He who, courteous in his words, conceals deceit in his heart, may understand that he is himself described in this Fable.
A Liar and a Truthful Man, while travelling together, chanced to come into the land of the Apes. One of the number, who had made himself King, seeing them, ordered them to be detained, that he might learn what men said of him, and at the same time he ordered all the Apes to stand in lengthened array on the right and left; and that a throne should be placed for himself, as he had formerly seen was the practice with the Kings among men. After this he questions the men so ordered to be brought before him: “What do you think of me, strangers?” “You seem to be a most mighty King,” the Liar replied. “What of these whom you see now about me?” “These are ministers,AF.7 these are lieutenants, and leaders of troops.” The Ape thus lyingly praised, together with his crew, orders a present to be given to the flatterer. On this the Truth-teller remarked to himself: “If so great the reward for lying, with what gifts shall I not be presented, if, according to my custom, I tell the truth?” The Ape then turns to the Truthful Man: “And what do you think of me and those whom you see standing before me?” He made answer: “You are a genuine Ape, and all these are Apes, who are like you.” The King, enraged, ordered him to be torn with teeth and claws, because he had told the truth.
A courtly lie is praised by the wicked; plain-spoken truth brings destruction on the good.
A Man was disputing with a Lion which was the stronger of the two, and while they were seeking evidence on the matter in dispute, they came at last to a sepulchre, on which the human disputant pointed out a Lion, depicted with his jaws rent asunder by a Man—a striking proof of superior strength. The Lion made answer: “This was painted by a human hand; if Lions knew how to paint, you would see the man undermost. But I will give a more convincing proof of our valour.” He accordingly led the Man to some games,AF.8 where, calling his attention to men slain in reality by Lions, he said: “There is no need of the testimony of pictures here; real valour is shown by deeds.”
This Fable teaches that liars use colouring in vain, when a sure test is produced.
A Stork, having come to a well-known pool, found a Goose diving frequently beneath the water, and enquired why she did so. The other replied: “This is our custom, and we find our food in the mud; and then, besides, we thus find safety, and escape the attack of the Hawk when he comes against us.” “I am much stronger than the Hawk,” said the Stork; “if you choose to make an alliance with me, you will be able victoriously to deride him.” The Goose believing her, and immediately accepting her aid, goes with her into the fields: forthwith comes the Hawk, and seizes the Goose in his remorseless claws and devours her, while the Stork flies off. The Goose called out after her: “He who trusts himself to so weak a protector, deserves to come to a still worse end.”
A Crow, sitting at her ease upon a Sheep’s back, pecked her with her beak. After she had done this for a long time, the Sheep, so patient under injury, remarked: “If you had offered this affront to the Dog, you could not have endured his barking.” But the Crow thus answered the Sheep: “I never sit on the neck of one so strong, as I know whom I may provoke; my years having taught me cunning, I am civil to the robust, but insolent to the defenceless. Of such a nature have the Gods thought fit to create me.”
This Fable was written for those base persons who oppress the innocent, and fear to annoy the bold.
In winter time, an Ant was dragging forth from her hole, and drying, the grains which, in her foresight, she had collected during the summer. A Grasshopper, being hungry, begged her to give him something: the Ant replied: “What were you doing in summer?” The other said: “I had not leisure to think of the future: I was wandering through hedges and meadows, singing away.” The Ant laughing, and carrying back the grains, said: “Very well, you who were singing away in the summer, dance in the winter.”
Let the sluggard always labour at the proper time, lest when he has nothing, he beg in vain.
An Ass asked a Horse for a little barley. “With all my heart,” said he, “if I had more than I wanted, I would give you plenty, in accordance with my dignified position; but bye-and-bye, as soon as I shall have come to my manger in the evening, I will give you a sackful of wheat.” The Ass replied: “If you now deny me on a trifling occasion, what am I to suppose you will do on one of greater importance?”
They who, while making great promises, refuse small favours, show that they are very tenacious of giving.
Worn with years, a Lion pretended illness. Many Beasts came for the purpose of visiting the sick King, whom at once he devoured. But a wary Fox stood at a distance before the den, saluting the King. On the Lion asking her why she did not come in: “Because,” said she, “I see many foot-marks of those who have gone in, but none of those who came out.”
The dangers of others are generally of advantage to the wary.
A Flea, chancing to sit on the back of a Camel who was going along weighed down with heavy burdens, was quite delighted with himself, as he appeared to be so much higher. After they had made a long journey, they came together in the evening to the stable. The Flea immediately exclaimed, skipping lightly to the ground: “See, I have got down directly, that I may not weary you any longer, so galled as you are.” The Camel replied: “I thank you; but neither when you were on me did I find myself oppressed by your weight, nor do I feel myself at all lightened now you have dismounted.”
He who, while he is of no standing, boasts to be of a lofty one, falls under contempt when he comes to be known.
A She-Goat, that she might keep her young one in safety, on going forth to feed, warned her heedless Kid not to open the door, because she knew that many wild beasts were prowling about the cattle stalls. When she was gone, there came a Wolf, imitating the voice of the dam, and ordered the door to be opened for him. When the Kid heard him, looking through a chink, he said to the Wolf: “I hear a sound like my Mother’s voice, but you are a deceiver, and an enemy to me; under my Mother’s voice you are seeking to drink my blood, and stuff yourself with my flesh. Farewell.”
’Tis greatly to the credit of children to be obedient to their parents.
In the house of a certain Poor Man, a Serpent was always in the habit of coming to his table, and being fed there plentifully upon the crumbs. Shortly after, the Man becoming rich, he began to be angry with the Serpent, and wounded him with an axe. After the lapse of some time he returned to his former poverty. When he saw that like the varying lot of the Serpent, his own fortunes also changed, he coaxingly begged him to pardon the offence. Then said the Serpent to him: “You will repent of your wickedness until my wound is healed; don’t suppose, however, that I take you henceforth with implicit confidence to be my friend. Still, I could wish to be reconciled with you, if only I could never recall to mind the perfidious axe.”
He deserves to be suspected, who has once done an injury; and an intimacy with him is always to be renewed with caution.
An Eagle was sitting on a branch with a Kite, in sorrowful mood. “Why,” said the Kite, “do I see you with such a melancholy air?” “I am looking out,” said she, “for a mate suited to myself, and cannot find one.” “Take me,” said the Kite, “who am so much stronger than you.” “Well, are you able to get a living by what you can carry away?” “Many’s the time that I have seized and carried off an ostrich in my talons.” Induced by his words, the Eagle took him as her mate. A short time having passed after the nuptials, the Eagle said: “Go and carry off for me the booty you promised me.” Soaring aloft, the Kite brings back a field-mouse, most filthy, and stinking from long-contracted mouldiness. “Is this,” said the Eagle, “the performance of your promise?” The Kite replied to her: “That I might contract a marriage with royalty, there is nothing I would not have pledged myself to do, although I knew that I was unable.”
Those who seek anxiously for partners of higher rank, painfully lament a deception that has united them to the worthless.
1. Æsopian Fables)—These Æsopian Fables appear much more worthy of the genius of Phædrus than the preceding ones, which have been attributed to him by the Italian Editors. The name of the author or authors of these is unknown; but from the internal evidence, it is not improbable that some may have been composed by Phædrus.
2. Planning for another)—Ver. 10. The nature of the reason assigned by the Hawk is not very clear. Perhaps the writer did not care that he should give even so much as a specious reason.
3. A Lion)—Ver. 1. This story is also told by Seneca—De Beneficiis, B. II. c. 19, and by Aulus Gellius, B. III. c. 14.
4. The Beasts, on being let out)—Ver. 10. The beasts were sent forth from “caveæ,” or “cages,” into the area of the Circus or Amphitheatre.
5. Extending his reed)—Ver. 13. From this it would appear, that fowlers stood behind trees, and used reeds tipped with birdlime, for the purpose of taking birds.
6. The Sheep and the Wolves)—Ver. 1. Demosthenes is said to have related this Fable to the Athenians, when dissuading them from surrendering the Orators to Alexander.
7. Your ministers)—Ver. 13. “Comites” here seems to mean “ministers,” in the sense in which the word was used in the times of the later Roman emperors.
8. Some games)—Ver. 9. “Spectaculum,” or “venatio.” These were exhibited by the wealthy Romans in the amphitheatre or circus, and on some occasions many hundred beasts were slain in one day. Of course, as here mentioned, their assailants would sometimes meet with an untimely end.