Moreover, he not only compares human beings with gods, but likens the long hair of Euphorbus to the Graces, and that too when it was soaked with blood! In short, this sort of thing is so frequent that there is no part of his poetry which is not well adorned with comparisons of gods. Therefore you must either expunge all that, or permit us to be equally venturesome. So exempt from all accountability is the use of comparisons and similes that Homer actually did not hesitate to derive praise for the goddesses from things of lower degree. For instance, he likened Hera’s eyes to those of kine. And someone else called Aphrodite violet-browed.

The “Theban poet” of the preceding piece (p.271); i.e. Pindar.

As for “rosy-fingered,” who that has even the slightest acquaintance with Homer’s poetry does not know it?

As far as personal appearance is concerned, it signifies comparatively little if one is said to be like a god. But how many there are who have copied the very names of the gods, calling themselves Dionysius, Hephaestion, Zeno, Poseidonius, Hermes! And there was a Leto, the wife of Evagoras, king of Cyprus; yet the goddess did not take on about it, though she might have turned her into stone as she did Niobe. The Egyptians I forbear to mention, who, though the most superstitious people in the world, yet use the names of the gods to their hearts’ content; in fact, most of their names are derived from Heaven.

It is not incumbent upon you, then, to be thus timorous in respect of praise. If any offence at all has been perpetrated against divinity in that essay, you are not accountable for it—unless you think that to listen makes one accountable; it is I whom the gods will punish, after first punishing Homer and the other poets! But to this day they have not punished the best of the philosophers for saying that man was God’s image!

Hardly Plato, though he has something similar in the Republic, 501. But to him the universe is God’s image; see the end of the Timaeus. Perhaps Lucian means Diogenes, who said that good men were images of gods (Diog. Laert. 6, 51).

Although I might say much more to you, I shall stop for the sake of Polystratus here, so that he may be able to repeat from memory what has been said.

I don’t know if that is any longer possible for me, Lycinus. Even as it is, you have made a long speech, far beyond your allowance of water. But I shall try to remember it all the same; and, as you see, I am already making off to her with my ears stopped for fear that something else may pop in to confuse its outline, and then I may have the bad luck to be hissed by my hearers!

That is your concern, Polystratus, to act your part to the best advantage. As for me, now that I have once for all put the play into your hands, I shall withdraw for the present; but when they announce the votes of the judges, I shall be there in person to see what will be the outcome of the contest.