Part 6 (1/2)

Repayment in kind is generally made by those who are despised.

A Panther[16] had once inadvertently fallen into a pit. The rustics saw her; some belaboured her with sticks, others pelted her with stones; while some, on the other hand, moved with compa.s.sion, seeing that she must die even though no one should hurt her, threw her some bread to sustain existence. Night comes on apace; homeward they go without concern, making sure of finding her dead on the following day. She, however, after having recruited her failing strength, with a swift bound effected her escape from the pit, and with hurried pace hastened to her den. A few days intervening, she sallies forth, slaughters the flocks, kills the shepherds themselves, and laying waste every side, rages with unbridled fury. Upon this those who had shown mercy to the beast, alarmed for their safety, made no demur to the loss {of their flocks, and} begged only for their lives. But she {thus answered them}: ”I remember him who attacked me with stones, {and} him who gave me bread; lay aside your fears; I return as an enemy to those {only} who injured me.”

[Footnote III.16: _A Panther_)--Ver. 2. Some have suggested, Burmann and Guyetus in the number, that by the Panther is meant Tiberius, who, during his banishment to the isle of Rhodes, occupied himself in studying how to wreak his vengeance upon his enemies at Rome, and, with the fury of the Panther, as soon as he had the opportunity, glutted his vengeance. This notion, however, seems more ingenious than well founded.]

FABLE III.

aeSOP AND THE FARMER.

One taught by experience is proverbially said to be more quick-{witted} than a wizard, but the reason is not told; which, now for the first time, shall be made known by my Fable.

The ewes of a certain Man who reared flocks, brought forth lambs with human heads. Dreadfully alarmed at the prodigy, he runs full of concern to the soothsayers. One answers that it bears reference to the life of the owner, and that the danger must be averted with a victim. Another, no wiser, affirms that it is meant that his wife is an adultress, and his children are spurious; but that it can be atoned for by a victim of greater age.[17] Why enlarge? They all differ in opinions, and greatly aggravate the anxiety of the Man. aesop being at hand, a sage of nice discernment, whom nature could never deceive {by appearances}, remarked:-- ”If you wish, Farmer, to take due precautions against {this} portent, find wives for your shepherds.”[18]

[Footnote III.17: _Of greater age_)--Ver. 11. ”Majori hostia;”

probably, a sheep of two years old instead of a lamb.]

[Footnote III.18: _For your shepherds_)--Ver. 17. Plutarch introduces Thales in his ”Convivium Sapientium,” as telling a somewhat similar story. Phaedrus might, with better grace, have omitted this so-called Fable.]

FABLE IV.

THE BUTCHER AND THE APE.

A man seeing an Ape hanging up at a Butcher's among the rest of his commodities and provisions, enquired how it might taste;[19] on which the Butcher, joking, replied: ”Just as the head is, such, I warrant, is the taste.”

[Footnote III.19: _How it might taste_)--Ver. 3. The Butcher puns upon the twofold meaning of ”sapio,” ”to taste of,” or ”have a flavour,” and ”to be wise.” The customer uses the word in the former sense, while the Butcher answers it in the latter, and perhaps in the former as well; ”Such as the head is,” pointing to it, ”I'll warrant the wisdom of the animal to be;” the words at the same time bearing the meaning of, ”It has an ape's head, and therefore it can only taste like the head of an ape.” ”Sapor”

ordinarily means ”flavour,” or ”taste;” but Cicero uses it in the signification of wisdom or genius. Many other significations of this pa.s.sage have been suggested by the various Editors.]

This I deem to be said more facetiously than correctly; for on the one hand I have often found the good-looking to be very knaves, and on the other I have known many with ugly features to be most worthy men.

FABLE V.

aeSOP AND THE INSOLENT MAN.

Success leads many astray to their ruin.

An Insolent Fellow threw a stone at aesop. ”Well done,” said he, and then gave him a penny, thus continuing: ”Upon my faith I have got no more, but I will show you where you can get some; see, yonder comes a rich and influential man; throw a stone at him in the same way, and you will receive a due reward.” The other, being persuaded, did as he was advised. His daring impudence, however, was disappointed of its hope, for, being seized, he paid the penalty on the cross.[20]

[Footnote III.20: _On the cross_)--Ver. 10. The cross was especially used as an instrument of punishment for malefactors of low station, and, as we see here, sometimes on very trivial occasions.]

FABLE VI.

THE FLY AND THE MULE.

A Fly sat on the pole of a chariot, and rebuking the Mule: ”How slow you are,” said she; ”will you not go faster? Take care that I don't p.r.i.c.k your neck with my sting.” The Mule made answer: ”I am not moved by your words, but I fear him who, sitting on the next seat, guides my yoke[21]

with his pliant whip, and governs my mouth with the foam-covered reins.