pay one's dues to the soul's tension, which needs some sweetness, rather than to fall far and be bound to all the variety of nature. God made pleasure a kind of pin for the soul, by which it bears its attendance on the body. Such, then, is beauty in speech: it does not sink deep into matter, nor dip the mind into the lowest powers, but lets it turn back up in a very short time and run back up to its true being; for even the "below" of such a life is above. But if one is not able to enjoy a pure pleasure, and nature needs something gentle, what will it do, where will it turn? Will it not be to things not even worth naming? For surely they will not look down on nature
Notes and citation
Summary: Literature gives the mind a pure resting-place close to contemplation; without it, nature seeks lower pleasures.
- Pleasure as a pin fastening soul to body: Plato, Phaedo 83d.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): γεκα ἃ τὴθ τερερίμτη {{ετὰ εχ ὶ- Μέεοται. οπι. εἰσιν, ᾿θίω ΤΥ Ῥεηὶ Ῥασ. ἈΒΏ. Βδρ. Νίοη. πιδὶἑπὶ ἐξιν). ΒΟΏ. Ματούδοι ἐπ πλΒ. '"Μεετπνὶ 21. Αγ σὰ σα πὶν φαθτ Ρατ, ΑΒΌΏ. ἕνεκα τεῖ], ο. οἀϊιῖ.. Ὀεΐη μὲσ’ Βδιν, Μοη, ΑΒΟΏ. ΝῆαἪτος. οἱ τίον Ἀομὰ,. Μὸχ ἀνθρωπεινωτές ὙΙηΔ. οπιλιία έν, βεοϊαδόηάυτο ρου Μεεττα; ἀνθρωκινθείρδυηρεε, οεἠβυΐ, Μοη. Ἐ, δεγῖθίι εἰς τὴν ὄν- Β. εἰ Μοη. Ε. ἱ τως οὐσίαν. θεὰ νετθὰ τὴν ὄντως → .
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 83d (Plato (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 264 (Krabinger 1:264; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/264). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/264
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 265
265Krabinger 1:265
ναὶ πρὸς θεωρίαν ἀτρύτω; ἔχειν ἐροῦσιν, ἀπαθεῖς εἶναι ποιούμενοι, θεοὶ σαρκία περικείμενοι" εἰ δὲ λέγοιεν, ἴσων ἀντὶ θεῶν, ἢ σοφῶν τε καὶ θείων ἀνδρῶν ᾿χαῦνοι καὶ ἁλαξόνες πόῤῥω γενόμενοι" ἀμείνους δ᾽ ἂν ἧσαν διαςτέλλοντες εὖ τὸ προίῆκον ἑκατέρῳ τῷ γένει. ᾿“πά- αὶ θεια μὲν γὰρ ἐν θεῷ φύσει " ἀρετῇ δὲ ἄνθρωποι κακίαν ἀμειβόμενοι μετριοπαθεῖς γίνονται" καὶ "τὸ «φυγεῖν τὴν ἀμετρίαν, αὐτὸ τῦτ᾽ ἂν εἴν τοῦ σοφοῦ. τὸ ἀγώνισμα. ιν τσὴ: 1: Ἢδη δὲ ἰγὼ κατενόησα ᾽) καὶ βαρβάρον; -ἀνθρώπου; ἐξ ἀμφοῖν τῶν ἀρίτων γενῶν, θεωρίαν μὲν ὑπεσχημένου,, καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο ἀπολιτεύτους τε καὶ ἀκοινωνήτους ἀνθρώποις, ἅτε ἀΐξανται, ἑαυτοὺς ἐκλὺ-
nai pros theōrian atrytō? echein erousin, apatheis einai poioumenoi, theoi sarkia perikeimenoi" ei de legoien, isōn anti theōn, ē sophōn te kai theiōn andrōn ᾿chaunoi kai halaxones porrhō genomenoi" ameinous d᾽ an hēsan diastellontes eu to proiēkon hekaterǭ tǭ genei. ᾿“pa- ai theia men gar en theǭ physei " aretę̄ de anthrōpoi kakian ameibomenoi metriopatheis ginontai" kai "to «phygein tēn ametrian, auto tyt᾽ an ein tou sophou. to agōnisma. in tsē: 1: Ēdē de igō katenoēsa ᾽) kai barbaron? -anthrōpou? ex amphoin tōn aritōn genōn, theōrian men hypeschēmenou,, kai kata touto apoliteutous te kai akoinōnētous anthrōpois, hate aïxantai, heautous ekly-
and claim to hold out tirelessly in contemplation, making themselves out to be without passions, gods wearing bits of flesh. And if they say so, then perhaps, instead of gods or wise and divine men, they become vain boasters far off the mark. They would be better if they distinguished well what befits each race. Freedom from passion belongs to the divine nature; human beings, exchanging vice for virtue, become moderate in their passions, and to flee immoderation would be the very contest of the wise. I have already observed barbarian men, from both of the best classes, who profess contemplation and are therefore without part in public life and without fellowship with people, being ascetics, having released themselves
Notes and citation
Summary: Those who claim to need no rest from contemplation pretend to be gods; Synesius turns to barbarian ascetics who renounce society for contemplation.
- The "barbarian" contemplatives are Egyptian Christian monks, described from outside; the passage is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): Βανι. οη. ΒΌ. Βεμά. εἰ Μέεετγωι. 20. εέλλοντες Μίου. Ἐ, εἰ οεστω. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 265 (Krabinger 1:265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/265). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/265
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 266
266Krabinger 1:266
σας τῇς: φύσεως" καὶ ἧσαν αὐτοῖς σεμναί τε ᾧδαὶ καὶ ἢ ἱερὰ σύμβολα καὶ τακταί ὃ) τινεε πρόξοδοι πρὸς τὸ. θεῖον " πάνεα. ταῦτα ἀποκόπτει κατὰ τῇς ἐπιεροφῦς τῇς εἶς. ὕλην" καὶ ᾿βιοτεύουσι. χωρὶς ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων, τοῦ μή τι χάριεν ἰδεῖν ἡ. ἀκοῦσαι. ἐς Οὐ γὰρ σῖτον ἔδουσ᾽, οὐ πίνουσ᾽ δ) αἴθοπα οἶνον, καὶ περὶ τούτων, ἄν τις εἰκὼν οὐ πόῤῥω βάλλοι τάλρηθοῦ" ἀλλ᾽. οὐδὲ οὗτοι μέντοι λαμπρῶς οὕτως ἐπαναςάντε; ἦ τῇ φύσει, καὶ, ὡς ἄν ἡμεῖς φαῖμεν, δικαιότα- 1θτοι τυχεῖν ὄντες τῇς ἀρίστης δωΐε, ἀκμῆτες αὐτῇς ὃ) ἀπολαύουσιν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπανάγει) καὶ τούτους ἡ ἐπίκηρος φύσις; μικρὸν ἱδρυθέντας ἐν τῷ μακαρίῳ τῇς οὐσίας
sas tę̄s: physeōs" kai hēsan autois semnai te hǭdai kai ē hiera symbola kai taktai ho) tinee proxodoi pros to. theion " panea. tauta apokoptei kata tę̄s epierophys tę̄s eis. hylēn" kai ᾿bioteuousi. chōris ap᾿ allēlōn, tou mē ti charien idein hē. akousai. es Ou gar siton edous᾽, ou pinous᾽ d) aithopa oinon, kai peri toutōn, an tis eikōn ou porrhō balloi talrēthou" all᾽. oude houtoi mentoi lamprōs houtōs epanasante? ē tę̄ physei, kai, hōs an hēmeis phaimen, dikaiota- 1thtoi tychein ontes tę̄s aristēs dōïe, akmētes autę̄s ho) apolauousin. ᾿All᾽ epanagei) kai toutous hē epikēros physis? mikron hidrythentas en tǭ makariǭ tę̄s ousias
from nature. They had solemn songs, sacred symbols and certain ordered approaches to the divine; all these cut off the turning toward matter; and they live apart from one another, so as not to see or hear anything pleasant. "For they eat no bread, nor drink sparkling wine" — one who used this image of them too would not miss the truth by much. But even these, though they have risen up so brilliantly against nature and, as we would say, are most justly entitled to the best life, do not enjoy it untiringly. Perishable nature brings them back too, after they have been established only a little while in the blessedness of
Notes and citation
Summary: The ascetics live apart with sacred songs and rites, abstaining like Homer's gods from bread and wine, yet nature draws even them back from contemplation.
- The line is Homer, Iliad 5.341 (of the gods).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): εἰ οχ ΜῊΝ Μου. Δ. ἐκλύσαι ἘΔά, ευθβεχυΐίατ μή τὶ οογγαρίαπι θὲ ὙἼυτα. Νίοτε!. εἰ Ρεῖδν. 1.2. ἐλ- ἴῃ μή τε πα Οοὰά. Νῖοπ. Ἐ, οἱ κύδαι Τύτη, Τ,6οιῖ. ναττ. εἰ τῆρ. Μεοτίω. ΜοτεΙ!. δ Ῥείδν. 1. 2. ἑλκῦσαι 6, ἔδουσιν --- πίνουσιν ἸΝίοη. Μοι. 'θ.ε: ᾿ ΔΕ. Ραγ, Ο. Βεμά. Υἱηὰ, Μεεσαν. ὅ. τακτα οἱ πῖοα. Ἑ. 14. πρόοδοι. "Ἄρὸ ὧι ΒΟ ΕΝ το σο. »" ᾿ ΜΓ ΈΡΕΜ γ' «βαλλει δε,.ατ. ΝΙΟΏ. πρὸς γ ᾿Μεὐκέι. πρόσδοι Αάτν. ΒΟΌΕ. Ματο, Α. Βεμά. Μδοτηι. Ἀβοιοόδεριατι αὐεεφξι παν" βαλλεῖ (ε1.) δτο. Β. βάλλν Μου. γύρει. Μοχ Ρτὸ ταῦτα πάντα δοτί- Δοβάλννα,. Ὁ,,οϊδεορντα ἀλῃς Ῥεῖ πάντα ταῦτα ριδεουηιίδυ 1ἴ- ςθὅ. Νίεοτπι. τίν Ῥατίβ. Βέτθ. ΝΙοη δος. Νίδτο. ἣ Αἰ, οἱ πὰς Ἠδὸ ἀταπθροοῖ- ΓᾺ παραδίντει Μου. Ἑ. ἰϊοτίο μδυά [ηἰγεαύδηι ἀϊχίι Βοῖ.- ψ"" → .
Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Il. 5.341 (Homer, Iliad; quotation)
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 266 (Krabinger 1:266; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/266). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/266
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 267
267Krabinger 1:267
αὐτῶν" καὶ καὶ δήπου πάντα ἐξῇς τὸν χρόνον ἐπιπολὺῇ» ἔχουσι τὸν νοῦν, καὶ ἐμφοροῦνται τοῦ νοητοῦ 'κάλ: λους, οἷς ποτὲ καὶ γέγονε προςτυχές. ᾿Ακούω γάρ ἐγὼ μηδὲ τούτοις ἅπασι παραγίνεσθαι τὸ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τοῖς; πλείοσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ὀλίγων ἐλάττοσιν, οἷς ἡ πρώτῃ τε «ὁρμὴ γέγονεν ἔνθεο!, καὶ μέ-, νθυσιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ,, ὅσον ἀνθρώπου φύσις χωρεῖ, πρὸ Β οὐδεμίαν ἀνθολκὴν τῆς φύσεως: μειλισσόμενοι. Πολ- Δοὶ μὲν γὰρ ᾽) ναρθηκοφόροι, παῦροι δέ τε βάκχοι" οὐδ᾽ οὗτοι μέντοι διαρκῶς ἀνέχονται τῇς βακχεία," ᾿ ἀλλὰ νῦν μὲν ἐν τῷ θεῷ κεῖνται, νῦν δὲ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἐν τοὶς σώμασι, καὶ ἴσασιν ὄντες ἄνθρωποι, μιπραὶ μερίδες τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ ἔχοντες; ἀποκειμένας δωὰ; ἐλάττους, ἃς. ὑποπτεύουσι καὶ προκαταλαμβανουσιν, ὡς μὴ κινοῖντό τε καὶ κατεξανίξαιντο" ἢ τί αὖ
autōn" kai kai dēpou panta exę̄s ton chronon epipolyę̄» echousi ton noun, kai emphorountai tou noētou 'kal: lous, hois pote kai gegone prostyches. ᾿Akouō gar egō mēde toutois hapasi paraginesthai to toiouton, all᾽ oude tois? pleiosin, alla kai tōn oligōn elattosin, hois hē prōtę̄ te «hormē gegonen entheo!, kai me-, nthysin ep᾽ autę̄,, hoson anthrōpou physis chōrei, pro B oudemian antholkēn tēs physeōs: meilissomenoi. Pol- Doi men gar ᾽) narthēkophoroi, pauroi de te bakchoi" oud᾽ houtoi mentoi diarkōs anechontai tę̄s bakcheia," ᾿ alla nyn men en tǭ theǭ keintai, nyn de en tǭ kosmǭ kai en tois sōmasi, kai isasin ontes anthrōpoi, miprai merides tou kosmou, kai echontes? apokeimenas dōa? elattous, has. hypopteuousi kai prokatalambanousin, hōs mē kinointo te kai katexanixainto" ē ti au
their being; and surely they do not hold their mind on high continually for all time, nor are they always filled with intelligible beauty, even those to whom it has sometimes happened. For I hear that this does not come to all of them, nor to most, but to fewer of the few: those whose first impulse was inspired and who abide in it as far as human nature allows, yielding to no counter-pull of nature. "For many are the wand-bearers, but few the Bacchi." And even these do not hold out continually in the Bacchic state; now they lie in God, now in the world and in bodies, and they know that they are men, small portions of the cosmos, who have lesser lives stored up in them, which they suspect and forestall lest they stir and rise up. Or why else
Notes and citation
Summary: Few even of the ascetics reach contemplation, and none stays there; they know they are men with lower lives to keep in check.
- "Many are the wand-bearers, but few the Bacchi": Plato, Phaedo 69c.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): . Ῥ.- 37. ἱπίτα Ρτὸ τῇς οὐσίας αὐτῶν 1. πι. ἀεϊονὶϊ ς Σ6}1. δυϊοτὰ οἵα η Βευϊπρίι: ςοηϊ. τῆς οὐσ, τῶν ἄνω. ομίπαἱ ρτγθείος Ῥδτ. λ. εἰ 1,διε. → .
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 69c (Plato (works); quotation)
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 267 (Krabinger 1:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/267). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/267
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 268
268Krabinger 1:268
τοῖς. οἱ κάλαθοι βούλονται, καὶ τὸ πλεγμάτια ἅττα με-Ο ταχειρίδεσθαι, εἰ μὴ πρῶτον μὲν ἐν τῷ τότε ἦσαν ἄνθρωποι, τουτ᾽ ἔξσιν ἐπιιροφὴν πρὸς τὰ τῇδε ποιοὐμενοις οὐ γὰρ δὴ θεωροῦσί τε ἅμα καὶ σοφίξονται δ περὶ τὰ πλέγματα 3.)" ἔπειτα τὴν σχολὴν ὑφεωρῶντο, ἦι ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀνέχεται, πολλὰς ἀρχὰς ἐνδιδοῦσα κινήσεων; ν᾽ οὖν μὴ ἄλλο τι δρῷεν, ἀμφὶ ταῦτα ἔχειν νόμον ἐν σφίσι πεποίηνται, καὶ ταύτῃ τὴν φύσιν προτρέπονται. αὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ ὕδονται τελεσιουργοῶν- 10τες, καὶ μάλλον, ὅσῳ πλείω τε καὶ καλλίω." ᾿“Ιεῖ γὰρ ἡμῶν εἶναί τι καὶ περὶ τὰ τῇδε" μὴ μέντοι Ὁ τοῦτό γε ἰσχυρὸν, ἵνα μὴ πλέον καθέλκῃ καὶ λίαν
tois. hoi kalathoi boulontai, kai to plegmatia hatta me-O tacheiridesthai, ei mē prōton men en tǭ tote ēsan anthrōpoi, tout᾽ exsin epiirophēn pros ta tę̄de poioumenois ou gar dē theōrousi te hama kai sophixontai d peri ta plegmata 3.)" epeita tēn scholēn hypheōrōnto, ēi hē physis hēmōn ouk anechetai, pollas archas endidousa kinēseōn? n᾽ oun mē allo ti drǭen, amphi tauta echein nomon en sphisi pepoiēntai, kai tautę̄ tēn physin protrepontai. ai gar dē kai hydontai telesiourgoōn- 10tes, kai mallon, hosǭ pleiō te kai kalliō." ᾿“Iei gar hēmōn einai ti kai peri ta tę̄de" mē mentoi Ho touto ge ischyron, hina mē pleon kathelkę̄ kai lian
do they want baskets, and to handle some small plaitings, unless, first, at those times they are men, that is, they make a turning toward things here — for they do not contemplate and at the same time exercise their skill on the plaiting — and secondly, they are wary of idleness, which our nature does not bear, since it supplies many beginnings of motion? So, that they may not do something else, they have made it a law among themselves to be busy with these things, and in this way they turn their nature. And indeed they take pleasure in finishing their work, and the more, the more and finer it is. For something of ours must be occupied with things here — yet not something strong, lest it drag us down further and take too firm a hold.
Notes and citation
Summary: The ascetics weave baskets to occupy their lower nature when they cannot contemplate, guarding against idleness.
- Basket-weaving was the characteristic manual labour of the Egyptian monks.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): Μοη. Α, εἰ Υἱηὰ, τὸ (Μοη. Ὁ. νθῖτ. εἱ τωρ. Νίοτεϊ!. δὸ Ῥεῖδν. 1. ἐπ πῦρ. τὰ) πλ. ἄττα (ττα, εἷς 2. πλίγματα δετπι. ἰπ οταὰ δ᾽ Μαετο. Β.) μεταχειρίδεσθαι ἀδηὶ 4]. πι.; πλαόματα Νῖοπ. Ο. 1δυτ. ΒατΡ. Μοη. ΒΏ. Ματο. Β. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 268 (Krabinger 1:268; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/268). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/268
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 269
269Krabinger 1:269
ἀντιλαμβάνηται. Ἑαίτοι τοῦ γε ᾿Ελληνικοῦ τὸ βάρβαρον ἔντασιν τηρῇσαι ῥωμαλεώτερον" ᾧὶ γὰρ ἂν ὁρμήσῃ,. σφοδρόν τέ ἐστι καὶ ἀνένδοτον" τὸ δὲ ἀξείω; τε ἔχει καὶ ἡμερώτερον κέκραται" ὥϊτε κἂν θᾶττον ἐκλύοιτο. ὅ ᾿Εγὼ δὲ βουλοίμην δ μὲν ἂν εἶναι τῇς φύσεως ἡμῶν, ἀεὶ πρὸς θεωρίαν ἀνατετάσθαι' ἀμῃχάνου δὲ ὄντος τε) καὶ πεφηνότος βουλοίμην ἄν ἐν τῷ μέρει μὲν ἔχεσθαι τῶν ἀρίτων, ἐν τῷ μέρει δὲ κατιὼν εἰς τὴν φύσιν, ἅπτεσθαί τινος; εὐφροσύνῃς, καὶ ἐπαλείφειν εὐθυμείᾳ ὅ τὸν βίον" ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ ἄνθρωπο; ὧν, καὶ οὔτε θεὸς, ἵνα δὴ καὶ ἀκλινὴς εἴην) πρὸς ἅπασαν ἡδονὴν, οὔτε θηρίον, ἵνα τὰς σώματος ἡδοίμην ἡδονάς. “Δείπεται δύ τι") τῶν ἐν μέσῳ δητεῖν. Τὶ δ᾽ ἂν εἴη πρὸ τὴν ἐν λόγοις τε καὶ περὶ λόγους διατριβῇς; τίς ἡδονὴ καθαρωτέρας τίς ἀπαθεξέρα ) προιπάθεια; τίς ἧττον ἐν ὕλῃς τίς μᾶλλον ἀμόλυντο; ὅγ; Ταύτῃ δὴ ἢ) πάλιν τὸν Ἕλληνα τοῦ βαρβάρου πρῶτον ἄγω, καὶΒ
antilambanētai. Heaitoi tou ge ᾿Ellēnikou to barbaron entasin tērę̄sai rhōmaleōteron" hǭi gar an hormēsę̄,. sphodron te esti kai anendoton" to de axeiō? te echei kai hēmerōteron kekratai" hōïte kan thatton eklyoito. ho ᾿Egō de bouloimēn d men an einai tę̄s physeōs hēmōn, aei pros theōrian anatetasthai' amę̄chanou de ontos te) kai pephēnotos bouloimēn an en tǭ merei men echesthai tōn aritōn, en tǭ merei de katiōn eis tēn physin, haptesthai tinos? euphrosynę̄s, kai epaleiphein euthymeią ho ton bion" epistamai gar anthrōpo? hōn, kai oute theos, hina dē kai aklinēs eiēn) pros hapasan hēdonēn, oute thērion, hina tas sōmatos hēdoimēn hēdonas. “Deipetai dy ti") tōn en mesǭ dētein. Ti d᾽ an eiē pro tēn en logois te kai peri logous diatribę̄s? tis hēdonē katharōteras tis apathexera ) proipatheia? tis hētton en hylę̄s tis mallon amolynto? hog? Tautę̄ dē ē) palin ton Hellēna tou barbarou prōton agō, kaiB
And yet the barbarian keeps up his tension more vigorously than the Greek: wherever he rushes, he is vehement and unyielding, while the Greek is urbane and more gently blended, so that he would also relax sooner. I would wish it were in our nature to be always strained toward contemplation; but since that is impossible and has been shown to be, I would wish by turns to hold to the best things and by turns to come down into nature, touch some cheerfulness, and anoint life with good spirits. For I know that I am a man, neither a god, that I should be unbending toward every pleasure, nor a beast, that I should enjoy the pleasures of the body. It remains to look for something in between. What could that be, beside the pastime in literature and about literature? What pleasure is purer? What passion freer from passion? What less in matter? What more undefiled? Here again I put the Greek ahead of the barbarian, and
Notes and citation
Summary: Since no human can always contemplate, Synesius chooses literature as the purest middle pleasure between divine austerity and bodily indulgence.
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 269 (Krabinger 1:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/269). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/269
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 270
270Krabinger 1:270
σοφώτερον τίθημι, ὅτι κατιέναι δεῆσαν ὁ μὲν ἐν γειτόνων ἔτη τὴν. πρώτην" εἰς ἐπιστήμην γὰρ ἔτη. ᾿Ἐπιεύμῃ δὲ νοῦ διέξοδος κἄάτα εἰς λόγον ἦλθεν ἄλλον ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου, δι᾽ ὧν καὶ προῆλθε. Τί δ᾽ ἂν εἴη λόγου νῷ δ συγγενίτερον; τί δὲ ᾽) πορθμεῖον ἐπὶ νοῦν οἰκειότερον; “Ὥς ὅπυ λόγος, ἐκεῖ που ᾽ἦ) καὶ νοῦς εἰ δὲ μὴ, πάντως τις εἴδησις, ἐν ὑςέροις νόησις οὖσα. Ἑαὶ γὰρ ἐνθάδε καλοῦνταί τινες θεωρίαι καὶ θεωρήματα ἔργα ἐλάτ- ΚΟ τονος νοῦ, ῥητορικά τε καὶ ποιητικὰ, καὶ ἐν φύσει, καὶ ἐν μαθήμασιν. ᾿Αλλά τοι πάντα ταῦτα κοσμεῖ τὸ ὄμμᾳ ἐκεῖνο, καὶ ἀφαιρεῖ τὴν λήμην, καὶ διεγείρει, κατὰ βραχὺ προτεθίξδοντα τοῖς ὁράμασιν, ὥςτε θαρσησαί ποτε καὶ πρεσβύτερον θέαμα, καὶ μὴ ταχὺ σκαρδαμύξαι πρὸς ἥλιον ἁτενίσαντα. Οὕτω μὲν ἀνὴρ "Ἐλ- 15λην καὶ οἷς τρυφᾷ, τὴν ἐπιβολὴν γυμνάξει. καὶ ἀπὸ τῇς παιδιᾶς εἰς τὴν πρώτην ὑπόθεσιν ὄφελος ἄρνυται. Βαὶ γὰρ τὸ κρῖναι καὶ συνθεῖναι λόγον
sophōteron tithēmi, hoti katienai deēsan ho men en geitonōn etē tēn. prōtēn" eis epistēmēn gar etē. ᾿Epieumę̄ de nou diexodos kaata eis logon ēlthen allon ap᾽ allou, di᾽ hōn kai proēlthe. Ti d᾽ an eiē logou nǭ d syngeniteron? ti de ᾽) porthmeion epi noun oikeioteron? “Hōs hopy logos, ekei pou ᾽ē) kai nous ei de mē, pantōs tis eidēsis, en hyserois noēsis ousa. Heai gar enthade kalountai tines theōriai kai theōrēmata erga elat- KO tonos nou, rhētorika te kai poiētika, kai en physei, kai en mathēmasin. ᾿Alla toi panta tauta kosmei to ommą ekeino, kai aphairei tēn lēmēn, kai diegeirei, kata brachy protethixdonta tois horamasin, hōste tharsēsai pote kai presbyteron theama, kai mē tachy skardamyxai pros hēlion hatenisanta. Houtō men anēr "El- 15lēn kai hois tryphą, tēn epibolēn gymnaxei. kai apo tę̄s paidias eis tēn prōtēn hypothesin ophelos arnytai. Bai gar to krinai kai syntheinai logon
count him wiser, because when he had to come down, the place he first came to was nearby: to science; and science is the unfolding of mind. Then he came to one discourse after another, the very ones by which he had gone forward. What could be more akin to mind than reason? What a more proper ferry to mind? Where there is reason, there somewhere is mind as well; or if not, at any rate some knowledge, which is intellection among lower things. For here too certain contemplations and theorems — rhetorical and poetic, and in nature and in mathematics — are called works of a lesser mind. Yet all of these adorn that eye, take away its rheum and rouse it, accustoming it little by little to visions, so that it may one day dare a more venerable sight and not quickly blink when it gazes at the sun. So the Greek trains his aim even by what he enjoys, and gains benefit from play for his first purpose. For to judge and compose a speech
Notes and citation
Summary: The Greek descends from contemplation only as far as science and literature, which are akin to mind and train the soul's eye for higher vision.
- The image of the eye growing used to the sun recalls Plato, Republic 7.515e–516b.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): Ιδυτ. ο. Ῥατ. Ὁ. Μοχ νοῦρὰ γὰρ 44. θεωρία Νίοοττι. ἵστη ἀρεῖ αἸΜετο. Β, Ριο χε 15. τὰ Ρατῖβ. Γδυτς. οη, ΒΟΏ. πω Ιδυτ. βογίδίτυτ ἔσιν, ἴῃ Νίοα. -. ΒΏ.:ἐ οἱ Νίατο. Β. ταῦτα πάντα τεὶ!. ς. Ν τιν: δι1εκ. Ρ εὐϊῖο. -- τὸ ὄμμα ἐκεῖνο] θυρεῖ- 14.. ἀδηιθιιοι: τοίγορι; Ῥ' 98. βοτὶρία οδὲ 8]. τὸν νοῦν τὴς ψυοὰ. Ἐἰ9661.: καὶ ταῖς διεξόδοις τοῦ -ἸΩΜ Ε τὲ αἰτο νοῦ δῇῥν μελετητεόν, Υἱὰ, Οτειικ. χθρ Ἰματεβοετεν, νΑλΡρ ΘᾺ ΝΜ Αἰκὸ» ἃ ΡΙ Μ Ὡ» λλ “ θγποεῖυαν οοἰεθτδιϊοδίπντι ἰοουτε τὰ Ρ ον ΟΡ. [18 Δῖον ἐπ΄ ἀρλον ΡΙαι, Οἰνίιαι, Ῥ. 555. Ὦ., υδί͵ ἐλ. δὲ δθεῖπι. Τὰ Φε' ὧν ἰἀ 4. ῥ. δ13. Οἱ, ἰπέτ, ΟΡ. Ἱοα. Ε΄. εἰ Νίεεττῃ. ς, Εἀὰ. Τυτη. ΧΙ, Ρ. 50. Β. Μοχ καταβραχύ ΜοτΑΙΙ. οἱ Ῥεῖαν. 1. γρ. δι᾽ ὧν ΣΟ οΔ ἰᾳ Οοθά, ἔετο οποτιοος καταἧπ το. Βδθεὶ Νίεεσι. Ὠεΐῃ προι- ᾿ ἱηὰ,96ἤλθε δυτ. Ῥδι. ΒΌ. Βαγρ. Μίοη. βραχεῖ Μφέεαι, οὶ γλεέννσ ΑΒΏΕ. Βεμά. Υἱαά. Μίοοττα. δὸν Νίατο. Β. Τυαι ὁράμασιν δ Μίοη. Ε. ὁράμασιν, ἴι τοξ. νοπροῦλθε Ῥεε ὌΝ ἡμασιν Νίοοταν, Ῥτοχίπηθ ἰοοο ν- 15: ἐα δ ατ; Η πρεσβύτερον 6εἰ βραχύτερον ἷπ → .
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 516a-b (Plato (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 270 (Krabinger 1:270; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/270). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/270
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 271
271Krabinger 1:271
ποίησιν, οὐκ ἔξω νοῦ" καὶ τὸ λέξιν καθῆραί τε καὶ Ὦ ἀποσμιλεῦσαι, καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον ἐξευρεῖν τε 'καὶ τάξαι, καὶ ἑτέρου τάξαντος αὐτὸν ἐπιγνῶναι, πῶρ ταῦτα καὶ ἀσπούδατα [καὶ] παίγνια; Οἱ δὲ τὴν ἑτέραν θόδὸν τὴν ἀξιουμίνην ἀδαμαντίνην εἶναι βαδίσαντες" ὑποκείσθω δὲ, ὅπερ ἐεὶν, ἐνίους αὐτῶν τυγχάνειν τοῦ τέλους᾽ ἀλλ᾽ ἔμοιγε οὐδὲ ὁδὸν δοκοῦσι βεβαδικέναι.- Πῶ, γὰρ, ἐν ἡ μηδεμία φαίνεται κατὰ βραχὺ πρόοδος, μηδὲ πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον, μηδὲ τάξις; ᾿Α4λλ᾽ ἸΙθἔοικε γὰρ τὸ κατ᾽ αὐτοὺς πρᾶγμα βακχείᾳ καὶ ἅλματι μανικῷ δή τινι καὶ “θεοφορήτῳ, καὶ τὸ μὴ δ δραμόντα; εἰς τὸ ἔσχατον ἥκειν, καὶ μὴ κατὰ λόγον ἐνεργύσαντα; εἰς τὸ ἐπέκεινα λόγου γενίσθαι. Οὐδὲ γάρ ἐξιν οἷον ἐπιερασία τις γνώσεως, ἢ διέξοδος νοῦ, Ι5δτὸ χρῆμα τὸ ἱερὸν, οὐδὲ οἷον ἄλλο ἐν ἄλλῳ ἀλλ᾽, ὥς μικρῷ μεῖξον εἰκάσαι, καθάπερ ᾿Αριξοτέλης ἀξιοῖ
poiēsin, ouk exō nou" kai to lexin kathērai te kai Ō aposmileusai, kai to kephalaion exeurein te 'kai taxai, kai heterou taxantos auton epignōnai, pōr tauta kai aspoudata [kai] paignia? Hoi de tēn heteran thodon tēn axiouminēn adamantinēn einai badisantes" hypokeisthō de, hoper eein, enious autōn tynchanein tou telous᾽ all᾽ emoige oude hodon dokousi bebadikenai.- Pō, gar, en hē mēdemia phainetai kata brachy proodos, mēde prōton kai deuteron, mēde taxis? ᾿A4ll᾽ IItheoike gar to kat᾽ autous pragma bakcheią kai halmati manikǭ dē tini kai “theophorētǭ, kai to mē d dramonta? eis to eschaton hēkein, kai mē kata logon energysanta? eis to epekeina logou genisthai. Oude gar exin hoion epierasia tis gnōseōs, ē diexodos nou, I5dto chrēma to hieron, oude hoion allo en allǭ all᾽, hōs mikrǭ meixon eikasai, kathaper ᾿Arixotelēs axioi
and a poem is not outside mind; and to purify and chisel diction, to find and arrange the main point, and to recognize it when another has arranged it — how are these frivolous playthings? But as for those who have walked the other road, thought to be of adamant — let it be granted, as is the case, that some of them reach the end — to me they do not seem even to have walked a road. For how is it a road, on which no gradual progress appears, no first and second, no order? Their business seems like Bacchic frenzy and some mad, god-borne leap: to reach the end without having run, and to come to what is beyond reason without having acted according to reason. For the sacred thing is not like an attending of knowledge or an unfolding of mind, nor like one thing in another; but — to compare a little thing with a greater — as Aristotle holds
Notes and citation
Summary: Literary work engages the mind; the ascetics' way, though some reach the goal, is a leap without stages or reason.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Krabinger's apparatus leaked into the text): Μδετῖπν, Ροεῖ ποίησιν ἴῃ Μη. Α. 23. οἷον βακχείᾳ τινι ( καὶ οοτηρδταὶ γθθυγη. ἄλμ. ἰὰ. 1158. βραχεία (κ Μοεται. → .
Cite (SBL): Synesius, Dion 271 (Krabinger 1:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/271). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/synesius-dion/271
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-synesius-dion-271) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of a re-OCR of Krabinger's edition (Landshut, 1850; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation was available, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.