Source edition
Lucian, Vol. 5. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1936 (printing).
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This satirical prose work is a stinging accusation against an uneducated and shameless sophist, sparked by a dispute over the meaning of the Attic Greek word "apophras" (unlucky or ominous). The narrator summons Elenchos (Refutation), a deity from Menander's plays, to recount the sophist's previous plagiarism and humiliation at Olympia. This is followed by a detailed account of an encounter in Rome where the sophist's ignorance of the word "apophras" exposed his utter lack of culture. The attack extends beyond mere linguistic errors to expose the opponent's notorious sexual scandals, moral depravity across the Mediterranean, and even features a bizarre courtroom scene where the sophist's own "tongue" sues him for abuse. The work concludes with a stern warning, citing Euripides, urging the opponent to cease his impudent behavior, stop squandering ill-gotten wealth on vicious pleasures, and reflect on his own misconduct.