Aesop's Fables: Babrius
Babrius 25 = Perry
138
Γνώμη λαγωοὺς εἶχε μηκέτι ζώειν,
πάντας δὲ λίμνης εἰς μέλαν πεσεῖν ὕδωρ,
ὁθοὔνεκ' εἰσὶν ἀδρανέστατοι ζώων
ψυχάς τ' ἄτολμοι, μοῦνον εἰδότες φεύγειν.
ἐπεὶ δὲ λίμνης ἐγγὺς ἦσαν εὐρείης
καὶ βατράχων ὅμιλον εἶδον ἀκταίων
βαθέην ἐς ἰλὺν ὀκλαδιστὶ πηδώντων,
ἐπεστάθησαν, καί τις εἶπε θαρσήσας
"ἂψ νῦν ἴωμεν, οὐκέτι χρεὼν θνῄσκειν·
ὁρῶ γὰρ ἄλλους ἀσθενεστέρους ἥμων."
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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