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 rhetorical declamation that takes the "fly," an insect commonly regarded as petty and unpleasant, as its subject of praise. The speaker meticulously observes the fly's physical characteristics, ecology, and behavior, highlighting its various virtues and abilities. In the first half, the fly's small yet beautiful bodily structure, distinctive buzzing sound, and love of light are described with pseudo-scientific detail, accompanied by literary examples from Homeric epic that praise its unyielding courage. In the second half, the discourse turns to the fly's freedom in mating, its wondrous resilience—such as reviving from ashes—and historical or mythological anecdotes of women named "Myia." By praising a trivial insect with the full force of oratorical skill, the work presents readers with a sophisticated and playful demonstration of how rhetoric can craft a persuasive defense of any subject.