A review by catburglar_
Fables by Aesop

hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

i can’t believe i read a whole 262 pages of short stories of life lessons and been entertained all the way through. mostly all of them incorporate animals as (for example) it’s universally known that lions are scary, fearless, prideful etc and they are in human-like situations or with speech in the fables which is such a perfect way of storytelling. a lot of these do get repetitive with the same lessons at the end but still enjoyable nonetheless.

i find the history behind these so interesting as there isn’t a lot of information about aesop himself. we know he was once a greek slave. the stories would have been said amongst one another for entertainment purposes and to teach people lessons of morality during the 6th century bce and then collected 3 centuries after his death. the stories served as a code by which the weak and powerless could speak out against the strong and powerful during a time where open speech was dangerous. criticisms could be made against the government openly with the fables. 

aesop is the originator of ‘the boy who cried wolf’ which i didn’t know until reading this. 

some of my favourites: 

~ the man and the lion travelling together

~ the old woman and the doctor 

~ the stag at the spring and the lion 

~ the lion and the mouse who returned a kindness 

~ the bandit and the mulberry tree

~ the field mouse and the town mouse

~ the woodcutter and hermes

~ the travellers and the bear 

~ the son and the painted lion 

~ the tortoise and the hare

some lessons i enjoyed: 

~ someone with a wicked nature who is determined to do wrong, when he cannot do so in the guise of a good man, does his evil deeds openly

~ one ought not to welcome the over-friendly advances of new acquaintances in preference to old friendship. We must remember that when we have become old friends they will strike up friendships with others, and those new friends will become their favourites

~ it is that what skill denies us, chance often gives us freely

~ neither should we delude ourselves into always expecting the same success, considering how changeable life is. But we should tell ourselves that there is never such good weather that a storm might not follow

~ a wicked nature is often recognized by its exterior

~ all men have been favoured by God, who has given them language; but certain of them are indifferent to such a gift, and prefer to envy the animals who are devoid of both feelings and speech

~ one must be lenient and not allow oneself to be carried away uncontrollably, for it often happens that people easily angered cause even greater harm to themselves than to those they wish to injure and increase the problems they had already

~ many people boast of how brave and fearless they are, but when put to the test are exposed as frauds

~ some people tend to be bold in words and cowardly in deeds

~ it is easier to endure blows from strangers than it is from those nearest to you

~ in dangerous situations it is often the friends whom we suspect who save us, while those on whom we rely betray us

~ men, fearing a lesser danger, sometimes throw themselves into a greater one

~ it is thus that often our anticipation is mistaken: the things which seem troublesome to us turn to our advantage, and those things which we hold beneficial show themselves to be injurious

~ many people are not in the least disturbed at the harm that befalls them, provided they can see their enemies’ downfall first

~ people who give in to jealousy and hurt those who are weaker than themselves could fall into the same trap: they pay the price when all the harm they have done is unexpectedly revealed

~ jealous people envy qualities which they don’t possess and lose their own

~ do not judge merit by quantity, but by worth

~ at times men, instead of being content with moderate profits, pursue fantastic prospects and, in so doing, foolishly let go of what they have in their hands

~ sometimes even when servants are freed from slavery they are not necessarily rid of the burdens of servitude

~ even a severe punishment doesn’t change people who, by nature, are bad characters

~ liars gain only one thing, which is not to be believed even when they tell the truth