Category: Ancient Learning > Paideia > Philosophy in Questions & Answers
1 Introduction
Two very little known texts in the question-and-answer genre are found in one of the ancient bilingual textbooks (Hermeneumata). One is ascribed to a certain Karphyllis (Hermeneumata Stephani, ed. Goetz, pp. 384.38–385.57), another to an equally unknown Nikiarios (ibid., p. 384,30–37). The text attributed to the latter is preserved in incomplete fashion.
2 Translations
Niciarius’ Questions and Answers
(1) What is the soul? That which is moved (or ‘self-moving’).
(2) What is inanimate (or ‘without soul’)? That which is not moved.
(3) What is shared in common? Life.
(4) What is envy? […]
Karphyllis’ Questions and Answers
(1) What is a god (theos)? A self-generated (lat. ‘natural) contemplation (theasis).
(2) What is the cosmos? An unfillable capacity.
(3) What is the Ocean? A natural rim.
(4) What is day? A daily beginning.
(5) What is the earth? The mother of crops.
(6) What is a human being? A short-lasting apparition.
(7) What is a friend? An incomparable possession.
(8) What is wealth? Ephemeral power.
(9) What is are words? Blindness.
(10) What is a command? A lack.
(11) What is a rich person? A ridiculous plank.
(12) What is a sailor? The waves’ companion.
(13) What is a gladiator? Fortune’s complaint.
(14) What is a woman? A domestic market-day.
(15) What is envy? Superiority.
(16) What are parents? A seed.
(17) What is seasonable? Timeliness.
(18) What is certain? The truth.
(19) What is complete? Slander.
(20) What is hateful? Lying.
(21) What is good fortune? The right moment.
(22) What is blamelessnes? Good thinking.
(23) What is law? Necessity.
(24) What is calm (gr. ‘equity’)? Piece.
(25) What is friendship? Goodness.
(26) What is enmity? Envy.
(27) What is a festival day? Business.
(28) What is death? Dissolution.
(29) What is medicine? Benefit.
(30) What is faithful? The earth.
(31) What is unfaithful? The sea.
(32) What is insatiable? Gain.
(33) What is shared in common? Light.
(34) What is without company? Kingship.
(35) What is beauty? A natural painting.
(36) What is spoken sound? Breath.1
(37) What is virtue? A glorious name.
(38) What is a fisher? A scout for fish.
(39) What is the sun? Celestial eye.
1 Cf. the grammarian Audax, Excerpta de Scauro et Palladio p. 323 Keil VII: vox quid est? aer ictus auditu sensibilis (“What is spoken sound? Impelled air, perceptible by hearing”).
3 Latin and Greek texts
Niciarii interrogationes et responsiones
Νικιαρίου ἐρωτήσεις καὶ ἀποκρίσεις
(1) quid anima? quod movetur.
τί ψυχή; τὸ κινούμενον.
(2) quid sine anima? quod non movetur.
τί ἄψυχον; τὸ μὴ κινούμενον.
(3) quid commune? vita.
τί κοινόν; ζωή.
(4) quid invidia? […]
τί φθόνος; […]
Carfyllidis interrogationes et responsa
Καρφυλλίδος ἐπερωτήσεις καὶ ἀποκρίσεις
(1) quid deus? naturalis visus.
τί θεός; αὐτογενὴς θέασις.
(2) quid orbis? insatiabilis capacitas.
τί κόσμος; ἀχόρταστον χώρημα.
(3) quid oceanus? naturalis circuitus.
τί ὠκεανός; φυσικὸς περίδρομος.
(4) quid dies? initium cotidianum.
τί ἡμέρα; ἀρχὴ καθημερινή.
(5) quid terra? fructuum mater.
τί γῆ; καρπῶν μήτηρ.
(6) quid homo? minimi temporis fantasia.
τί ἄνθρωπος; ὀλιγοχρόνιον φάντασμα.
(7) quid amicus? incomparabilis res.
τί φίλος; ἀνένκριτον κτῆμα
(8) quid divitiae? cotidiana potestas.
τί πλοῦτος; καθημερινὴ ἐξουσία.
(9) quid dicta? caecitas.
τί λεγόμενα; τύφλωσις.
(10) quid auctoritas? inopia.
τί πρόσταγμα; ἔνδεια
(11) quid dives? tabula derisoria.
τί πλούσιος; σανὶς καταγελαστή.
(12) quid nauta? fluctuum comes.
τί ναύτης; κυμάτων ἑταῖρος.
(13) quid gladiator? fati querela.
τί μονομάχος; τύχης αἰτίαμα.
(14) quid mulier? domesticum nundinum.
τί γυνή; οἰκεῖον ἀγοραιον.
(15) quid invidia? exuperantia.
τί φθόνος; ὑπεροχή.
(16) quid parentes? semen.
τί γονεῖς; σπέρμα.
(17) quid maturum? tempestivitas.
τί ὥριμον; χείμασις.
(18) quid certum? veritas.
τί ἀκριβές; ἀλήθεια.
(19) quid totum? crimen.
τί ὅλον; διαβολή.
(20) quid odiosum? mendatium.
τί μισητόν; ψεῦδος.
(21) quid felicitas? tempus.
τί εὐτυχία; καιρός.
(22) quid innocentia? bona cogitatio.
τί ἀθῶον; καλὸν ἐνθύμημα.
(23) quid lex? necessitas.
τί νόμος; ἀνάγκη.
(24) quid quietum? pax.
τί ἐπιείκεια; εἰρήνη.
(25) quid amicitia? benivolentia.
τί φιλία; καλοκαγαθία.
(26) quid inimicitia? invidia.
τί ἐχθρία; φθόνος.
(27) quid dies festus? causa.
τί ἡμέρα ἑορτή; πρᾶγμα.
(28) quid mors? solutio.
τί θάνατος; διάλυσις.
(29) quid medicina? commoditas.
τί ἰατρική; εὐχρησία.
(30) quid fidele? terra.
τί πιστόν; γῇ.
(31) quid infidele? mare.
τί ἄπιστον; θάλασσα.
(32) quid avidum? lucrum.
τί ἄπληστον; κέρδος.
(33) quid commune? lux.
τί κοινόν; φῶς.
(34) quid sine socio? regnum.
τί ἀκοινώνητον; βασιλεία.
(35) quid pulchritudo? naturalis pictura.
τί κάλλος; φυσικὴ ζωγραφία.
(36) quid vox? spiritus.
τί φωνή; πνεῦμα.
(37) quid virtus? gloriosum nomen.
τί δύναμις; ἔνδοξον ὄνομα.
(38) quid piscator? piscium speculator.
τί ἁλιεύς; ἰχθύων σκοπευτής.
(39) quid sol? caelestis oculus.
τί ἥλιος; οὐράνιος ὀφθαλμός.
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