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.
|