The Works of Lucian of Samosata — Volume 01

Lucian of Samosata wrote in the 2nd century AD, but his voice sounds startlingly modern. He is cynical, irreverent, and utterly delighted by human folly. This volume collects his satires, dialogues, and philosophical playful attacks - works that dismantled the pretensions of philosophers, exposed the frauds of religious cults, and laughed at the absurdity of human vanity. The collection opens with "The Vision," an autobiographical piece where young Lucian must choose between becoming a sculptor or dedicating himself to letters - essentially, craft versus culture. He chose words, and thank the gods he did. What follows is a parade of witty attacks: dialogues between the dead, exposes of charlatans, parodies of epic and philosophical conventions. His "A True Story" - often considered one of the earliest examples of utopian science fiction - sends sailors to the moon and beyond. Lucian's Greek is prized for its Attic purity, but it's his savage, playful intelligence that endures. He is called one of the first true modern innovators of literature, and once you read him, you'll understand why. This is for anyone who loves sharp satire, ancient wit, and writing that punches through two millennia.