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.

The Mice in Council - Summary and Analysis | Aesop Fables

I narrated an Aesop Fable. You can find it here by pressing the link The Mice in Council . The moral lesson is " It is one thing to say that something should be done, but it is quite a different matter to actually do it.". Many things appear feasible when speculating, but are found to be impracticable after some thinking. Also one should not act, not before thinking at least, on the urges of people who present themselves as leaders urging others to do things that they themselves wouldn' t do. Those that judge that this or that should be done, will appear ridiculous when the question "who will do it" is asked and so t he moral lesson of this fable could also be "let those who propose, be willing to perform". The Fable: Once upon a time all the mice met together in council and discussed the best means of securing themselves against the attacks of the cat. After several suggestions had been debated, a mouse of some standing and experience got up and s

The Wild Donkey & The Pack Donkey - Summary and Analysis | Aesop Fables

This Fable tells us the story of two donkeys one of whom was a wild donkey that had no boss and the other was a pack donkey that had a master. You can listen to the Fable by following the link The Wild Donkey & The Pack Donkey . The story begins with a wild donkey, who is idly wandering about, when he comes upon a pack donkey. The pack donkey is lying relaxed and enjoying himself in a sunny spot. The wild donkey envies the pack donkey and considers him lucky. But after a while, when he meets him again, the pack donkey is loaded with a heavy cargo and his driver is beating him with a thick stick. At that point the wild donkey realizes the hardship the other donkey has to go through. This fable shows how a certainty may turn into uncertainty and tell us how appearances are often deceptive. A person may make a mistaken judgement by seeing only one part someone else's life. Thus the wild donkey expresses his envy towards the pack donkey and the life he thinks the other one le

The Bear and The two Travelers - Summary and Analysis | Aesop Fables

Summary In the fable "The Bear and the Two Travelers" by Aesop, two travelers come across a bear in the woods. One of the travelers quickly climbs a nearby tree to save himself, while the other, unable to escape, lies flat on the ground, pretending to be dead. The bear sniffs and paws at the motionless traveler, thinking he is lifeless, and eventually leaves. Once the bear is gone, the traveler in the tree comes down and asks his companion what the bear had whispered to him. The other traveler jokingly replies that the bear had warned him to avoid traveling with a friend who abandons you in times of danger. The fable Analysis The moral lesson of this fable is that in difficult situations, true friendship and loyalty matter. It highlights the importance of standing by one another and providing support when faced with challenges. The fable teaches us to value and choose our companions wisely, as a true friend is someone who stays by our side during both good and bad times. St

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