8 



GREEK PHILOSOPHY. 



with Croesus. 



abandoned or given up by his country, but of my own will appeal- 

 before you, with this only request, that you will vouchsafe me the 

 honour of your royal ear before you condemn me." He then ad- 

 dressed the monarch in the elegant fable of the Captive Grasshopper, 

 who begged for life upon this simple plea : " that all her business was 

 her song, and that her death could bring no possible advantage to her 

 possessor." The generous monarch felt the force of the appeal, and 

 not only pardoned the petitioner, but desired him to ask any further 

 favour within his wishes. -ZEsop was not forgetful of those who had 

 been his deliverers from slavery, and might almost be called his coun- 

 trymen*; he implored the king's goodwill toward the Samians ; and 

 obtained them a grant of permanent peace and favour under the royal 

 signet. JSsop hastened to Samos with the welcome news, and a 

 statue was decreed to his honour in return for his important services. 

 He then returned to the court of Lydia, and entered upon a still more 

 extensive career of fame ; he became a public counsellor of the state, 



in favour and the distinguished and permanent favourite of Cro2sus ; under whose 

 patronage, and for whose instruction and amusement, he composed 

 many of those apologues that have been handed down, under his 

 name, from age to age, and through the languages of all civilized 

 countries, to the present day. 



JEsop now, easy in his circumstances, thirsted for new opportunities 

 of observation, and obtained leave to travel. His ultimate and prin- 

 cipal object was to visit the famous city of Babylon, then in its me- 

 ridian splendour, and to the king of which he had procured a recom- 

 mendation from Croesus, who was in alliance with him. In the way 



His travels. to Babylon, Msop traversed the rising states of Greece, and called 

 forth the admiration of several of the cities where he abode. At the 

 villa of Periander, near Corinth, he met the Seven Sages, whose fame 

 was at that time at its zenith, and contended with them on the ques- 

 tion of the best form of government, JEsop alone preferring a monarchy 

 to that of any other. With Solon he appears to have been previously 

 acquainted, upon the visit of that legislator to the court of Croesus, 

 when he is said to have advised him (on his being neglected at court) 

 " to make his visits to kings as pleasant, or as seldom as possible," 

 to which the more rigid Grecian philosopher replied, " or, rather as 

 seldom, or as profitable as possible." When he visited Athens, then 

 under the dominion of Pisistratus, he admonished the discontented 

 citizens that they should rather bear the slight evils of which they 

 complained, than seek an unknown and perhaps an intolerable change; 

 and on this occasion was it that he related the famous tale of the 

 ' Frogs wanting a King,' and who, discontented with their harmless 

 log-sovereign, were punished by Jupiter for their oscillatory disposition 

 by the tyranny of the direful stork. 



.Esop at last reached the dominions of Labynetus, king of Babylon, 

 where his talent at solving enigmas and auguries produced him ample 

 rewards and reputation. Secure of a comfortable subsistence, he next 



Settles at 

 Babylon. 



