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Aesop's Fables: Babrius

Babrius 25 = Perry 138

Γνώμη λαγωοὺς εἶχε μηκέτι ζώειν,
πάντας δὲ λίμνης εἰς μέλαν πεσεῖν ὕδωρ,
ὁθοὔνεκ' εἰσὶν ἀδρανέστατοι ζώων
ψυχάς τ' ἄτολμοι, μοῦνον εἰδότες φεύγειν.
ἐπεὶ δὲ λίμνης ἐγγὺς ἦσαν εὐρείης
καὶ βατράχων ὅμιλον εἶδον ἀκταίων
βαθέην ἐς ἰλὺν ὀκλαδιστὶ πηδώντων,
ἐπεστάθησαν, καί τις εἶπε θαρσήσας
"ἂψ νῦν ἴωμεν, οὐκέτι χρεὼν θνῄσκειν·
ὁρῶ γὰρ ἄλλους ἀσθενεστέρους ἥμων."


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.