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Aesop's Fables: Babrius

Babrius 142 = Perry 302

Αἱ δρῦς ποτ' εἰς Ζηνὸς πρόσωπον ἐλθοῦσαι
τοιῶνδε μύθων μεμπτικῶν ἐπειρῶντο·
"ὦ Ζεῦ, γενάρχα καὶ πατὴρ φυτῶν πάντων,
εἰ κοπτόμεσθα, πρὸς τί κἀξέφυς ἥμας;"
πρὸς ταῦτα δ' ὁ Ζεὺς μειδιῶν ἔλεξ' οὕτως·
"αὐταὶ καθ' αὑτῶν εὐπορεῖτε τὴν τέχνην·
εἰ μὴ γὰρ ὑμῖν στέλεα μάντ' ἐγεννήθη,
οὐκ ἂν γεωργῷ πέλεκυς ἐν δόμοις εἴη."


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.