Source edition
Lucian, Vol. 1. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1913.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a humorous introductory speech (prolalia) designed to defend the author's eccentric literary style and to ease the preconceptions of his audience. The first half vividly recounts the myth of Dionysus' expedition to India. Although the Indians initially ridiculed the god's strange army consisting of women, satyrs, drums, and cymbals, they were ultimately terrified and routed by its unexpected power once the battle began. In the second half, the author applies this myth to his own rhetorical endeavors, comparing the audience's bewilderment at his novel style with the Indians' initial attitude toward Dionysus. Finally, by introducing the peculiar properties of the 'Fountain of Silenus,' which is said to make old men eloquent, the author humorously excuses his own continued writing in old age and invites the audience's understanding.