Pseudo-Lucian

Ocypus

This drama humorously depicts the story of Ocypus, a boastful young man proud of his swift feet, who incurs the wrath of Podagra, the goddess of gout, and suffers from a debilitating ailment. The play begins with the goddess Podagra declaring how she punished Ocypus for his arrogance and disregard of her power. Following her prologue, a dialogue ensues between the agonizing Ocypus, his tutor, and the physician Soterichos who arrives to examine him. When the doctor attempts to lance his foot to treat the pain, Ocypus refuses out of sheer terror and tries to conceal the true cause of his agony. Ultimately, the tutor exposes Ocypus's lies, leading the physician to declare that his affliction is indeed the incurable disease of gout (Podagra).