Kitap 4
2
Yet Leda’s children Castor and Pollux; cf. pp. 351-353. can take turns at being in heaven and Hades on alternate days, but I must carry out all those jobs every day in both places. Yes, and the sons of Alcmena and Semele, Heracles and Dionysus respectively. See Odyssey, XI, 602. whose mothers were only women, and came to a bad end, can gorge themselves without a care in the world, while I, the son of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, must wait on them hand and foot. Now I’m just back from Cadmus’ daughter at Sidon, Lucian seems to have made a mistake here and to be referring to Europa. In Dea Syria 4 and D. Mar. 15 he more correctly makes her the sister of Cadmus and daughter of Agenor (cf. Herodotus, 4.147, etc., although the version of Iliad, XIV, 321 makes her the daughter of Phoenix). He can scarcely be referring to Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, who (cf. p. 201, Apollodorus, 3.4.3 and Ovid, Met. 3.313) was entrusted with the care of the infant Dionysus. Dionysus earlier in the dialogue is at a later stage of his development as he is already able to feast with Heracles, presumably in heaven. where he sent me to see how things were with her, and, without giving me time to get my breath back, he’s sent me off again to Argos to have a look at Danae, and “Then”, says he, “you’d better go on from there to Boeotia, and take a peep at Antiope on your way”. But I’m quite fagged out already. If only it were possible, I’d gladly have asked to be sold in the market, like slaves on earth who find their lot too bad. Discontented slaves could ask to be sold. Cf. Plutarch, De Superstitione, 166 D, and Pollux, 7.13 (quoting Eupolis).
2
Enough of that, my lad. You must do everything your father wants. You’re still a youngster. Off with you now to Argos, as you were told, and then to Boeotia, or you may get a whipping for dawdling. Lovers have sharp tempers.
