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Aesop's Fables: Babrius

Babrius 115 = Perry 230

Νωθὴς χελώνη λιμνάσιν ποτ' αἰθυίαις
λάροις τε καὶ κήυξιν εἶπεν ἀγρώσταις·
"κἀμὲ πτερωτὴν εἴθε τις πεποιήκει."
τῇ δ' ἐντυχὼν ἔλεξεν αἰετὸς σκώπτων·
"πόσον, χέλυμνα, μισθὸν αἰετῷ δώσεις,
ὅστις ς' ἐλαφρὴν καὶ μετάρσιον θήσω;"
"τὰ τῆς Ἐρυθρῆς πάντα δῶρά σοι δώσω."
"τοιγὰρ διδάξω" φησίν. ὑπτίην δ' ἄρας
ἔκρυψε νέφεσιν, ἔνωεν εἰς ὄρος ῥίψας
ἤραξεν αὐτῆς οὖλον ὄστρακον νώτων.
ἡ δ' εἶπεν ἐκψύχουσα "σὺν δίκῃ θνῄσκω·
τί γὰρ νεφῶν μοι, καὶ τίς ἦν πτερῶν χρείη,
τῇ καὶ χαμᾶζε δυσκόλως προβαινούσῃ;"


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.