''Toxaris'' or ''Friendship'' ( el, Τόξαρις ἢ Φιλία) is a dialogue-style work by the Ancient Greek novelist
Lucian
Lucian of Samosata, '; la, Lucianus Samosatensis ( 125 – after 180) was a Hellenized Syrian satirist, rhetorician and pamphleteer
Pamphleteer is a historical term for someone who creates or distributes pamphlets, unbound (and therefore ...
.
The text is thought to have been written around 163 AD in Asia. The text is set up as a conversation between an
Athenian
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, Mnesippus, and a
Scythian
The Scythians or Scyths, and sometimes also referred to as the Classical Scythians and the Pontic Scythians, were an ancient Eastern
* : "In modern scholarship the name 'Sakas' is reserved for the ancient tribes of northern and eastern Centra ...
friend, Toxaris. The conversation takes place somewhere in
Hellas, but the location is uknown. Their discussion begins with Mnesippus questioning the Scythians' devotion to
Orestes
In Greek mythology, Orestes or Orestis (; grc-gre, Ὀρέστης ) was the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, and the brother of Electra. He is the subject of several Ancient Greek plays and of various myths connected with his madness and ...
and
Pylades
In Greek mythology, Pylades (; Ancient Greek: Πυλάδης) was a Phocian prince as the son of King Strophius and Anaxibia who is the daughter of Atreus and sister of Agamemnon and Menelaus. He is mostly known for his relationship with his cous ...
, in whose honor the Scythians had constructed a temple. Mnesippus asks why the Scythians would ever honor two men who had attacked their city, stolen Iphigenia who was priestess of their temple to
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
, and finally the statue of Artemis itself from the Scythian city of Tauris.
Toxaris tells Mnesippus that the Scythians venerate Orestes and his companion Pylades because of their devotion to friendship. He claims that Scythians are masters of practicing friendship while the Greeks have mastered merely describing it through their plays and writings. They decide to test the validity of his statement which Mnesippus claims is false. What follows is a contest of tales where Mnesippus and Toxaris determine whether Toxaris is correct. They both swear an oath to tell only true tales and decide on each telling five stories of true friendship that they have witnessed during their own lifetimes.
See also
*
Scythians
The Scythians or Scyths, and sometimes also referred to as the Classical Scythians and the Pontic Scythians, were an Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Eastern Iranian languages, Eastern
* : "In modern scholarship the name 'Sakas' is reserved f ...
*
Blood brother
Blood brother can refer to two or more men not related by birth who have sworn loyalty to each other. This is in modern times usually done in a ceremony, known as a blood oath, where each person makes a small cut, usually on a finger, hand or ...
*
List of works by Lucian
A list of works by Lucian (c. AD 125 – after AD 180), who wrote in Ancient Greek.
The order of the works is that of the Oxford Classical Texts edition. The English titles are taken from Loeb (alternative translations are sometimes given in br ...
References
External linksToxaris: a Dialogue of Friendship
Works by Lucian
Ancient Greek novels
{{novel-stub