DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD. Lucian is a remarkable figure in the world's literature. A native of Syria and living in the 2d cen tury A.D., he wrote the best Greek that had been written in 300 years, and was, indeed, "the last great master of. Attic eloquence and Attic wit.* At the same time he is distinctively modern in flavor, and with his wide knowledge and ex perience of the world, his shrewd and penetrat ing observation, fertile imagination, skilful de lineation of character, dramatic power, rare wit and gift of satire, would have been as much at home in the 20th century as in the 2d. He bor rowed the dialogue from Plato but breathed into its severe and dignified form the mocking spirit of Aristophanes, to whom indeed he is close akin in spirit. The
life and society, the vanity of human hopes and pursuits; wealth, power, beauty, strength, the disputations of philosophy furnished the ma terials, and some philosopher like Diogenes or Menippus is usually the commentator. The shortest of the 30 dialogues may give some idea of their quality (VIII).
C. Why, 'tis the proverb fulfilled! The fawn bath taken the lion.
D. What's the matter Cnemon? C. The matter! I have been fooled, miser ably fooled. I have passed over all whom I should have liked to make my heirs, and left my money to the wrong man.
D. How was that? C. I had been speculating on the death of Hermolaus, the millionaire. He had no chil dren, and my attentions had been well received by him. I thought it would be a good idea to let him know that I had made my will in his favor, on the chance of its exciting his emula tion.
D. Yes; and Hermolaus? C. What his will was, I don't know. I died suddenly—the roof came down about my ears; and now Hermolaus is my heir. The pike has swallowed hook and bait.
D. And your anglership into the bargain. The pit that you digged for other .. .
C. That's about the truth of the matter, con found it.