Λουκιανός - Άπαντα, Τόμος Τέταρτος

A satirical divine council unfolds as immortal beings complain about the ceaseless burdens of serving human needs: the sun must drive his chariot all day, the moon keep vigil, Apollo hurry between oracles, Asclepius endure sick visitors, and winds, sleep, and dreams labor for mortals. Zeus laments endless administrative duties—overseeing sacrifices, weather, wars, courts, and petty disputes—and fears that philosophical denial of the gods will end offerings. To resolve accumulated complaints he orders a public trial, instructing Hermes and the personified Justice to summon judges and supervise fair proceedings. The dialogue uses divine bureaucracy to probe piety, responsibility, and tensions between belief and skepticism.