<< Home Page | Babrius Index

Aesop's Fables: Babrius

Babrius 63 = Perry 110

Ἦν τις κατ' οἴκους ἀνδρὸς εὐσεβοῦς ἥρως
ἔχων ἐν αὐλῇ τέμενος· ἔνθα δὴ θύων
στέφων τε βωμοὺς καὶ καταβρέχων οἴνῳ
προσηύχετ' ἀεί "χαῖρε, φίλταθ' ἡρώων,
καὶ τὸν σύνοικον ἀγαθὰ δαψιλῆ ποίει."
κἀκεῖνος αὐτῷ νυκτὸς ἐν μέσαις ὥραις
"ἀγαθὸν μὲν" εἶπεν "οὐδ' ἂν εἷς τις ἡρώων,
ὦ τᾶν, παράσχοι· ταῦτα τοὺς θεοὺς αἴτει·
κακῶν δὲ πάντων ἅτε σύνεστιν ἀνθρώποις
δοτῆρες ἡμεῖς. τοιγὰρ εἰ κακῶν χρῄζεις,
εὔχου· παρέξω πολλά, κἂν ἓν αἰτήσῃς.
πρὸς ταῦτα λοιπὸν αὐτὸς οἶδας ἢν θύσῃς." 

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.