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 satirical mock oration in which the Greek consonant "Sigma" brings a lawsuit against "Tau" before a court of Vowels. Sigma accuses Tau of unlawful encroachment, claiming that Tau has wrongfully stolen its pronunciation from various words and threatened its very existence. Through humorous arguments, Sigma presents specific examples of words where its sounds have been driven out by Tau, emphasizing the importance of preserving the natural order of the alphabet. The accusation escalates beyond linguistics as Sigma highlights that Tau's physical shape served as the origin for the cross, a terrible instrument of human execution. Ultimately, Sigma concludes the speech by demanding that Tau be condemned to death by being executed on its own letter-shaped form.