Wealth of words and wealth of money cannot coexist

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

Procopius is now quoting the imagined speech of Dionysus, who explains why he withheld the grape clusters from the poor man.

"It is not possible," he says, "to be rich in words and in money at the same time. Therefore I was withdrawing the grape clusters, so that I might cultivate his tongue more. For even the cicadas, feeding on dew alone, hold the Muses within themselves."

Greek

ὡς "οὐκ

ἔστιν λόγων ἅμα καὶ χρημάτων πλουτεῖν· ὅθεν" φησὶν "ὑπεξείων δὲ τοὺς βότρυς, ὅπως αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ἐπασκήσω τὴν γλῶτταν· ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ τέττιγες μόνῃ τῇ δρόσῳ

About this text

A playful letter from Procopius of Gaza blaming Dionysus for a poor scholar's thin harvest, and concluding that no one is rich in both words and money.

Procopius of Gaza, a Christian sophist and head of the rhetorical school in Gaza, wrote this letter to a correspondent named Hieronymus. The letter belongs to a large surviving collection of his elaborately rhetorical letters, which provide most of what is known about his life. It was written from Gaza to Elusa in Palestine.

He then introduces Dionysus, who might be blamed for overlooking a poor man devoted to the Muses and Graces, a man who dreams of taxes even from his bedding.

In an imagined speech, Dionysus explains that one cannot be rich in both words and money. Procopius concludes that one should be content with present circumstances, since singing alone can make tax collectors immediately forget about money.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 87 (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.