<< Home Page | Babrius Index

Aesop's Fables: Babrius

Babrius 128 = Perry 356

Ὄϊς τις εἶπε πρὸς νομῆα τοιαῦτα·
"κείρεις μὲν ἡμᾶς καὶ πόκους ἔχεις κέρσας,
τὸ γάλα δ' ἀμέλγων ἔστι σοι φίλον πῆξαι,
ἡμῶν δὲ τέκνα μῆλά σοι περισσεύει.
πλέον οὐδὲν ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ χἠ τροφὴ γαίης
ἅπας'· ἐν ὄρεσι δ' εὐθαλὲς τί γεννᾶται;
βοτάνη γ' ἀραιὴ καὶ δρόσου γεμισθεῖσα.
τὴν κύνα δὲ φέρβεις ἧμιν ἐν μέσοις ταύτην
τρέφων ὁποῖα σαυτὸν εὐθαλεῖ σίτῳ."
τούτων ἀκούσας' ἡ κύων ἔφη τοῖα·
"εἰ μὴ παρήμην κἀν μέσοις ἐπωλεύμην,
οὐκ ἄν ποθ' ὑμεῖς ἔσχετ' ἄφθονον ποίην·
ἐγὼ δὲ περιτρέχουσα πάντα κωλύω
δρηστῆρα λῃστὴν καὶ λύκον διωκτῆρα."


Ben Perry, Babrius and Phaedrus (Loeb). This edition contains the Greek texts of Babrius, with a facing English translation, and an extensive index covering the Greek and Latin fable tradition. This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in the Aesopic fable tradition. Invaluable.