Fable of the Day (Greek): The Swallow and The Raven

[Laura Gibbs]

Χελιδὼν καὶ κόραξ

Another fable from Syntipas - check out the GreekAesop wiki for more information about Syntipas and his fables! I've included the text and a segmented version here; for grammar notes and more information, please visit the wiki. You can keep up with the latest Bestiaria posts by using the RSS feed, or you can subscribe by email. And now, here is Syntipas, Fable 3.

The Swallow and The Raven = Perry 229 (English translation: Oxford Aesop 192)

Χελιδὼν καὶ κόραξ περὶ κάλλους ἀλλήλοις ἐμάχοντο. καί φησιν ὁ κόραξ τῇ χελιδόνι “τὸ σὸν κάλλος ἐν μόνῳ τῷ ἔαρι καταφαίνεται, ἐν δὲ τῷ τοῦ χειμῶνος καιρῷ οὐ δύναται πρὸς τὸ ψῦχος ἀντισχεῖν· τὸ δὲ ἐμὸν σῶμα καὶ τῷ κρύει τοῦ χειμῶνος καὶ τῷ καύσωνι τοῦ θέρους γενναίως ἀνθίσταται.”

Οὗτος δηλοῖ ὅτι ὑγεῖα καὶ ἰσχὺς σώματος κρείττων κάλλους καὶ ὡραιότητος πέφυκε.

Segmented text for easier reading:

Χελιδὼν καὶ κόραξ

περὶ κάλλους

ἀλλήλοις ἐμάχοντο.

καί φησιν ὁ κόραξ τῇ χελιδόνι

“τὸ σὸν κάλλος

ἐν μόνῳ τῷ ἔαρι καταφαίνεται,

ἐν δὲ τῷ τοῦ χειμῶνος καιρῷ

οὐ δύναται

πρὸς τὸ ψῦχος ἀντισχεῖν·

τὸ δὲ ἐμὸν σῶμα

καὶ τῷ κρύει τοῦ χειμῶνος

καὶ τῷ καύσωνι τοῦ θέρους

γενναίως ἀνθίσταται.”

Οὗτος δηλοῖ ὅτι

ὑγεῖα καὶ ἰσχὺς σώματος

κρείττων

κάλλους καὶ ὡραιότητος

πέφυκε.