Perry's Index to the Aesopica
Fables exist in many versions; here is one version in English:
THE LION AND THE TWO MEN
A lion was standing over a young bull whom he had killed when a robber showed
up and demanded a part of the spoils. 'I would agree,' the lion said, 'if you
were not already in the habit of taking whatever you want!' Thus, the lion thus
refused the villain's request. Meanwhile, an innocent wayfarer also happened
upon the very same spot, although he backed away as soon as he saw the ferocious
lion. 'There is nothing to be afraid of,' the lion said to him in kindly tones.
'Please, take without hesitation the portion of this prize that your modesty
has earned for you.' He then divided the bull into pieces and went away into
the woods, so that the man would come forward freely.
This is an altogether outstanding and admirable model of behaviour; in the
real world, however, greed grows wealthy while honesty goes unrewarded. |
Source:
Aesop's Fables. A new translation by Laura
Gibbs.
Oxford University Press (World's Classics): Oxford, 2002.
NOTE: New
cover, with new ISBN, published in 2008; contents of book unchanged.
Perry 487: Gibbs (Oxford) 165 [English]
Perry 487: Phaedrus 2.1 [Latin]
You can find a compilation of Perry's index to the Aesopica in the gigantic appendix to his
edition of Babrius and Phaedrus for the Loeb Classical Library
(Harvard University Press: Cambridge, 1965). This book is an absolute must for anyone interested
in the Aesopic fable tradition. Invaluable.
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