Lucian

Lucian of Samosata, AltGr. Λουκιανὸς ὁ Σαμοσατεύς, lat Lucianus Samosatensis, L ( o) ukianos (* 120 in Samosata, † after 180 [ according to other sources 200 ] probably in Alexandria ), was a renowned Greek- satirists of antiquity.

His birthplace Samosata on the upper reaches of the Euphrates was Commagene before Lucian capital of the kingdom and was then incorporated into the Roman province of Syria; its ruins are today near the town of Samsat in southern Turkey. Lucian himself, therefore, described himself as a Syrian.

Life

As the son of simple parents, he was initially the mother in the teaching of his great-uncle, a sculptor; but gave a short time later to be instructed in the rhetoric. After he earned his living probably as a court orator or a freelance writer. He traveled in his life several times to the Mediterranean world (Athens, where he lived for more than ten years, Olympic, Rome and Gaul, where he pursued a teaching career ). He spoke some Latin. At the age he accepted an office at the Egyptian governor of Alexandria, where it is presumably also died while he was supposed to have died according to other sources in Athens. The main creative period and final years were ' together ( 161-180 ) or submitted to the time of Emperor Commodus ' with the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Works

It will be listed under his name 80 plants, about 70 of which are considered to be genuine. They serve as the main source for his life. Lucian wrote consistently in the classical Greek language from the 5th and 4th centuries BC, not in Koine his time. At first he wrote little dialogues that dealt with everyday life. This social, philosophical and theological issues were dealt with, in which Lucian's critique of religion was expressed ( Θεῶν διάλογοι - Gods calls). He lashed out at the extravagance of the rich ( Τίμων ἢ Μισάνθρωπος - Timon or misanthrope; Περὶ τοῦ παρασίτου - The parasite ), illuminated the slippery Commercial ( Ἑταιρικοὶ διάλογοι - Hetärengespräche ) and went about the stupidity funny ( Πρὸς τὸν ἀπαίδευτον καὶ πολλὰ βιβλία ὠνούμενον - The unlearned Büchernarr ). These dialogues are interspersed with gentle mockery and aptly reflect the social situation in the former Roman Empire resist. In these works he can flash his rhetorical talent and remains in the wake of satire.

At the age he wrote scathing reports and dialogues in the style of Menippos in which historical figures of the period were attacked ( via Alexander Alexandros from Abonuteichos, Peregrinus ). He unmasked the operation philosophy ( Βίων πρᾶσις - Sale of Life ), which was not long ago that he seemed ( Φιλοψευδής - The Lies friend).

Besides wrote Lucian works that deal with the fundamental questions and is where often difficult to discern how much satire is in them ( is particularly important for the understanding of ancient historiography Πῶς δεῖ ἱστορίαν συγγράφειν - How to write the story), created early forerunner of the science fiction novel ( Ἰκαρομένιππος - the air travel; Ἀληθεῖς Ἱστορίαι - True Stories ), gave descriptions of paintings, statues, buildings (such as the Pharos of Alexandria, whom he knew from his own experience ) and people and resisted to of the wrath of him being attacked.

Reception

Lucian is one of the numerous ancient writers who have influenced European culture prevail. A great admirer was initially Erasmus of Rotterdam, the ( Luciani opuscula ) published jointly with Sir Thomas More in 1506, a new collection of works and " a lot of Lucian " in his satire adapted The Praise of Folly. Later, Wieland, who has exemplary transmit the entire work of Lucian into German, Goethe and Schiller were inspired by him. After Lucian's descriptions created paintings, buildings, theater and music was composed.

On the basis of Lucian's " Ikaromenippus or Air Travel " was created by the Austrian composer Hartmut Schmidt 1980, the opera " Menippus " ( text by Werner Thuswaldner ). The opera in 6 scenes in 1990 premiered at the Salzburg State Theater.

The lunar crater Lucian is named after him.

Expenditure

• Luciani Opera. Edited by Matthew Donald MacLeod. 4 vols Oxford Classical Texts. Clarendon, Oxford 1972-1987
• Lucian, in eight volumes. Edited and translated by Austin Morris Harmon, K. Kilburn and Matthew Donald MacLeod. Loeb Classical Library. Heinemann, London 1913-1967
• Luciani Samosatensis Opera. Edited by Karl Jacobitz. 4 vols Koehler, Leipzig 1836-41
• Lucianus. Edited by Julius Sommerbrodt. 5 vols in 3 parts. Weidmann, Berlin 1886-1899
• Luciani Samosatensis opera. Edited by Wilhelm Dindorf. Greek text and Latin translation. Didot, Paris 1840
• Lucian, major works. Edited and translated by Karl Mras. Greek and German text, Heimeran, Munich 1954

Translations

• Lucian. Works in three volumes, ed. Jürgen Werner / Herbert Greiner Mai. Building, Berlin, 1974 ( modernized version of Wieland 's translation )
• Lucian. Complete Works. After translation of CM Wieland edited and supplemented by Hanns Floerke. 5 volumes. Georg Müller Verlag, Munich & Leipzig 1911
• All Lucian of Samosata works. Translated from the Greek, and provided with notes and explanations by Christoph Martin Wieland. 6 vols Weidmannische bookstore, Leipzig 1788-1789

• Lucian: Hermotimos or it worthwhile to study Philosophy, ed? . Peter von Möllendorff, Wiss. Book Company, Darmstadt, 2000. ISBN 3-534-14976-9 (Greek and German )
• Lucian: Rhetorum praeceptor, ed. Serena Zweimüller, Cambridge University Press, Göttingen, 2008. ISBN 978-3-525-25284-0 (Greek and German, with an introduction and detailed commentary )
• Lucian: from the almost perfect man. Translated by August Pauly. Revision of Lenelotte Möller. Marix Verlag, Wiesbaden 2011, ISBN 978-3-86539-260-2
• Lucian: Lucian 's works, translated by August Friedrich Pauly, 15 ribbons. Metzler, Stuttgart from 1827 to 1832.
• Lucian: How to Write History, translated by Helene Homeyer. Munich 1965.
• Lucian: To the Moon and beyond, ( Ikaromenippus ), translated by Christoph Martin Wieland. Artemis Verlags- AG, Zurich 1967.
• Lucian: Conversations of the gods and sea gods, the dead and the courtesans, translated by Otto Seel, Reclam, Stuttgart, 1967