Source edition
Lucian, Vol. 3. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1921.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This prose work depicts the internal conflict of a young narrator, assumed to be Lucian himself, as he decides whether to pursue a manual craft or the path of education and culture (paideia). The story begins with the young protagonist, who, after finishing school, is apprenticed to his uncle, a stone-carver, at his family's urging. However, after failing miserably on his very first day and receiving a harsh beating, he flees home in tears, only to have a vivid and wondrous dream that night. In his dream, two women personifying manual craft (sculpture) and intellectual culture (paideia) appear and debate fiercely to win his allegiance. The goddess of Culture warns him of the physical hardships and servility associated with manual labor, while promising him spiritual wealth, social prestige, and immortal glory if he follows her. Ultimately, the narrator chooses the path of Culture and experiences a grand vision of soaring over the world in a winged chariot. By sharing this dream with his audience, the narrator concludes the work by encouraging young people to overcome poverty and pursue higher education with noble ambitions.