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The Fascinating Life of Aesop | From Slave to Renowned Greek Fabulist

 Don't miss my new video on YouTube, about the great Greek fabulist!

As appeared in Project Gutenberg “Aesop's Fables” , Translated by George Fyler Townsend.

The video delves into the life and history of Aesop, a renowned Greek fabulist. Born around 620 B.C. as a slave, Aesop gained freedom through his wit and wisdom. He traveled widely, encountering prominent figures like Croesus and philosophers such as Solon and Thales. Aesop's fables were used diplomatically to reconcile conflicts in various Greek cities, but his refusal to bribe the Delphians resulted in his unjust execution. Despite his tragic end, Aesop was posthumously honored with a statue in Athens. These established facts stand in contrast to earlier, fictitious accounts of Aesop's life, discredited by later scholarship. French scholar M. Mezeriac's meticulous research in the 17th century shed light on the true story of Aesop, separating fact from fiction perpetuated by earlier accounts, such as the unreliable narrative by Maximus Planudes.






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