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

[Laura Gibbs]

Κόραξ ἀετὸν μιμούμενος

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 9.

The Raven Imitating The Eagle = Perry 2 (English translation: Oxford Aesop 342)

Κόραξ ἀετὸν ἐθεάσατο ἄρνα τῆς ποίμνης ἀφαρπάζοντα καὶ ἠθέλησε δῆθεν τοῦτον ἐκμιμήσασθαι. ἰδὼν δὲ ἐν τῇ ποίμνῃ κριόν, ἐπειράθη τοῦτον ἁρπάσαι. τῶν δὲ ὀνύχων αὐτοῦ τῷ τοῦ κριοῦ συσχεθέντων ἐρίῳ, φθάσας ὁ ποιμήν, καὶ τοῦτον πλήξας, ἀπέκτεινεν.

Οὗτος δηλοῖ ὡς ἀνίσχυρος ἀνήρ, τῷ δυνατωτέρῳ ἑαυτοῦ ἀφομοιοῦσθαι πειρώμενος, οὐ μόνον ἀσθενὴς εἶναι καὶ ἀφελὴς ἀπελέγχεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ κακῶς ἐξ ἀφροσύνης ἀποθνῄσκει.

Segmented text for easier reading:

Κόραξ

ἀετὸν ἐθεάσατο

ἄρνα τῆς ποίμνης ἀφαρπάζοντα

καὶ ἠθέλησε δῆθεν

τοῦτον ἐκμιμήσασθαι.

ἰδὼν δὲ

ἐν τῇ ποίμνῃ

κριόν,

ἐπειράθη τοῦτον ἁρπάσαι.

τῶν δὲ ὀνύχων αὐτοῦ

τῷ τοῦ κριοῦ συσχεθέντων ἐρίῳ,

φθάσας

ὁ ποιμήν,

καὶ

τοῦτον πλήξας,

ἀπέκτεινεν.

Οὗτος δηλοῖ ὡς

ἀνίσχυρος ἀνήρ,

τῷ δυνατωτέρῳ ἑαυτοῦ

ἀφομοιοῦσθαι πειρώμενος,

οὐ μόνον

ἀσθενὴς εἶναι

καὶ ἀφελὴς ἀπελέγχεται,

ἀλλὰ καὶ

κακῶς ἐξ ἀφροσύνης ἀποθνῄσκει.