AESOPUS

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Famous mythmaker of ancient Greece. He came from Phrygia and was a slave of the philosopher Iadmonus, who, when he realized the genius of Aesop, gave him his freedom. Tradition says that he was hunchbacked, crooked-legged and terribly misshapen. This is how the ancient busts depicted him.

He was distinguished for his wits and jokes and was a professional jester. Yet he was deeply philosophical and had a rare insight into human nature and society. He channeled his opinions on human affairs and events, moral, political and social, into myths in which animals were the protagonists, and this, so that his allegories would not be understood by others, thus he perfected the genre of myth-making. His fables are not entirely original. Their core, either Phrygian or Greek, pre-existed. But, he managed to utilize it and give it a peculiar form, unachievable in perfection.

Socrates in prison (as told by Plato), composed all the Aesopian fables he knew by heart. He is said to have been killed at Delphi, for his foul language, which left no one unbitten, or for sacrilege. According to Aristophanes, he usurped valuable gifts from King Croesus, in whose court he was hosted for some time. Myths are known throughout the world and generations upon generations read and spread them.

Quotes

1. NECESSITY MAKES PEOPLE INGENIOUS
2. FATIGUE IS A TREASURE FOR PEOPLE
3. RULERS SHOULD NOT BE CHOSEN SIMPLY FOR THEIR BEAUTY, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND WISDOM
4. WISE PEOPLE SHOULD FIRST CONSIDER WHAT THE OUTCOME IS OF WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO UNDERTAKE, AND THEN UNDERTAKE IT
5. MANY PROMISE A LOT, WHILE THEY CAN'T EVEN DO THE LITTLE THING
6. WHAT ART DOESN'T PROVIDE, IS PROVIDED BY LUCK
7. MENTAL BEAUTY IS FAR GREATER THAN PHYSICAL BEAUTY
8. HE WHO RUSHES TO AVOID THE DAMAGE OF THE PRESENT SHOULD CONSIDER THAT HE MIGHT MEET SOMETHING WORSE
9. FROM SMALL THINGS YOU LEARN BIG THINGS AND FROM VISIBLE THINGS THE INVISIBLE ONES
10. THE RIVER DOESN'T ALWAYS BRING PICKAXES
11. DO NOT BLAME ANYONE FOR THEIR MISFORTUNE, BUT HELP THEM INSTEAD
12. WHATEVER YOU DO YOU WILL GET BACK
13. THERE IS NO VALUE IN HAVING A LOT OF MONEY, IF YOU DON'T USE IT
14. AMBITION CLOUDS THE MINDS OF PEOPLE
15. IF YOU HEAR A NOISE, WITHOUT YOUR EYES SEEING ALSO DON'T BE AFRAID
16. LOOK HOW MUCH POWER THE MOSQUITO HAS, IT FRIGHTENS EVEN THE ELEPHANT
17. ARROGANCE BECOMES A CAUSE OF MISFORTUNE
18. WHERE HANDS ARE NEEDED, HELP WITH WORDS DOESN'T HELP AT ALL
19. THOSE WHO HAVE MANY ENEMIES IN THEIR LIFE, WHEN THEY ARE IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION, THEY WILL FIND NO FRIENDS
20. BEAUTY NOT ACCOMPANIED BY PRUDENCE BECOMES A CAUSE OF SHAME FOR THOSE WHO HAVE IT
21. IT IS EASY TO ADVISE, THAT WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO
22. BETTER POVERTY WITHOUT FEAR THAN WEALTH WITH NEEDS AND FEAR
23. SOME, AFTER THEY THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF EVIL TO THEMSELVES, THEY FOOLISHLY ACCUSE GOD
24. LABOUR IS A TREASURE FOR PEOPLE
25. IT IS BETTER FOR ONE TO BE A SERVANT TO THE WISE AND RIGHTEOUS THAN TO HAVE WICKED AND UNEDUCATED MASTERS
26. MANY TIMES CONVINCING SOMEONE IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN USING VIOLENCE
27. REPENTANCE DOESN'T HELP WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED
28. THOSE WHO DESIRE MORE AND MORE OUT OF GREED LOSE EVEN WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE
29. ONE SWALLOW DOESN'T BRING SPRING
30. AND IF TIME BRINGS SOMEONE TO GLORY, HE SHOULD NOT FORGET WHERE HE STARTED, BECAUSE IN LIFE NOTHING IS CERTAIN
31. PROFITS ACCOMPANIED WITH SUFFERING AND RISKS ARE NOT ENVIABLE
32. IF YOU HIT THE FIRST ONE WHO STEPS ON YOU, THE SECOND ONE WILL NOT TRY TO STEP ON YOU
33. WHEN THE GREAT HELP THE SMALL, THEY ARE SAVED AS WELL
34. SOMETIMES, HE WHO DEFEATS THE GREAT, MAY BE DEFEATED BY THE SMALL
35. DON'T COUNT YOUR BIRDS BEFORE THEY GET OUT OF THEIR EGG
36. AGREEMENT IS A SAVING THING, FOR THOSE WHO USE IT
37. HE WHO TELLS LIES IS NOT BELIEVED EVEN WHEN HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH
38. KINDNESS IS STRONGER THAN VIOLENCE
39. THOSE WHO SUFFER A LOT COMPLAIN LESS
40. EXAMPLE IS BETTER THAN ADVICE
41. ONE SHOULD NOT BE DECORATED WITH FOREIGN FEATHERS
42. EVERYTHING HAS TWO SIDES
43. A TWO FACED PERSON CANNOT BE A FRIEND
44. FRIENDS' QUARRELS ARE ENEMIES' JOY
45. MANY PEOPLE SAY ONE THING AND DO ANOTHER
46. IF YOU DON'T TOUCH THE NETTLE, IT DOESN'T STING YOU
47. WHEN A CHANGE IS NOT GOING TO IMPROVE YOUR SITUATION, YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT IT
48. THE WOLF TAKES WHATEVER IT NEEDS AND LEAVES IMMEDIATELY
49. EVERYONE THINKS ACCORDING TO HIS OWN INTEREST
50. THE RICH ALWAYS ASSOCIATE WITH THE VICIOUS
51. IF MAN SAW THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE, HE WOULDN'T BE SO EASILY LOST