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 dialogue depicts a council of the gods held on Olympus to address the issue of their declining status and prestige. In the assembly hosted by Zeus, Momos, the god of censure and criticism, takes the floor to fiercely denounce the influx of false deities into the heavens. Momos exposes the origins of Dionysus and his bizarre followers, condemns demi-gods like Heracles and Asclepius, and blames Zeus's own romantic affairs for filling heaven with mortals. He further extends his sharp criticism to foreign Eastern deities, Egyptian beast-headed gods, and the abstract concepts like "Fate" invented by philosophers, which have diminished the sacrifices offered to true gods. Finally, Momos presents a formal decree to expel these illegal intruders, which Zeus approves, ordering a strict identity check for all residents to restore order to heaven.