LUCIAN, lii'shi-an, Greek author: b. Sa mosata, Syria, about 125 A.D. ; d. Egypt toward the close of the 2d century A.D. He went to Antioch and devoted himself first to law and afterward to rhetoric, and traveled in several countries (among others, Greece, Italy, Spain and Gaul) as a professional orator. On re turning home, probably about his 40th year, he abandoned the profession of rhetoric, which he seems partially to have resumed in his old age, and confined himself to philosophy and literature. He lived to an advanced age, and was at a late period of his life made procurator of part of Egypt. The works of Lucian, of which many have come down to us, are narra tive, rhetorical, critical, satirical, mostly in the form of dialogues. The most popular are those specifically known as the 'Dialogues,' in which he derides the popular mythology and the philosophical secrets, particula ly his 'Dialogues of the Gods' and 'Of the Dead.' These have given him the character of the wittiest of an cient writers. He seems not to belong to any system, attacks imposture and superstition freely and boldly where he finds them, hut is devoid of inspiration. The Epicureans, who in
this respect agree with him, are therefore treated with more forbearance. The Christian religion, of which, however, he knew little, and that only through the medium of mysticism, was an object of his ridicule. His writings were once largely studied as textbooks, but his diction is not of the best. (See DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD). Among editions of his works may be mentioned Lehman's (1822-29), F. Fritsch's (1882-85), incomplete; and Sommerbrodt's (1886-99), and Fowler's (4 vols., 1905). The most complete English translation is by Howard Williams in Bohn's series), and there are also renderings by Francklin (1781) and Tooke. Consult Allinson, 'Saint Lucian: Selected Writings) (Boston 1905); Croiset, (Essai sur la vie et les oeuvres de Lucien) (Paris 1882); Harmon, in 'Loeb Classical Library' (Vol. I text and translation, New York 1913); Hine, 'Lucian the Syrian Satirist' (ib. 1900).