Dialogues of The Sea-Gods

Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).

Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.

This work is a collection of humorous and lively dialogues featuring the sea-gods, river-gods, and wind-gods of Greek mythology. With characters such as the supreme sea god Poseidon, the Nereids, Triton, and the personified winds, various mythological events are discussed against the backdrop of the sea and waterways. Across fifteen short dialogues, familiar myths are recounted—including the Cyclops Polyphemus's unrequited love and subsequent blinding, Zeus's abduction of Europa, and Perseus's rescue of Andromeda. These events are described from the perspectives of the divine participants or onlookers in a casual and colloquial tone. By depicting the gods engaging in very human emotions, gossip, and petty rivalries, the work playfully deconstructs and reimagines the grand classical myths with wit and charm.