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Aesop
(620 BC - 560 BC)
Greek slave & fable author
"Put your shoulder to the wheel"
Aesop, Hercules and the Wagoner
"The
gods help them that help themselves"
Aesop, Hercules and the Wagoner
"Be content with your lot; one cannot be first
in everything"
Aesop, Juno and the Peacock
"It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow"
Aesop,
The Ant and the Grasshopper
"Union gives strength"
Aesop, The Bundle of Sticks
"Beware lest you lose the
substance by grasping at the shadow"
Aesop, The Dog and the Shadow
"People often grudge others what they cannot
enjoy themselves"
Aesop, The Dog in the Manger
"The shaft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle's
own plumes. We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction"
Aesop, The Eagle and the Arrow
"I am sure
the grapes are sour"
Aesop, The Fox and the Grapes
"Familiarity breed contempt"
Aesop, The Fox and the Lion
"Self-conceit
may lead to self-destruction"
Aesop, The Frog and the Ox
"Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give,
he killed it and opened it only to find - nothing"
Aesop, The Goose with the Golden Eggs
"Slow and steady wins the
race"
Aesop, The Hare and the Tortoise
"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds"
Aesop, The Jay and
the Peacock
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted"
Aesop, The Lion and the Mouse
"While
I see many hoof marks going in, I see none coming out. It is easier to get into the enemy's toils than out again"
Aesop,
The Lion, the Fox, and the Beasts
"I will have nought to do with a man who can blow hot and cold with the same breath"
Aesop,
The Man and the Satyr
"Do not count your chickens before they are hatched"
Aesop, The Milkmaid and Her Pail
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Aesop
known for his fables, was a slave who lived from about 620BC to 560BC in Ancient Greece. Aesop's Fables are still taught as
moral lessons and used as subjects for children's books, cartoons, and movies. According to tradition he was at one point
freed from slavery and eventually died at the hands of Delphians, but nothing is known about Aesop from credible records.
Throughout
history fables have been a popular method of giving instruction. Fables contain a short narrative that seeks to illustrate
a hidden message. Generally, fables use animals or objects as part of the narrative yet the message is designed to apply to
humans. By doing this, the fabulist is not perceived as the teacher and this reduces any bias the listeners might have against
the person. The most famous fabulist would be Aesop who most date around 620 B.C. Many fables are attributed to Aesop, but
it's unclear how many he actually wrote; indeed, his historical existence as a person is under question.
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