Francklin, Thomas (1721-1784); Lucian (b.c. 125, d. after 180)

Nigrinus, A Dialogue. [from The Works of Lucian]

London

Printed for T. Cadell

1780

"For such men the city alone is the proper habitation; where every street and market-place is full of enjoyments; there pleasure enters in at every gate: through the eye, the ear, the taste, the smell; through every part and every sense she gains admittance, and not a path remains that is not widened by this rapid and ever-flowing torrent."

[...] He took occasion at the same time to extol the liberty which they enjoyed in their retreat, their manner of living, free from envy and ambition; their safety, ease, and happiness, with all the virtues that accompanied it, proved how consonant it was with true philosophy, that such a life alone could preserve pure and untainted morality, and highly became the good and virtuous, who knew how to despise riches, and live according to the dictates of nature. For those, indeed, who are in search of wealth, who measure happiness by power and splendour, who have never tasted of liberty, enjoyed the open freedom of speech, or beheld the face of truth; but have been brought up to, and for ever conversant with servitude and flattery: for those who are given up to pleasure, fond of luxurious tables, wine, and women; full of fraud, treachery, and lying; who attend to the sound of the harp, and listen with delight to lascivious sonnets; for such men the city alone is the proper habitation; where every street and market-place is full of enjoyments; there pleasure enters in at every gate: through the eye, the ear, the taste, the smell; through every part and every sense she gains admittance, and not a path remains that is not widened by this rapid and ever-flowing torrent. There meet together, adultery, avarice, perjury, and every other vice; the soul is overwhelmed beneath them, and justice, modesty, and virtue are no more: bereft of these, the mind becomes dry and barren, or only teems with savage and brutal extravagance. Such, according to his description, is this great city, and such the lessons of instruction to be learned from her. [...]
(p. 19)

City::Gate Geography::Path Liquid::Torrent Architecture

Reading

3 entries in ESTC (1780, 1781). See also Select Dialogues (1785). Translations of select dialogues date from 1634.

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>

11/15/2013