"When they came to Momus, whom they had chosen umpire, after a careful examination of every performance, he found great fault with Vulcan (what he said of the rest it matters not), for not making a door in his man's breast, to open and let us know what he willed, and thought, and Whether he spoke truth."
— Francklin, Thomas (1721-1784); Lucian (b.c. 125, d. after 180)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for T. Cadell
Date
1780
Metaphor
"When they came to Momus, whom they had chosen umpire, after a careful examination of every performance, he found great fault with Vulcan (what he said of the rest it matters not), for not making a door in his man's breast, to open and let us know what he willed, and thought, and Whether he spoke truth."
Metaphor in Context
LYCINUS.
And how, by any of the signs you mentioned, could you tell whether a man was a good or bad philosopher? this does not appear at first sight, but lies hidden in secret, and is brought forth only in length of time by frequent meeting, conversation, and other means of the like nature. You have heard, I suppose, the story of Momus and Vulcan; if you have not, thus it runs.
There was once a trial of skill, says the fable, between Minerva, Neptune, and Vulcan, which should produce the most complete work: Neptune made a bull, Minerva a horse, and Vulcan a man. When they came to Momus, whom they had chosen umpire, after a careful examination of every performance, he found great fault with Vulcan (what he said of the rest it matters not), for not making a *door in his man's breast, to open and let us know what he willed, and thought, and Whether he spoke truth.
Momus was so dull he could not see into these things; but you, with more than the lynx's sharpness, can see into the breast of every man, and not only can tell what he wills, and what he thinks, but whether he is better or worse than any body else.
*A door, 6fc] Plato mentions this fable.--Momus's window is an excellent thought, and might furnish some hints for a good periodical paper.
(p. 337)
And how, by any of the signs you mentioned, could you tell whether a man was a good or bad philosopher? this does not appear at first sight, but lies hidden in secret, and is brought forth only in length of time by frequent meeting, conversation, and other means of the like nature. You have heard, I suppose, the story of Momus and Vulcan; if you have not, thus it runs.
There was once a trial of skill, says the fable, between Minerva, Neptune, and Vulcan, which should produce the most complete work: Neptune made a bull, Minerva a horse, and Vulcan a man. When they came to Momus, whom they had chosen umpire, after a careful examination of every performance, he found great fault with Vulcan (what he said of the rest it matters not), for not making a *door in his man's breast, to open and let us know what he willed, and thought, and Whether he spoke truth.
Momus was so dull he could not see into these things; but you, with more than the lynx's sharpness, can see into the breast of every man, and not only can tell what he wills, and what he thinks, but whether he is better or worse than any body else.
*A door, 6fc] Plato mentions this fable.--Momus's window is an excellent thought, and might furnish some hints for a good periodical paper.
(p. 337)
Categories
Provenance
Reading;
Citation
3 entries in ESTC (1780, 1781). See also Select Dialogues (1785). Translations of select dialogues date from 1634; ODNB reports Francklin's translation was well received.
Text from The Works of Lucian, from the Greek, by Thomas Francklin, D. D. Some Time Greek Professor in the University of Cambridge. (London: Printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1780). <Link to ESTC><Link to Google Books>
Text from The Works of Lucian, from the Greek, by Thomas Francklin, D. D. Some Time Greek Professor in the University of Cambridge. (London: Printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1780). <Link to ESTC><Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
11/15/2013
