The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2015/01/22/lucian-of-samosata-concerning-sacrifices-9/

Well, so much for the life of the gods …..

Thus it is that human beings are in harmony with them, fitted for the rituals they worry themselves about. First of all, a grove is appropriated, a mountain conscrated, a hen devoted, and fruit assigned to each god.

Afterwards they worship according to their custom and cites are assigned: Delphos and Delphos to Apolls, Athnea to Athens – her home is testified to by the name – and Hera an Argive, Rhea a Mygdonian, Aphrodite a Paphian.

And was it not the Cretans – as they say – who raised up Zeus, and also his tomb they point out. We have been deceived all this time, supposing Zeus commands thunder, rain and all the rest! He lies hidden, having died of old, buried with the Cretans.

Greek Text and Notes:

[10] τοιοῦτος ὁ βίος τῶν θεῶν. τοιγαροῦν καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι συνῳδὰ τούτοις καὶ ἀκόλουθα περὶ τὰς θρησκείας ἐπιτηδεύουσιν. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ὕλας ἀπετέμοντο καὶ ὄρη ἀνέθεσαν καὶ ὄρνεα καθιέρωσαν καὶ φυτὰ ἐπεφήμισαν ἑκάστῳ θεῷ. μετὰ δὲ νειμάμενοι κατὰ ἔθνη σέβουσι καὶ πολίτας αὐτῶν ἀποφαίνουσιν, ὁ μὲν Δελφὸς τὸν Ἀπόλλω καὶ ὁ Δήλιος, ὁ δὲ Ἀθηναῖος τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν — μαρτυρεῖται γοῦν τὴν οἰκειότητα τῷ ὀνόματι — καὶ τὴν Ἥραν ὁ Ἀργεῖος καὶ ὁ Μυγδόνιος τὴν Ῥέαν καὶ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην ὁ Πάφιος. οἱ δʼ αὖ Κρῆτες ουʼ γενέσθαι παρʼ αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ τραφῆναι μόνον τὸν Δία λέγουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τάφον αὐτοῦ δεικνύουσιν· καὶ ἡμεῖς ἄρα τοσοῦτον ἠπατήμεθα χρόνον οἰόμενοι τὸν Δία βροντᾶν τε καὶ ὕειν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἐπιτελεῖν, ὁ δὲ ἐλελήθει πάλαι τεθνεὼς παρὰ Κρησὶ τεθαμμένος.

 

[10] τοιοῦτος ὁ βίος τῶν θεῶν.

So much for the life of the gods …

 

Therefore also the humans

 

τοιγαροῦν καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι συνῳδὰ τούτοις

Therefore also the humans in harmony with them

 

Harmony: sing together

 

καὶ ἀκόλουθα περὶ τὰς θρησκείας ἐπιτηδεύουσιν.

And the following concerning the worship practices they concern themselves

 

Akoloutha is an adverb: following.

Threskeia is religious worship or rites.

 

 

καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ὕλας ἀπετέμοντο

And first a forrest they cut appropriate

 

Appropriate could also be cut down.

 

καὶ ὄρη ἀνέθεσαν

and a mountain they conscrate

 

καὶ ὄρνεα καθιέρωσαν

and a hen they devoted

 

 

καὶ φυτὰ ἐπεφήμισαν ἑκάστῳ θεῷ.

And a fruit they assigned   to each god

 

μετὰ δὲ νειμάμενοι κατὰ ἔθνη σέβουσι

then after they distibute at custom they worship

 

 

καὶ πολίτας αὐτῶν ἀποφαίνουσιν,

and cities of them declare

 

 

ὁ μὲν Δελφὸς τὸν Ἀπόλλω καὶ ὁ Δήλιος,

Delphos the Apollos and the Dephli

 

 

 

ὁ δὲ Ἀθηναῖος τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν —

And the Athenians Athenea

 

μαρτυρεῖται γοῦν τὴν οἰκειότητα τῷ ὀνόματι —

she is witnessed therefore that household by name

 

καὶ τὴν Ἥραν ὁ Ἀργεῖος

and Hera the Argive

 

καὶ ὁ Μυγδόνιος τὴν Ῥέαν

And the Rhea a Mygdonian,

 

καὶ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην ὁ Πάφιος.

Aphrodite a Paphian.

 

 

οἱ δʼ αὖ Κρῆτες ουʼ γενέσθαι παρʼ αὐτοῖς

but the Cretes not to become by them

 

οὐδὲ τραφῆναι μόνον τὸν Δία λέγουσιν,

but not they raised up alone Zeus they say

Perfect to have raised up alone (they did the raising)

 

ἀλλὰ καὶ τάφον αὐτοῦ δεικνύουσιν·

but also a tomb his they point out

 

They raised and buried him.

 

 

καὶ ἡμεῖς ἄρα τοσοῦτον ἠπατήμεθα χρόνον

and we therefore these one we have been deceived a time

 

 

οἰόμενοι τὸν Δία βροντᾶν τε καὶ ὕειν

supposing that Zeus thunder and rain

 

 

καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἐπιτελεῖν,

and the other all to accomplish

 

ὁ δὲ ἐλελήθει πάλαι τεθνεὼς παρὰ Κρησὶ τεθαμμένος.

But having been hidden of old dying and with the Cretes having been buried