A list of works by Lucian of Samosata (c. AD 125 – after AD 180), who wrote in Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...

.

The order of the works is that of the Oxford Classical Texts

Oxford Classical Texts

Oxford Classical Texts , or Scriptorum Classicorum Bibliotheca Oxoniensis, is a series of books published by Oxford University Press. It contains texts of ancient Greek and Latin literature, such as Homer's Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid, in the original language with a critical apparatus...

 edition. The English titles are taken from Loeb

Loeb Classical Library

The Loeb Classical Library is a series of books, today published by Harvard University Press, which presents important works of ancient Greek and Latin Literature in a way designed to make the text accessible to the broadest possible audience, by presenting the original Greek or Latin text on each...

 (alternative translations are sometimes given in brackets). The traditional Latin titles have also been given.

Some of the works are probably not by Lucian. Those whose attribution is almost certainly wrong are listed at the end. Other works whose authenticity is disputed are marked "[?]". Four works whose genuineness was once questioned but are now generally believed to be by Lucian are marked with an asterisk.

List of works

Greek Greek language Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...  title	Latin title	English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...  title	Brief description
Φάλαρις Α	Phalaris I	Phalaris 1	A paradox Paradox Similar to Circular reasoning, A paradox is a seemingly true statement or group of statements that lead to a contradiction or a situation which seems to defy logic or intuition... ical defence of the notorious tyrant Phalaris Phalaris Phalaris was the tyrant of Acragas in Sicily, from approximately 570 to 554 BC.-History:He was entrusted with the building of the temple of Zeus Atabyrius in the citadel, and took advantage of his position to make himself despot. Under his rule Agrigentum seems to have attained considerable... .
Φάλαρις Β	Phalaris II	Phalaris 2	The second part of the above.
Ἱππίας ἢ Βαλανεῖον	Hippias	Hippias or The Bath	A description of a Roman bath-house.
Διόνυσος	Bacchus	Dionysus	A short essay about the god Dionysus Dionysus Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...  and his journey to India.
	Hercules	Heracles or Hercules	A short essay on the Gaul Gaul Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of... ish god Ogmios Ogmios Ogmios was the Celtic deity of eloquence. He looked like an older version of Heracles. He was also a binding god who would use his powers of persuasion to bind men onto himself and then lead them into the underworld.... , who Lucian associates with the Greek Heracles Heracles Heracles ,born Alcaeus or Alcides , was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus... .
Περὶ τοῦ Ἡλέκτρου ἢ Κύκνων	Electrum	Amber or The Swans	The author visits the River Eridanos Eridanos (mythology) The river Eridanos or Eridanus is a river mentioned in Greek mythology. Virgil considered it one of the rivers of Hades in his Aeneid VI, 659.-Ancient references:...  and is disappointed to find it has neither swans nor amber (as in the myth of Phaëton Phaëton In Greek mythology, Phaëton or Phaethon was the son of Helios and the Oceanid Clymene. Alternate, less common genealogies make him a son of Clymenus by Merope, of Helios and Rhode or of Helios and Prote.... ).
Μυίας Ἐγκώμιον	Muscae Encomium	The Fly (Praising a Fly)	A paradoxical encomium Encomium Encomium is a Latin word deriving from the Classical Greek ἐγκώμιον meaning the praise of a person or thing. "Encomium" also refers to several distinct aspects of rhetoric:* A general category of oratory* A method within rhetorical pedagogy...  of the insect of the title.
Νιγρίνου Φιλοσοφία	Nigrinus	Nigrinus	A diatribe against the city of Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...  put into the mouth of the philosopher Nigrinus.
Δημώνακτος Βίος	Demonax	Demonax	A biography of the philosopher Demonax Demonax Demonax was a Cynic philosopher. Born in Cyprus, he moved to Athens, where his wisdom, and his skill in solving disputes, earned him the admiration of the citizens. He taught Lucian, who wrote a Life of Demonax in praise of his teacher... . It is not known whether he really existed or whether he is Lucian's creation.
Περὶ τοῦ Οἴκου	De Domo	The Hall	A description of a magnificent building.
Πατρίδος Ἐγκώμιον	Patriae Encomium	My Native Land (An Encomium of Fatherland)	"A highly conventional rhetorical piece" in praise of patriotism.
[?] Μακρόβιοι	Macrobii	Octogenerians (Long-livers)	A list of people famous for reaching extreme old age.
Ἀληθῶν Διηγημάτων Α	Verae historiae I	A True Story 1 (True History True History True History or True Story is a travel tale by the Greek-speaking Syrian author Lucian of Samosata, the earliest known fiction about travelling to outer space, alien life-forms and interplanetary warfare. Written in the 2nd century, the novel has been referred to as "the first known text that... )	One of Lucian's most famous works. A parody of travellers' tales. The narrator and his companions set out on a voyage and are lifted up by a giant waterspout and deposited on the Moon. There they find themselves embroiled in a full-scale war between the king of the Moon and the king of the Sun. On returning to Earth, the adventurers become trapped in a giant whale.
Ἀληθῶν Διηγημάτων Β	Verae historiae II	A True Story 2	Part two of the above, in which the narrator and his companions escape from the whale, reach a sea of milk, an island of cheese and the isle of the blessed, where a whole host of heroes and literary figures are to be found.
Περὶ τοῦ μὴ ῥᾳδίως πιστεύειν Διαβολῇ	Calumniae non temere credendum	Slander	An essay against believing slander too readily. Lucian's description of a painting by Apelles Apelles Apelles of Kos was a renowned painter of ancient Greece. Pliny the Elder, to whom we owe much of our knowledge of this artist rated him superior to preceding and subsequent artists...  in this work influenced many later artists, including Botticelli.
*Δίκη Συμφώνων	Lis Consonantium (or Iudicium Vocalium)	The Consonants at Law	The consonant sigma Sigma Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, and carries the 'S' sound. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 200. When used at the end of a word, and the word is not all upper case, the final form is used, e.g...  sues the consonant tau Tau Tau is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 300.The name in English is pronounced , but in modern Greek it is...  for stealing words from him. The case is heard by a jury of the seven vowels.
Συμπόσιον ἢ Λαπίθαι	Symposium	The Carousal Symposium or The Lapiths	A parody of Plato Plato Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the... 's Symposium Symposium (Plato) The Symposium is a philosophical text by Plato dated c. 385–380 BCE. It concerns itself at one level with the genesis, purpose and nature of love.... . A philosophers' banquet ends in drunken violence.
[?] Ψευδοσοφιστής ἢ Σολοικιστής	Soloecista	Soloecista	A discussion of grammatical errors (solecism Solecism In traditional prescriptive grammar, a solecism is something perceived as a grammatical mistake or absurdity, or even a simply non-standard usage. The word was originally used by the Greeks for what they perceived as mistakes in their language... s).
Κατάπλους ἢ Τύραννος	Cataplus	The Downward Journey or The Tyrant	A group of dead people, including the tyrant Megapenthes Megapenthes In Greek mythology, Megapénthês is a name that refers to:* A son of Proetus. He exchanged kingdoms with his cousin Perseus, whom he killed much later. He was the father of Argeus and possibly Anaxagoras... , are carried to the Underworld in Charon Charon (mythology) In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin to pay Charon for passage, usually an obolus or danake, was sometimes placed in or on... 's boat. Only the cobbler Micyllus accepts his fate with resignation.
Ζεὺς ἐλεγχόμενος	Jupiter confutatus	Zeus Catechized (Zeus Cross-Examined)	A dialogue concerning the contradiction between the power of fate and divine omnipotence.
Ζεὺς Τραγῳδός	Jupiter Tragoedus	Zeus Rants	A parody of Greek tragedy and a discussion of the conflicting Stoic Stoicism Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early . The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of "moral and intellectual perfection," would not suffer such emotions.Stoics were concerned...  and Epicurean Epicureanism Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus, founded around 307 BC. Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. His materialism led him to a general attack on superstition and divine intervention. Following Aristippus—about whom...  ideas about the nature of the gods.
Ὄνειρος ἢ Ἀλεκτρυών	Gallus	The Dream or The Cock	The poor cobbler Micyllus threatens to kill a cockerel which has woken him from a dream of riches. The cockerel explains that he is a reincarnation of Pythagoras Pythagoras Pythagoras of Samos was an Ionian Greek philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism. Most of the information about Pythagoras was written down centuries after he lived, so very little reliable information is known about him... . He grants Micyllus the power of invisibility so he can show him the private life of the rich and prove the cobbler is far better off in his poverty.
Προμηθεύς	Prometheus	Prometheus	Prometheus Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...  defends himself against the charges of stealing meat from Zeus, stealing fire from heaven and creating mankind.
Ἰκαρομένιππος ἢ Ὑπερνέφελος	Icaromenippus	Icaromenippus or The Sky-man	Imitating Icarus Icarus -Space and astronomy:* Icarus , on the Moon* Icarus , a planetary science journal* 1566 Icarus, an asteroid* IKAROS, a interplanetary unmanned spacecraft... , Menippus makes himself a pair of wings and flies up to the gods where he learns that Zeus has decided to destroy all philosophers as useless.
Τίμων	Timon	Timon or The Misanthrope	A dialogue involving Timon of Athens Timon of Athens (person) Timon of Athens was a citizen of Athens whose reputation for misanthropy grew to legendary status. According to the historian Plutarch, Timon lived during the era of the Peloponnesian War .-Overview:... . Lucian's work influenced the play by Shakespeare Timon of Athens The Life of Timon of Athens is a play by William Shakespeare about the fortunes of an Athenian named Timon , generally regarded as one of his most obscure and difficult works... .
Χάρων ἢ Ἐπισκοποῦντες	Charon sive Contemplantes	Charon or The Inspectors	A dialogue between Hermes Hermes Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...  and Charon about the vanity of human wishes.
Βίων Πρᾶσις	Vitarum auctio	Philosophies for Sale (Sale of Creeds)	Zeus puts various philosophers up for sale in a slave market.
Ἀναβιοῦντες ἢ Ἁλιεύς	Revivescentes sive Piscator	The Dead Come to Life or The Fisherman	A sequel to Philosophies for Sale.
Δὶς κατηγορούμενος	Bis accusatus sive Tribunalia	The Double Indictment or Trials by Jury	Lucian defends his literary style against his critics.
Περὶ Θυσιῶν	De Sacrificiis	On Sacrifices	A short diatribe on sacrifices from a Cynic perspective.
Πρὸς τὸν ἀπαίδευτον καὶ πολλὰ βιβλία ὠνούμενον	Adversus Indoctum	The Ignorant Book-Collector (Fowler's title is Remarks addressed to an illiterate book-fancier)	A diatribe against a Syria Syria Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.... n book-collector.
Περὶ τοῦ Ἐνυπνίου ἤτοι Βίος Λουκιανοῦ	Somnium sive Vita Luciani	The Dream or Lucian's Career	Lucian tells how a vision inspired him to abandon a career in sculpture for one in literature.
*Περὶ τοῦ Παρασίτου ὅτι Τέχνη ἡ Παρασιτική	De Parasito	The Parasite: Parasitic an Art	Lucian ironically proves that parasitism is the highest of all art forms.
Φιλοψευδής ἢ Ἀπιστῶν	Philopseudes sive Incredulus	The Lover of Lies, or The Doubter	A collection of tall tales, including the story of the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Θεῶν Κρίσις	Dearum Iudicium	The Judgement of the Goddesses	A dialogue based on the Judgement of Paris Judgement of Paris thumb |right |460px |[[The Judgment of Paris |The Judgment of Paris]], [[Peter Paul Rubens]], ca 1636... .
Περὶ τῶν ἐν Μισθῷ συνόντων	De Mercede conductis	On Salaried Posts in Great Houses (The Dependent Scholar)	"A Hogarthian William Hogarth William Hogarth was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic and editorial cartoonist who has been credited with pioneering western sequential art. His work ranged from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects"...  sketch of the life led by educated Greeks who attached themselves to the households of great Roman lords - and ladies".
Ἀνάχαρσις ἢ Περὶ Γυμνασίων	Anacharsis	Anacharsis or Athletics	A dialogue between Solon Solon Solon was an Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in archaic Athens...  and Anacharsis Anacharsis Anacharsis was a Scythian philosopher who travelled from his homeland on the northern shores of the Black Sea to Athens in the early 6th century BCE and made a great impression as a forthright, outspoken "barbarian", apparently a forerunner of the Cynics, though none of his works have...  about athletics Sport A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree... .
Μένιππος ἢ Νεκυομαντεία	Necyomantia	Menippus or The Descent Into Hades	The Cynic philosopher Menippus Menippus Menippus of Gadara, was a Cynic and satirist. His works, which are all lost, were an important influence on Varro and Lucian. The Menippean satire genre is named after him.-Life:...  visits the Underworld to ask Teiresias which is the true philosophy.
[?] Λούκιος ἢ Ὄνος	Asinus	Lucius or The Ass	A short novel Novel A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....  about a man transformed into a donkey. The surviving version of this work is possibly abbreviated and may not be by Lucian. The same story is told at greater length in the Golden Ass by Apuleius Apuleius Apuleius was a Latin prose writer. He was a Berber, from Madaurus . He studied Platonist philosophy in Athens; travelled to Italy, Asia Minor and Egypt; and was an initiate in several cults or mysteries. The most famous incident in his life was when he was accused of using magic to gain the... .
Περὶ Πένθους	De Luctu	On Funerals (On Mourning)	A diatribe on mourning from a Cynic perspective.
Ῥητόρων Διδάσκαλος	Rhetorum Praeceptor	A Professor of Public Speaking	A satire on contemporary oratory Oratory Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus... .
Ἀλέξανδρος ἢ Ψευδόμαντις	Alexander	Alexander the False Prophet	An account of the fraudulent prophet Alexander of Abonoteichus Alexander of Abonoteichus Alexander of Abonoteichus , also called Alexander the Paphlagonian, or the false prophet Alexander, was a Greek mystic and oracle, and the founder of the Glycon cult that briefly achieved wide popularity in the Roman world. The contemporary writer Lucian reports that he was an utter fraud - the god... .
Εἰκόνες	Imagines	Essays in Portraiture (Images)	A eulogy Eulogy A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...  of Panthea, the mistress of the Roman emperor Lucius Verus Lucius Verus Lucius Verus , was Roman co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius, from 161 until his death.-Early life and career:Lucius Verus was the first born son to Avidia Plautia and Lucius Aelius Verus Caesar, the first adopted son and heir of Roman Emperor Hadrian . He was born and raised in Rome... . Critics have doubted the sincerity of the praise.
*Περὶ τῆς Συρίης Θεοῦ	De Syria Dea	The Goddesse of Surrye (The Syrian Goddess, often known under the Latin title De Dea Syria De Dea Syria De Dea Syria is the conventional Latin title of a work, written in a Herodotean-style of Ionic Greek, which has been traditionally ascribed to the Hellenized Syrian essayist Lucian of Samosata. It is a description of the various religious cults practiced at Hierapolis Bambyce, now Manbij, in Syria... )	A description of the cult of the goddess Atargatis Atargatis Atargatis, in Aramaic ‘Atar‘atah, was a Syrian deity, " great goddess of northern Syria" ,"the great mistress of the North Syrian lands" Rostovtseff called her, commonly known to the ancient Greeks by a shortened form of the name, Aphrodite Derceto or Derketo and as Dea Syria, "Goddess of Syria"... . Written in Ionic Greek Ionic Greek Ionic Greek was a subdialect of the Attic–Ionic dialect group of Ancient Greek .-History:Ionic dialect appears to have spread originally from the Greek mainland across the Aegean at the time of the Dorian invasions, around the 11th Century B.C.By the end of the Greek Dark Ages in the 5th Century...  in imitation of Herodotus Herodotus Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a... .
Περὶ Ὀρχήσεως	De Saltatione	The Dance (Of Pantomime)	A defence of the Roman art of pantomime Pantomime Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the... .
Λεξιφάνης	Lexiphanes	Lexiphanes	A satire on linguistic pretentiousness.
Εὐνοῦχος	Eunuchus	The Eunuch	A satire on money-grubbing philosophers.
*Περὶ τῆς Ἀστρολογίας	De Astrologia	Astrology	An essay on astrology Astrology Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...  in Ionic Greek.
[?] Ἔρωτες	Amores	Amores Amores (Lucian) The Erōtes or Amores is a Greek dialogue, an example of contest literature, comparing the love of women and the love of boys, and concluding that the latter was preferable. The dialogue was transmitted among the works of Lucian. Most modern scholars believe that the style of the dialogue puts... (Affairs of the Heart)	A comparison between the love of women and the love of boys.
Ὑπὲρ τῶν Εἰκόνων	Pro Imaginibus	Essays in Portraiture Defended	A defence of his essay.
Ψευδολογιστής	Pseudologista	The Mistaken Critic	Lucian attacks a critic who had accused him of writing poor Attic Greek Attic Greek Attic Greek is the prestige dialect of Ancient Greek that was spoken in Attica, which includes Athens. Of the ancient dialects, it is the most similar to later Greek, and is the standard form of the language studied in courses of "Ancient Greek". It is sometimes included in Ionic.- Origin and range... .
Θεῶν Ἐκκλησία	Deorum Concilium	The Parliament of the Gods	A dialogue in which Momus Momus Momus or Momos was in Greek mythology the god of satire, mockery, censure, writers, poets; a spirit of evil-spirited blame and unfair criticism. His name is related to , meaning 'blame' or 'censure'. He is depicted in classical art as lifting a mask from his face.-In classical literature:Hesiod...  complains that too many foreigners and mortals have been admitted to the ranks of the Greek gods. His targets include Dionysus Dionysus Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete... , Apis APIS APIS may refer to:*Advance Passenger Information System*Armour Piercing Incendiary Shells...  and Anubis Anubis Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. In the ancient Egyptian language, Anubis is known as Inpu . According to the Akkadian transcription in the Amarna letters, Anubis' name was vocalized as Anapa... .
Τυραννοκτόνος	Tyrannicida	The Tyrannicide	A declamation on a fictitious subject. The speaker had planned to assassinate a tyrant but was only able to kill his son instead. On hearing the news of his son's death, the tyrant committed suicide. The speaker now claims he is owed a reward as a tyrannicide.
Ἀποκηρυττόμενος	Abdicatus	Disowned	Another fictitious declamation, this time about a disowned son.
Περὶ τῆς Περεγρίνου Τελευτῆς	De Morte Peregrini	The Passing of Peregrinus	An account of the death of the Cynic Cynicism Cynicism , in its original form, refers to the beliefs of an ancient school of Greek philosophers known as the Cynics . Their philosophy was that the purpose of life was to live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature. This meant rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, health, and...  philosopher Peregrinus Proteus Peregrinus Proteus Peregrinus Proteus was a Cynic philosopher, from Parium in Mysia. Leaving home at a young age, he first lived with the Christians in Palestine, before eventually being expelled from that community and adopting the life of a Cynic philosopher and eventually settling in Greece...  who committed suicide by cremating himself on a funeral pyre at the Olympic Games in 165 AD
Δραπέται	Fugitivi	The Runaways	An attack on contemporary Cynics.
Τόξαρις ἢ Φιλία	Toxaris sive Amicitia	Toxaris or Friendship	A dialogue between the Scythian Toxaris and the Greek Mnesippus about friendship, inspired by the Scythian worship of Orestes Orestes Orestes was the son of Agamemnon in Greek mythology; Orestes may also refer to:Drama*Orestes , by Euripides*Orestes, the character in Sophocles' tragedy Electra*Orestes, the character in Aeschylus' trilogy of tragedies, Oresteia...  and Pylades Pylades In Greek mythology, Pylades is the son of King Strophius of Phocis and of Anaxibia, daughter of Atreus and sister of Agamemnon and Menelaus. He is mostly known for his strong friendship with his cousin Orestes, son of Agamemnon.-Orestes and Pylades:... .
[?] Δημοσθένους Ἐγκώμιον	Demosthenis Encomium	Demosthenes	Praise of the orator Demosthenes Demosthenes Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by... .
Πῶς δεῖ Ἱστορίαν συγγράφειν	Quomodo Historia conscribenda sit	How to Write History	Lucian's criticism of contemporary historians.
Περὶ τῶν Διψάδων	Dipsades	The Dipsads	A description of the "dipsas" or "thirst-snake".
Τὰ πρὸς Κρόνον	Saturnalia	Saturnalia	A description of the Roman festival of Saturnalia Saturnalia Saturnalia is an Ancient Roman festival/ celebration held in honour of Saturn , the youngest of the Titans, father of the major gods of the Greeks and Romans, and son of Uranus and Gaia... .
Ἡρόδοτος ἢ Ἀετίων	Herodotus	Herodotus or Aetion	An account of how the historian Herodotus and the painter Aetion Aetion Aetion was an ancient Greek sculptor of Amphipolis, mentioned by Callimachus and Theocritus, from whom we learn that at the request of Nicias, a famous physician of Miletus, he executed a statue of Asclepius in cedar wood. He flourished about the middle of the 3rd century BC. There was an...  both publicised their works at the Olympic Games. It contains a description of Aetion's picture of the marriage of Alexander the Great and Roxana Roxana Roxana sometimes Roxane, was a Bactrian noble and a wife of Alexander the Great. She was born earlier than the year 343 BC, though the precise date remains uncertain.... .
Ζεύξις ἢ Ἀντίοχος	Zeuxis	Zeuxis or Antiochus	Anecdotes about the painter Zeuxis and the Seleucid Seleucid dynasty The Seleucid dynasty or the Seleucidae was a Greek Macedonian royal family, founded by Seleucus I Nicator , which ruled the Seleucid Kingdom centered in the Near East and regions of the Asian part of the earlier Achaemenid Persian Empire during the Hellenistic period.-History:Seleucus was an...  king Antiochus I Soter Antiochus I Soter Antiochus I Soter , was a king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. He reigned from 281 BC - 261 BC.... . It contains a description of a painting of a centaur Centaur In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...  by Zeuxis.
Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐν τῇ Προσαγορεύσει Πταίσματος	Pro Lapsu inter salutandum	A Slip of the Tongue in Greeting	Lucian analyses a slip of the tongue he made when greeting his patron.
Ἀπολογία	Apologia	Apology for the "Salaried Posts in Great Houses"	A defence of his own essay.
Ἁρμονίδης	Harmonides	Harmonides	An anecdote about the flute-player Harmonides.
Διάλογος πρὸς Ἡσίοδον	Hesiodus	A Conversation with Hesiod	Lycinus (Lucian) mocks the prophetic claims of the poet Hesiod Hesiod Hesiod was a Greek oral poet generally thought by scholars to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. His is the first European poetry in which the poet regards himself as a topic, an individual with a distinctive role to play. Ancient authors credited him and... .
Σκύθης ἢ Πρόξενος	Scytha	The Scythian or the Consul	The story of the Scythian Toxaris and his visit to Athens. This short work was possibly intended as an introduction to Toxaris or Friendship.
Ποδάγρα	Podagra	Podagra (Gout)	A mock Greek tragedy featuring gout Gout Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate... .
Ἑρμότιμος ἢ Περὶ Αἱρέσεων	Hermotimus	Hermotimus or Concerning the Sects	The longest of Lucian's works. A philosophical dialogue, modelled on those of Plato, between an old Stoic, Hermotimus, and Lycinus (who represents Lucian himself).
Πρὸς τὸν εἰπόντα Προμηθεὺς εἶ ἐν λόγοις	Prometheus es in Verbis	To One Who Said "You're a Prometheus in Words" (A Literary Prometheus)	Lucian's defence of his own literary style.
[?] Ἀλκυὼν ἢ Περὶ Μεταμορφώσεων	Halcyon	Halcyon	A description of the mythological bird, the halcyon Halcyon A halcyon is a mythical bird—often identified as a kingfisher—said to breed in a floating nest at sea during the winter solstice, during which time it charms the wind and waves into calm. The term originates from the Greek myth of Alcyone... .
Πλοἶον ἢ Εὐχαί	Navigium	The Ship or The Wishes	The sight of a huge Egyptian grain-ship prompts a discussion among friends about what they most desire. Adeimantus would have the ship filled with gold and live a life of luxury; Samippus would like to be a world-conquering king; Timolaus wants magic powers, including invisibility. After hearing them all, Lycinus (Lucian), says that he is content with the privilege of laughing at the others, especially when they claim to be philosophers.
[?] Ὠκύπους	Ocypus	Ocypus (Swift-of-Foot)	Another mock tragedy.
[?] Κυνικός	Cynicus	Cynicus (The Cynic)	A dialogue between Lycinus (i.e. Lucian) and a Cynic philosopher.
Νεκρικοὶ Διάλογοι	Dialogi Mortuorum	Dialogues of the Dead	30 miniature dialogues set in the Underworld. Among the most famous of Lucian's works.
Ἐνάλιοι Διάλογοι	Dialogi Marini	Dialogues of the Sea-Gods	15 miniature dialogues
Θεῶν Διάλογοι	Dialogi Deorum	Dialogues of the Gods	25 miniature dialogues mocking the Homer Homer In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is... ic conception of the Greek gods.
Ἑταιρικοὶ Διάλογοι	Dialogi Meretricii	Dialogues of the Courtesans	15 miniature dialogues between hetaira Hetaira Hetaira is a genus of bush cricket in family Tettigoniidae subfamily Phaneropterinae.... i. The style is influenced by the New Comedy and the mime Mime The word mime is used to refer to a mime artist who uses a theatrical medium or performance art involving the acting out of a story through body motions without use of speech.Mime may also refer to:* Mime, an alternative word for lip sync... s of authors such as Herondas.
Definitely spurious works
Ἐπιστολαί	Epistulae	Letters	Collections of letters ascribed to Lucian.
Φιλόπατρις ἢ Διδασκόμενος	Philopatris	Philopatris Philopatris The Philopatris is a work of Byzantine literature, a dialogue formerly attributed to Lucian, but now generally admitted to be spurious. Its date and purpose have long formed the subject of discussion.-The story:The scene is laid at Constantinople... (The Patriot)	A c. 11th century Byzantine Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...  imitation. Controversial because it was once believed to be an attack on Christianity Christianity Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings... .
Χαρίδημος ἢ Περὶ Κάλλους	Charidemus	Charidemus	A discussion of aesthetics Aesthetics Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste... .
Νέρων	Nero	Nero	About the Roman emperor Nero Nero Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death.... .
Ἐπιγράμματα	Epigrammata	Epigrams	Several epigram Epigram An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia.... s in the Greek Anthology Greek Anthology The Greek Anthology is a collection of poems, mostly epigrams, that span the classical and Byzantine periods of Greek literature...  are attributed to Lucian.
Τιμαρίων ἢ Περὶ τῶν κατ' αὐτὸν Παθημάτων	Timarion	Timarion Timarion The Timarion is a Byzantine pseudo-Lucianic satirical dialogue probably composed in the twelfth century , though possibly later...	Another Byzantine Byzantine literature Byzantine literature may be defined as the Greek literature of the Middle Ages, whether written in the territory of the Byzantine Empire or outside its borders...  imitation, prob. 12th century Byzantium under the Komnenoi The Byzantine Empire or Byzantium is the term conventionally used by historians to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire of the Middle Ages, centered around its capital of Constantinople... , possibly later.
Lost works
Σώστρατος	Sostratus	Sostratus	Mentioned by Lucian in Demonax.

Editions

• The works of Lucian in eight volumes, edited and translated by A.M.Harmon, K. Kilburn and M.D. Macleod (Loeb Classical Library, 1913–1967)
• Luciani Opera, edited by Matthew Donald Macleod, 4 volumes (Oxford Classical Texts, 1972–1987)

Complete

• Loeb edition by Harmon, Kilburn and Macleod (as above)
• The Works of Lucian translated by H.W.Fowler and F.G. Fowler, four volumes (Oxford University Press, 1905)

Selections

• Chattering Courtesans and Other Sardonic Sketches translated by Keith Sidwell (Penguin Classics, 2004)
• Selected Dialogues translated by C.D.N. Costa (Oxford World's Classics, 2006)

Sources

• Works listed above: the Loeb edition, Sidwell, and Costa.
• The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature ed. M.C.Howatson (Second edition, OUP, 1989)

External links

• Works of Lucian of Samostata at sacred-texts.com
• Loeb Classical Library, volume three of Lucian's works with facing Greek text.
• Lucian of Samosata Project - Articles, Timeline, Maps, Library, and Themes