<< Home Page | Babrius Index

Aesop's Fables: Babrius

Babrius 135 = Perry 244

Πέρδικά τις πριάμενος ἐντρέχειν οἴκῳ
ἀφῆκεν· ἡδέως γὰρ εἶχε τοῦ ζώου.
κἀκεῖνος εὐθὺς κλαγγὸν ἐξ ἔθους ᾄδων
πᾶσαν κατ' αὐλὴν ἄχρι βημάτων ᾔει.
γαλῆ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡπίβουλος ὡρμήθη
καὶ πρῶτον εἶπε "τίς μὲν εἶ, πόθεν δ' ἥκεις;"
ὁ δ' "ἠγόρασμαι" φησί "προσφάτως πέρδιξ."
"ἐγὼ χρόνον τοσοῦτον ἐνθαδὶ τρίβω
καὶ μ' ἔνδον ἔτεκεν ἡ μυοκτόνος μήτηρ,
ἀλλ' ἡσυχάζω καὶ πρὸς ἑστίην εὕδω·
σὺ δ' ἄρτι πως ὠνητός, ὡς λέγεις, ἥκων
παρρησιάζῃ" φησί "καὶ κατακρώζεις;"

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.