§13Πολύστρατος
τὸ δὴ ἄνθρωπον οὖσαν Ἀφροδίτῃ καὶ Ἥρᾳ εἰκάσαι τί ἄλλο ἢ ἄντικρύς ἐστιν εὐτελίζειν τὰς θεάς;
Polystratus Indeed, for a human woman to be compared to Aphrodite and Hera, what else is this but to outright belittle the goddesses?
ἐν γὰρ τοῖς τοιούτοις οὐχ οὕτω τὸ μικρὸν μεῖζον γίγνεται τῇ παραθέσει, ὡς τὸ μεῖζον ἀπομικρύνεται πρὸς τὸ ταπεινότερον κατασπώμενον·
For in such cases, the small does not become greater by comparison so much as the greater is diminished by being dragged down to the lower.
οἷον εἴ τινες ἅμα βαδίζοιεν, ὁ μὲν μέγιστος, ὁ δὲ πάνυ τῇ ἡλικίᾳ χαμαίζηλος, εἶτα δεήσειεν ἀπισῶσαι αὐτοὺς ὡς μὴ ὑπερέχειν θατέρου τὸν ἕτερον, οὐ τοῦ βραχυτέρου ὑπερανατεινομένου τοῦτο γένοιτʼ ἄν, κἂν ὅτι μάλιστα ἀκροποδητὶ ἐπεγείρῃ ἑαυτόν·
For instance, if some people were walking together, one being very tall and the other very short in stature, and then it should become necessary to make them equal so that neither surpasses the other, this could not happen by the shorter stretching himself upward, even if he should raise himself on tiptoe as much as possible.
ἀλλʼ εἰ μέλλουσιν ὁμήλικες φανεῖσθαι, ὁ μείζων ἐκεῖνος ἐπικύψει καὶ ταπεινότερον ἀποφανεῖ ἑαυτόν.
Rather, if they are to appear of equal height, that taller one will bend down and make himself lower.
ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς τοιαύταις εἰκόσιν οὐχ οὕτως ἄνθρωπος μείζων γίγνεται, ἤν τις αὐτὸν θεῷ ἀπεικάζῃ, ὡς τὸ θεῖον ἀνάγκη ἐλαττοῦσθαι πρὸς τὸ ἐνδέον ἐπικλώμενον.
In the same way, in such images, a human does not become greater if one compares them to a god, so much as the divine must be diminished by being bent down toward the deficient.
καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὲν ὑπὸ ἀπορίας τῶν ἐπιγείων ἐπὶ τὰ οὐράνια ἐκτείνοι τις τὸν λόγον, ἧττον ἂν ὁ τοιοῦτος αἰτίαν ἔχοι ὑπὸ ἀσεβείας αὐτὸ δρᾶν· σὺ δὲ τοσαῦτα ἔχων κάλλη γυναικῶν Ἀφροδίτῃ καὶ Ἥρᾳ εἰκάσαι αὐτὴν ἐτόλμησας οὐδὲν δέον.
For if indeed, from a lack of earthly examples, one should extend their speech to heavenly things, such a person would incur less charge of doing so out of impiety; but you, having so many beauties of women, dared to compare her to Aphrodite and Hera, when there was no need.
§14Πολύστρατος
ὥστε τὸ ἄγαν τοῦτο καὶ ἐπίφθονον ἀφαίρει, ὦ Λυκῖνε.
Polystratus Therefore, Lycinus, remove this excessive and offensive part.
οὐ γὰρ πρὸς τοῦ σοῦ τρόπου τὸ τοιοῦτον, ὃς οὐδὲ ἄλλως ῥᾴδιος πρὸς τοὺς ἐπαίνους καὶ πρόχειρος ὢν ἐτύγχανες·
For such a thing is not in accordance with your character, you who otherwise were not easy or ready with praises.
ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ἀθρόαν πεποίησαι τὴν μεταβολὴν ἐπιδαψιλευόμενος καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τέως φειδομένου ἄσωτος ἐν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις ἀναπέφηνας.
But now, I know not how, you have made a sudden change, being lavish, and from being previously sparing, you have appeared prodigal in your praises.
ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ἐκεῖνο αἰσχυνθῇς, εἰ μεταρρυθμιεῖς τὸν λόγον ἤδη διαδεδομένον·
But do not even be ashamed of that, if you will remodel a speech already distributed.
ἐπεὶ καὶ Φειδίαν φασὶν οὕτω ποιῆσαι, ὁπότε ἐξειργάσατο τοῖς Ἠλείοις τὸν Δία.
Since they say even Phidias did so when he completed the Zeus for the Eleans.
στάντα γὰρ αὐτὸν κατόπιν τῶν θυρῶν, ὁπότε τὸ πρῶτον ἀναπετάσας ἐπεδείκνυεν τὸ ἔργον, ἐπακούειν τῶν αἰτιωμένων τι ἢ ἐπαινούντων· ᾐτιᾶτο δὲ ὁ μὲν τὴν ῥῖνα ὡς παχεῖαν, ὁ δὲ ὡς ἐπιμηκέστερον τὸ πρόσωπον, ὁ δὲ ἄλλος ἄλλο τι.
For standing behind the doors, whenever he first threw them open to display the work, he listened to those who found fault or praised; and one blamed the nose as being too thick, another that the face was too long, and someone else something else.
εἶτʼ ἐπειδὴ ἀπηλλάγησαν οἱ θεαταί, αὖθις τὸν Φειδίαν ἐγκλεισάμενον ἑαυτὸν ἐπανορθοῦν καὶ ῥυθμίζειν τὸ ἄγαλμα πρὸς τὸ τοῖς πλείστοις δοκοῦν·
Then, when the spectators had departed, Phidias, shut in again, corrected and remodeled the statue according to what seemed best to the majority.
οὐ γὰρ ἡγεῖτο μικρὰν εἶναι συμβουλὴν δήμου τοσούτου, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ ἀναγκαῖον ὑπάρχειν τοὺς πολλοὺς περιττότερον ὁρᾶν τοῦ ἑνός, κἂν Φειδίας ᾖ.
For he did not think the advice of so great a populace was a small thing, but that it was always necessary for the many to see more than the one, even if that one be Phidias.
Ταῦτά σοι παρʼ ἐκείνης κομίζω καὶ αὐτὸς παραινῶ ἑταῖρός τε καὶ εὔνους ὤν.
These things I bring to you from her, and I myself advise you as a companion and well-wisher.
§15Λυκῖνος
Πολύστρατε, οἷος ὢν ῥήτωρ ἐλελήθεις με.
Lycinus Polystratus, what a skilled orator you were without my knowing it!
ῥῆσιν γοῦν οὕτω μακρὰν καὶ κατηγορίαν τοσαύτην ἐξενήνοχας κατὰ τοῦ συγγράμματος, ὥστε μηδὲ ἐλπίδα μοι ἀπολογίας ἔτι καταλείπεσθαι.
At any rate, you have delivered such a long speech and such a great accusation against the book, that not even a hope of defense is left to me anymore.
πλὴν ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνό γε οὐ δικαστικὸν ἐποιήσατε, καὶ μάλιστα σύ, ἐρήμην καταδιαιτήσας τοῦ βιβλίου μὴ παρόντος αὐτῷ τοῦ συνηγόρου.
Except, however, you did not act like judges in court, and especially you, by deciding against the book in its absence, without its advocate being present.
ῥᾷστον δέ, οἶμαι, τοῦτό ἐστιν κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν, μόνον θέοντα κρατεῖν.
And this is easiest, I think, according to the proverb, to win when running alone.
ὥστε οὐδὲν θαυμαστόν, εἰ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἑάλωμεν οὔτε ὕδατος ἡμῖν ἐκχυθέντος οὔτε ἀπολογίας ἀποδοθείσης.
So it is no wonder if we too were convicted when no water was poured for us nor any defense granted.
μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦτο πάντων ἀτοπώτατον, οἱ αὐτοὶ κατήγοροι καὶ δικασταὶ ἦτε.
Or rather, this is the most absurd of all: you yourselves were both accusers and judges.
πότερα δʼ οὖν ἐθέλεις;
Which of the two, then, do you wish?
ἀγαπήσας τοῖς ἐγνωσμένοις ἡσυχίαν ἄγω, ἢ κατὰ τὸν Ἱμεραῖον ποιητὴν παλινῳδίαν τινὰ συγγράφω, ἢ δώσετέ μοι ἐφέσιμον ἀγωνίσασθαι τὴν δίκην;
Shall I acquiesce in the verdict and keep quiet, or, after the fashion of the poet of Himera, compose some palinode, or will you grant me an appeal to contest the suit?
Πολύστρατος
νὴ Δίʼ, ἤνπερ ἔχῃς τι δίκαιον εἰπεῖν·
Polystratus By Zeus, indeed, if only you have something just to say!
οὐ γὰρ ἐν ἀντιδίκοις, ὡς σὺ φής, ἀλλʼ ἐν φίλοις ποιήσῃ τὴν ἀπολογίαν.
For you will make your defense not among adversaries, as you say, but among friends.
ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ συνεξετάζεσθαί σοι ἕτοιμος ἐπὶ τῆς δίκης.
And I am ready to join you in examining the case at the trial.