Aesop ' s fables 로 속담 과 교훈 익히 기 1 . The Shepherd - Boy and the Wolf A Shepherd - Boy , who tended his flock not far from a village , used to amuse himself at times in crying out . " Wolf ! Wolf ! " Twice or Thrice his trick succeeded . The whole village came running out to his assistance , when all the return they got was to be laughed at for their pains . At last one day the Wolf came indeed . The Boy cried out in earnest . But his neighbours , supposing him to be at his old sport , paid no heed to his cries , and the Wolf devoured the Sheep . Q : Why don ' t people believe the shepherd boy ? Lesson : Liars are not believed even when they tell the truth 2 . The Lion and the Goat On a summer ' s day , when everything was suffering from extreme heat , a Lion and a Goat came at the same time to quench their thirst at a small fountain . They at once dell to quarreling which should first drink of the water , till at length it seemed that each was determined to resist the other even to death . But , ceasing from the strife for a moment , to recover breath , they saw a flock of vultures hovering over them , only waiting to pounce upon whichever of them should fall . Whereupon they instantly made up their quarrel , agreeing that it was far better for them both to become friends , than to furnish food for the crows and vultures . Q : Write the lesson of this fable in Korean . Lesson : Peace is a daily , a weekly , a monthly process , gradually changing opinions , slowly eroding old barriers , quietly building new structures . And however undramatic the pursuit of peace , that pursuit must go on 3 . Hercules and the Waggoner 스스로 돕 는 자 를 돕 는다 . As a Countryman was carelessly driving his waggon along a lane , his wheels stuck so deep in the clay that the horses came th a stand - still . Upon this the man , without making the least effort of his own , began to call upon Hercules to come and help him out of his trouble . But Herclues bade him lay his shoulder to the wheel , assuring him that Heaven only aided those who endeavored to help themselves . Q : What ' s the problem of the man ? Q : Why doesn ' t the Hurcules help the man ? Lesson : it is in vain to expect our prayers to be heard , if we do not strive as well as pray . 4 . The Boy and the Frogs A Troop of Boys were playing at the edge of a pond , when , perceiving a number of Frogs in the water , they began to pelt t them with stones . They gad already killed many of the poor creatures , when one more hardy than the rest putting his head above the water , cried out to them , " Stop your cruel sport , my lads , consider , what is Play to you is Death to us . " Q : What does the last sentence mean ? Lesson : What is Play to you is Death to us . 5 . The Lion and His Tree CouncilorsThe Lion called the Sheep to ask her if her breath smelt . She said Ay , he bit off her head for a fool . He called the Wolf , and asked him , He said No , he tore him in piece fir a flatterer . At last he called the Fox , and asked him . Truly he had got a cold , and could not smell . Q : Why was the sheep die ? Q : Why was the wolf die ? Lesson : Wise men say nothing in dangerous times 6 . The Trees and the AxeA Woodman came into a forest to ask the trees to give him a handle for his Axe . It seemed so modest a request that the principal Trees at once agreed to it , and it was settled among them that the plain homely Ash should furnish what was wanted . No sooner had the Woodman fitted the staff to his purpose , than he began laying about him on all sides , felling the noblest Trees in the wood . The Oak now seeing the whole matter too late , whispered to the Cedar , " The first concession has lost all , if we had not sacrificed our humble neighbor , we might have yet stood for ages ourselves . " Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Write in English . Q : What does the ' humble neighbor ' mean ? Lesson : When the rich surrender the rights of the poor , they give a handle to be used against their own privileges . 7 . The Ass Carrying the Image An ass once carried through the streets of a city a famous woodenImage , to be placed in one of its Temples . As he passed along , the crowd made lowly prostration before the Image . The Ass , thinking that they bowed their heads in token of respect for himself , bristled up with pride , gave himself airs , and refused to move another step . The driver , seeing him thus stop , laid his whip lustily about his shoulders and said , " O you perverse dull - head ! it is not yet come to this , that men pay worship to an Ass . " Q : Why doesn ' t the ass want to move ? Lesson : They are not wise who give to themselves the credit due to others . 8 . The Ass and the Grasshopper An ass , having heard some Grasshoppers chirping , was highly enchanted ; and , desiring to possess the same charms of melody , demanded what sort of food they lived on to give them such beautiful voices . They replied , " The dew . " The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew , and in a short time died of hunger . Q : What does the ass want to get ? Q : Why does the ass eat dew ? Lesson : Even a fool is wise - when it is too late ! 9 . The Ass and His Driver An ass , being driven along a high road , suddenly started off and bolted to the brink of a deep precipice . While he was in the act of throwing himself over , his owner seized him by the tail , endeavoring to pull him back . When the Ass persisted in his effort , the man let him go and said , " Conquer , but conquer to your cost . " Q : What ' s the meaning of " Conquer , but conquer to your cost "? Lesson : A willful beast must go his own way 10 . The Ass and His Masters An ass , belonging to an herb - seller who gave him too little food and too much work made a petition to Jupiter to be released from his present service and provided with another master . Jupiter , after warning him that he would repent his request , caused him to be sold to a tile - maker . Shortly afterwards , finding that he had heavier loads to carry and harder work in the brick - field , he petitioned for another change of master . Jupiter , telling him that it would be the last time that he could grant his request , ordained that he be sold to a tanner . The Ass found that he had fallen into worse hands , and noting his master ' s occupation , said , groaning : " It would have been better for me to have been either starved by the one , or to have been overworked by the other of my former masters , than to have been bought by my present owner , who will even after I am dead tan my hide , and make me useful to him . " Q : Why does the ass repent his behavior ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : He that finds discontentment in one place is not likely to find happiness in another 11 . The Ass and the Lapdog A man had an Ass , and a Maltese Lapdog , a very great beauty . The Ass was left in a stable and had plenty of oats and hay to eat , just as any other Ass would . The Lapdog knew many tricks and was a great favorite with his master , who often fondled him and seldom went out to dine without bringing him home some tidbit to eat . The Ass , on the contrary , had much work to do in grinding the corn - mill and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens from the farm . He often lamented his own hard fate and contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the Lapdog , till at last one day he broke his cords and halter , and galloped into his master ' s house , kicking up his heels without measure , and frisking and fawning as well as he could . He next tried to jump about his master as he had seen the Lapdog do , but he broke the table and smashed all the dishes upon it to atoms . He then attempted to lick his master , and jumped upon his back . The servants , hearing the strange hubbub and perceiving the danger of their master , quickly relieved him , and drove out the Ass to his stable with kicks and clubs and cuffs . The Ass , as he returned to his stall beaten nearly to death , thus lamented : " I have brought it all on myself ! Why could I not have been contented to labor with my companions , and not wish to be idle all the day like that useless little Lapdog ! " Q : Why does the ass think the lapdog is useless ? Q : Why does the ass kick and drive out ? Lesson : To be satisfied with one ' s lot is better than to desire something which one is not fitted to receive 12 . The Ass and His Purchaser A man wished to purchase an Ass , and agreed with its owner that he should try out the animal before he bought him . He took the Ass home and put him in the straw - yard with his other Asses , upon which the new animal left all the others and at once joined the one that was most idle and the greatest eater of them all . Seeing this , the man put a halter on him and led him back to his owner . on being asked how , in so short a time , he could have made a trial of him , he answered , " I do not need a trial ; I know that he will be just the same as the one he chose for his companion . " Q : What ' s the meaning of the last sentence ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : A man is known by the company he keeps . 13 . The Ass and the Mule A Muleteer set forth on a journey , driving before him an Ass and a Mule , both well laden . The Ass , as long as he traveled along the plain , carried his load with ease , but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain , felt his load to be more than he could bear . He entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion , that he might carry home the rest ; but the Mule paid no attention to the request . The Ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden . Not knowing what else to do in so wild a region , the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load carried by the Ass in addition to his own , and at the top of all placed the hide of the Ass , after he had skinned him . The Mule , groaning beneath his heavy burden , said to himself : " I am treated according to my deserts . If I had only been willing to assist the Ass a little in his need , I should not now be bearing , together with his burden , himself as well . " Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure 14 . The Ass and the Old Shepherd A shepherd , watching his Ass feeding in a meadow , was alarmed all of a sudden by the cries of the enemy . He appealed to the Ass to fly with him , lest they should both be captured , but the animal lazily replied , " Why should I , pray ? Do you think it likely the conqueror will place on me two sets of burdens ? ' " No , " rejoined the Shepherd . " Then , " said the Ass , " as long as I carry the burdens , that matters it to me whom I serve ? ' Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Q : What ' s the meaning of the last sentence ? Lesson : In a change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name of their master . 15 . The Bald Knight A bald knight , who wore a wig , went out to hunt . A sudden puff of wind blew off his hat and wig , at which a loud laugh rang forth from his companions . He pulled up his horse , and with great glee joined in the joke by saying , " What a marvel it is that hairs which are not mine should fly from me , when they have forsaken even the man on whose head they grew . " Lesson : Thy pride is but the prologue of thy shame 16 . The Bat , the Birds and the BeastsA great conflict was about to come off between the Birds and the Beasts . When the two armies were collected together the Bat hesitated which to join . The Birds that passed his perch said : " Come with us "; but he said : " I am a Beast . " Later on , some Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said : " Come with us "; but he said : " I am a Bird . " Luckily at the last moment peace was made , and no battle took place , so the Bat came to the Birds and wished to join in the rejoicing , but they all turned against him and he had to fly away . He then went to the Beasts , but soon had to beat a retreat , or else they would have torn him to pieces . " Ah , " said the Bat , " I see now , what I am " Lesson : He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends . 17 . Belling the CatLong ago , the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy , the Cat . Some said this , and some said that ; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make , which he thought would meet the case . " You will all agree , " said he , " that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us . Now , if we could receive some signal of her approach , we could easily escape from her . I venture , therefore , to propose that a small bell be procured , and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat . By this means we should always know when she was about , and could easily retire while she was in the neighbourhood . " This proposal met with general applause , until an old mouse got up and said : " That is all very well , but who is to bell the Cat ? " The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke . Then the old mouse said : " It is easy to propose impossible remedies " Q : Why did the mice have a general council ? Q : What ' s the solution of the mice ? Q : What ' s their problem ? Lesson : It is easy to propose impossible remedies 18 . The Bowman and Lion A very skillful bowman went to the mountains in search of game , but all the beasts of the forest fled at his approach . The Lion alone challenged him to combat . The Bowman immediately shot out an arrow and said to the Lion : " I send thee my messenger , that from him thou learn what I myself shall be when I assail thee . " The wounded Lion rushed away in great fear , and when a Fox who had seen it all happen told him to be of good courage and not to back off at the first attack he replied : " You counsel me in vain ; for if he sends so fearful a messenger , how shall I abide the attack of the man himself ? ' Q : What ' s the meaning of the last sentence ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : Be on guard against men who can strike from a distance 19 . The Birds , the Beasts , and the Bat The birds waged war with the Beasts , and each were by turns the conquerors . A Bat , fearing the uncertain issues of the fight , always fought on the side which he felt was the strongest . When peace was proclaimed , his deceitful conduct was apparent to both combatants . Therefore being condemned by each for his treachery , he was driven forth from the light of day , and henceforth concealed himself in dark hiding - places , flying always alone and at night . Q : Why does the bat conceal himself ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : He winds up friendless who plays both sides against the middle 20 . The Cage Bird and the BatA singing bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a window , and had a way of singing at night when all other birds were asleep . one night a Bat came and clung to the bars of the cage , and asked the Bird why she was silent by day and sang only at night . " I have a very good reason for doing so , " said the Bird . " It was once when I was singing in the daytime that a fowler was attracted by my voice , and set his nets for me and caught me . Since then I have never sung except by night . " But the Bat replied , " It is no use your doing that now when you are a prisoner : if only you had done so before you were caught , you might still have been free . " Q : What ' s the meaning of the last sentence ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : Precautions are useless after the crisis . 21 . The Fox and the GoatA fox one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape . A Goat , overcome with thirst , came to the same well , and seeing the Fox , inquired if the water was good . Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise , the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water , saying it was excellent beyond measure , and encouraging him to descend . The Goat , mindful only of his thirst , thoughtlessly jumped down , but just as he drank , the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape . " If , " said he , " you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head , I will run up your back and escape , and will help you out afterwards . " The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back . Steadying himself with the Goat " s horns , he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could . When the Goat upbraided him for breaking his promise , he turned around and cried out , " You foolish old fellow ! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard , you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up , nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape . " Q : Why does the fox laugh at the goat ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : Look before you leap . 22 . The Goatherd and the Wild GoatsA goathered , driving his flock from their pasture at eventide , found some Wild Goats mingled among them , and shut them up together with his own for the night . The next day it snowed very hard , so that he could not take the herd to their usual feeding places , but was obliged to keep them in the fold . He gave his own goats just sufficient food to keep them alive , but fed the strangers more abundantly in the hope of enticing them to stay with him and of making them his own . When the thaw set in , he led them all out to feed , and the Wild Goats scampered away as fast as they could to the mountains . The Goatherd scolded them for their ingratitude in leaving him , when during the storm he had taken more care of them than of his own herd . one of them , turning about , said to him : " That is the very reason why we are so cautious ; for if you yesterday treated us better than the Goats you have had so long , it is plain also that if others came after us , you would in the same manner prefer them to ourselves . " Q : What ' s the reason that they are cautious ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : Old friends cannot with impunity be sacrificed for new ones . 23 . Birds of a feather flock together . A Farmer placed nets on his newly - sown plowlands and caught a number of Cranes , which came to pick up his seed . With them he trapped a Stork that had fractured his leg in the net and was earnestly beseeching the Farmer to spare his life . " Pray save me , Master , " he said , " and let me go free this once . My broken limb should excite your pity . Besides , I am no Crane , I am a Stork , a bird of excellent character ; and see how I love and slave for my father and mother . Look too , at my feathers -- they are not the least like those of a Crane . " The Farmer laughed aloud and said , " It may be all as you say , I only know this : I have taken you with these robbers , the Cranes , and you must die in their company . " Birds of a feather flock together . Q : Why was the stock captured ? Q : Why didn ' t the farmer be loose the stock ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Lesson : Birds of a feather flock together . 24 . The ass and the fox and lionThe ass and the Fox , having entered into partnership together for their mutual protection , went out into the forest to hunt . They had not proceeded far when they met a Lion . The Fox , seeing imminent danger , approached the Lion and promised to contrive for him the capture of the Ass if the Lion would pledge his word not to harm the Fox . Then , upon assuring the Ass that he would not be injured , the Fox led him to a deep pit and arranged that he should fall into it . The Lion , seeing that the Ass was secured , immediately clutched the Fox , and attacked the Ass at his leisure . 25 . A TORTOISEA tortoise , lazily basking in the sun , complained to the sea - birds of her hard fate , that no one would teach her to fly . An Eagle , hovering near , heard her lamentation and demanded what reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float her in the air . " I will give you , " she said , " all the riches of the Red Sea . " " I will teach you to fly then , " said the Eagle ; and taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds suddenly he let her go , and she fell on a lofty mountain , dashing her shell to pieces . The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of death : " I have deserved my present fate ; for what had I to do with wings and clouds , who can with difficulty move about on the earth ? ' If men had all they wished , they would be often ruined . Q : Why does the tortoise want to fly ? Q : What happened the tortoise in the end ? Q : What ' s the purpose of the story ? Lesson : Wise man knows his limits . 26 . Quarreling sons . A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among themselves . When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations , he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion ; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks . When they had done so , he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession , and ordered them to break it in pieces . They tried with all their strength , and were not able to do it . He next opened the faggot , took the sticks separately , one by one , and again put them into his sons ' hands , upon which they broke them easily . He then addressed them in these words : " My sons , if you are of one mind , and unite to assist each other , you will be as this faggot , uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies ; but if you are divided among yourselves , you will be broken as easily as these sticks . " Q : Why does the father bring the bundle of sticks ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the father ? 27 . A mouse and a lionA lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face . Rising up angrily , he caught him and was about to kill him , when the Mouse piteously entreated , saying : " If you would only spare my life , I would be sure to repay your kindness . " The Lion laughed and let him go . It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters , who bound him by strong ropes to the ground . The Mouse , recognizing his roar , came gnawed the rope with his teeth , and set him free , exclaim " You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you , expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor ; I now let you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion . " Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? Q : What does the mouse say to the lion ? Q : How can the mouse help the lion ? Q : Why does the lion laugh at the mouse ? 28 . Wolf and a Lamb Wolf , meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold , resolved not to lay violent hands on him , but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf ' s right to eat him . He thus addressed him : " Sirrah , last year you grossly insulted me . " " Indeed , " bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice , " I was not then born . " Then said the Wolf , " You feed in my pasture . " " No , good sir , " replied the Lamb , " I have not yet tasted grass . " Again said the Wolf , " You drink of my well . " " No , " exclaimed the Lamb , " I never yet drank water , for as yet my mother ' s milk is both food and drink to me . " Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up , saying , " Well ! I won ' t remain supperless , even though you refute every one of my imputations . " Q : What ' s the reason the wolf ccaught the lamb ? Q : What ' s the meaning of the last sentence ? Q : What ' s the lesson of the story ? 　 　 Lesson : The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny . 29 . The Kingdom of the lion The beast of the field and forest had a Lion as their king . He was neither wrathful , cruel , nor tyrannical , but just and gentle as a king could be . During his reign he made a royal proclamation for a general assembly of all the birds and beasts , and drew up conditions for a universal league , in which the Wolf and the Lamb , the Panther and the Kid , the Tiger and the Stag , the Dog and the Hare , should live together in perfect peace and amity . The Hare said , " Oh , how I have longed to see this day , in which the weak shall take their place with impunity by the side of the strong . " And after the Hare said this , he ran for his life . Q : Why did the rabbit run away in the end ? Q : What ' s the contents of the general proclamation ? 30 . A FISHERMAN 　 A fisherman skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the seashore . Standing on a projecting rock , he played several tunes in the hope that the fish , attracted by his melody , would of their own accord dance into his net , which he had placed below . At last , having long waited in vain , he laid aside his flute , and casting his net into the sea , made an excellent haul of fish . When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said : " O you most perverse creatures , when I piped you would not dance , but now that I have ceased you do so merrily . " Q : What ' s the purpose of the fisherman when he played his tune ? Q : What happened after he played his tune ? The Aesop ' s life The life and History of Aesop is involved , like that of Homer , the most famous of Greek poets , in much obscurity . Sardis , the capital of Lydia ; Samos , a Greek island ; Mesembria , an ancient colony in Thrace ; and Cotiaeum , the chief city of a province of Phrygia , contend for the distinction of being the birthplace of Aesop . Although the honor thus claimed cannot be definitely assigned to any one of these places , yet there are a few incidents now generally accepted by scholars as established facts , relating to the birth , life , and death of Aesop . He is , by an almost universal consent , allowed to have been born about the year 620 B . C . , and to have been by birth a slave . He was owned by two masters in succession , both inhabitants of Samos , Xanthus and Jadmon , the latter of whom gave him his liberty as a reward for his learning and wit . one of the privileges of a freedman in the ancient republics of Greece , was the permission to take an active interest in public affairs ; and Aesop , like the philosophers Phaedo , Menippus , and Epictetus , in later times , raised himself from the indignity of a servile condition to a position of high renown . In his desire alike to instruct and to be instructed , he travelled through many countries , and among others came to Sardis , the capital of the famous king of Lydia , the great patron , in that day , of learning and of learned men . He met at the court of Croesus with Solon , Thales , and other sages , and is related so to have pleased his royal master , by the part he took in the conversations held with these philosophers , that he applied to him an ｅxpression which has since passed into a proverb , " The Phrygian has spoken better than all . " on the invitation of Croesus he fixed his residence at Sardis , and was employed by that monarch in various difficult and delicate affairs of State . In his discharge of these commissions he visited the different petty republics of Greece . At one time he is found in Corinth , and at another in Athens , endeavouring , by the narration of some of his wise fables , to reconcile the inhabitants of those cities to the administration of their respective rulers Periander and Pisistratus . one of these ambassadorial missions , undertaken at the command of Croesus , was the occasion of his death . Having been sent to Delphi with a large sum of gold for distribution among the citizens , he was so provoked at their covetousness that he refused to divide the money , and sent it back to his master . The Delphians , enraged at this treatment , accused him of impiety , and , in spite of his sacred character as ambassador , executed him as a public criminal . This cruel death of Aesop was not unavenged . The citizens of Delphi were visited with a series of calamities , until they made a public reparation of their crime ; and , " The blood of Aesop " became a well - known adage , bearing witness to the truth that deeds of wrong would not pass unpunished . Neither did the great fabulist lack posthumous honors ; for a statue was erected to his memory at Athens , the work of Lysippus , one of the most famous of Greek sculptors . P haedrus thus immortalizes the event : Aesopo ingentem statuam posuere Attici , Servumque collocarunt aeterna in basi : Patere honoris scirent ut cuncti viam ; Nec generi tribui sed virtuti gloriam . These few facts are all that can be relied on with any degree of certainty , in reference to the birth , life , and death of Aesop . They were first brought to light , after a patient search and diligent perusal of ancient authors , by a Frenchman , M . Claude Gaspard Bachet de Mezeriac , who declined the honor of being tutor to Louis XIII of France , from his desire to devote himself exclusively to literature . He published his Life of Aesop , Anno Domini 1632 . The later investigations of a host of English and German scholars have added very little to the facts given by M . Mezeriac . The substantial truth of his statements has been confirmed by later criticism and inquiry . It remains to state , that prior to this publication of M . Mezeriac , the life of Aesop was from the pen of Maximus Planudes , a monk of Constantinople , who was sent on an embassy to Venice by the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus the elder , and who wrote in the early part of the fourteenth century . His life was prefixed to all the early editions of these fables , and was republished as late as 1727 by Archdeacon Croxall as the introduction to his edition of Aesop . This life by Planudes contains , however , so small an amount of truth , and is so full of absurd pictures of the grotesque deformity of Aesop , of wondrous apocryphal stories , of lying legends , and gross anachronisms , that it is now universally condemned as false , puerile , and unauthentic . l It is given up in the present day , by general consent , as unworthy of the slightest credit . G . F . T . M . Bayle thus characterises this Life of Aesop by Planudes , " Tous les habiles gens conviennent que c ' est un roman , et que les absurdites grossieres qui l ' on y trouve le rendent indigne de toute . " Dictionnaire Historique . Art . Esope . 이 솝 의 생애 는 , 그리스 의 유명 한 시인 인 호머 의 생애 와 마찬가지 로 , 많이 알려져 있 지 않 다 . 리디아 의 수도 인 , 사 드리스 ; 그리스 의 섬인 , 사모스 ; 트레이스 의 고대 식민지 인 , 메 셈브리 아 ; 그리고 프리지아 의 주요 도 시인 , 코티 이엄 이 이 솝 의 출생지 의 유력 한 곳 으로 거론 된다 . 비록 이렇게 주장 되 는 명성 이 이 들 장소 들 중 의 어느 한 곳 에 명확히 주어질 수 없 지만 , 이 솝 의 탄생 과 죽음 에 관련 하 여 , 오늘날 학자 들 에 의해서 일반 적 으로 굳어진 사실 로서 인정 되 는 몇 가지 사건 들 이 있 다 . 그 는 , 거의 모두 가 찬성 하 는 것 으로 , 기원전 620 년 경 에 태어났 다는 것 이 인정 되 며 그 는 태생 이 노예 였 다 . 그 는 연이 어 두 주군 들 에 의해서 소유 되 었 다 , 사모스 , 산토스 , 그리고 모두 자드 몬 의 주민 들 로서 , 이 들 중 의 후자 가 그 의 지식 과 재치 에 대한 보상 으로 자유 를 주 었 다 . 고대 의 그리스 공화국 들 에서 자유인 의 특권 들 중 의 하나 는 , 공공 의 문제 에 적극 적 으로 관심 을 보일 수 있 다는 점 이 었 다 ; 그리고 이 솝 은 , 페도 , 메 니 푸 스 , 그리고 에픽테토스 와 같 은 철학자 들 처럼 , 후대 에 는 , 자신 을 노예 상태 의 불명예 에서 상당 한 명예 의 위치 까지 올려 놓 았 다 . 그 의 가르침 을 주 고자 하 며 가르침 받 고자 하 는 욕망 에서 , 그 는 많 은 나라 들 을 여행 하 였으며 , 그 들 중 에서 , 그 시대 에 있 어서 , 학문 과 학자 들 의 위대 한 후원자 인 , 유명 한 리디아 왕 의 수도 인 사르디스 에 왔 다 . 그 는 크로 이 서 스 의 정원 에서 , 솔 론 , 탈레스 및 다른 현자 들 을 만났 으며 , 이 들 철학자 들 과 함께 나눈 대화 의 역할 로서 , 그 의 군주 를 무척 즐겁 게 하 여서 , 그 의 군주 는 그 에게 , 이후 에 속담 이 되 어 버린 , " 프리지아 인 이 제일 말 을 잘 한다 " 라는 표현 을 이 솝 에게 부여 하 였 다 . 크로 이 서 스 이 초청 으로 이 솝 은 그 의 거처 를 사르디스 로 정하 였으며 , 그 군주 에 의하 여 그 국가 의 다양 한 어렵 고 까다로운 업무 들 을 맡 게 되 었 다 . 이런 임무 들 에서 벗어난 뒤 에 그 는 그리스 의 여러 작 은 공화국 들 을 방문 하 였 다 . 한 번 은 코린트 에서 , 다른 한 번 은 아테네 에서 , 그 의 지혜 로운 우화 들 을 이야기 함 으로 , 이 들 도시 들 의 주민 들 을 페리 안 더 와 피시 스트라투스 같 은 통치자 들 의 다스림 에 화합 할 수 있 도록 노력 하 였 다 . 이 들 대사 로서 의 임무 들 중 의 하나 는 , 크로 이 서 스 의 명령 으로 맡 은 것 으로 , 그 의 죽음 의 원인 이 되 었 다 . 시민 들 에게 나누 어 주 기 위하 여 많 은 황금 을 가지 고 델피 로 파견 되 었 던 그 는 그 들 의 탐욕 에 너무나 화 가 나 서 그 돈 을 나누 어 주 기 를 거부 했으며 그것 을 다시 그 의 군주 에게 보내 버렸 다 . 델피 인 들 은 , 이런 처사 에 분노 하 여 , 그 를 무례 함 을 이유 로 정죄 하 였으며 , 대사 로서 그 의 신성 한 자격 에 도 불구 하 고 , 공공 의 범죄자 로 처형 하 였 다 . 이 솝 의 이런 잔인 한 죽음 은 복수 를 불러오 지 않 은 것 이 아니 었 다 . 델피 의 시민 들 은 일련 의 재앙 들 을 맞이 하 였으며 , 마침내 그 들 은 자신 들 의 범죄 에 대하 여 범 시민 적 인 보상 을 하 였 다 ; 그리고 , " 이 솝 의 피 " 는 유명 한 격언 이 되 어서 , 악한 행위 들 은 처벌 받 지 않 고서 는 넘어갈 수 없 다는 진리 를 증거 하 게 되 었 다 . 이 위대 한 우화 작가 는 사후 의 명예 를 받 지 않 은 것 이 아니 었 다 ; 왜냐하면 아테네 에 는 그 를 기념 하 기 위하 여 , 그리스 의 가장 유명 한 조각가 인 리 시퍼스 의 작품 으로서 , 동상 이 세워졌 다 . 페드 루스 는 이렇게 그 사건 을 불멸 의 명성 을 부여 하 고 있 다 : Aesopo ingentem statuam posuere Attici , Servumque collocarunt aeterna in basi : Patere honoris scirent ut cuncti viam ; Nec generi tribui sed virtuti gloriam . 이 몇 가지 사실 들 은 모두 , 이 솝 의 출생 , 삶 , 그리고 죽음 과 관련 하 여 , 어느 정도 의 확실 함 으로 믿 을 수 있 는 모든 것 이 다 . 이것 들 은 처음 에 , 프랑스인 인 M . 클라우드 가스 파르드 바쉬 드 메제리 아크 에 의해서 , 그 는 프랑스 의 루이 13 세 의 스승 이 되 는 명예 마저 도 거절 하 고 , 문학 에 전적 으로 몰두 하 고 싶 은 바람 으로 , 고대 작가 들 에 대한 끈질긴 연구 와 부지런 한 조사 끝 에 드러난 것 이 다 . 그 는 이 솝 의 생애 를 기원 1632 년 에 발행 하 였 다 . 상당히 많 은 영국 과 독일 학자 들 의 이후 의 연구 들 은 M . 메제리 아크 가 제시 한 사실 들 에 매우 적 은 내용 을 추가 하 였 다 . 그 의 논문 의 상당 한 진실 성 은 이후 의 비평 과 조사 에 의해서 확인 되 었 다 . M . 메제리 아크 의 이런 발행 에 앞서 서 , 이 솝 의 삶 은 , 비잔틴 의 황제 인 대 안 드 로니 쿠스 에 의해서 베니스 의 대사 로 파견 된 , 콘스탄티노플 의 수도승 인 , 막 시머스 플 라누 데스 의 펜 에서 나온 것 이 었 으며 , 그 는 14 세기 초기 에 집필 하 였 다 . 이 솝 의 삶 은 모두 이 들 우화 들 의 모든 초기 판 들 의 서두 에 놓여 있 었 다 , 그리고 대주교 크 록 살 에 의해서 1727 년 에 , 그 의 이 솝 이야기 편의 서문 에서 재 발행 되 었 다 . 플 라누 데스 에 의한 이런 이 솝 의 생애 는 , 그러나 , 진실 성 은 거의 없 었 으며 , 이 솝 을 괴상 하 게 왜곡 한 말 도 안 되 는 상상 으로 가득 차 있 었 다 . 즉 , 경이 로운 묵시 적 인 이야기 들 , 거짓 전설 들 , 그리고 엄청난 시대 착오 적 인 것 들 로서 , 오늘날 일반 적 으로 진실 성 이 없 으며 , 유치 하 며 , 신빙 성 이 없 는 것 으로 비난 받 고 있 다 . 그것 은 일반 적 인 의견 에 의해서 , 최소한 의 신뢰 의 가치 도 없 는 것 으로 무시 된다 . G . F . T . M . 베일 은 프라 누 데스 의 이 와 같 은 이 솝 의 생애 를 이렇게 특징짓 는다 , " Tous les habiles gens conviennent que c ' est un roman , et que les absurdites grossieres qui l ' on y trouve le rendent indigne de toute . " Dictionnaire Historique . Art . Esope