§26Κυνίσκος
τὸ μὲν ὅλον οὐδὲ λόγων ἔδει· γνώσῃ γὰρ αὐτὸν αὐτίκα μάλα οἷός ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῶν στιγμάτων.
Cyniscus "On the whole, there was not even a need for words; for you will know him immediately from his marks as to what kind of man he is.
ὅμως δὲ καὐτὸς ἀποκαλύψω σοι τὸν ἄνδρα κἀκ τοῦ λόγου δείξω φανερώτερον.
Nevertheless, I myself will expose the man to you and show him even more clearly through speech.
οὑτοσὶ γὰρ ὁ τρισκατάρατος ὁπόσα μὲν ἰδιώτης ὢν ἔπραξε, παραλείψειν μοι δοκῶ· ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς θρασυτάτους προσεταιρισάμενος καὶ δορυφόρους συναγαγὼν ἐπαναστὰς τῇ πόλει τύραννος κατέστη, ἀκρίτους μὲν ἀπέκτεινε πλείονας ἢ μυρίους, τὰς δὲ οὐσίας ἑκάστων ἀφαιρούμενος καὶ πλούτου πρὸς τὸ ἀκρότατον ἀφικόμενος οὐδεμίαν μὲν ἀκολασίας ἰδέαν παραλέλοιπεν, ἁπάσῃ δὲ ὠμότητι καὶ ὕβρει κατὰ τῶν ἀθλίων πολιτῶν ἐχρήσατο, παρθένους διαφθείρων καὶ ἐφήβους καταισχύνων καὶ πάντα τρόπον τοῖς ὑπηκόοις ἐμπαροινῶν.
For as for the things this thrice-accursed man did while he was a private citizen, I think I shall pass over them; but when, having associated with the boldest men and gathered bodyguards, he rose against the city and established himself as tyrant, he put to death without trial more than ten thousand, and by taking away the properties of each and arriving at the highest peak of wealth, he left no form of licentiousness untried, and used every cruelty and insolence against the wretched citizens, corrupting virgins, dishonoring young men, and in every way playing the drunken bully against his subjects.
καὶ ὑπεροψίας μέν γε καὶ τύφου καὶ τοῦ πρὸς τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας φρυάγματος οὐδὲ κατʼ ἀξίαν δύναιο ἂν παρʼ αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν τὴν δίκην· ῥᾷον γοῦν τὸν ἥλιον ἄν τις ἢ τοῦτον ἀσκαρδαμυκτὶ προσέβλεψεν.
And as for his arrogance, pride, and haughtiness toward those who met him, you could not, even in proportion to his deserts, obtain justice from him; at any rate, one would have looked at the sun more easily without blinking than at this man.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν κολάσεων τὸ πρὸς ὠμότητα καινουργὸν αὐτοῦ τίς ἂν διηγήσασθαι δύναιτο, ὅς γε μηδὲ τῶν οἰκειοτάτων ἀπέσχετο;
Furthermore, who could relate his novelty in cruelty regarding punishments, he who did not even spare his closest relatives?
καὶ ταῦτα ὅτι μὴ ἄλλως κενή τίς ἐστι κατʼ αὐτοῦ διαβολή, αὐτίκα εἴσῃ προσκαλέσας τοὺς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πεφονευμένους· μᾶλλον δὲ ἄκλητοι, ὡς ὁρᾷς, πάρεισι καὶ περιστάντες ἄγχουσιν αὐτόν.
And that these things are not otherwise some empty slander against him, you will know immediately by summoning those who were murdered by him; or rather, unsummoned, as you see, they are present and standing around, choking him.
οὗτοι πάντες, ὦ Ῥαδάμανθυ, πρὸς τοῦ ἀλιτηρίου τεθνᾶσιν, οἱ μὲν γυναικῶν ἕνεκα εὐμόρφων ἐπιβουλευθέντες, οἱ δὲ υἱέων ἀπαγομένων πρὸς ὕβριν ἀγανακτήσαντες, οἱ δὲ ὅτι ἐπλούτουν, οἱ δὲ ὅτι ἦσαν δεξιοὶ καὶ σώφρονες καὶ οὐδαμοῦ ἠρέσκοντο τοῖς δρωμένοις. §27Ῥαδάμανθυς
τί πρὸς ταῦτα φής, ὦ μιαρὲ σύ; Μεγαπένθης
τοὺς μὲν φόνους εἴργασμαι οὓς λέγει, τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πάντα, τὰς μοιχείας καὶ τὰς τῶν ἐφήβων ὕβρεις καὶ τὰς διαφθορὰς τῶν παρθένων, ταῦτα πάντα Κυνίσκος μου κατεψεύσατο. Κυνίσκος
οὐκοῦν καὶ τούτων, ὦ Ῥαδάμανθυ, παρέξω σοι μάρτυρας. Ῥαδάμανθυς
τίνας τούτους λέγεις; Κυνίσκος
Προσκάλει μοι, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὸν λύχνον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν κλίνην·
All these, Rhadamanthys, died at the hands of this pest, some having been plotted against on account of beautiful wives, some having been indignant when their sons were dragged away for outrage, some because they were rich, and some because they were clever, prudent, and in no way pleased with what was being done." Rhadamanthys "What do you say to these things, you filthy wretch?" Megapenthes "I have committed the murders which he speaks of, but as for all the other things — the adulteries, the outrages on young men, and the corruptions of virgins — Cyniscus has lied about all these against me." Cyniscus "Therefore, Rhadamanthys, I will present witnesses to you for these things as well." Rhadamanthys "Who are these you speak of?" Cyniscus "Hermes, summon his lamp and his bed for me; for they themselves will come forward and testify what kind of deeds they were conscious of him doing." Hermes "Let Megapenthes' Bed and Lamp stand before us.
μαρτυρήσουσι γὰρ αὐτοὶ παρελθόντες, οἷα πράττοντι συνηπίσταντο αὐτῷ. Ἑρμῆς
ἡ Κλίνη καὶ ὁ Λύχνος ὁ Μεγαπένθους παρέστων. εὖ γε ἐποίησαν ὑπακούσαντες. Ῥαδάμανθυς
εἴπατε οὖν ὑμεῖς ἃ σύνιστε Μεγαπένθει τούτῳ· προτέρα δὲ σὺ ἡ Κλίνη λέγε. Κλίνη
πάντα ἀληθῆ κατηγόρησε Κυνίσκος.
They did well to obey." Rhadamanthys "Tell us then, what you are conscious of regarding this Megapenthes; and you first, Bed, speak." Bed "Cyniscus has accused him of everything truly.
ἐγὼ μέντοι ταῦτα εἰπεῖν, ὦ δέσποτα Ῥαδάμανθυ, αἰσχύνομαι· τοιαῦτα ἦν ἃ ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ διεπράττετο. Ῥαδάμανθυς
σαφέστατα μὲν οὖν καταμαρτυρεῖς μηδὲ εἰπεῖν αὐτὰ ὑπομένουσα.
However, I am ashamed, master Rhadamanthys, to say these things; such were the things that were committed upon me." Rhadamanthys "Indeed, you testify most clearly by not even enduring to speak of them.
καὶ σὺ δὲ ὁ Λύχνος ἤδη μαρτύρει. Λύχνος
ἐγὼ τὰ μεθʼ ἡμέραν μὲν οὐκ εἶδον· οὐ γὰρ παρῆν· ἃ δὲ τῶν νυκτῶν ἐποίει καὶ ἔπασχεν, ὀκνῶ λέγειν·
And you, Lamp, testify now." Lamp "I did not see the things by day, for I was not present; but as for what he did and suffered by night, I shrink from saying.
πλὴν ἀλλὰ ἐθεασάμην γε πολλὰ καὶ ἄρρητα καὶ πᾶσαν ὕβριν ὑπερπεπαικότα.
Nevertheless, I witnessed many unspeakable things that surpassed all insolence.
καίτοι πολλάκις ἑκὼν τοὔλαιον οὐκ ἔπινον ἀποσβῆναι θέλων· ὁ δὲ καὶ προσῆγέ με τοῖς δρωμένοις καὶ τὸ φῶς μου πάντα τρόπον κατεμίαινεν. §28Ῥαδάμανθυς
Ἅλις ἤδη τῶν μαρτύρων.
And indeed, many times willingly I did not drink the oil, wishing to be extinguished; but he would bring me close to what was being done and defile my light in every way." Rhadamanthys "Enough now of witnesses.
ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπόδυθι τὴν πορφυρίδα, ἵνα τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἴδωμεν τῶν στιγμάτων.
But strip off your purple robe too, so that we may see the number of the marks.
παπαί, ὅλος οὗτος πελιδνὸς καὶ κατάγραφος, μᾶλλον δὲ κυάνεός ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῶν στιγμάτων.
Bless me! This man is entirely livid and covered with writing, or rather he is dark blue from the marks.
τίνα ἂν οὖν κολασθείη τρόπον;
In what way, then, should he be punished?
ἆρʼ ἐς τὸν Πυριφλεγέθοντά ἐστιν ἐμβλητέος ἢ παραδοτέος τῷ Κερβέρῳ; Κυνίσκος
μηδαμῶς· ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλεις, ἐγώ σοι καινήν τινα καὶ πρέπουσαν αὐτῷ τιμωρίαν ὑποθήσομαι. Ῥαδάμανθυς
λέγε, ὡς ἐγώ σοι μεγίστην ἐπὶ τούτω χάριν εἴσομαι. Κυνίσκος
ἔθος ἐστίν, οἶμαι, τοῖς ἀποθνήσκουσι πᾶσι πίνειν τὸ Λήθης ὕδωρ. Ῥαδάμανθυς
πάνυ μὲν οὖν. Κυνίσκος
οὐκοῦν μόνος οὗτος ἐξ ἁπάντων ἄποτος ἔστω. §29Ῥαδάμανθυς
διὰ τί δή; Κυνίσκος
χαλεπὴν οὕτως ὑφέξει τὴν δίκην μεμνημένος οἷος ἦν καὶ ὅσον ἠδύνατο ἐν τοῖς ἄνω, καὶ ἀναπεμπαζόμενος τὴν τρυφήν. Ῥαδάμανθυς
εὖ λέγεις· καὶ καταδεδικάσθω καὶ παρὰ τὸν Τάνταλον ἀπαχθεὶς οὑτοσὶ δεδέσθω, μεμνημένος ὧν ἔπραξε παρὰ τὸν βίον.
Is he to be cast into Pyriphlegethon, or delivered to Cerberus?" Cyniscus "By no means; but if you wish, I will suggest to you a certain new and fitting punishment for him." Rhadamanthys "Speak, and I will feel the greatest gratitude to you for this." Cyniscus "It is the custom, I believe, for all the dead to drink the water of Lethe." Rhadamanthys "Certainly." Cyniscus "Then let this man alone of them all be without drinking." Rhadamanthys "Why indeed?" Cyniscus "He will thus undergo a harsh penalty by remembering what kind of man he was and how much power he had in the world above, and by continually counting up his luxury." Rhadamanthys "You speak well; and let judgment be passed, and let this man be led away and bound beside Tantalus, remembering all that he did during his life."