Aesop's Fables: Babrius
Babrius 35 = Perry 218
Δύω μὲν υἱοὺς ἡ πίθηκος ὠδίνει,
τεκοῦσα δ' αὐτοῖς ἐστιν οὐκ ἴση μήτηρ,
ἀλλ' ὃν μὲν αὐτῶν ἀθλίης ὑπ' εὐνοίης
θάλπουσα κόλποις ἀγρίοις ἀποπνίγει,
τὸν δ' ὡς περισσὸν καὶ μάταιον ἐκβάλλει.
κἀκεῖνος ἐλθὼν εἰς ἐρημίην ζώει.
Τοιοῦτο πολλῶν ἐστιν ἦθος ἀνθρώπων,
οἷς ἐχθρὸς ἀεὶ μᾶλλον ἢ φίλος γίνου.
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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