<h3>BOOK II.</h3>
<h4><SPAN name="riley_II_pro" id="riley_II_pro">
THE PROLOGUE.</SPAN></h4>
<p><span class="firstword">The</span> plan of Æsop is confined to
instruction by examples; nor by Fables is anything else aimed at
than that the errors of mortals may be corrected, and persevering
industry exert itself. Whatever the playful invention,
therefore, of the narrator, so long as it pleases the ear, and answers
its purpose, it is recommended by its merits, not by the Author’s
name.</p>
<p>For my part, I will with all care follow the method of the sage; but if I should think fit to insert something <i>of my own</i>, that variety of subjects may
gratify the taste, I trust, Reader, you will take it in good part;
provided that my brevity be a fair return for such a favour: of which,
that <i>my</i> praises may not be verbose, listen to the reason why you
ought to deny the covetous, <i>and</i> even to offer to the modest that
for which they have not asked.</p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_I" id="riley_II_I">
Fable I.</SPAN><br/>
THE LION, THE ROBBER, AND THE TRAVELLER.</h4>
<p>While a Lion was standing over a Bullock, which he had brought to the
ground, a Robber came up, and demanded a share. “I would give
it you,” said <i>the Lion</i>, “were you not in the habit of taking
without leave;” and <i>so</i> repulsed the rogue. By chance,
a harmless Traveller was led to the same spot, and on seeing the
wild beast, retraced his steps; on which the Lion kindly said to him:
“You have nothing to fear; boldly take the share which is due to your
modesty.” Then having divided the carcase, he sought the woods, that he
might make room for the Man.</p>
<p>A very excellent example, and worthy of all praise; but covetousness
is rich and modesty in want.</p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_II" id="riley_II_II">
Fable II.</SPAN><br/>
THE TWO WOMEN OF DIFFERENT AGES BELOVED BY THE
MIDDLE-AGED MAN.</h4>
<p>That the men, under all circumstances, are preyed upon by the women,
whether they love or are beloved, <i>this</i> truly we learn from
examples.</p>
<p>A Woman, not devoid of grace, held enthralled a certain Man of middle
age, concealing her years by the arts of the toilet:
a lovely Young creature, too, had captivated the heart of the same
person. Both, as they were desirous to appear of the same age with him,
began, each in her turn, to pluck out the hair of the Man. While he
imagined that
he was made trim by the care of the women, he suddenly found himself
bald; for the Young Woman had entirely pulled out the white hairs, the
Old Woman the black ones.</p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_III" id="riley_II_III">
Fable III.</SPAN><br/>
THE MAN AND THE DOG.</h4>
<p>A Man, torn by the bite of a savage Dog, threw a piece of bread, dipt
in his blood, to the offender; a thing that he had heard was a
remedy for the wound. Then said Æsop: “Don’t do this before many dogs,
lest they devour us alive, when they know that such is the reward of
guilt.”</p>
<p>The success of the wicked is a temptation to many.</p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_IV" id="riley_II_IV">
Fable IV.</SPAN><br/>
THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE WILD SOW.</h4>
<p>An Eagle had made her nest at the top of an oak; a Cat who had
found a hole in the middle, had kittened <i>there</i>; a Sow,
a dweller in the woods, had laid her offspring at the bottom. Then
thus does the Cat with deceit and wicked malice, destroy the community
so formed by accident. She mounts up to the nest of the Bird:
“Destruction,” says she, “is preparing for you, perhaps, too, for
wretched me; for as you see, the Sow, digging up the earth every day, is
insidiously trying to overthrow the oak, that she may easily seize our
progeny on the ground.” Having <i>thus</i> spread terror, and bewildered
<i>the Eagle’s</i> senses, the Cat creeps down to the lair of the
bristly Sow: “In great danger,” says she, “are your offspring; for as
soon as you go out to forage with your young litter, the Eagle is ready
to snatch away from you your little pigs.” Having filled this place
likewise with alarm, she cunningly hides herself in her safe hole.
Thence she wanders forth on tiptoe by night, and having filled herself
and her offspring with food, she looks out all day long, pretending
alarm. Fearing the downfall, the Eagle sits still in the branches; to
avoid the attack of the spoiler, the Sow stirs not abroad. Why make a
long story?
They perished through hunger, with their young ones, and afforded the
Cat and her kittens an ample repast.</p>
<p>Silly credulity may take this as a proof how much evil a
double-tongued man may often contrive.</p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_V" id="riley_II_V">
Fable V.</SPAN><br/>
CÆSAR TO THE CHAMBERLAIN.</h4>
<p>There is a certain set of busybodies at Rome, hurriedly running to
and fro, busily engaged in idleness, out of breath about nothing at all,
with much ado doing nothing, a trouble to themselves, and most
annoying to others. It is my object, by a true story, to reform this
race, if indeed I can: it is worth your while to attend.</p>
<p>Tiberius Cæsar, when on his way to Naples, came to his country-seat
at Misenum, which, placed by the hand of Lucullus on the summit
of the heights, beholds the Sicilian sea in the distance, and that of
Etruria close at hand. One of the highly girt Chamberlains, whose
tunic of Pelusian linen was nicely smoothed from his shoulders
downwards, with hanging fringes, while his master was walking through
the pleasant shrubberies, began with bustling officiousness to
sprinkle the parched ground with a wooden watering-pot; but
<i>only</i> got laughed at. Thence, by short cuts <i>to him</i>
well known, he runs before into another walk, laying the
dust. Cæsar takes notice of the fellow, and discerns his object. Just as
he is supposing that there is some extraordinary good fortune in store
for him: “Come hither,” says his master; on which he skips up to him,
quickened by the joyous hope of a sure reward. Then, in a jesting tone,
thus spoke the mighty majesty of the prince: “You have not profited
much; your labour is all in vain; manumission stands at a much higher
price with me<ins class="correction" title="close quote missing">.”</ins></p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_VI" id="riley_II_VI">
Fable VI.</SPAN><br/>
THE EAGLE, THE CROW, AND THE TORTOISE.</h4>
<p>No one is sufficiently armed against the powerful; but if a wicked
adviser joins them, nothing can withstand such a combination of violence
and unscrupulousness.</p>
<p>An Eagle carried a Tortoise aloft, who had hidden her body in her
horny abode, and in her concealment could not, while thus sheltered, be
injured in any way. A Crow came through the air, and flying near,
exclaimed: “You really have carried off a rich prize in your talons; but
if I don’t instruct you what you must do, in vain will you tire yourself
with the heavy weight.” A share being promised her, she persuades
the Eagle to dash the hard shell from the lofty stars upon a rock, that,
it being broken to pieces, she may easily feed upon the meat. Induced by
her words, the Eagle attends to her suggestion, and at the same time
gives a large share of the banquet to her instructress.</p>
<p>Thus she who had been protected by the bounty of nature, being an
unequal match for the two, perished by an unhappy fate.</p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_VII" id="riley_II_VII">
Fable VII.</SPAN><br/>
THE MULES AND THE ROBBERS.</h4>
<p>Laden with burdens, two Mules were travelling along; the one was
carrying baskets with money, the other sacks distended with
store of barley. The former, rich with his burden, goes exulting along,
with neck erect, and tossing to-and-fro upon his throat <i>his</i>
clear-toned bell: his companion follows, with quiet and easy
step. Suddenly some Robbers rush from ambush upon them, and amid the
slaughter pierce the Mule with a sword, and carry off the
money; the valueless barley they neglect. While, then, the one despoiled
was bewailing their mishaps: “For my part,” says the other, “I am
glad I was thought so little of; for I have lost nothing, nor have I
received hurt by a wound.”</p>
<p>According to the moral of this Fable, poverty is safe; great riches
are liable to danger.</p>
<h4 class="smallcaps"><SPAN name="riley_II_VIII" id="riley_II_VIII">
Fable VIII.</SPAN><br/>
THE STAG AND THE OXEN.</h4>
<p>A Stag, aroused from his woodland lair, to avoid impending death
threatened by huntsmen, repaired with blind fear to the nearest
farm-house, and hid himself in an ox-stall close at hand. Upon this, an
Ox said to him, as he concealed himself: “Why, what do you mean, unhappy
one, in thus rushing of your own accord upon
destruction, and trusting your life to the abode of man?” To this he
suppliantly replied: “Do you only spare me; the moment an opportunity is
given I will again rush forth.” Night in her turn takes the place of
day; the Neat-herd brings fodder, but yet sees him not. All the farm
servants pass and repass every now and then; no one perceives him; even
the Steward passes by, nor does he observe anything. Upon this, the
stag, in his joy, began to return thanks to the Oxen who had kept so
still, because they had afforded him hospitality in the hour of
adversity. One of them made answer: “We really do wish you well; but if
he, who has a hundred eyes, should come, your life will be placed in
great peril.” In the meanwhile the Master himself comes back from
dinner; and having lately seen the Oxen in bad condition, comes up to
the rack: “Why,” says he, “is there so little fodder? Is litter scarce?
What great trouble is it to remove those spiders’ webs?” While he
is prying into every corner, he perceives too the branching horns of the
Stag, and having summoned the household, he orders him to be killed, and
carries off the prize.</p>
<p>This Fable signifies that the master sees better than any one else in
his own affairs.</p>
<h4><SPAN name="riley_II_epi" id="riley_II_epi">THE EPILOGUE.</SPAN></h4>
<p>The Athenians erected a statue to the genius of Æsop, and placed him,
though a slave, upon an everlasting pedestal, that all might know that
the way to fame is open to all, and that glory is not awarded to birth
but to merit. Since another has prevented me from being the
first, I have
made it my object, a thing which still lay in my power, that he
should not be the only one. Nor is this envy, but emulation; and if
Latium shall favour my efforts, she will have still more <i>authors</i>
whom she may match with Greece. <i>But</i> if jealousy shall attempt to
detract from my labours, still it shall not deprive me of the
consciousness of deserving praise. If my attempts reach your ears, and
<i>your</i> taste relishes <i>these</i> Fables, as being composed with
skill, <i>my</i> success <i>then</i> banishes every complaint. But if,
on the contrary, my learned labours fall into the hands of those whom a
perverse nature has brought to the light of day, and <i>who</i> are
unable to do anything except carp at their betters, I shall endure
my unhappy destiny with strength of mind, until Fortune is
ashamed of her own injustice.</p>
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