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Aesop's Fables: Babrius

Babrius 35 = Perry 218

Δύω μὲν υἱοὺς ἡ πίθηκος ὠδίνει,
τεκοῦσα δ' αὐτοῖς ἐστιν οὐκ ἴση μήτηρ,
ἀλλ' ὃν μὲν αὐτῶν ἀθλίης ὑπ' εὐνοίης
θάλπουσα κόλποις ἀγρίοις ἀποπνίγει,
τὸν δ' ὡς περισσὸν καὶ μάταιον ἐκβάλλει.
κἀκεῖνος ἐλθὼν εἰς ἐρημίην ζώει.
Τοιοῦτο πολλῶν ἐστιν ἦθος ἀνθρώπων,
οἷς ἐχθρὸς ἀεὶ μᾶλλον ἢ φίλος γίνου. 


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.