Aesop

Aesop. He is the Greek fabulist par excellence, today his little stories are still included in children’s books, emphasizing the moral of each one of them in a clear and simple way.

Summary

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• 1 Biography
• 2 Artwork
• 3 Aesop’s Fables
• 4 Sources

Biography

Few data exist on the biography of Aesop, and already in classical times his royal figure was surrounded by legendary elements. According to the authors, although they all agree that he lived around 600 BC. Heraclides Ponticus, mentions him as a natural person from Thrace, born a slave of Xanthos and later freed from Idmon.

According to a very widespread tradition, he was born in Phrygia , although there are those who originate from Thrace , Samos, Egypt or Sardis. A large number of anecdotes and even descriptions about his physique were found about him, collected in the Life of Aesop, written in the 14th century by Planudo , a Benedictine monk, although its historical validity is doubtful.

It is said that Aesop was the slave of a certain Jadmón or Xanthos of Samos, who gave him freedom. Because of his great reputation for his apologetic talents, Croesus summoned him to his court, showered him with favors, and then sent him to consult the oracle at Delphi , to offer sacrifices on his behalf, and to distribute rewards among the inhabitants of that city. . Irritated by the frauds and the greed of that town of priests, Aesop directed his sarcasm at them and, limiting himself to offering the gods the sacrifices ordered by Croesus, returned to this prince the wealth destined for the inhabitants of Delphi.

Work

Aesop’s work was first compiled by Demetrio de Falero , then by Fedro , Babrio , Jean de La Fontaine and Félix María Samaniego .

Aesop’s fables belong to what was called the archaic period, they take their strength in popular stories and is considered by some authors as a satire. The structure of the esopic fable has been defined by several authors, but the most complete is attributed to Nojgaard, who distinguishes essential elements or moments in the narrative:

• The starting situation in which a certain conflict arises, between two generally animal figures.
• The performance of the characters, which comes from their free decision between the possibilities of the given situation.
• The evaluation of the chosen behavior, which is evidenced in the pragmatic result, success or failure produced by such a choice.
• In his fables there is a moral teaching, not a doctrine. They collect experiences from everyday life that form a set of ideas of a pragmatic nature.

Aesop’s Fables

• The fox and the stork.
• Of geese and cranes.
• The eagle and the beetle.
• The eagle and the fox.
• The peasant and the snake.
• The sick crow.
• The raven and the fox.
• The farmer and the viper.
• Winter and spring.
• The lion in love.
• The lion and the Mouse.
• The lion and the dolphin.
• The wolf and the bust.
• The child who was drowning.
• The birth of the mountains.
• The dog and the bell.
• The field mouse and the city mouse.
• The old man and death.
• The North Wind and the Sun.
• The Ant and the Grasshopper.
• The weasel and the chickens.
• The goose that lays the golden eggs.
• The hare and the Tortoise.
• The bitch that carried a piece of meat.
• Spring and winter.
• The frog that wanted to be an ox.
• The frog and the fox.
• The fox and the grapes.
• The frogs and their king.
• Zeus and the serpent.
• The Greek and the Spartan.