§25Ζεύς
παίζεις, ὦ Πόσειδον, ἢ τέλεον ἐπιλέλησαι ὡς οὐδὲν ἐφʼ ἡμῖν τῶν τοιούτων ἐστίν, ἀλλʼ αἱ Μοῖραι ἑκάστῳ ἐπικλώθουσι, τὸν μὲν κεραυνῷ, τὸν δὲ ξίφει, τὸν δὲ πυρετῷ ἢ φθόῃ ἀποθανεῖν;
Zeus: Are you joking, Poseidon, or have you completely forgotten that none of these things is in our power, but the Fates spin for each person to die, one by a thunderbolt, another by the sword, another by fever or consumption?
ἐπεὶ εἴ γέ μοι ἐπʼ ἐξουσίας τὸ πρᾶγμα ἦν, εἴασα ἄν, οἴει, τοὺς ἱεροσύλους πρῴην ἀπελθεῖν ἀκεραυνώτους ἐκ Πίσης δύο μου τῶν πλοκάμων ἀποκείραντας ἓξ μνᾶς ἑκάτερον ἕλκοντας;
For if the matter had been in my power, do you think I would have allowed those temple-robbers the other day to depart from Pisa without being struck by lightning, after they sheared off two of my locks, each weighing six minae?
ἢ σὺ αὐτὸς περιεῖδες ἂν ἐν Γεραιστῷ τὸν ἁλιέα τὸν ἐξ Ὠρεοῦ ὑφαιρούμενόν σου τὴν τρίαιναν;
Or would you yourself have overlooked the fisherman from Oreus stealing your trident at Geraestus?
ἄλλως τε καὶ δόξομεν ἀγανακτεῖν λελυπημένοι τῷ πράγματι καὶ δεδιέναι τοὺς παρὰ τοῦ Δάμιδος λόγους καὶ διʼ αὐτὸ ἀποσκευάζεσθαι τὸν ἄνδρα, οὐ περιμείναντες ἀντεξετασθῆναι αὐτὸν τῷ Τιμοκλεῖ.
And besides, we shall seem to be indignant because we are hurt by the affair, and to fear the arguments of Damis, and for that reason to be getting rid of the man, not having waited for him to be tested in debate against Timocles.
ὥστε τί ἄλλο ἢ ἐξ ἐρήμης κρατεῖν οὕτω δόξομεν;
So, what else shall we seem to do but to win by default?
Ποσειδῶν
καὶ μὴν ἐπίτομόν τινα ταύτην ᾤμην ἐπινενοηκέναι ἔγωγε πρὸς τὴν νίκην.
Poseidon: Indeed, I for my part thought I had devised this as a shortcut to victory.
Ζεύς
ἄπαγε, θυννῶδες τὸ ἐνθύμημα, ὦ Πόσειδον, καὶ κομιδῇ παχύ, προαναιρήσειν τὸν ἀνταγωνιστὴν ὡς ἀποθάνοι ἀήττητος, ἀμφήριστον ἔτι καὶ ἀδιάκριτον καταλιπὼν τὸν λόγον.
Zeus: Nonsense! That is a tuna-like thought, Poseidon, and utterly thick-headed—to destroy the antagonist beforehand so that he may die undefeated, leaving the argument still disputed and undecided.
Ποσειδῶν
οὐκοῦν ἄμεινόν τι ὑμεῖς ἄλλο ἐπινοεῖτε, εἰ τἀμὰ οὕτως ὑμῖν ἀποτεθύννισται.
Poseidon: Then do you devise something else better, if my ideas have been so completely "tunafied" for you.
§26Ἀπόλλων
εἰ καὶ τοῖς νέοις ἔτι καὶ ἀγενείοις ἡμῖν ἐφεῖτο ἐκ τοῦ νόμου δημηγορεῖν, ἴσως ἂν εἶπόν τι συμφέρον εἰς τὴν διάσκεψιν.
Apollo: Even if it were permitted by law for us who are still young and beardless to make public speeches, I might perhaps have said something useful for our consultation.
Μῶμος
ἡ μὲν σκέψις, ὦ Ἄπολλον, οὕτω περὶ μεγάλων, ὥστε μὴ καθʼ ἡλικίαν, ἀλλὰ κοινὸν ἅπασι προκεῖσθαι τὸν λόγον· χάριεν γάρ, εἰ περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων κινδυνεύοντες περὶ τῆς ἐν τοῖς νόμοις ἐξουσίας μικρολογούμεθα.
Momus: The inquiry, Apollo, is about things so great that the discussion is not restricted by age, but is set before all in common; for it would be an absurd thing if, when we are in extreme danger, we should quibble over our legal rights.
σὺ δὲ καὶ πάνυ ἤδη ἔννομος εἶ δημηγόρος, πρόπαλαι μὲν ἐξ ἐφήβων γεγονώς, ἐγγεγραμμένος δὲ ἐς τὸ τῶν δώδεκα ληξιαρχικόν, καὶ ὀλίγου δεῖν τῆς ἐπὶ Κρόνου βουλῆς ὤν· ὥστε μὴ μειρακιεύου πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ λέγε θαρρῶν ἤδη τὰ δοκοῦντα, μηδὲν αἰδεσθεὶς εἰ ἀγένειος ὢν δημηγορήσεις, καὶ ταῦτα βαθυπώγωνα καὶ εὐγένειον οὕτως υἱὸν ἔχων τὸν Ἀσκληπιόν.
And you are already fully a lawful public speaker, having long ago passed from youth, and being registered in the register of the Twelve, and almost belonging to the senate of Cronus; so do not play the boy with us, but speak now with confidence what seems good to you, without being at all ashamed because you are going to speak while being beardless, and that too when you have a son with such a thick and handsome beard as Asclepius.
ἄλλως τε καὶ πρέπον ἂν εἴη σοι νῦν μάλιστα ἐκφαίνειν τὴν σοφίαν, εἰ μὴ μάτην ἐν τῷ Ἑλικῶνι κάθησαι ταῖς Μούσαις συμφιλοσοφῶν.
And besides, it would be most fitting for you now to display your wisdom, unless you sit in Helicon philosophizing with the Muses in vain.
Ἀπόλλων
ἀλλʼ οὐ σέ, ὦ Μῶμε, χρὴ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐφιέναι, τὸν Δία δέ· καὶ ἢν οὗτος κελεύσῃ, τάχʼ ἄν τι οὐκ ἄμουσον εἴποιμι ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐν τῷ Ἑλικῶνι μελέτης ἄξιον.
Apollo: But it is not for you, Momus, to permit such things, but for Zeus; and if he commands, I might perhaps say something not uncultured, but worthy of my study on Helicon.
Ζεύς
λέγε, ὦ τέκνον· ἐφίημι γάρ.
Zeus: Speak, my child; for I permit you.
§27Ἀπόλλων
ὁ Τιμοκλῆς οὗτος ἔστι μὲν χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ καὶ φιλόθεος καὶ τοὺς λόγους πάνυ ἠκρίβωκε τοὺς Στωϊκούς· ὥστε καὶ σύνεστιν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ πολλοῖς τῶν νέων καὶ μισθοὺς οὐκ ὀλίγους ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἐκλέγει, σφόδρα πιθανὸς ὢν ὁπότε ἰδίᾳ τοῖς μαθηταῖς διαλέγοιτο·
Apollo: This Timocles is indeed a good man and god-fearing, and has thoroughly mastered the Stoic arguments; so he associates with many of the youth for the sake of wisdom, and collects no small fees on this account, being extremely persuasive whenever he converses privately with his disciples.
ἐν πλήθει δὲ εἰπεῖν ἀτολμότατός ἐστι καὶ τὴν φωνὴν ἰδιώτης καὶ μιξοβάρβαρος, ὥστε γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνειν διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ταῖς συνουσίαις, οὐ συνείρων ἀλλὰ βατταρίζων καὶ ταραττόμενος, καὶ μάλιστα ὁπόταν οὕτως ἔχων καὶ καλλιρρημοσύνην ἐπιδείκνυσθαι βούληται.
But in public speaking he is most timid, and in voice he is uncultivated and half-barbarian, so that on this account he incurs laughter in assemblies, not connecting his thoughts but stammering and becoming confused, and especially when, being in this state, he also wishes to make a display of fine speaking.
συνεῖναι μὲν γὰρ εἰς ὑπερβολὴν ὀξύς ἐστι καὶ λεπτογνώμων, ὥς φασιν οἱ ἄμεινον τὰ τῶν Στωϊκῶν εἰδότες, λέγων δὲ καὶ ἑρμηνεύων ὑπʼ ἀσθενείας διαφθείρει αὐτὰ καὶ συγχεῖ, οὐκ ἀποσαφῶν ὅ τι βούλεται ἀλλὰ αἰνίγμασιν ἐοικότα προτείνων καὶ πάλιν αὖ πολὺ ἀσαφέστερα πρὸς τὰς ἐρωτήσεις ἀποκρινόμενος·
For in understanding he is exceedingly sharp and subtle, as those who know the Stoic doctrines better say; but in speaking and explaining, he ruins and confuses them through his weakness, not making clear what he wants, but proposing things like riddles, and in turn answering the questions much more obscurely.
οἱ δὲ οὐ συνιέντες καταγελῶσιν αὐτοῦ.
And they, not understanding, laugh at him.
δεῖ δὲ οἶμαι σαφῶς λέγειν καὶ τούτου μάλιστα πολλὴν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν πρόνοιαν, ὡς συνήσουσιν οἱ ἀκούοντες.
But I think one must speak clearly and make this one's greatest care, so that the listeners will understand.