Νεκρικοὶ Διάλογοι

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İngilizce İngilizce Yunanca Yunanca

1–3

Minos

Say on, but be brief; I have other cases waiting for me.

Sostratus

The deeds of my life—were they in my own choice, or were they decreed by Fate?

Minos

Decreed, of course.

Sostratus

Then all of us, whether we passed for honest men or rogues, were the instruments of Fate in all that we did?

Minos

Certainly; Clotho prescribes the conduct of every man at his birth.

Sostratus

Now suppose a man commits a murder under compulsion of a power which he cannot resist, an executioner, for instance, at the bidding of a judge, or a bodyguard at that of a tyrant. Who is the murderer, according to you? 5

Minos

The judge, of course, or the tyrant. As well ask whether the sword is guilty, which is but the tool of his anger who is prime mover in the affair.

Sostratus

I am indebted to you for a further illustration of my argument. Again: a slave, sent by his master, brings me gold or silver; to whom am I to be grateful? who goes down on my tablets as a benefactor?

Minos

The sender; the bringer is but his minister.

Sostratus

Observe then your injustice! You punish us who are but the slaves of Clotho’s bidding, and reward these, who do but minister to another’s beneficence. For it will never be said that it was in our power to gainsay the irresistible ordinances of Fate?