Lucian in Sophistopolis

Abstract

Greek literature during the Roman Empire experienced a boom, especially since the late first century CE until half third. The term Second Sophistic, coined by Philostratus, is often used to refer to this Greek literary and cultural environment. Although Lucian of Samosata is no doubt an intellectual of the type mentioned by Philostratus, he is not included in the catalogue, a circumstance that already indicates how one’s view on his time is different from the other’s. Lucian, just as Philostratus does, notes the extent to which things have changed for the Greek world, and also, like Philostratus again, finds in the ancient language and tradition, in its knowledge, in its transmission, and in its continuity, the keystone of the survival and superiority of Hellenism. However, Lucian is pessimistic: Greek paideia is as contaminated with superficiality, personal interests, appearances and deceptions as any other activity. Thus, he elaborates, through satire, a wretched picture of Greek intellectuals, putting the blame on them for the decline. He enlightens, nonetheless, about the path to follow to straighten the situation. The aim of this paper is to describe, through the interpretation of some Lucian’s works, his particular position as an intellectual, and to show how he tries to make it possible to preserve the brilliance of Hellenism, given a proper use of the paideia and the due integrity of intellectuals; which is, all in all, posed as a utopia.