Aesop's Fables: Babrius
Babrius 68 = Perry 104
Θεοῖς Ἀπόλλων ἔλεγε μακρὰ τοξεύων,
"οὐκ ἂν βάλοι τις πλεὶον οὐδὲ Ζεὺς ἥμων."
ὁ Ζεὺς δὲ παίζων ἠρίδαινε τῷ Φοίβῳ·
Ἑρμῆς δ' ἔσειεν Ἄρεος ἐν κυνῇ κλήρους.
Λαχὼν δ' ὁ Φοῖβος χρυσέην τε κυκλώσας
τόξοιο νευρήν, ὀξέως ἀφεὶς πρῶτος
τὸ βέλος ἔπηξεν ἐντὸς Ἑσπέρου κήπων.
ὁ Ζεὺς δὲ διαβὰς ταὐτὸ μέτρον εἱστήκει,
καὶ "ποῦ βάλω, παῖ;" φησίν, "οὐκ ἔχω χώρην."
τόξου δὲ νίκην ἔλαβε μηδὲ τοξεύσας.
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.
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