[12,5] ὡς δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς τοσαῦτα μὲν θεάματα ἔχοντες τερπνά, τοσαῦτα δὲ ἀκούσματα, τοῦτο μὲν ῥήτορας δεινούς, τοῦτο δὲ ξυγγραφέας ἡδίστους ἐμμέτρων καὶ ἀμέτρων λόγων, τοῦτο δὲ {ταῶς ποικίλους, τοῦτο δὲ ὡς} πολλοὺς σοφιστάς, δόξῃ καὶ μαθηταῖς ἐπαιρομένους οἷον πτεροῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐμοὶ πρόσιτε καὶ βούλεσθε ἀκούειν, τοῦ μηδὲν εἰδότος μηδὲ φάσκοντος εἰδέναι, ἆρ´ οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἀπεικάζω τὴν σπουδὴν ὑμῶν τῷ περὶ τὴν γλαῦκα γιγνομένῳ σχεδὸν οὐκ ἄνευ δαιμονίας τινὸς βουλήσεως;

[12,5] And since you likewise, though having so many delightful spectacles to behold, and so many things to hear— able orators, most charming writers of both verse and prose, and finally, like gorgeous peacocks, sophists in great numbers, men who are lifted aloft as on wings by their fame and disciples —since you, I say, despite all these attractions, draw near and wish to listen to me, a man who knows nothing and makes no claim to knowing, am I not right in likening your interest to that which the birds take in the owl, one might almost say not without some divine purpose ?

[12,6] ὑφ´ ἧς καὶ τῇ Ἀθηνᾷ λέγεται προσφιλὲς εἶναι τὸ ὄρνεον, τῇ καλλίστῃ τῶν θεῶν καὶ σοφωτάτῃ, καὶ τῆς γε Φειδίου τέχνης παρὰ Ἀθηναίοις ἔτυχεν, οὐκ ἀπαξιώσαντος αὐτὴν συγκαθιδρῦσαι τῇ θεῷ, συνδοκοῦν τῷ δήμῳ. Περικλέα δὲ καὶ αὑτὸν λαθὼν ἐποίησεν, ὥς φασιν, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀσπίδος. οὐ μέντοι ταῦτά γε εὐτυχήματα νομίζειν ἔπεισί μοι τῆς γλαυκός, εἰ μή τινα φρόνησιν ἄρα κέκτηται πλείω.

[12,6] This purpose is seen in men's belief that this bird is beloved of Athenê also, the fairest of the gods and the wisest, and indeed at Athens it was honoured by the art of Pheidias, who did not count the owl unworthy to share a dedication with the goddess, the popular assembly approving ; but Pericles and his own self he depicted covertly, so we are told, on the shield of the goddess. However, it does not occur to me to regard all this as good fortune on the part of the owl, unless she really does in fact possess some superior sagacity.